Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jane’s eyes snapped open as she bolted upright.

Her breathing raced as she frantically took in the sight of a pale white room full of lab equipment, and the smell of serialisation filled her lungs. Panic began to take hold until Jane’s eyes landed on a figure standing at the base of her bed, his many eyes calmly looking at her

“H-Hemlock?” Jane uttered, her voice weak and raw

“Jane Shepard” the cyborg replied with a nod, his voice as cold as it always was

Jane allowed her eyes to flow over Hemlock to take in his appearance. Little had changed since she last saw him, the only major difference being a woollen military coat that was fixed to his shoulders, its sleeves and body flowing behind him like a cape while the pistols holstered on his waist had changed models.

“How did I get here?" Jane whispered as her throat burned “What happened?”

“the SSV Noamrndy was destroyed” Hemlock explained “during which you and John Shepard were both lunched into space. Fortunately, the ASV Defiance arrived shortly after and was able to save you both before you sustained fatal damage”

“John!” Jane cried before clutching her sore throat “I-is he alright”

“he has yet to wake” Hemlock answered “he was closer to the blast than you were, however, Pariah believes he will make a full recovery, as should you”

“Pariah” Jane echoed “t-the cybersmith?”

“Correct”, Hemlock confirmed with a nod “he was tasked with repairing the both of you. Although he favoured genetic engineering to retore as many organic components as possible.”

“i-i see” Jane nodded “w-where am i?”

“you are currently in a medical ward in Iron Peak”, Hemlock answered, “this space station serves as the main military and political base of the Adentri. Or, to be more specific, you are about thirteen kilometres from the world Rannoch”

“Rannoch”, Jane croaked in surprise “, I-is there any other massive mind-blowing information you should get out of the way?”

“it has been around two years since the attack” Hemlock replied simply

“two years!” Jane cried before coughing “It took two years to rebuild me?”

“Negative”, Hemlock replied with a shake of his head “Your restoration took no longer than a month due to the efforts of the Adentri and the aid of the consensus. However, restoring function to flash-frozen brain cells is a slow and dangerous process. It has taken time to ensure you have healed correctly-”

“wait, wait, wait.” Jane cut in, “Consensus? As in the Geth consensus? What did they have to do with me?”

“following you and John’s arrival at Ironpeak, the consensus displayed a desire to aid in your reconstruction.” Hemlock explained, “The Adentri accepted the offer. The consensus’s only condition was that their mouthpiece was to be granted an audience following your awakening.”

“okay” Jane said as she nodded slowly "by any chance, was this mouthpiece the Geth that was in the room when i woke up the first time?”

“Correct,” Hemlock said with a curt nod before glancing towards the door and speaking in the familiar-sounding binaric language

Seconds later, the door slid open to reveal a Geth with a large hole in its chest and two pieces of N7-coloured armour wielded into its body

“Hemlock, Shepard lieutenant commander,” the Geth said in a synthetic voice as it walked closer

“This platform is the mouthpiece of the consensus,” Hemlock said as he gestured to the Geth “The Adentri have taken to the habit of addressing it as Legion”

“Legion,” Jane said as she looked at the machine, curiosity building “N-nice to meet you, Legion”

“We greet you,” Legion said in return as small metal flaps moved on its head

“you said they wanted an audience with me,” Jane said as she looked back at Hemlock “Why?”

“unknown” Hemlock stated simply “This unit did not ask”

“the consensus wishes to communicate with you” Legion said, drawing Jane’s attention “However, it believes this is best left until you have recovered and grown accustomed to the current situation”

“t-that would be best” Jane coughed “i-is it okay if i have some time to myself? I'm still rather tired”

“Naturally,” Hemlock said with a curt nod as he turned to the door “Come Legion”

Legion stared at Jane for a final moment before turning and following behind the cyborg, allowing the door to shut and leaving Jane to her thoughts.

-Ironpeak, medical wing-

John breathed rapidly as he sat on his bed. Hemlock stood close by accompanied by a tall figure who wore scientific scrubs and a metal mask with four glowing eyes.

“It's a lot to take in” John uttered as he glanced at the cyborg

“as it is expected to be” Hemlock replied simply “it will take time to adjust to you’re current situation”

“y-yeah”, John shuddered as he nodded “S-something feels different, though, not the cybernetics. L-like a force flowing through me-”

“that's likely the biotics” the second figure commented in a voice almost as deep as Hemlock’s

“Biotics?” John echoed as he stared at the four yellow-glowing eyes

“correct”, the figure confirmed “During the destruction of the SSV Normandy, you were exposed to large amounts of element Zero from the drive cores detonation. This resulted in you developing the potential for biotics. As part of the reconstruction process, you were outfitted with specialised biotic amps to prevent potential malfunctions in the cybernetics”

“damn” John said breathlessly as he looked over his arms “w-what about Jane? Is she okay?”

“she is” Hemlock confirmed as he gave one of his signature nods “She awoke two hours and thirty-two seconds ago, she is currently resting”

“good,” John said as he sighed in relief, “I think I could do with some rest now. if that's okay?”

Hemlock glanced at the cyborg with the yellow eyes, who looked over some screens before giving a simple nod of confirmation and turning to depart the room.

“staff will check on you in an hour”, Hemlock said simply as he strode towards the door, his new coat flowing behind him “Should you require anything, there is a button to your left that will summon overseers to this chamber.”

“thank you” John said as he laid back into the bed

Hemlock stopped on the far side of the door only to turn and glance towards John. His cold metal voice echoed off the walls as he spoke

“Welcome back Commander”

The door slid shut, and the lights began to dim, leaving John to try and take in all he had been told by the cyborg about the events of what should have been his final day.

Chapter Text

Footsteps echoed off the metal walls as John and Jane followed Hemlock throughout Ironpeak

A few weeks had passed since the twins had awakened. Since then the pair had been diligently undertaking therapy with Pariah to help them adjust to their restored bodies along with receiving special training from a biotic Adentri officer by the name of Minerva to help them adjust to using their biotics in tandem with their cybernetics

“Hemlock”, Jane said as they walked through another blast door “Remind me what we are doing again?”

“you have both made exceptinal progress” Hemlock stated as he marched forwards “Pariah has stated that there is little more that he can do for you, what remains of your ajustment will come with time. Because of this, the Adentri board has requested an audience with you both. However, we are currently en route to a hangar where we will meet with Legion. This unit has something it wishes to show you.”

“guess that makes sense-” John began to say before his jaw dropped

The group had begun walking along a viewport that showed the outside of the vast space station, and both twins had stopped dead at the sight. Large planets hung in the distance, many of them being guarded by large fleets of Geth warships. But the most shocking sight was a large naval shipyard where no less than thirty massive scythe dreadnoughts were under construction, their size easily double that of anything in the alliance fleet.

“This unit sees you have noticed the advancements being made in the Adentri armada” Hemlock commented as he strode back towards the speechless twins

“y-yeah” Jane stuttered as they both pulled their eyes away from the sight to look towards the cyborg

“The Adentri and Geth consensus have both heeded your warnings of the reapers” Hemlock commented as he gestured for the pair to continue following “The two years that you have been absent have been spent making the needed preparations”

“good”, John uttered while still starstruck “Has the council been preparing?”

A silence followed as the team continued to walk until Hemlock finally uttered a response

“Unknown”

John looked to Jane, who was dawning a concerned expression, as both of them knew there was more to that answer than Hemlock simply not knowing. An awkward silence fell over the group until one last blast door slid open to reveal a large hanger full of fighters, shuttles, and gunships. But above all else was that which stood a few metres in front of them with Legion close by.

“what is that?” Jane asked as they approached a large walker

The design was new, and despite not being an engineer, John could tell that it was not Geth in origin. The walker stood somewhere between an Armature and Colossus in height, six large metal legs held it up as a head with one large green eye at its centre and four smaller eyes surrounding it looked down at them, two anti-personal guns hung bellow the head on swivels that would allow them to turn easily while a massive cannon of unknown make was built into the back of the walker.

“This is a Skorpek walker” Hemlock answered as the three stopped before it “It was put into production to serve as the Adentri’s main battle tank should the reapers invade”

“it’s.......something”, John uttered as he admired the walker “What is that cannon on its back?”

“a sunbreaker”, Hemlock replied, “created by reverse-engineering tech that the Adentri gathered from Sovereign remains.”

“is that safe?” Jane cut in, “What if studying that tech could indoctrinate you?

“it was a concern” Hemlock answered “however we have since discovored the Adentri harbor a resistance to indoctronation. Our studies indicate that indoctrination occurs through specialised frequencies that target parts of the organic brain. Parts that the Adentri have since replaced with cybernetics. Because members of the Adentri are fusions of flesh and metal, the systems designed to target organics are rendered null by the metal, and the systems designed to target synthetics are rendered null by the flesh”

“Saren was a cyborg” John commented

“Correct,”, Hemlock said with a nod “However, Saren’s cybernetics were sourced from a reaper, as was his data. Hence they were designed specifically to indoctrinate”

“just be careful” Jane sighed “The last thing we need is you all turning on us”

“acknowledged,” Hemlock said with another nod

“so what else can you tell us about this tank?” John asked as he walked back to the front

“as previously stated, the main cannons are created using reverse-engineered reaper tech” Hemlock stated “We have also concluded that reaper weapons are energy based rather than mass effect field-based. Because of this, the Adentri have developed Iron halo shields that will offer greater protection against reaper weapons. You will both be happy to know that the dreadnoughts you were staring at previously have been armed with Sunbreaker cannons and iron halos. Current projections suggest that upon completion they will be able to match a reaper of Sovereign's size in direct combat”

“that's great” Jane exclaimed as John saw a smile appear on her face

Suddenly, a bell chimed, causing Legion to step forwards

“Hemlock, Shepard commander, Shepard lieutenant commander, it is time to meet with the Adentri board in the main chambers”

“Correct” Hemlock confirmed as he looked to the pair “Follow this unit”

John saw Jane give him a smile as they followed Hemlock and Legion from the hanger

-A few minutes later, the inner chambers-

John felt many eyes land on him as they entered the large room. Looking around, he immediately saw six raised chambers, each of which was surrounded by screens and displays which were being looked over by cyborgs sitting on metal thrones.

“ah, John, Jane” a woman with long grey hair addressed as she looked at them with a crimson eye before she shut down her displays

“thank you for taking the time to speak with us” a male who like Hemlock had replaced his jaw with augments commented

“it's the least we could do” Jane replied as John saw her smile up at them “You did save us after all”

“I would hardly say it was us”, a younger woman with long blonde hair chimed in. “Hemlock had you on an operating table before we even knew you were here.”

“quite right”, a man with silver hair and a beard commented, “and it is far from us to intervene in the master-at-arms work. Especially when he spoke so highly of you both”

“he did?” John said in surprise as he glanced at Hemlock

“before we continue” Jane cut in “Do you have names we should address you as”

“Naturally,” the blonde woman said with a smile “i am Winter”

“Theodora” the grey-haired woman said with a smirk

“Abelard” the silver-bearded man introduced

“Belisarius” the Jawless man followed before nodding to the pair

“i am Uylesses” a man with long black hair who hadn't previously spoken said

“Veronica” the last woman said simply as she stared down at them with several yellow eyes

“now” Theodora said her voice regal “with indroductions and flatery out of the way lets get down to bisness.”

“sounds good to me”, John agreed as he stepped forward “Why did you want to speak to us?”

“Humanity is in danger” Belisarius said simply as he pressed a button that caused a map of the galaxy to appear in the centre of the chamber, which John noticed had several systems marked in red

“human colonies are being attacked” Winter elaborated “We do not know by who, all that we do know is that there are never any signs of battle and every colonist disappears without a trace”

“and the alliance and council have done nothing?” Jane cut in her voice frustrated

“the alliance is scrambling” Ulysses commented “they dont know how to react, currently they are trying to find out what is going on, but as usual it is progressing too slowly to be effective. And the council has refused to intervein on a purely human matter-”

“they what!” John roared his fury building, “Humanity saved their hides, and this is how they repay us!?”

“it is,” Theodora said grimly “we have been following the matter the best we can from beyond the veil. We and the consensus have come to the same conclusion”

“that the reapers are behind this” Abelard finished

“h-how can you be so sure?” Jane questioned, her voice becoming worried

“nothing else in the known galaxy could achieve this,” Theadora said dryly “The Batarians aren’t subtle, the Salarians have bigger problems, the Turians would just bomb us, and the Asari are too full of themselves to care about what we are doing, the Teuton’s would think abducting people is cowardly, and every other race doesn't have a reason to attack us”

“understadable reasoning” John uttered as he nodded “so what do you want us to do?”

“we had hoped to avoid sending you out so soon” Belisarius remarked “but we have no other options outside of deploying our military, however we doubt the council would react well to that. We have calculated that the most likely target is Freedoms progress”

The man pressed another button that caused a system to glow orange before the display zoomed in on the system to show the highlighted world

“Our current estimates indicate that the attack will happen within the next galactic standard day” Abelard explained “We would like you both, along with Hemlock and Legion to investigate-”

“we’ll do it” the twins said in almost perfect unison

“That was easy” Winter commented as Theodora’s smile widened

“the ASV Defiance is standing ready”, Theodora stated “Find out who is behind this. And ensure that we may put plans in motion to stop them”

“understood” the two said in unison before turning and following Hemlock as he led them from the room

-several hours later, Freedoms progress-

Heavy footsteps echoed as John jumped out of the Adentri scythe-shaped shuttle onto the dark concrete below

“looks like we are too late” Jane muttered as they glanced over the empty surroundings

“analysis is correct,” Legion said as he unfolded an M-98 widow

“This unit suggests searching the rest of the colony” Hemlock commented as he exited the shuttle his jacket flowing behind him

“come on then” John ordered as he gestured for the others to follow

Silence fell over the group as they began creeping through the empty housing of the colony. As they examined the structures, Jane noted the fact some had food and drink laid out, some of which had been cut or stabbed with a fork, indicating that whatever happened had occurred quickly and without warning. Legion however pointed out the fact that most of the meals had gone cold indicating that they had been sitting for a while

“hey Hemlock” John said as he led the team around a corner “we saw Themis on the ship, but where is Pandora?”

“Pandora has departed on a special initiative” Hemlock answered “Unfortunately further information is classified”

“that's okay”, Jane said as they crept forward “Any idea when we will see her again?”

A short pause followed until Hemlock answered

“Unknown”

John didn't bother to probe the cyborg further; he had long since learnt that if Hemlock didn't want to reveal information, then there was no way to get it. So silence fell over the group as they continued towards another home. The door of the building slid open to reveal a damaged humanoid machine that had several bullet holes that were still sparking

“what is this thing?” John questioned as he leaned down to examine it

“a Loki Mech” Jane uttered in surprise, “i thought they were outdated tech”

“this is correct”, Hemlock stated as he entered the room “Two months following the assault on the Normandy, Hanhe-Kedar released an updated design for security work. Along with this, they revealed a heavier assault mech identified as the YMIR class”

“i see” Jane said as John rose to his feet

“Are there usually destroyed security mechs at the attacked colonies?” John asked as he looked between Legion and Hemlock

“negative” Legion answered instantly “All previous records of colonies being assaulted have not had their security mechs triggered”

“so this is different,” Jane said hopefully “maybe the attackers are still here-”

“unlikely” Hemlock cut in “as previously stated by Legion the attack ocoured long enough ago for the food left by the colonists to cool, the damage to this mech is still warm from the munitions. Conclusion: whatever destroyed this mech came after the attack”

“great” John muttered as he pulled out his shotgun “Come on then, we need to get to the bottom of this”

No argument came from the rest of the team as they departed the building and continued further into the barren colony. As they moved forward, they came across more destroyed Loki mechs and the sparking remains of defensive drones until they finally reached another building

The door made a whooshing noise as it slid open to reveal a surprising sight. Inside the room stood several armed Quarians who were in a standoff with a human woman in a skintight black and white suit. In between the two parties stood a human male who had his hands raised placatingly. With the door open, both parties turned to look towards them. Immidantly there was the sound of weapons being primed as Hemlock aimed both of his pistols towards the two parties while Legion had his sniper trained on the man in the centre

“What the-” the man uttered before being cut off

“JOHN!” a familiar-sounding voice cried as a female Quarian wrapped in purple sprinted out of the group and tackled him into a hug

“T-Tali” John uttered in surprise as he wrapped one of his arms around her

“Tali!” Jane exclaimed happily as she arrived in the room

“h-how?” Tali questioned as she began to sob “The Normandy was destroyed. J-joker said you both died

“The Adentri saved us”, Jane explained as John held the sobbing Quarian. “From what we have been told, it took a lot of time and effort, which is why we have been gone for two years.”

“H-Hemlock” Tali sputtered as her head turned towards the cyborg

“Greetings Tali’Zorah Vas Rayya” Hemlock said with a nod as he kept his pistols aimed at the two parties

“bet us to it”, the woman commented as she glared at Hemlock. “Cerberus had all the equipment to take care of the matter. But we couldn't get to you’re bodies”

“Cerberus”, John echoed as anger immediately flooded his veins as he glanced at Hemlock. “What the hell does Cerberus have to do with this?”

“following the retrival of your bodies from the ruins of the SSV Normandy the ASV defiance was approched by two unidinfifed ships crusiers that demanded your bodies be turned over” Hemlock explained “naturally this demand was refused. A battle ensured that resulted in the termination of both cruisers”

“i don't even want to know why Cerberus wanted our bodies” Jane cut in “but I find is suspicious that someone working for Cerberus is on a colony that just got attacked-”

“wait, wait”, the man in the centre said as he waved his arms “It looks bad, but we aren't behind it. We were sent to find out what was happening to the colonies”

John saw Jane glance towards him, causing him to let out a deep sigh “I don't believe you, but this isn't the time for interrogations. Tali, why are you here?”

“we-” Tali began to say before being cut off by a male Quarian

“Who are you to ask? You show up out of nowhere with a cyborg and a Geth, and we are supposed to trust you?”

“Prazza” Tali scolded “these are Jane and John Shepard. They were the captains i served with during my pilgrimage”

“that still doesn't explain why we should trust them or why there is a Geth here” the Quarian, now identified as Prazza, countered

“Hemlock here is part of the Adentri” Jane explained as she gestured to the cyborg “They are a faction of organics that operate alongside the Geth consensus-”

“What!” Prazza roared as several of the other Quarian became furious

“Prazza!” Tali shouted before he could speak, “Remember, this is my mission. If you disobey me it is treason”

“and not killing this monstrosity isn't!?!” Prazza screamed as he pointed at Hemlock

“that monstrosity is the one that gave me the anti-biotic research that saved your daughter's life” Tali growled as she stepped forward, leaving both of the twins surprised at the fire on display

“w-wha” Prazza sputtered

“you owe that man your daughter's life” Tali continued as she pointed to the cyborg “The least you can do is tolerate its existence”

“o-okay” Prazza stuttered as he backed away, the other Quarians following suit

Tali took a deep breath before sighing as she turned back to look at the twins “To answer your question, we were sent to retrieve a pilgrim named Veetor. He was here when the colony was attacked and sent out a distress signal”

“did you find anything?” John asked hopefully

“he is still here”, Tali answered “he was the one who reactivated and reprogrammed the defences. He is hysterical and has likely developed infections because of damage to his suit-”

“but he is alive” the human woman chimed in “and therefore, he likely has some idea of what happened here”

a pause filled the room as the Quarians glared at the Cerberus woman until the tension was broken when Jane spoke up

“it would be best if we work together,” Jane said as she walked forwards “We can help you get to the Quarian, and then if he has any information on what happened here, we can copy it”

Tali nodded before looking to the other Quarians, who began mumbling amongst themselves, and eventually, Prazza raised his voice

“We are willing to cooperate. However, the Geth and Cerberus are to stay with you”

“sounds like a deal to me,” John said as he lowered his shotgun “although it would be easier if you had some support.”

The group of Quarian’s burst into another set of hushed mumbles until Prazza spoke once more

“We are willing to have the cyborg join us”

“good,” Jane said as John nodded in agreement

Hemlock stepped forward as he holstered his pistols while giving the Quarians a nod

“we’ll head around the back route to get the main gate open,” Tali said as she joined the rest of the Quarian’s “You take the main route and distract the remaining mechs”

“got it” John agreed as he gestured for his team to follow

The two members of Cerberus didn't argue as they followed the two shepards and Legion down a set of stairs.

“Do either of you have a name?” Jane questioned as the group made their way along a concrete path

“i’m Jacob” the man said, “and this is Miranda-”

“they don't need to know that” Miranda hissed

“If we are going to work with you, then we do” John growled as he glared around at Miranda “We know all about what Cerberus has done in the past, and i can promise you the only reason you are still alive is because killing you would be more trouble then it is worth”

“we know you interacted with one of our cells in the past. But you can't hate all of Cerberus for their-” Miranda tried to argue before being cut off

“we can, and we will,”, Jane said as she glared at her “your organisation was founded by traitors. Now shut up and get ready, i hear them coming”

John saw Miranda glare at Jane, but nevertheless, the woman didn't argue and simply followed behind as they made their way into an opening that was swarming with Mechs. The fight that ensued didnt last long, between John’s newley developed biotic powers that allowed him to close the distance between targets quickly and Jane’s improved amps the Mech’s were torn to shreds, and those few that remained were swiftly finished off by Legion.

“John” Tali said over the comm as the last mech exploded

“what is it Tali?” John answered as he and the others rounded a corner towards the main gate

“we got to the courtyard, but we were attacked by heavy mech’s” Tali explained hastily “Prazza and several other marines have been injured. Hemlock has taken down one of the mech's but we could use support.”

“understood” John acknowledged “We are on the other side of the gate”

“get to cover and I'll open it” Tali replied

“Miranda, Jacob, you take the left side”, John ordered, causing the two to nod as they rushed to their position “Me and Jane will take the right. Legion, you set up in the back and give us sniper support”

“acknowledged,” Legion remarked as it made its way into position

John rushed over to Jane’s side as she pressed her hand to her ear and yelled, “Open the gate, Tali!”

Machernry roared into life as the massive steel gate began to lower allowing the sounds of gunfire, explosions, and meganic movements to echo through. The ground shook as the gate slammed fully open to reveal a large robotic mech.

As soon as it came into few a loud bang rang out as Legion fired a powerful armour peircing round into the mech’s body, the munition hitting with enough force to send the mech staggering back. Not wasting any time, John sprinted around the corner and focused his biotic energy into a field around him before flinging himself forward and slamming into the mech, sending it crashing to the ground.

The mech let out a deep mechanical roar as it tried to aim its arm cannon at John, but before it could fir,e John pulled down on his shotguns trigger, sending a blast of kinetic shards into the mech’s head, causing it to explode open, making the machine go limp

“John”, Tali cried as she raced down a nearby set of stairs with Hemlock close behind. “Since when were you a biotic?”

“Long story” John said as a smile pulled at his lips

“i’ll have to hear about it sometime” Tali replied a warmth radiating in her voice

“Pardon the interruption” Hemlock cut in “This unit has identified Veetor’s location”

“o-oh yes” John stuttered as Jane snickered while approaching with Miranda, Jacob, and Legion

“where is he?” Jane questioned

Hemlock didn't speak, he simply pointed to the doorway of one of the buildings

“okay,” John nodded “me and Jane will go speak to him. Miranda, Jacob you both come with us. Hemlock, Legion help Tali with stabilising the wounded Quarians-”

“t-there’s no need” Tali stuttered, catching John off-guard

“Why don't you want help?” Jane asked, displaying the shared confusion

“well, i-its just” Tali stuttered

“she fears a Geth working on Quarian suits” Hemlock stated simply

“you have no reason to fear creator Zorah” Legion chimed in “This platfrom will do all in its power to aid in the restoration of the creator’s suits”

John saw Tali shrink slightly at Legion’s words until Hemlock carefully placed a metal hand on her shoulder

“This unit will be present to observe”, Hemlock said, his voice becoming ever so slightly less cold. “You trust this unit, do you not?”

“y-yes” Tali mumbled before nodding and looking at Legion “Y-you can help, but you so much as scratch them, and I will turn you into scrap”

Some of Legion's head flaps moved as it looked down at her before it spoke “acknowledged.”

John watched as the three walked off towards the building where the rest of the Quarians were held up before turning his attention to Jane, who smiled and gave him a nod

“come on” John ordered as he turned and moved up the steps towards the building Hemlock had pointed out

As the door slid open John was met with the sight of a dark room that appeared to have once been a security office. On the far side of the room was a Quarian who sat in front of several orange screens, mumbling frantically to himself

“not safe......never safe.......they will be back..........always back...........never free........” Veetor mumbled as his head snapped around to look over the many screens

As they approached, John glanced to his side and gave Jane a nod. She calmly stepped forward and activated her omni-tool before waving her hand to pause the screens, drawing his attention

“w-wha” Veetor mumbled as he stumbled out of his chair “h-how.....you...cant be here.....they would have found you........should have found you....”

“its okay” Jane said soothingly “We weren't here during the attack-”

“of course you weren't..........couldn't have been,” Veetor said absentmindedly “would have been taken.........like all the others”

“Who is the ‘they’ you keep mentioning?” John questioned, “And how did they take the others?”

Veetor went still for a moment before he activated his own omni-tool and leaned around, waving it in front of the screens, bringing up several pieces of video footage

“security footage” Miranda muttered “he must have pieced it together”

John didnt listen closely, he was too busy watching the horrific images. Swarms of insects blanketed the whole colony as large humanoid bugs carried humans trapped in stasis fields and dropped them into pods.

“i-is that a collector?” Jacob mumbled as he stepped closer to examine one of the many-eyed insects

“what the hell would the collectors be doing beyond the omega four relay?” Jane remarked as she placed her hands on her hips “And more importantly, what would they want with humans?”

“the collectors apperently are interested in genetic mutations or admoratlies” Miranda commented “it is possible that they have some sort of connection to the reapers. Or perhaps they are indoctrinated”

“could be” John agreed “or they could have their own reasons. Either way, they need to be stopped”

“they do”, Miranda agreed. “Jacob prepare the Quarian for transit. He needs to be taken in for further questioning-”

“what he needs is his people and medical attention” Jane cut in as both the twins rounded on the her “we agreed to help the Quarians get their man back in resturn for infromation. We have the information”

“we do” Miranda growled, “but there is always the ability to get more.”

Miranda moved quickly drawing her pistol and aiming towards the pair, only for her eyes to widen as she saw both John and Jane had reacted just as quickly. Suddenly, the door slid open to reveal Tali, Legion, and Hemlock, who had his own pistol aimed directly at Miranda’s temple

“this unit suggest reevaluating your decision” Hemlock remarked his voice deep and cold “you live because they have permitted it. You will die should they demand it”

John felt an eerie cold trail up his back as the words reminded him of Sovereign's monologue those years prior. Given the gasp that came from Tali and the look on Jane’s face, John could tell he was not the only one who recognized those words.

“Miranda” Jacob chimed in “we dont need Veetor, we know what happened. Getting into fights with the Shepards won't do us any favours. Especially when the boss will want to speak with them”

Miranda continued to glare at the pair before exhaling and holstering her weapon

“alright. We will take the data”

“good choice” John growled “Take your copy and get the hell out of here”

Miranda stepped forward and activated her omni-tool to download a copy of the recordings before she turned and strode from the room without another word.

“Sorry about her” Jacob uttered as he nodded towards the exit “It was an honour meeting you both”

Jacob then turned and walked out of the door. All the while, John almost felt bad that he had to put up with Miranda.

“Hemlock, can you copy the data?” Jane asked as she holstered her weapon the cyborg didn't bother to speak, instead he simply stepped forwards

“thank you both” Tali said warmly as she walked over “i knew you would never betray me. But still, thank you”

“always happy to help Tali”, John replied as he smiled at her “How are the wounded?”

“thanks to the Geth and Hemlock, they have been stabilised” Tali answered “i don't know what would have happened if they weren't here-”

“Current estimations indicate a fatality rate of seven” Hemlock chimed in as he strode over “along with another four that would have succumbed to their wounds before getting the needed treatment”

An awkward pause fell over them as they all stared at the cyborg

“im not even going to broch that” Jane commented, breaking the silence “Although I do need to ask about what you said to Miranda-”

“you refer to the quote from Sovereign” Hemlock stated calmly

“yes,” Jane confirmed, “what was that about?”

“This unit simply believed it was an effective way to evoke fear” Hemlock answered simply

“very”, John commented as he looked at Tali “What are you doing now, Tali?”

“i need to help get Prazza and the others back to the ship” Tali answered “Then I'm returning to the fleet”

“you could come with us” John suggested hopefully “We have to stop the collectors, and it would be nice to have you back on the team”

“oh John, i would love to join you both” Tali said sadly “but i my people need me. I am slated for a mission in the coming weeks, but I'll see if i can get leave after that”

“okay” John nodded as a slight tinge of sadness grew in his chest “Stay safe Tali”

“same for you” Tali replied as John felt her gently pat his shoulder “Look after him, Jane, Hemlock”

Tali’s last comment caused Jane to burst into laughter, and John could have sworn that Hemlock’s organic eye gleamed for a fraction of a second before he nodded at the departing Quarian. Jane’s laughter continued to echo through the room as Tali departed and Legion walked past, leaving John to muse on the reason for his sadness while Hemlock radioed the shuttle for pickup

Chapter Text

“collectors”, Theodora’s hologram exclaimed in surprise while the other board members displayed looks of confusion or shock

“That's right”, Jane confirmed as she looked around the communications chamber of the ASV Defiance

“and they took all the colonists?” Belisarius questioned, “In pods, alive?”

“they did”, John said with a nod “Any idea why they would want humans alive?”

A pause fell over the room as the members of the board shared looks. Eventually, Abelard spoke up

“none-”

“acutally” Veronica chimbed in “i remember hearing rumors of collectors being involved in the slave trade.”

“they are”, Ulysses confirmed, “but they only ever buy slaves. They never carry out their own raids.”

“until now”, Winter remarked as she looked to be deep in thought

“what is our next course of action?” Jane asked as she flicked a strand of her hair

“we will need some time to investigate,” Theodora said grimly. “Until then, we suggest you return to Geth space. Although you are welcome to go elsewhere, just don't destroy our ship.”

“Understood,” the twins said in unison as the six holographic figures cut out

“so after all that, we have nothing,” Jane sighed

“yep,” John said dryly as he glanced towards Hemlock “How long do they usually take to make a decision?”

“it varies”, Hemlock answered as Legion walked over “They have little data to go off, so this could take time-”

“Shepard commander, Lietunant shepard commander” Legion cut in drawing everyones attention “both of you have recived messages on your emails. Both have been addressed to you from the Illusive man-”

“illusive man”, Jane snapped as her temper began to build “Wasn't that a title Cerberus used?”

“Correct” Hemlock confirmed “In your absence, it has been discovered that the illusive man is the being who is the founder and head of Cerberus”

“and he just sent messages to our acounts after we incountered agents on Harizon” John muttered “why the hell are our accounts still active?”

“Following the retrieval of your bodies, the Adentri was able to hack systems and prevent the closing of your email, bank, and other accounts” Hemlock answered as he brought up holographic screens to show them

“of course you did” Jane uttered as she rubbed her temples “Legion, can you bring up the messages please”

Legion stepped forwards and with a wave of its arms brought up to screens displaying the messages. Jane went still as her green eyes darted over the words taking them in

~

From: The Illusive Man

Jane Shepard.

You dont know me, but i know all about you.

A Survivor from Mindoir, a protector of the people, a human spectre.

No doubt you and your brother don't trust me, I don't blame you. What happened with Kahoku was, regrettable. I won't try to convince you that I am trustworthy, so I'll get straight to the point; humanity is in danger, and I have no doubt you want to protect it. Cerberus does as well, so I would like to make you an offer.

Over the past two years, Cerberus has painstakingly constructed an upgraded version of the Normandy SR-1 while also gathering members of your former crew such as Jeff Moreau and Karin Chakwas. Come to the station at these coordinates in an unarmed shuttle, and we can hopefully come to a deal about it returning to your command.

`~

Jane growled as she looked away from the message towards John who had already finished reading and was looking at the ground.

“This feels like an obvious trap”, Jane scoffed as she looked over John’s message to see it was almost identical

“it does” John agreed as he leaned against a nearby handlebar “but I feel like we have to go”

“why?” Jane questioned as she raised an eyebrow “If it's about the ship-”

“its not about the ship” John said as he shook his head “but if Joker and Chakwas are there we should hear them out. Neither of them would agree to commit atrocities, so either Cerberus has changed, which I doubt, they aren't aware of what Cerberus is doing, or they have been taken forcefully”

Jane made a low hum of agreement “true. But how do we know he isn't lying to get us out in the open?”

“We don't”, John sighed before he looked across the room. “What do you think, Hemlock?”

A short silence followed before the cyborg stepped forward and spoke

“This unit believes that the offer should be accepted”

“Really?” Jane questioned as her eyes widened in surprise

“Correct”, Hemlock confirmed, “If remnants of the Normandy’s original crew remain, an effort should be made to reunite with them. Joker is infinitely more loyal to the both of you than he likely to be to Cerberus”

“true,” John agreed “, but how will that help?”

“Assuming that a new ship has been built, then should you not like the deal offered by the illusive man, we will be able to steal the Normandy”, Hemlock explained. “Given time, the Adentri’s engineers would be able to scrub the ship of everything Cerberus-related.”

“i guess that's true” Jane commented as she thought over the cyborg's words

“Furthermore, the ASV Defiance can position itself near the mass relay into the sector” Hemlock continued “This would prevent the potential of being stopped or displaced during the departure”

“sounds like a plan to me” John nodded before his eyes landed on Jane

“okay” Jane sighed as stood tall “Let's go get our ship back”

-several hours later, minutemen station-

“and this is the breifing room that also serves as a comminication centre” Joker explained as he led the small group into a room with a glass desk that had an orange display of the Normandy hovering over it.

Jane had to admit, the ship was impressive. Twice the size of the original Normandy with all the same benefits and then some. The Illusive man hadn't been lying about Joker and Chakwas, both of whom greeted them on their arrival, with the former of the two embracing the twins. In fact, the worst part of this whole experience had been-

“if you are done with the tour” Miranda muttered in a sour tone “the illusive man would like to speak with you.”

‘That’ Jane thought as she and John turned to face the woman

“how do we speak to him?” John questioned

“Once we all leave the room, the table will lower” Miranda explained “Just walk onto it, and the tech will do the rest”

“okay,” Jane nodded as she watched the woman strut from the room along with Joker, Hemlock, and Legion.

As soon as the door sealed shut, the hologram on top of the table flickered out as it began to lower. Following Miranda’s instructions, Jane and John stepped forward onto the table as a large holographic screen wrapped around them, and scanners took in their appearance to broadcast it to the other end of the line.

“Shepards” a calm male said as the screen showed a dark room that overlooked a red and blue star

“illusive man” Jane grunted as she looked over at the silver-haired man who sat across from them smoking a cigarette

“do tell,” the illusive man chuckled “What do you think of the ship?”

“cut it with the pleasantries”, John muttered as he glared towards the man “You wanted to make a deal. Get on with it”

“stright to the point, i can work with that” the illusive man said as he rose to his feet “as you are both aware, humanity is under attack. The collectors have assaulted several of our colonies and will continue to do so at an unstoppable pace. And although I lack the evidence to support this belief, i am certain that the reapers are involved”

“What makes you so sure?” Jane demanded, earning a smile from the illusive man

“it's far too much of a coincidence that they started attacking right after you both disappeared” The illusive man explained

“speaking of us disappearing”, Jane cut in “You attacked the ship that saved us.”

“when i heard the Normandy had been attacked i sent ships to find you” the Illusive man explained “when they saw you being gathered by an unknown class of ship they attacked. I didn't order it. And by the time i heard it had happend both ships our were ashes. And the ship that had you was gone”

“so you knew you wouldn't get our bodies” John chimed in “but you still gathered members of our crew and built a new Normandy”

“it was a bit of a gamble”, the Illusive man admitted “When we accessed the black boxes of our destroyed ships, we saw that the ship that saved you was of the same make as those that you called in during the attack on the citadel. Given the fact they had helped you in the past, I was betting they would help you again. Evidently, my bet paid off”

Jane sighed, she didnt like it but she had to admit the logic made sense.

“what do you want with us then?” she asked as she glared at the illusive man once more

“i want to stop humans being taken, and to stop the reapers” the illusive man said simply “and i know that the best way to ensure that happens is to back you two.”

“rather confidant in us” John commented

“you have given me many reasons to be” the illusive man replied as he sat down once more “i have a deal for you both. You take the Normandy SR-2, and you use it to stop the collectors”

“seems to good to be true” Jane uttered as she stared suspiciously at the illusive man

“i havent got to the conditions yet” he countered “in return, Miranda and Jacob will be allowed to stay aboard the ship and work alongside you. Miranda will send daily reports back to me and will serve as your XO due to the death of Pressly, and a portion of the crew will remain Cerberus-”

“no,” John said sternly, cutting the illusive man off “there is no way we are accepting that”

“if you have an offer, I'm willing to hear it” the illusive man commented as he pointed towards the pair with his cigarette

Jane leaned over and whispered to John, which he nodded in agreement to before she leaned back and turned her attention back to the illusive man

“we are willing to have Miranda, Jacob, and the Cerberus crew” Jane said as she stared him down “we will appoint our own XO who will evaluate the crew and suggest the removal of members not to their standard. Miranda will be allowed to send daily reports to you, but they need to be checked over and approved by either of us or our XO. If we find out she has done so without being granted permission, she will be removed.”

A tense silence fell over the space as the illusive man stared at the pair while deep in thought

“you have a deal,” the illusive man said after a minute or two “I’ll inform Miranda and Jacob of the changes. And to show there is no bad blood”, the illusive man brought up a holographic screen and pressed a button “i have sent dossiers on people who would be valuable members of your crew for this mission...good hunting”

Like that, the display faded away, leaving Jane and John standing alone in the room to think over the interaction

-an hour later, briefing room-

Jane let out a breath of fresh air as the Normandy hummed into life.

“commanders,” Jacob said as he entered the room, followed by Miranda, Hemlock, and Legion “You wanted to see us”

“we did” John said as he came to a stop next to Jane “i take it the illusive man has updated you both?”

“yes sir” Jacob answered “we are under your command. As is the rest of the crew and the ship. I also saw your stuff being moved to the two separate captains cabins-”

“glad you are caught up” Jane cut in before Jacob could continue his ramble “stright to the point. We are here to appoint our executive officer”

Jane saw Miranda’s eyes gleam at these words as she smirked at Hemlock, who wasn't looking at her. ‘guess he didn't tell her that part,’ Jane thought as John spoke up

“Hemlock. You will be our executive officer; the quarters is yours-”

“What?” Miranda scoffed as her head snapped around to look at them “You can't seriously be choosing that hunk of tin over me”

“we can and we have” Jane countered as she flicked a datapad containing the service record of Caliban Wallace across the desk “if you can beat is track record then we might reconsider. Until then, Hemlock is XO”

Miranda’s eyes narrowed into a glare as she looked over the record, only to open slightly in surprise as she glanced towards the cyborg

“Are you alright with that, Hemlock?” John questioned

“This unit will serve to the best of its ability,” Hemlock said with a nod

“Great,” Jane said as a smile pulled at her lips “all of you bar Hemlock, are dismissed”

“yes, ma’am” Jacob replied as he saluted and exited the room, followed closely behind by a seething Miranda and a silent Legion

Once the door slid shut, Jane turned towards the waiting cyborg and spoke

“Hemlock, the illusive man, sent us dossiers on people that he believes will be useful in our mission. We would like you to sort through them all, and we would also like you to evaluate the records of all the crew members on this ship who weren't part of the SR-1’s crew. If they are extremely loyal to Cerberus or the illusive man, then we will need to replace them”

“acknowledged,” Hemlock said with a nod

“thanks”, John smiled “We sent the dossiers and records on the crew to the XO’s cabin. it is a lot. But you can get through it faster and more efficiently than we can.”

“do not fret, John this unit will complete the task swiftly” Hemlock replied

Jane smiled as the cyborg turned and departed the room, allowing her to raise her hand to her ear and speak

“Joker, EDI, set a course for the citadel”

Chapter Text

“he just gave you the ship?” Belisarius questioned as the members of the Adentri’s board all dawned looks of suspicion or Suprise

“he had conditions” John sighed “he wanted two members of our team to be handpicked Cerberus agents, and he wanted one of them to be our XO-”

“Surely you didn't agree to that?” Winter scoffed

“we didnt” Jane confrimed as she nodded to the blonde’s hologram “we allowed the Cerberus agents to be part of the team. But we chose Hemlock to be our second in command”

“a wise choice,” Theodora remarked with a nod “Trustworthy, past experience working with you, and not working with a band of terrorists and madmen”

“what is your next course of action?” Abelard questioned as he folded his hands

“we are on route to the citadel” John said with a sigh “hopefully we will be able to get through to the council with the evidence we have aquried. And if not, we may be able to get support from the alliance.”

“did you come up with a plan to stop the collectors?” Jane cut in, causing the members of the board to share a grim look

“unfortunately we have not” Theodora said apologetically “without a way beyond the omega four relay there is no way to deal with the collectors directly. Currently, our best option is to attempt to engage them while they are attacking a colony, but this won't be easy given the stasis field their Swams can make-”

“actually” John chimed in “we may have a solution to that. The illusive man gave us a bunch of dollars on individuals that could help us in our mission. We have had Hemlock look over them all, he hasn't given a full report yet, but he has mentioned there is a Salarian scientist that may be able to create protection against the swarms”

“if that is correct his assistance would be of major value to your efforts” Belisarius mumbled “but are you certain you can trust information given freely by the Illusive man?”

“we dont have much choice” Jane sighed “Hemlock is examining them all and will determine if they are worth our time. We trust his judgment.”

“and we trust yours” Abelard remarked as she gave a gentle smile “we will support whatever you deem to be the best course of action.”

“Abelard is quite right” Theodora agreed “We will do everything we can to help you in your mission”

“thank you-” the twins began to say in unison before being cut off

“We are on final approach to the citadel” Edi declared

“thank you, Edi” Jane smiled “Sorry, but we need to go”

“do not apologise”, Belisarius said simply with the wave of a metal hand “We will be in contact should we gather any more information. Keep us posted.”

“yes sir” the twins said in unison as they both saluted before the display faded away, leaving them to prepare to arrive at the citadel

-half an hour later, Citadel political quarter-

"Security has definitely gotten better” John commented as he led Jane and Hemlock out of the elevator

“it has” Jane agreed “I’m glad Bailey was about to help us”

“i was suprised he was a captain” John muttered as they rounded a corner “wasnt he a lieutenant the last time we saw him?”

“he was” Jane confirmed “although he seemed a bit worried about how the council would treat us”

“for good reason”, Hemlock cut in “Prior to your disappearance the council did not favour you. In your two-year absence, it has changed”

“how so?” John questioned as he turned to look at the cyborg

“Since your assumed death councillor Archembald has ceased to be a part of the council-” Hemlock stated before being silenced

“WHAT!?” the twins yelled causing several passersby to recoil and stare at them in surprise

“What happened?” Jane questioned

“Following your assumed deaths the council began covering up information about the reapers and sovereign” Hemlock explained as he continued to walk forwards “Councilor's Baldwin and Archembald were both enraged by this. However, Archembald reached the end of his patience when the council started lying to the people. Teuton culture is built around honour and duty, to lie to the people you have sworn to serve is akin to treason. An argument ensued, in the aftermath the Teuton’s ceased to be a presence in the citadel council-”

“wait” John cut in “Are you saying”

“that the Teutons no longer hold a seat on the council or have ambassadors present” Hemlock confirmed

“s-so what happened to Archembald?” Jane asked after a stunned pause

“all current sources indicate he returned to Karsk” Hemlock answered “There he likely continues to serve as a member of the inner circle and a Baron of his house”

Another silence fell over the group as they walked, the information slowly sinking in.

‘after everything we do,’ John thought furiously, ‘they lie, cover it up, and act like it never happened. Hell they are so dead set on lying that they were willing to drive out a whole race from the council.... idiots’

John was pulled from his thoughts as a set of doors in front of him slid open allowing a familiar voice to reach his ears

“i am the voice of Humanity and the alliance,” Baldwin said sternly as he stared down three holographic figures “You will give the respect that is due from this position”

John’s eyes darted around the office. It was similar to the one Udina had once inhabited. A large white room with a door that led out to a balcony that looked over the prisidum And several holographic stations. Unlike Udina’s office, Baldwin’s had paintings that John didn't recognize, along with a large wooden desk where his terminal and piles of paper and data pads lay.

“John.........Jane” a familiar voice whispered breathlessly causing John to look to a far corner of the room

His eyes went wide as he took in the sight of Anderson, who was sitting at a small table. The former captain’s eyes were just as wide in Suprise and horror.

“Shepards” Sparatus sputtered in surprise while his mandibles flickered

“y-you a-are meant to be dead” Valern uttered while Tevos simply stared

Before anyone else could speak, Anderson lunched to his feet and charged across the room before pulling John and Jane into a tight, fatherly embrace.

“you're alive” he whispered “i-i knew you couldn't be dead”

“it shouldn't be possible”, Valern uttered “Your ship was destroyed. You were spaced”

“We had some help” Jane retorted as she glanced towards Hemlock, who stood silently by the door

“Who is this individual?” Tevos questioned as she fixed her eyes on the cyborg “he aided you during your hunt against Saren, but we were never formally introduced”

“Hemlock” Baldwin said simply as he continued to face the council “he serves an organization named the Adentri”

“and they saved them?” Sparatus questioned as he gestured towards the pair

“Correct” Hemlock confirmed

“then we owe you a great debt-” Tevos smiled

“i don't know if he would want you in debt to him” John cut in as he marched forwards to stand beside Baldwin

“We have been conscious for two weeks, and we have already heard a list of ways you failed to repay the debt you owe us and humanity”

“w-what” Sparatus stuttered as he avoided John’s gaze

“shall we go over the list” Jane said as she arrived on Baldwin’s other side “human colonies have been attacked, you did nothing. The reapers are out there, you have done nothing. You are actively covering up Sovereign being a reaper, and when Archembald refused to lie to the people, he left the council and took a whole race with him. Is there anything we are missing?”

“our actions are perfectly justified” Valern countered “We can't allow ourselves to be directly involved in one race's problems-”

“bullshit”, John cut in “If your colonies were under attack, you would have the Turian navy scouring space for the ones who were behind it. It's been two days since we found out human colonies are under attack and we have already found out the collectors are behind it”

“the collectors” Tevos mumbled

“and why the hell are you lying about Sovereign” Jane demanded

“We haven't lied about anything related to the ship” Valern countered “it was a Geth construct that Saren used-”

“you can't be serious!” John roared as his fury began to build “You saw it firsthand! It was nothing like the other Geth ships! They couldn't have built it if they tried! Sovereign was a Reaper!”

“ah yes the reapers” Sparatus scoffed while doing air quotes with his talons “the sentient race of starships. We have dismissed their existence-”

“you're joking, right?” Jane sputtered as she glared between them “You almost died to one of them, and it's not enough evidence for you!?”

“Can't you see Saren was trying to fool you” Tevos almost pleaded “he used the ship the convince the Geth the Reapers are real-”

“ARE YOU STUPID!?” John roared his pulse ringing in his ears “A few seconds ago, you claimed that it was a Geth ship. How the hell would Saren convince the race that you claim built it that it was a god!?”

A silence hung over the room. Tevos looked completely neutral while Valern scowled at the pair. Sparatus’s mandibles flickered as his eyes trailed over them.

“bickering will get us nowhere” Baldwin said with a deep sigh “it is clear that you are uninterested in offering assistance in resolving the colony matter. If there is nothing else councillors i wish to speak with the Shepards-”

“wait” Sparatus cut in “we may not agree with them about the reapers. But the fact that human colonies are under attack is undeniable. We will not send our fleets, but the least we can do is restore their spectre status”

John felt his eyes widen in Suprise as Sparatus looked between Tevos and Valern, both of whom appeared to think it over before nodding in agreement.

Sparatus turned back to look at the pair before asking, “Will you accept the position of spectres once more?”

John glanced over to Jane, who gave a small nod before looking towards Baldwin. John saw the man's grip on his cane tighten before he nodded as well.

Both twins turned their attention back to the councillors and nodded before saying “We accept”

“good luck” Sparatus sighed “and be careful”

Without another word the three holograms faded away, leaving John with a sour taste in his mouth.

“useless” Baldwin spat scornfully as he strode past, his long blue robes flowing behind him as he made his way towards his desk “Completely useless”

“you can say that again” Jane agreed as the pair came to a stop In front of the wooden desk “i have to say you don't seem surprised to see us”

“and you knew who Hemlock was” John chimed in

Baldwin chuckled as he lowered himself into the seat behind his desk before gesturing for the twins to sit across from him “following the battle for the Citadel i spoke with Hemlock, since then we have communicated over the years. He warmed me that you were coming”

“and you didn't think to tell me!?” Anderson demanded as he marched over

“it would ruin the surprise” Baldwin replied simply the hint of a smirk in his voice “i must say, it is good to see you both again”

“we are glad to see you” John replied “how has life as the first human councillor been?”

“you just witnessed it,”, Baldwin said dryly “When Archembald was here, he could support my actions. Now i am forced to hammer my way through three idiots to get things done”

“sounds tough” Jane replied sympathetically “is Tevos not helpful at all?”

“not in my experience” Baldwin answered “in fact with Archembald gone, the councillor that I find the most common ground with Sparatus”

“Really?” John said in surprise “That ass can agree with people”

“he can” Baldwin confirmed “Unfortunately what we agree on are rarely matters of state. hence it does not involve the council”

“of course”, Jane murmured, “life would be too easy if the council was useful. No offence”

“none taken”, Baldwin replied with a wave of his hand “Now, enough about politics. What i need to know is what you both intend to do about this missing colonies. You said the collectors were behind it, didn't you?”

“We did” John confirmed “we got video footage of them abducting the colonists at Freedom Progress”

“They took the whole colony” Anderson questioned in horror

“yes”, Jane said grimly, “they have some sort of swarm that puts everyone it affects into a stasis field. Then they gather them up and fling them into pods to take them”

“a swarm” Baldwin echoed in contemplation “that would explain the lack of damage. I can't even begin to fathom how we are supposed to protect against that”

“Hopefully you won't have to” John commented “we are going to track them down and stop them”

“how do you intend to do that?” Anderson questioned, “They come from beyond the omega four relay. There is no way to get through safely”

“we will find a way”, Jane replied, her voice determined “We have help from the two most advanced factions in the Milky Way. Hell, even Cerberus is trying to back us-”

“Cerberus” Baldwin and Anderson said in unison, cutting Jane short

“don't tell me you are working with them,” Anderson said almost pleadingly

“We don't have much choice,”, John said grimly “We need all the help we can get. And they aren't trying to kill us, so they are the lesser problem”

Baldwin's green eyes glared at them as he let out a hum of deep thought until he finally sighed

“Cerberus is a cancer on the galaxy and a stain on humanity” Baldwin whispered scornfully “but if it must be done to save our people, then so be it”

“don't worry” Jane reassured “if we find them doing anything horrific we’ll stop them”

“good”, Anderson nodded “So what is your next step?”

“we get supplies and gather a team” John answered “hopefully we can get some of the old crew back. Any idea where Kaidan and Ashley are these days?”

An awkward pause followed as Anderson stared at the desk before shaking his head

“i-I'm sorry. I really am,” he stuttered, “but they are on special assignment. And given everything that is happening, I can't disclose where. Not even to you two”

“its alright” Jane said comfortingly as she patted the older man on the arm “We trust you Anderson”

“thank you”, Anderson said with a nod before his eyes widened as he looked at an old grandfather clock on the far wall. “Blast, is that the time? I was supposed to report into Hackett half an hour ago. I've got to go you two but keep in touch”

Before either of the twins could answer, Anderson turned and darted from the room, causing Baldwin to chuckle once more

“How are we supposed to keep in touch with him?” Jane asked as she looked back at the masked man

“i will send his email and other contact information to the Normandy” Baldwin answered as he tapped at his terminal “i will also send you mine should you need to contact me about anything”

“thank you, Baldwin” John said with a smile as he rose to his feet “Sorry to cut this reunion short, but we should probably head out to start gathering supplies”

“its quite alright” Baldwin replied as Jane rose to her feet “there is work that i needed to start on anyway. i wish you both the best of luck”

“thank you, Baldwin” Jane said warmly as they turned and made their way towards the door where Hemlock stood waiting for them

Right as they were about to leave, the door slid open to reveal the towering figure of a familiar Krogan clad in white and gold armour

“Brax?” John said in surpise

“Shepards” Brax replied with a nod, his yellow eyes unbothered by their presence

“what are you doing here?” Jane asked, confusion radiating off of her

“Baldwin hired me to be his assistant and bodyguard” Brax answered

“really?” John said in surprise “Is it a good job?”

“the best I've worked in” Brax answered “Baldwin is the first boss I've had who doesn't treat me like a dumb hunk of muscle and meat”

“thats good” Jane said warmly “what about Charr, what happened to him?”

“he was hired as well”, Brax replied, “stayed on for six months. But Baldwin encouraged him to start a career in art and poetry because he loved it so much, couple of months later he met an Asari, Ereba i think her name was. Love at first sight he called it. They started dating and even moved in together. Last i heard, they moved to Illum to work at some art gallery”

“wow” John uttered “That's impressive”

“it is” Jane agreed

“he found his calling” Brax said simply “i found mine. Baldwin may be young, but he sure as hell knows what he’s doing”

“definitely” Jane agreed as John saw her glance around at the man in question who was busy looking over documents

“its been nice seeing you again Brax” John said as he patted the Krogan’s shoulder “but we need to head out”

“alright” the krogan nodded “Until next time Shepards”

Without another word, Brax strode past, allowing the team to depart for the shopping district of the nearest ward to begin gathering supplies

-several hours later, Citadel Zakera ward-

“say Hemlock,”, John said as he looked over Saronis applications wares “By any chance, do you know what happened to the others?”

“clarify” Hemlock said simply as Jane looked up from a box she was examining

“well we know where Tali is” John continued “and Ashley and Kaidan are still with the alliance. But what about Wrex, Garrus, Luther, and Liara? Do you know where they are?”

“all current infromation indicates that Urdnot Wrex is still on Tuchanka” Hemlock answered “specific location, unknown. Garrus Vakarian, last seen entering the terminus systems, location unknown. Luther lord of house Bane, returned to Karsk, current location Wormwood palace. And Liara T’Soni resides on Ilos working as a Prothean researcher being funded by the Adentri-”

“What!?!” Jane cried, causing the Salarian behind the desk to recoil as she stormed over to the cyborg “You knew where she was this whole time and didn't tell me!?”

“Correct,”, Hemlock said simply, “This unit was waiting until you had adjusted to your current situation. Along with this Liara T’soni is going to be transferred to the brass city in the coming months”

“how come?” John asked

“Liara T’soni recently developed a friendship with a Drell by the name of Feron.” Hemlock explained, “said Drell was an operative of the shadow broker, which betrayed them to give Liara valuable Prothean tech that could be studied. Because of this Feron was taken captive to an unknown location and Liara has been placed in the shadow broker's sight”

“then why haven't you moved her already!?” Jane demanded

“this unit attempted to” Hemlock answered “she inisted on staying a while longer to finish studying the ruins. This unit gave her another month to study under the condition that she does not argue when the time is up”

“and you just let her-” Jane tried to argue before John placed his hand on her shoulder

“Jane”, he said softly, “you know what Liara is like. Hemlock would have had to drag her kicking and screaming if she wasn't ready to leave......have faith in her”

“y-your right” Jane mumbled as she exhaled deeply “i-im sorry, Hemlock”

“apologies unneeded,” the cyborg said simply “Your outburst was logical”

“now that we have that sorted” John said cutting Jane off before she could argue “i think we have everything we need. So shall we head back to the Normandy?”

“okay” Jane agreed while Hemlock gave one of his curt nods

“e-excuse me” the Salarian behind the counter stuttered, catching their attention

“Everything alright?” Jane asked as she looked at the amphibian

“if you are leaving, could you do me a favour?” the Salarian said weakly

“depends”, John replied, “What is it?”

“you see that Volus over there?” the Salarian asked as he pointed through a window towards a Volus standing in front of a C-sec officer and a female Quarian wrapped in green “he left a credit chit on the counter earlier. I think he believes that poor Quarian girl stole it. I would take it to him, but store policy doesn't let me leave it unattended. Could you take it to-”

“say no more,” Jane cut in as she reached out and took the chit “we’ll handle it”

“thank you” the Salarian said with a weak smile as they turned and marched out of the shop towards the unfolding scene

“i didn't take it!” the Quarian cried as she frantically looked between the human officer and the Volus

“sure you didn't” the Volus scoffed between breaths “, and I'm the Turian primarch-”

“she didn't take it” John cut in as they came to a stop next to the group

“you left it in Saronis applications” Jane continued as she handed the chit to the Volus

“See!” the Quarian cried in a vindicated voice

“w-well” the Volus sputtered as he glanced at the c-sec officer “she could have taken it”

“she could have” the man nodded “Whatever the case is, im writing you up with a warning would-be thief, and vagrancy along with it. Find a place to live or I will have you booted from this station-”

“are you mad” John growled as he stepped closer and leaned down “You accuse an innocent girl of stealing after you were stupid enough to lose your chit” John shoved the Volus before rising to his feet and grabbing the c-sec officer by the collar “and you threaten to run her in for a crime she didn't commit and vagrancy?”

“how about i run you in for obstruction of justice?” the C-sec officer growled

“you think you are going to run in two spectres?” Jane scoffed as the man’s eyes widened

“w-well i-I" the man tried to stutter as John pushed him away

“out of our sight, both of you” John ordered, “or i will get you charged for false claims and you striped of your position for abuse of power”

Neither of the two spoke as they both turned and stormed away, clearly displeased by the outcome

“t-thank you,” the Quarian said, sounding on the verge of tears

“its okay” Jane said warmly as she carefully placed a hand on the womans shoulder “y-your safe. Can you tell me your name?”

“l-l” the girl sobbed “Lia’Vael Nar Ulnay”

“its nice to meet you Lia” John said in his best gentle voice “what are you doing on the citadel?”

“my pilgrimage” Lia explained “i-i was hoping i could find some work at one of the reserch labs here....but none of them want to hire a Quarian. N-now I'm homeless, jobless, and being harassed by every second person who passes by me....”

“it’s okay,” Jane said soothingly “what kind of background do you have?”

“i-I'm a biologist,” Lia said sadly between tears

At this John’s eyes widened as Jane looked towards him with a questioning look. John gave a nod of agreement, causing Jane to smile and look back towards the woman

“we may be able to help you” Jane said warmly

“h-how?” Lia asked as she looked between the pair

“we have a ship” John explained “and we are looking for scientists to work in the lab onboard. Would you be interested in joining us?”

“y-you would let me?” Lia stuttered, her voice becoming hopeful

“of course” Jane replied warmly and with a smile as she patted Lia’s shoulder “So would you like the job-”

“YES!” Lia cried excitedly “S-sorry, i-i mean, yes”

“its alright” John said as he stifled a laugh “let's go get your things, and then we can take you to your new home”

“t-thank you” Lia sobbed happily “Thank you so much”

John smiled as the tearful Quarian slowly led them to the shelter she had been staying at

-hours later, Normandy briefing room-

John looked up as the door slid open, allowing Jane to enter, followed closely by Hemlock

“How are they?” he asked as the two took positions on either side of the large table

“Kasumi is settled in” Jane answered referring to the master thief that had introduced herself to the team as they made their way back to the Normandy “Although she said the Illusive man promised we would help her return something that belonged to her back from someone”

“course he did” John muttered as she shook his head “sounds simple enough, I'm sure we can make time for it. What about Lia?”

“Lia’Vael Nar Ulnay has been introduced to the laboratory”, Hemlock reported, “She has also been assigned a space within the engineering core to act as her bunk.”

“good” John said with a smile “that leaves all the loose ends at the Citadel tied up, so now we need to decide where to go next”

Jane made a hum of agreement before nodding. “Hemlock, have you finished your evaluation of the crew and the dossiers?”

Hemlock nodded curtly in response

“great,” John said his smile growing wider “let's start with the report on the crew”

“This unit has looked over all crew member records” Hemlock stated “All members of the crew have been connected with Cerberus for less than a year, the longest serving agent being mess Sargent Rupert Gardner with a service record of six months”

“the longest-serving Cerberus member has only been with them six months?” Jane repeated in surprise

“Correct”, Hemlock confirmed, “Current evaluation suggests that no members of the crew will display excessive loyalty to Cerberus or the illusive man over the captains of the vessel. The only member of Cerberus present that defies these calculations is Miranda Lawson”

“Makes sense”, John murmured, “So you don't think anyone needs to be replaced or removed?”

“this unit would suggest the removal of all Cerberus crew members and replacing them with members of the Adentri” Hemlock replied “however such an action will not be feasible without wasting excessive time.”

“true” Jane agreed “if they aren't a danger, then we can work with them for now”

“agreed” John nodded “What about the dossiers for teammates?”

“This unit has evaluated all dossiers and has concluded that each potential member offers skills that would be valuable to the successful of the mission” Hemlock answered “Given the lack of current directives this unit suggests recruiting all suggested members”

“Okay,” John agreed as Jane nodded along “Where can we find these people? and who are they?”

“this unit has broken potental team mates down into three groups” Hemlock explained “those stationed on the former mining station identifed as Omega. Those outside of Omega and former members of the SSV Normandy’s team that could return”

“tell us about the ones on Omega,” Jane requested

“They are comprised of a Salarian scientist named Mordin Solus, a vigilante identified as ‘Archangel’, a master mercenary named Zaeed Massani, and a folk hero of the Terminus systems referred to as ‘the ranger’” Hemlock answered

“what about the ones not on Omega?” John questioned

“these would be a biotic criminal refered to as Jack” Hemlock replied “warning, Jack is deemed clinically psycopathic and is being held at a prision station called Purgatory. The Wardin is willing to release her in return for a prepaid fee. The second is a Krogan Warlord and scientist referred to as Okeer, his last known coordinates have been placed into the galactic map computers. As for past members these are compirsed of Garrus Vakarian, location unknown, Ashley williams, Location unknown, Kaidan Alenko, location unknown, Tali Zorah Vas Rayya, location Mirgrant fleet, status unavalible. Liara T’soni, location Ilos, status unavailable. Luther of house Bane, location Karsk, status unknown.”

“so plenty of options” Jane muttered

“yeah,” John agreed as he rubbed his chin “Where do you think we should go first?”

“i dont know” Jane mumbled “what would you suggest Hemlock?”

“this unit would suggest attempting to visit Luther of house Bane at Wormwood Palace” Hemlock answered instantly “of the original crew he is the only individual who’s status is known. Given past actions and personal loyalty, his aid would be of great value. An alternative suggestion is swiftly recruiting Mordin Solus, would be ideal to ensure the swift development of Collector swarm tools.”

“thank you, Hemlock” John said with a nod “Dismissed”

“This unit serves” was all Hemlock replied with as he nodded before turning and departing the room, leaving the twins to think over his words

“so.....” Jane said after a short silence, “What are you thinking?”

John raised his head as a smirk pulled at his lips

“i think its time we go find ourselves a knight”

Chapter Text

John smiled as the familiar sight of the Rhine system came into view. Unfortunately, the moment of calm was cut short as the voice of a Teuton came over the Normandy’s comms

“unidentified ship, you have one minute to state your business or to begin preparations to depart the system”

Jane stepped forwards from John’s side and opened her mouth to speak. But before she could Hemlock’s voice carried across the space

“Obel Vask Ker Bane”

The words had no translation that John could recognise. But he could tell from the guttural way the words were said they were from some form of the Teuton’s language.

A tense pause followed as everyone on the bridge held their breaths until the Teuton spoke once more.

“you are cleared to pass. Please standby, A shuttle will escort you to the landing zone in Walde”

“understood” Joker replied as he let out a sigh of relief

“What was that about?” Jane questioned as John turned to face the cyborg

“over your two-year absence, this unit has spoken to Luther of House Bane several times” Hemlock answered “The code phrase used was given to this unit in case access to House Bane lands was ever needed”

“so what is Walde?” John asked as he raised a brow

“This unit has not been previously” Hemlock answered “It is this unit's understanding that it is the village that rests on the base of the mountain that Wormwood palace is built upon”

“think we need to dress up?” Jane questioned “i mean we are going into a palace”

“that is your choice” Hemlock replied as he looked between the pair “However, this unit suspects the Teuton’s would prefer the use of armour over formal clothing”

“true” John agreed as the Normandy glided behind a shuttle towards Karsk

-A few minutes later, Walde-

John took a deep breath of fresh forest air as he walked along the stone pathway of the dock. The beautiful sight of ancient houses in the distance and large trees and mountains rose up all around the village

“Are you sure you don't want to bring anyone?” Jane questioned as she stopped beside him

“not many options”, John replied. “Currently, our team is made up of terrorists, a Geth, a Thief, and a cyborg who needs to keep them from killing one another. I don't think the Teutons will be happy with us parading about with them all”

“true,” Jane said absentmindedly as she stared to the side

John turned to follow her gaze, causing him to take in the sight of a giant approaching figure. A knight clad in green armour and brown robes approached, although John could tell it was not Luther. The armour was too new, the heraldry young, the plates undamaged.

“Jane and John Shepard” the knight addressed with an accent similar to Luther's “i Greet you and welcome you to Walde.”

“it's a beautiful village” Jane replied as she nodded to the knight

“it is”, John agreed as he looked at the figure suspiciously “You have us at a disadvantage. Who are you?”

“Elijah of house Bane” the Knight answered with a half-bow

“nice to meet you, Elijah”, Jane said warmly “How can we help?”

“I was sent by the Lord of the house”, Elijah explained “he requested I apologise to you on his behalf that he couldn't meet you in person. He also requested I give you a tour of Walde, then escort you to Wormwood palace.”

“why couldn't he be here?” John asked, “Is everything alright?”

“quite”, Elijah confirmed, “the lord of the house is in talks with his court and other nobles. It is far from my station to know what about, but these talks are never short”

“i wouldn't imagine so” Jane sighed “Although a tour of this village sounds like a lovely way to pass the time”

“if you follow me i will gladly show you it” Elijah replied as he gestured for the twins to follow him

-an hour later, Wormwood Palace-

Footsteps echoed as the twins followed Elijah along a grand walkway towards a massive wooden door that stood several metres tall.

“This is the entrance hall” Elijah explained as he led the pair inside

“wow,”, Jane said breathlessly as the pair looked over the massive room adorned with paintings, jewels, and precious metals. But the most impressive sight in the chamber were the four large battle suits that stood on either side of the hall. Green armour shone in the light as ancient weapons the size of Krogan were held in the armour's hands or lay by their sides.

“what are they?” John asked as he examined the closest

“Entombed”, Elijah answered, “In Teuton culture, there is only one fate more honourable than dying in battle. That is undergoing the ritual of becoming an entombed. Each one of these suits was once a warrior of great importance to house Bane, who was critically wounded in battle or was at risk of fading away due to sickness or age. In their final moments, they were given the chance to become a venerated individual by being augmented into these suits. When they are needed they may be awakened to serve in battle once more”

“Really?” John said in surprise, “So you are saying each of these suits is an ancient warrior?”

“Indeed”, Elijah confirmed before pointing to a suit that held a massive Warhammer. “, That is Asmodious, the unrelenting. He served in the wars against the Rachni. Wasnt entombed until he was critically wounded in a battle during the Krogan rebellions”

“amazing” Jane commented breathlessly as she stared at the armour

“it is” Elijah agreed before gesturing for the pair to continue following

The group continued through the massive castle acasonally passing other knights clad in green armour, some with robes and others without. Occasionally, they would see Teuton’s not clad in armour, which reminded John that despite their similarities to humanity, they still looked very different.

Eventually, the group approached a large, ornate set of wooden double doors. Without hesitation, Elijah reached out with both hands and pushed the doors open, allowing the pair to take in the grand sight awaiting on the other side.

A massive chamber stood waiting; paintings of people, events, and battles lined the walls, along with tapestries showing wars long since fought and legends far more ancient than humankind. On the far side of the room, raised on a platform, sat a large decorated throne with a familiar figure sitting upon it, surrounded by Teutons clad in armour and robes.

As the team walked closer, John could make out the Teutons speaking in the same untranslated version of their language that he had heard in Orbit.

“he breaks the old laws-” a younger voice spat harshly in a version of the language that could be understood.

Suddenly Luther raised an armoured hand causing every figure in the room to go silent

“Leave us”, Luther commanded as his helmet's crimson eyes trailed over the figures gathered around him.

Most of the Teutons turned and began to walk towards the doors without a word. A few lingered for a moment as though debating and arguing against the order. However, they quickly fled upon facing Luther's gaze

Elijah bowed fully towards Luther before turning and departing the chamber. The creaking of wood signalling the doors shutting behind him

The armoured ancient let out a deep sigh as he rose from his throne before stepping down towards the pair

“Greetings,” Luther said his voice becoming warm and welcoming as he approached the pair “It brings this old heart great joy to see you both standing before me”

“nice to see you too-” John began to say before being cut off as Luther pulled him and Jane into a powerful embrace that lifted them from the ground

“When I heard you had fallen, the grounds of Karsk trembled from my fury”, Luther continued “, for such noble young heroes to meet such a horrific end. Had Hemlock not spoken with me I would have scoured the systems until i found those that dishonoured you”

“t-that means a lot, Luther”, Jane said breathlessly as the giant returned the pair to the ground “You seem rather stressed, though. Is everything alright?”

A silent pause fell over the room before Luther let out another deep sigh

“the two years you have been gone have felt like centuries” Luther explained as he moved back to his throne “Arguments, ancients bickering like children, brawls, never has it been so troublesome”

“what is causing it all?” John questioned as Luther lowered himself onto the throne

“King Emmerich”, Luther answered simply, “he continues to act in a manner that many Teutons disagree with. Whole Houses have begun either supporting the king's actions or joining a growing movement to oppose them. Tensions have been rising. I fear conflict is doomed to break out any day now”

“is there anything that you can do to stop it?” Jane questioned hopefully

“no” Luther replied grimly “as a member of the high tribunal i am forbidden from taking a side. Even if I could, I wouldn't.”

“Doesn't it bother you that civil war might be on the horizon?” John questioned completely shocked by Luther's calmness

Luther let out another deep sigh “It has happened many times in the past. And it will continue to happen so long as our history endures. It is the nature of our culture.”

“damn” Jane muttered

“I take it you won't be able to join us then?” John asked despite already knowing the answer in his heart

“i am afraid not” Luther replied grimly “given the tensions between houses i cannot afford to depart Karsk. As lord of house Bane, I must lead, and as a member of the high tribunal, I must keep others in line. ”

“it's alright” Jane said with a weak smile

“do not worry young Shepard” Luther remarked as his voice lightened slightly “i am unable to join you for your journey. However, when i heard you were coming, I sent for an individual that would be able to take my place”

“Really?” John said in surprise, “wh-”

Before he could finish a loud creak rang out as the doors behind the pair glided open. Glancing around, the pair were left in a state of shock when a familiar silver and white clad knight approached, golden kite shield on his back and a large Morningstar fixed to his side.

“you look quite well for dead young Shepards” a familiar voice commented from under a winged helmet as the knight came to a stop in front of the pair

“A-archembald” Jane stuttered as John stared in shock “w-why are you here?”

“Archembald lamented the fact he was unable to join us in the hunt for Saren” Luther explained as he strode past to stand by Archembalds side “when I heard you were coming I saw this as an opportunity to offer him my place within your ranks”

“quite right” Archembald agreed with a nod “it would be a great honour to journey and fight alongside you both. Assuming you are willing to have me aboard?”

“Aren't you needed?” John questioned “i thought you were a Baron”

“i am” Archembald confrimed “House Gavel’s leadership is stable without me. Considering the fact I have always been rather vocal about my support for the king's actions, lord Frederick would probably be happy to have me away until the situation calms down.”

“in that case,” Jane said her voice becoming rather excited “we would be honoured to have you on our team”

“splendid” Archembald replied cheerfully

“Indeed it is young one” Luther commented as he made his way back to his throne

“Young one?” John questioned, “Didn't you both serve together in the Krogan rebellions?”

“we did” Archembald said with a nod “i was less then a century old at that point. Luther here was already pushing three centuries, the old bastard”

“old but still better than you” Luther shot back as he lowered himself onto his throne

“you lose a duel one-time” Archembald mumbled

“you lose one hundred and seventy-six duels over several centuries” Luther cut in

John found himself chuckling as Jane giggled slightly at the warrior's actions before turning her attention to Luther once more.

“Before we go is it alright if we ask one more question?” she asked

“of course” Luther replied with a nod

“we know Archembald left the council because he refused to lie about the reapers” Jane commented causing the adormentioned knight to shake his head almost bitterly “how is the Teuton race taking the news?”

An awkward silence fell over the room before Luther sighed once more

“i believe the expression your kind use is fifty, fifty” Archembald cut in “many believe it. Just as many don't, and everyone left is neutral on the matter”

“have any preparations been made?” John asked hopefully

“some”, Luther replied, “Each knight order reacted with neutrality on the claim. King Emmerich ordered the order of the crown to prepare. But their preparations are being slowed due to a concern that certain houses will take this as a sign he is going to act against them”

“great” Jane muttered in frustration

“i apologise, young Shepards,” Archembald said sadly “i have tried to convince them, but all the words in the universe are useless if they fall upon deaf ears”

“its alright Archembald” John sighed “you have done everything you could.”

“John’s right” Jane agreed as her smile returned

A slight creak rang out as one of the heavy wooden doors opened slightly to reveal a fair-skinned female Teuton with a long mane of golden hair

“Apologies for interrupting, my lord,” the woman said calmly “Elder Lion and grand master Azreal of the Order of the Unnamed have both arrived”

“thank you, young Hedwig” Luther replied grimly as the door closed allowing Luther to return his attention to the pair “i apologise for this but I must greet them”

“its fine Luther” John replied with a nod “We’ll head back to the Normandy and get Archembald settled in”

“do you need to get anything Archembald?” Jane questioned as she glanced at the towering knight

“i already had everything i would need for a journey sent to the docks in Walde” Archembald answered “I’m ready to depart as soon as you are”

“alright” the twins said in almost perfect unison

The group turned to make their way towards the set of doors. As they walked Luther’s voice called after them

“i wish you all luck in your hunt. And I look forward to hearing the tall of your victory when it comes to an end.”

“thanks, Luther” Jane called back as the group departed the large throne room to return to the Normandy

-half an hour later, Normandy Briefing room-

“so what do you think Archembald?” John asked as he and Jane led the knight into the briefing room where Legion and Hemlock stood waiting

“tis a most impressive vessel” Archembald replied

“Really?” Jane asked her eyes widening slightly in surprise

“you seem surprised at my approval” Archembald commented as the twins made their way to the head of the table

“considering it is a ship full of terrorists, a thief, and two AIs, we were expecting more. Harsh, response” John commented

Archembald let out a low chuckle “I will admit the presence of terrorists draws some concern. And i will be most displeased should the theif attempt to steal from me. But I hold nothing against artificial intelligence”

“is that a Teuton mindset or is it specific to you?” Jane asked curiously

“most defienatly unique to me and other more open minded members of my race” Archembald answered “although the Teuton’s hatrid towards Ai stems from the belief that using them in combat is cowardly.”

“seems about right”, John sighed “Now that we have finished the tour and briefed you. Where shall we put you?”

Instantly a familiar blue holographic orb flickered into life at the edge of the table and spoke

“Given Archembald of house Gavel’s size, I would suggest housing him in a storage room within the Cargo Bay section of the ship. This will offer the greatest amount of space available”

“sounds good” Jane agreed “what do you think Archembald?”

“i believe it will suit me perfectly” Archembald said with a nod

“great”, John chimed in. “Legion. Could you show Archembald to his space? We need to speak with Hemlock”

“acknowledged” Legion replied as he walked towards the door “This platform requests Archembald of house Gavel follow it”

“thank you kindly,” Archembald said with a half bow as he looked to the pair before giving a half bow to the glowing orb “and thank you as well Miss Edi”

Without another word, Archembald turned and departed the briefing room to follow Legion to his quarters

“he was most polite” Edi commented as her blue avatar faded away

“you wished to speak with this unit” Hemlock remarked drawing the twin's attention

“we did” John confirmed “now that we have spoken with Luther we wanted to check if anything demanded our immidante attention before we set course for Omega?”

“negative”, Hemlock answered simply “, The Normandy is running at one hundred percent.”

“great” Jane smiled as he activated her comm “Joker, Edi, could you set a course for Omega in the terminus systems?”

“sure thing Jane” Joker replied instantly “i’m on it.”

“i believe Mr Moreau meant to say ‘we’” Edi chimed in

“i promise you i did not” Joker snapped back before mumbling “Bloody Ai telling me what i meant to say”

The twins shared a laugh while a Hemlock’s organic eye flickered ever so slightly before they departed the briefing room to rest and take up positions of command throughout the ship.

Chapter Text

As soon as the pressure-sealed door slid open, Jane was hit with a wave of hot air that was coated with the thick stench of smoke, rotting flesh, and liquor.

“w-well” Kasumi said between coughs “i knew it was going to be bad. But this is a hellhole”

“you can say that again” John agreed as he led the team forwards

The group's footsteps echoed as they made their way through a small hallway until they were approached by a Salarian who was constantly jittering as his eyes flicked about

“w-welcome to Omega” the Salarian greeted between ticks “yo-your new here. I-i can always tell. L-let me show you a-arou-Oh H-hello Moklan-”

The Salarian’s attention turned to a Batarian clad in armour who had rounded the corner and was steadily making their way towards the group

“scram” the Batarian ordered, his voice harsh as his four eyes glared at the Salarian

“o-of course, Moklan” the Salarain stuttered as he saluted the Batarian “A-anything she wants, Moklan-”

“just get out of here”, the Batarian, apparently named Moklan, growled, causing the Salarian to sprint past him. Moklan shook his head as he came to a stop and muttered, “pitbound scavengers. With that scum out of the way, allow me to give you all a proper welcome to omega.”

“we feel so at home” Jane said sarcastically “what do you want?”

Moklan let out a sigh “i’ll put this simply. Aria T’loak wants to speak to you. She runs a club called Afterlife-”

“why does she want to speak with us?” Jane questioned

Moklan chuckled “Aria wants to know what brings two dead spectres to omega. I suggest you listen and go to afterlife to present yourselves.”

“and if we don't?” John asked as he folded his arms and raised a brow

“Aria runs this whole station”, Moklan answered “If she wants to speak to you two, then she is going to speak to you. It's better to speak to her while she is in a charitable mood; hell if she likes you she might even be able to help you”

“Okay, we will check it out” Jane agreed

Moklan gave one final nod before turning and marching away

“i take it we are travelling to this ‘afterlife’” Archembald questioned as the team continued forwards

“logical” Legion commented

Neither of the twins commented as they made their way through the winding rundown halls of Omega until Hemlock eventually spoke up

“This unit has identified an individual that matches the description of Zaeed Massani”

Jane glanced around to see Hemlock pointing towards an older man clad in yellow armour who had cornered a Batarian

“guess we should check” Jane sighed as she and John led the team towards the two figures

As they got closer, the Batarian sprinted past the human in a desperate escape. The man moved fast as lightning as he bolted around and fired a pistol into the Batarian's back, causing him to slam to the ground dead.

John let out a whistle as the yellow-clad man raised the brow on the scared right side of his face.

“not bad”, John commented as the team stopped in front of the man “Are you Zaeed Massani?”

“yeah thats me” The man answered in a gruff voice while holstering the pistol “you must be the Shepards. I hear we have a galaxy to save”

“you don't know the half of it” Jane sighed as she shook hands with Zaeed “A shit ton to do and not nearly enough time to do it”

“thats what they tell me” Zaeed muttered “i assume the illusive man told you about the arrangement?”

“arrangment?” John echoed as she glanced at Hemlock

“the dossier had no mention of any form of arrangement outside of payment” Hemlock stated simply

“seems like him to not mention the important crap” Zaeed growled “good thing i asked. I picked up a mission a while back, just before i signed on for this. I've been hired to take out a man by the name Vido Santiago. He runs the blue son. He took control of a refinery in the outer systems and is using its workers as slave labour, given your track record, i thought you would be up to help deal with this”

“that doesn't sound like it will take to much time” John commented as Jane felt his eyes land on her

“We would be happy to help Zaeed” Jane said with a nod, causing the older man to chuckle

“great. I need to turn this in before it starts to stink” Zaeed remarked as he gestured to the Batarian's corpse “Once ive done that I'll grab my stuff and head for the ship”

“alright” John agreed “We’ll radio ahead and tell them you are coming”

Zaeed gave a nod before the twins turned and departed, leading the team through more empty trash-filled halls until they reached a set of doors that opened up to reveal the massive central space of Omega

“wow” Jane uttered as the team walked out onto the large platform, several skycars screaming overhead

“kinda impressive” John commented as he looked around “, but i prefer a place with some natural light”

“afterlife located” Legion chimed in as it gestured towards a large door with an elcor acting as a bouncer with the word afterlife hanging above in holographic lighting

“it appears we will have to wait” Archembald said with a deep sigh

“best get to it then,” Jane said as she led the team towards the back of the line, before they could take a place, a voice suddenly called out

“you lot!” the team quickly turned towards the voice to see a male Turian clad in orange Armour standing by the entrance to afterlife “Aria has given you VIP clearance, you don't need to fuck about with the line”

“she has?” John questioned in surprise causing the Turian to sigh

“do I look stupid enough to lie about it?” the Turian shot back “Now get in there and talk to her. The sooner she's not on edge, the sooner i don't have to waste my time standing here”

Jane shared a confused look with John who simply shurged before leading the team up the steps and through the metal door. The sound of rave music reached Jane’s ears as the team made their way down a large hallway with screens showing images of fire lining both walls

‘who designed these things?’ Jane questioned mentally as the team approached a second door

The music reached a deafening pitch as the door slid open, allowing a wave of heat and the smell of spirits and smoke to slam into the team.

“where are we supposed to find her amongst all this?” Jane questioned as she looked around the massive chamber full of speakers blasting on full, burning neon lights and hordes of people from every race imaginable.

“she’s in her private section over there!” a familiar voice yelled over the noise

Glancing to its origin Jane saw the Turian from before had followed them inside. Looking around to where he pointed with his talon, Jane saw a both-like area that was raised above the rest.

“thanks” Jane yelled back causing the Turian to nod and stride over to a nearby bar

“i still hate bars” John roared as Jane led the group towards the raised section

“you are not the only one” Archembald commented “Over a thousand years, and i can't stand places such as these”

“the sooner we speak to her, the sooner we are out of here” Jane commented as the team approached a set of stairs being guarded by a Batarian clad in blue armour

“name and purpose?” the Batarian questioned

“Jane and John Shepard” Jane answered “We were told that-”

“Aria wanted to see you”, the Batarian finished “Yeah, Moklan told me to keep an eye out for you. Head up the stairs and keep your hands away from your weapons. Aria’s personal security are some of the best, but they are still jumpy”

“Thanks,” Jane said as she strode past.

The team quickly made their way up the set of stairs until they reached a turn that led into a booth area where a purple-skinned Asari in a white jacket stood looking over the club. Jane gestured for the others to stay put as she and John made their way closer.

“that’s close enough,” the Asari said in a stern voice, causing the pair to stop “Scan them”

Without a word, a nearby Batarain clad in Armour dawning an urban camo stepped forwards and began scanning the pair with an omni-tool

“Is this really necessary?” John questioned as the Batarian narrowed his eyes

“we don't want to cause you any harm,” Jane remarked “We were told you could answer questions”

The Batarian sighed as he stepped back and deactivated his omni tool “They're clean”

With this, the purple-skinned Asari turned and strode towards the pair, a wicked smile appearing on her lips “That all depends on the questions”

“Someone told us you ran omega” John commented

The Asari let out a laugh as she turned once more and strode to the head of the both before stretching her arms out dramatically to gesture to the space all around them

“i am Omega” the Asari declared “you need information. Everyone always needs something, and that need always leads them to me. I am the boss, CEO, queen if you are feeling dramatic”

‘someone here is dramatic, and it sure isn't us’ was all Jane could think as the purple Asari sat down on a nearby couch

“I am Aria T’loak” the Asari said as she leaned back “and here on omega there is only one rule. Dont fuck with me”

“simple enough” Jane commented as Aria gestured for her and John to sit down opposite to her

Without a word the pair sank into the cushioned seats as they looked across at Aria, who appeared to be studying them

“now. What brings two dead spectres to my station?” Aria questioned as she took a sip of some blue alcoholic beverage

“we are building a team for a mission” John answered “some of potental members that were recomended to us are on Omega. If you help us find them, then we can be out of here all the faster”

Aria made a hum of thought before taking another sip of her drink

“alright” she said with a nod “give me names, and ill point you to them. The sooner you are out of here, the better for Business”

“We were told there is a vigilante named Archangel on the station,” Jane said

“ah” Aria nodded before sipping her drink once more “another set of eyes looking for him. Half this station wants him dead”

“why?” John asked as he leaned forward

“made an emeny of three large mecenary factions” Aria explained calmly “pissed them off so much they have all banded together to try and kill him. Still isn't enough, so they have started recruiting freelancers. They hired out a private room here to act as their recruitment station”

Aria pointed out of the booth to a metal door on the side of the room with a Batarian in blue and white armour standing beside it

“The easiest way to get to Archangel would be to pretend to work with them”, Aria continued “Use them to get close. Then get out with Archangel”

“alright,” John replied, “what about Mordin Solus?”

Aria let out a low chuckle as she sipped her drink once more

“always liked him” Aria commented “Mordin is running a clinic in the quarantined zone in the lower districts. Trying to find a cure to the plague.”

“great”, Jane sighed “Apparently, there is some kind of folk hero here. Goes by ‘the ranger’”

“been making waves amongst the poor and idiotic”, Aria commented “Been protecting them against criminals and mercs since he arrived a few months ago. Apparently, someone has a grudge against him, though; a few weeks back, a whole platoon of blood pack mercs arrived and have been hunting for him. Last time he was seen, he was fleeing to part of the old mining district to try and lose them”

Jane glanced over to John, who gave a nod as he rose to his feet

“That's all we needed,” John said as Jane stood up “Thanks for the info”

Aria didn't speak as they departed, only giving a nod and downing the last of her drink

The team was silent as they pushed their way through the club until they eventually made their way back to the entrance.

“so we have the locations,”, Jane said as she paced about the “Blue Suns recruitment office, quarantine zone, and mining district.”

“so where to first?” John questioned as he leaned against a wall

“Hemlock, you suggested recruiting Mordin solus first” Jane asked as she turned the silent cyborg “do you still think that is the best course of action. Given the other two are being hunted?”

A brief silence followed as Hemlock thought it over before he gave one of his curt nods

“this unit still deems recuiting Mordin Solus the highest priority” Hemlock answered “Mordin solus is the only current lead on creating a protection aganst collector swarms. If he is lost, then all other objectives grind to a halt”

“makes sense”, John agreed. “Aria mentioned a plague. Edi, any information on it?”

“it appeared a few galatic standard weeks ago” Edi answered instantly “the exact nature of the sickness has yet to be determined. All current data on it indicates that it affects every known alien race other than humans, Teutons, and Vorcha.”

“why doesn't it affect Humans, Teutons, and Vorcha?” Jane asked

“current data indicates that species evolved from mammals. In particular, primates possess natural genes that protect against the sickness,” Edi explained “Given Humans and Teutons are the only galactic species that have evolved from mammals, they both possess an immunity. Vorcha evolved to adapt to new environments, and because of this, they are able to swiftly adapt to the sickness and develop an immunity”

“have any Teutons been exposed to the sickness?” John asked as Jane continued to pace

“the sickness has only been reported on omega,” Edi replied “All census data displays that there are no Teuton’s living on omega. All data indicating their immunity is purely educated guesses.”

Jane shared a look with John before turning to glance at Archembald

“we won't risk it. Archembald head back to the Normandy,” Jane ordered, causing the knight to nod and turn to depart “Edi, tell Zaeed to meet us by the entrance to the quarantine zone”

A brief pause followed before Edi replied, “Affirmative”

With that, the comm cut ou,t leaving the twins to look towards Legion and Hemlock, who both stood waiting for their next orders

“come on” Jane ordered as she marched past “let's go meet this esteemed doctor”

Chapter Text

“This is going to be a shitshow” was all Zaeed said as the team approached the waiting mercenary

“you sound enthusiastic” John countered sarcastically as he came to a stop next to the man

“i have a good reason” Zaeed scoffed “that whole districts been a bloody warzone since the qarantine began. Getting through it is going to be a bitch of a job”

“that bad?” Jane questioned, causing Zaeed to nod and comment

“not much gets out. But what has doesn't paint a pretty picture”

“come on then” John ordered as he gestured for the team to follow “sooner we get in and find Mordin. The sooner we can get out”

Silence fell over the team as they approached a sealed metal door with an armed Turian standing guard

“let me in you asshole” a female human demanded, causing the Turian’s mandibles to flicker

“look lady” the Turian said in an exasperated tone “the districts locked down. That means nobody in or out-”

“i’m human” the woman argued “the plague doesnt effect us. Now let me in before looters steal my stuff”

“this sickness affects every other known race on Omega” the Turian countered “i’m not taking the risk. You're not going in, and that's final”

“what about us?” Jane questioned as the team got closer

“for the love of the spirits” the Turian mumbled as he looked up “Did you not hear what i just said-”

John felt a smirk pull at his lips as he watched the Turian’s eyes widen in surprise as he looked over their approaching figures

“y-your certainly well equpt”, the Turian sputtered “Why the hell would you want in here anyway?”

“looking for a Salarian named Mordin Solus” John explained as he crossed his arms

“ah” the Turian said with a nod “crazy bastard opened a clinic a few months back. Trying to cure the plague apparently. Can't help you, sorry, my orders are to keep everyone out until the plague or the blue suns have killed everybody-”

“look” Jane cut in “this plague is going to last ages either way. We need to speak with Mordin, and one way or another, we are going to find our way inside. Wouldnt it be easier for everyone involved if you just let us through?”

The Turian went still for a moment as his mandibles flickered in thought until he finally let out a deep sigh “Fine. No point trying to stop you, let me know when you are ready, and I'll radio ahead to tell them you are coming”

“Everyone here is human or synthetic” John commented as he smiled at Jane “let's do it”

Jane nodded as the guard pressed a button on his omni tool, causing the door to slide open, allowing the team entry

Without a word, the team marched forwards. As they made their way down a set of metal stairs, John could make out the woman’s voice from before yelling

“oh, so you let them through, you bastard!?”

“you don't have a mountain of guns or a Geth lady” the Turian scoffed “Get lost”

The woman's response was cut short by the sound of the metal doors slamming shut and sealing. Locking the team in the plague-ridden district to find Mordin Solus.

-half an hour later, the quarantine district-

Another metal door slid open, causing the familiar horrific scent of burning flesh to bombard John’s scenes, memories of that fateful day flooding to the front of his mind.

‘damn’ he thought as the team carefully made their way down a set of metal stairs ‘was hoping being put back together would be enough to stop this’

As the team reached the base of the stairs, John was met with the grisly sight of a large open room with large mountains of bodies piled in what had once been small gardens, large infernos burning across them, scorching them beyond recognition.

Suddenly John’s attention was pulled from the atrocious sight as a loud thunk rang out. Looking up, John saw two mercenaries clad in white and blue armour drop a limp body and move to draw their guns. Before John could react two loud bangs rang out causing the mercs to collapse next to the dropped corpse

“not bad” Zaeed remarked as John glanced around to see Hemlock and Legion each holding their respective firearms

“t-this is horrible”, Jane stuttered as he looked over the scorched corpses “H-how could they do this?”

“excess corpses from the plague.” Hemlock answered as he holstered his pistols “Pile and burn the bodies. A logical tactic since the old world”

John shook his head grimly while Jane snapped around to shoot Hemlock a horrified look

‘still all about logic’ John mused as he tried to ignore the stench. When suddenly another noise drew his attention

Someone barked out an aggressive cough, which caused everyone to look towards an opening on the far side of the chamber where a Batarian leaned against a wall, coughing and spluttering as blood ran from his mouth.

John didn't have so much as a moment to think before Jane strode past towards the sick Batarian. Glancing around John saw Zaeed scoff while Hemlock and Legion stared blankly. Sighing John turned back around and followed Jane towards the Batarian

“human, of course”, the batarian sputtered as blood dripped down his lips “Bad enough, you infect us with this plague. Now you don't even have the decency to wait until i die before stealing my possessions”

“you are suffering”, Jane whispered as she kneeled down “Is there anything we can do for you?”

“get away from me”, the Batarian spat as he recoiled and drew an M-6 Carnifex “Your kind has done enough! Your plague has done this to me, your feigned pity is a final insult”

“we had nothing to do with this” John growled as he came up beside Jane “You can’t blame humanity for every bad thing that happens to your species”

“i-I" the Batarian stuttered as more blood poured from his mouth, his eyes beginning to roll back into his skull

“stay with us” Jane demanded as she applied Medi-gel “This won't cure the plague, but it will ease the pain”

The Batarian went still for a moment before his eyes snapped open as he leaned forward and vomited up a large puddle of blood before his breathing slowed to a more regular pace

“y-you helped me”, he sputtered “Why?”

“its what we do” John replied as he carefully helped the Batarian to his feet “we don't know if we can find a cure to this plague. But we are sure as hell going to try”

“y-your words sound sincere”, the Batarian wheezed “W-what do you wish to know?”

“we need to find a way to Mordin’s clinic” Jane explained as she brushed off her legs “can you tell us where it is?”

“n-not exactly” the Batarian mumbled “i never got to it......i remember others whispering about it being on the far side of the district”

“course it is” Zaeed muttered “it would be to damn easy if it wasn't”

“its more then what we had to work with a few minutes ago” John commented as he looked at the Batarian “what will we do with you?”

“d-do with me?” the Batarian echoed as his eyes widened slightly

“we can't just leave you here” Jane explained “the blue suns, or Vorcha will get you. We need to get you to the clinic”

“i’ll never make it” the Batarian uttered as he wiped blood from his face

“you will”, Jane encouraged as she looked at Hemlock. “Hemlock, you are capable of being effective with one hand. Can you help support him?”

Hemlock gave a curt nod before stepping closer to the sick Batarian and wrapping his arm around his metal shoulder

“t-thank you” the Batarian said weakly as tears trailed from his eyes

John watched as Hemlock’s organic eye squinted for a fraction of a second while his remaining muscles tensed before he nodded calmly and uttered

“it is this unit’s duty to serve”

Something pricked at John’s mind as he watched the cyborg. Something had changed in Hemlock over the years. Something John couldn't place.

“come on” Jane ordered as she marched down a small set of stairs “We need to find Mordin’s clinic”

John snapped back to reality as he nodded, He and Zaeed Joined Jane in the front while Hemlock and Legion took up the rear. The team quickly made its way down the corridor where dead Turians and Batarians littered either side.

Eventually, the corridor widened slightly to reveal a space with several doors along the lefthand side, with all but one being barricaded from the outside.

“t-these lead to apartments” the Batarian sputtered “T-that door, the one without the barricades belonged to Valgor”

“Valgor?” Jane echoed in confusion

“a friend of mine” the Batarian explained “we the sickness first appeared he locked himself inside and refused to leave. Claimed he would wait out the sickness”

“When was the last time anyone heard from him?” John asked as he glanced at the Batarian

“Wouldn't know,” the Batarian said weakly “With how fast the people died keeping tabs on others was impossible. The last i heard from him was two weeks ago”

“we should go inside” Jane suggested as she approached the door “he could need help”

“waste of bloody time” Zaeed scoffed

“can it” John ordered “Legion, can you get this door open?”

“affirmative” was all Legion replied with as it stepped forward and pulled up holographic screens similar to Hemlock’s

Seconds ticked by before the sound of mechanisms springing into life rang out, followed by the door sliding open. John crept down the steps followed closely by Jane and Zaeed until they finally came upon the sight of a Batarian’s corpse curled up in a bed in a tiny apartment at the base of the stairs

“this is horrible” Jane whispered as John glanced over the space

“this idividaul did not die to the plague” Legion reported “scans indicate that the individual is emaciated. Most likely cause of death: Starvation”

“starvation”, John echoed in surprise “How could he have starved to death?”

“This can probably tell,” Zaeed remarked as he picked up a datapad and pressed a button

“the sickness is spreading like fire”, a recorded voice said “Early this morning, blue suns came by and sealed my door from the outside. Claimed it was to stop the spread of the plague. Probably some kind of extortion racket, they will be back in a couple of day’s for money. They better be, i don't have the food to last longer than that”

“why the hell would they do something so cruel?” Jane demanded as the recording ended

“probably wanted money” Zaeed commented as he tossed the datapad to the side

“likely” Hemlock agreed “There is a high statistical chance that those who locked this Batarian inside did so with the plan to return, however, they perished before the opportunity presented itself”

The sick Batarian let out a shuddering sigh from Hemlock’s side as more tears ran from his eyes

“i’m sorry for your loss,” John said in the best comforting voice he could offer

“nothing we can do about it now” the Batarian sputtered “Grab anything you think can be useful and let's get out of here”

“you want us to rob your dead friend?” Jane asked in a horrified voice

“it has nowhere better to go” the Batarian argued “Valgor didn't have any family in the Terminus, and he would have preferred his stuff was taken by people trying to help rather than Blue Suns or looters”

“you're sure?” John questioned causing the Batarian to nod

John turned to Jane who was sporting a conflicted look until she finally nodded. The team didnt look long, Legion was able to splice open a safe with some money inside. A few minutes passed before the team carefully made their way back up the stairs and continued along the corridor.

Silence fell over the team as they walked, the only noise being the heavy metal footsteps of Hemlock and Legion. After a few more minutes of walking, Jane suddenly raised her hand in a balled fist, causing everyone to stop dead. John carefully moved forwards to glance around the corner that Jane stood at allowing him to take in the sight of a large open space with several empty tables littered about along with more gardens that had been turned into burning mounds. While a large makeshift barricade mounted by several blue suns stood between the team and the way forwards.

“i don't see a way to get past without fighting” Jane whispered as John continued to look over the space

“they must have been desperate when they made that thing”, John whispered back as he pointed towards a piece of the barricade “Look. They used fuel containers”

“what are you thinking?” Jane asked as John glanced around and gestured for Zaeed to approach and switch to his sniper rifle

Zaeed carefully made his way over as he pulled the long rifle from his back, his natural and fake eye trailing over the barricade. Without a word, John pointed to the fuel tanks built into the centre of the makeshift structure and then whispered

“Think you can hit them?”

Zaeed let out a subdued chuckle as he aimed his rifle before pulling the trigger.

The calm that had resided over the space disappeared in a flash as the barricade exploded, sending pieces of scrap and the corpses of blue suns flying in all directions. A large fire consumed the remains of the barricade as the remaining mercenaries charged around a corner, barking commands to one another in confusion.

Seeing the opportunity, John channelled his power and flung himself forward, slamming into the closet merc with enough force, they were sent soaring backwards into the blaze. Before the second had the chance to react, John fired his shotgun, blasting a hole in the blue sun's chest. Nearby, a third merc aimed his rifle towards John, only for a burst of red to explode from their helmet as they went limp. Glancing around John saw Zaeed with his rifle outstretched while Legion and Hemlock stood closeby ready to react had the man missed.

Zaeed let out a whistle similar to the one John had used when they first met as the team walked over

“not bad at all” the mercenary remarked “although i was told Jane was the one with the biotics”

“she was” John explained as he holstered his shotgun “i was exposed to a bunch of element zero when the Normandy was destroyed. Apparently i had developed a biotic potential when they rebuilt me”

Zaeed made a hum of thought as he returned his sniper to the place on his back “Are there many biotic cyborgs?”

“negative” Hemlock chimed in before John could answer

“Really?” Zaeed questioned clearly surprised “i would think powerful biotics would be useful”

“this statement is incorrect” Hemlock replied “biotics often overload cybernetics and cause damage to the fusion systems. Because of this very rare and specialised biotic amps are needed in order to effectively use biotics in tandem with cybernetics”

“guess that makes sense” Zaeed said with a nod causing John to chuckle

“hey come on!” Jane called causing the team to look over at her

John saw Jane standing in front of an open door with the holographic word ‘apartments’ plastered overhead while Legion stood near a terminal that must have controlled the door

John gestured for the others to follow as he approached, only to stop when he saw a Turian clad in blue suns armour slumped against a nearby wall

“what's wrong?” Jane asked as she followed John’s stare

“we didn't kill him” John commented as he pointed to the dead mercenary

“Correct”, Legion chimed in “Scans indicate that this individual perished due to failure of internal systems. Most likely reason for death: the plague”

“damn” Zaeed snarled as the team approched the open door “didnt even give a shit one of their own died. Just left him where he fell”

“you seem upset” Jane commented as the team made their way along a narrow corridor

“course I do”, Zaeed snapped “Back in the day, being part of the blue suns meant something. Now a day’s you are all just brothers in cannon fodder”

John felt the urge to ask Zaeed about what exactly he meant by back in the day. But before he could, the team walked into an apartment that was easily three, if not four times the size of Valgors. As John allowed his eyes to scan over the space a female human jumped up from behind a desk and let out a deep sigh

“thank goodness” the woman exclaimed as a man climbed to his feet beside her, “We thought you were those blue suns or the savage vorcha”

“why were you hiding?” John asked as he looked between the two

“if you had been the blue suns we sure as hell wouldn't want to be found” the man scoffed “Since the plague broke out, they have killed just as many as it has”

“y-yeah” the woman seconded “, especially humans”

“Why are they targeting humans?” jane questioned

“e-every non human in the district blammed us for the plague because we are immune” the woman explained “the blue suns didnt start the violence against us. They were just the best at it”

“Aren't a third of the blue suns ranks made up of humans?” John asked as he shook his head “i notice they haven't been killing their own guys”

“course they aren't” Zaeed scoffed “Nothing but a bunch of goddamned hypocrites”

“either way”, Jane cut in “, we are trying to find Mordin Solus. Any idea where he is?”

“somewhere on the far side of the district” the woman answered “apparently he has been trying to find the cure for the plague and has been taking in refugees”

“course he has” the man scoffed “a Salarian doctor shows up, opens a clinic, and is protecting people with military grade mech’s for free. If you think that is true, you need to grow the hell up”

“And you think staying here is a better idea?” John cut in, “The blue suns had a barricade less than five metres from your door. The fact you aren't dead is a miracle. You should try and get to the clinic”

“im not running across the district on the off chance some stupid amphibian is going to help” the man countered, causing the woman to flinch

“We would never make it” the woman said grimly

“Statistically this unit predicts an 89.08% chance of death should you remain here” Hemlock commented causing the pair’s eyes to widen in horro

“look,”, Jane said calmly “We are heading for the clinic. Come with us, and we will make sure you get there safely. If you want to stay, then that's your choice. B-”

“Alright, alright we’ll go” the man huffed as he marched past towards the door, the woman shyly following behind

“what an ass” John muttered causing Jane to nod

“current consensus predicts the human female will depart the males presence in less then two galatic standard weeks” Legion commented as the team made their way towards the door a small smile pulling at John’s lips.

-Ten minutes later, Kokomo Plaza-

John exhaled as he kicked a Vorcha’s corpse away

“gang war is progressing” Zaeed commented as he looked over the corpses of the two mercenary groups that littered the plaza

“i didnt think the blood pack would push the blue suns back so far” Jane remarked as she walked over with Legion and Hemlock “from what I've read, the blood pack aren't very organized.”

“this statement is correct” Hemlock chimed in as he helped the Batarian across the room “however the blue suns rely on constant support from their wider chapter. The blood pack are far more well-versed in surviving on scraps without aid. A locked down district where supplies are hard to come by is a perfect environment for their form of warfare”

“great,” John said as he pinched the bridge of his nose

Zaeed opened his mouth to speak before he was suddenly cut off by the sound of a crash from inside a nearby apartment that had its door forced open

“think it's more Vorcha?” Jane asked as she drew her pistol

“that or blue suns that were hiding from the unslaught” John replied “we’ll go check it out. The rest of you stand guard here”

The twins carefully crept through the door, which led them through a short corridor until they came into a large apartment similar in size to the human couple. As they entered, John could make out two male humans, one of which was frantically searching through the kitchen while the other patted down the corpse of a Turian.

“hey!” the man in the kitchen yelled as he turned towards the pair “this is our grab, we got here first!”

“got here first”, Jane echoed, her voice becoming harsh and disgusted as she dawned a glare “What the hell are you doing here!?!”

“jeez lass”, the other man said as he rose to his feet “, We were just taking the opportunity to release this fine gentleman of his earthly belongings. It's not like he needs them anymore”

John felt fury bubble inside as he glared between the two smirking men. A glare formed on his face as he fired his shotgun into a nearby counter causing the pair to recoil in fear.

“Listen very closely” John ordered his voice dark and cold “i will give you one chance to drop everything you have stolen from this apartment and to get the hell out before i send you to meet this fine gentleman”

Both men went pale as they glanced at one another and then back at John. Several clunks rang out as they dropped the items they had been carrying and raised their hands high above their heads

“good” Jane uttered harshly “Now get the hell out of here”

Instantly both men bolted past and sprinted down the small hallway towards the plaza with John whipping around and screaming after them

“If we catch you looting the dead again, you won't get another chance!!!”

Jane let out a deep exhale from his side as she looked over the scene with a pained expression

“i-i didn't want to threaten them” she whispered “b-but-”

“its okay,” John said in the most comforting voice he could “i don't think there was any way to avoid losing our tempers at people like them”

Jane nodded vacantly as she looked at the Turians corpse before she whispered

“come on”

Neither of the twins spoke as they made their way back out to the plaza where the team stood waiting. Silence overtook the whole team as they made their way past a barricaded door and entered a walkway marked with a holographic sign saying ‘Auzera’. Footsteps echoed as the team marched down a stairwell with a holographic sign that said ‘clinic’ at the bottom along with an arrow that pointed to the right.

Rounding the corner, the team came upon a desk with a human sitting behind it holding a pistol along with several Loki mechs armed with M-8 Avengers. As the team got closer, the man stood up and looked over the group with a curious expression

“purpose for being here?” the man asked as the team arrived in front of the desk

“we have a sick Batarian and refugees” Jane answered as she gestured to the being in question

The man behind the desk gave a nod as he reached down and pressed a button on an old-fashioned intercom

“got a patient and refugees out here,”, the man said “They are being escorted by armed personnel. Open the door”

A second passed before a hissing noise filled the room as the nearby door unsealed and slid open. John nodded to the man before turning and leading the team through the open door into the clinic. The entrance and waiting area were full of sick patients laid out on stretchers as men and women clad in white and red scrubs frantically raced between them.

“ahem” a nurse behind the reception cleared her throat drawing John's attention as the door slid shut behind the team

“how can i help?” the woman asked as she tapped at a terminal

“We have a Batarian in need of medical assistance and two refugees” John answered causing the woman to look up and nod

“Eric” the woman called causing one of the nurses running around the room to stop and come over

“yes ma’am” the younger boy said as he stopped by the desk

“Can you take this Batarian and get him to a stretcher? Give him an immediate check-up to determine whether he needs to be moved to the emergency rooms or can be kept here”

“of course, ma’am” the man said with a nod as he approached Hemlock and carefully led the Batarian away, only stopping so the Batarian could look back and mouth the words

‘thank you’

“as for refugees” the woman behind the desk continued “currently all our space is being used for the sick, im afraid you will have to sit over there” the woman explained as she pointed to a corner full of seats where humans sat “its not luxury but it's safe”

The man let out a scoff as he marched off towards the chairs causing his partner to sigh and look at the nurse behind the desk

“t-thank you” she stuttered

“it's fine, sweety” the older woman replied with a warm smile

The refugee turned to walk towards the seats when the woman behind the desk spoke up once more

“oh, and honey. Once this is all over, leave him. A sweet thing like you deserves better”

The younger woman smiled and nodded weakly as she walked away while John did his best not to laugh

“Now was there anything else?” the nurse asked

“yes” Jane said as she snapped around “we needed to talk to Mordin solus. It's urgent”

“okay” the woman nodded before pointing to a nearby corridor “just head down there and head into the room on the right. Doctor Solus will be inside”

“thank you,” Jane said warmly as John nodded to the woman

“glad to help” the woman replied as she returned Jane’s smile

The team quickly made their way past the desk and down the corridor. John’s eyes widened in horror as he rounded the corner into a large room that was full of stretchers covered in dying men and women from every race imaginable. Nurses and doctors frantically ran about with a small gaggle following a scarred Salarian around the centre of the room as he mumbled to himself.

“excuse me”, Jane called as the team approached the Salarian in question “Are you Doctor Mordin Solus?”

The Salarian suddenly snapped around, his large eyes trailing over them as he strode over and activated his omni tool. With a wave of his hand, the light construct scanned the lot of them while the Salarian continued to mumble about the blood types of different species. A few seconds passed as the Salarian looked over the data before stepping back and taking a deep breath through his nostrils

“yes”, he answered simply as he began pacing around “, You aren't from here, can't be, don't recognize you from the area, too well armed to be refugees, don’t wear mercenary uniform. Sent to kill Vorcha? No, no. Vorcha are symptom not cause”

The Salarian rounded a stretcher and began applying medicine to an Asari

“came to study plague? No, no. Too many weapons, not enough equipment. Soldiers, not scientists. Cyborg's not common, never seen one so advanced, and Geth working with organics unheard of-”

“relax, Mordin”, John cut in, causing the Salarian to glance back towards them. “I am John Shepard. This is my sister, Jane, we are on a critical mission, and we have been told you could help”

“mission? What mission?” Mordin questioned as he paced about once more “No. Too busy, clinic understaffed, plague is spreading too fast. Who sent you?”

“no one sent us”, Jane explained “Human colonies are being attacked. The colonists are all being abducted by a race called the collectors. We were told you could help us stop them”

“collectors”, Mordin echoed as he whipped around to look at the team “Plague found on omega was bioengineered. Collectors are likely behind it. Our goals may be similar.” Mordin strode past and began tapping at a terminal “willing to help, need to stop plague first”

“How can you stop it?” John questioned as the Salarian took another deep breath through his nostrils

“already have cure”, Mordin answered as he held up a canister “Need to take it to your environmental control centre. from there, can pump it into airways. Vorcha have been seen in the area, guarding systems, need to kill them”

Jane stepped forwards and smiled “how about a deal, we help you get the cure to the control centre. And then you join us in our mission”

Mordin’s eyes narrowed in thought for a split second before a horrific screeching echoed through the surrounding space, followed by the sound of following air coming to a stop

“life support systems in the district have been rendered inactive” Legion remarked

“Vorcha”, Mordin uttered as he walked over and handed John the cure canister while passing an M-6 Carnifex to Jane “Must have turned off systems. Need to restore the systems before whole district suffocates. One more thing, assistant, a human named Daniel. He ventured into Vorcha territory to search for plague victims. Hasn't returned”

“we’ll look for him” John said as he handed the canister to Hemlock for safer carrying

“thank you,” Mordin said with a nod “Smart kid, bright future, i hope”

The twins shared a nod as they turned and led the team from the room, ready to rid Omega of the plague before it could take another life

-fifteen minutes later, Vorcha territory-

A small whoosh could be heard as the door to an apartment slid open, revealing a group of Batarians standing in the centre of the room one of which was holding a young human male by the collar of his medical scrubs

“i’m telling you the truth” the man pleaded “i work for Mordin Solus, at the clinic. I came to help you”

“We know you're spreading the plague” the Batarian growled “We saw the vials in your bag”

“no” the man squirmed “those vials have the cure, y-you gotta believe me-”

“Maybe we should cut off your fingers” another Batarian threatened “That might loosen your tongue”

“what's going on here?” John demanded, causing several of the batarian’s to aim towards him, only to falter slightly seeing rifles already aimed at them

“stop right there” the batarian in charge ordered as he pulled out an SMG and aimed it at the man's head “Another step, and we kill your human friend”

“wait,” Jane said as she raised her hands “we know you are scared. The Vorcha, the plague, its terrifying. But this man isn't to blame. Think about it, even if he was behind the virus. Why would he come into Vorcha territory? They are immune to the plague”

A tense pause followed as some of the Batarian’s shared looks until one of them sighed and mumbled

“she’s right. It doesn't make any sense”

“i know” the leader agreed as he glanced around his SMG starting to waver “i-if we let him go can we leave peacefully?”

John glanced over to Jane, who nodded, allowing him to return his attention to the waiting Batarians and answer

“you have our word on it”

The lead Batarian nodded to the others, leading them to lower their weapons.

“your free to go” the leader declared as he looked back towards the team “Are we free to go?”

“We gave our word” John answered as he lowered his shotgun, followed by the others doing the same with their own weapons

“human nobility,”, the Batarian said as his four eyes widened in surprise “I never knew such a thing existed. Come on boys”

Without another word, the Batarian and his group strode past, leaving the man to smile awkwardly as he looked towards the team

“t-thank you for saving me” he stuttered as he fiddled with his hands

“glad to help” Jane replied warmly “Are you, Daniel”

“y-yes” he said with a nod “d-did Doctor Solus send you to find me?”

“he did” John confirmed with a nod “he could use you, he has far to many patients and not enough medical staff”

“o-okay” Daniel said as he jittered slightly “i’ll head back right away. T-thank you for everything”

John felt a smile crawl onto his lips as he watched the younger man depart before quickly gesturing for the team to follow as he marched from the room.

-A few minutes later, the environmental control plant-

The door to the large control room slid open to reveal a horde of monstrous beings all gathered around, their blood-red eyes watching

“Argh!” a Vorcha with blood dripping from his mouth roared as the team moved closer “You no come here. We shut down machines, break fans! Everyone choke and die! Then the collectors make us strong!”

“why the hell are you doing this?” Jane demanded

“everyone dies!” the Vorcha screamed as his arms flailed about “Then collectors make us strong! You work for doctor, fix machines, and bring cure! We kill you first!”

John saw the Vorcha’s arms dart towards the gun on his waist, but before anyone else could react, a gunshot rang out, followed by the thud of the Vorcha’s corpse slamming to the floor.

Several of the other Vorcha hissed and screeched before being struck by bullets. John flung himself behind cover as a rocket soared past and exploded against a nearby wall. His eyes glanced upwards to watch as Hemlock strode forward, gunning down Vorcha left and right while Legion effortlessly picked off those few who remained

“come on!” Jane yelled from a nearby pilla,r where she and Zaeed took cover

John smiled as he nodded before leaping to his feet and charging across the room, firing his shotgun into Vorcha as he charged, their bullets effortlessly bouncing off his immortal pattern Armour

A few seconds passed as the team took out the remaining stragglers. With the coast clear, Hemlock marched over to the control system and placed the canister containing the cure into a port before pressing some buttons.

“This unit cannot activate the life support systems” Hemlock reported as he glanced around “Power must be restored from the relay stations on either side of the chamber”

“sounds simple enough” Zaeed chuckled before being cut off by Edi’s voice

“detecting incoming hostiles. More than the scanners can count”

John heard Jane sigh as he glared at the veteran mercenary

“just for that, you are staying with Hemlock to guard the cure” John ordered as he wheeled about “Legion come with us”

Legion didnt speak, it simply followed as the twins raced across the room towards the walkways that led to the power relay stations. Gunshots rang out as they turned the corner, revealing several Vorcha and a Krogan charging out of the room at the end of the walkway.

A bullet whizzed past and slammed into one of the Vorcha’s heads, causing it the explode, followed by the heavy metal clang of its flamethrower pack hitting the floor. John saw Jane aim her pistol at the tanks as the Vorcha charged past the corpse, at the perfect moment, she pulled the trigger, causing the walkway to be enveloped in a ball of fire that consumed the small horde

“nice work-” John began to say before going silent as he watched the Krogan charge through the flames towards them

Time felt like it crawled to a still as the Krogan got closer. Images flashed through John’s mind of the time he had spent training with Wrex and Luther before they left the Normandy SR-1. John allowed his body to go still as he controlled his breathing.

‘three’

The Krogan moved closer as bullets bounced off its armour

‘two’

The furious beast let out a roar

‘one’

The bayonet at the end of its gun raised as it prepared to lunge.

The beast flung itself forward, bringing its blade down in a cleaving motion, but John was faster. Dodging effortlessly to the side as the Krogan staggered forward while he focused his biotic energy on his fist.

The Krogan snapped around in an effort to strike, but before it could John struck, a bone-chilling crack filled the room as John slammed his biotic-charged fist into the Krogan faceplate, the combined power of the biotics and cybernetics being enough to make the hard bone splinter.

The Krogan staggered back as blood ran from its head, John lunged forward and deleviered a powerful strike to the Krogan’s exposed chest which caused the giant to keel over allowing John to deliever a final strike to the Krogan’s jaw sending it flying backwards over the edge of the walkway, plumiting to its death.

John breathed heavily as the energy around his fists crackled away

“that was amazing!” Jane yelled as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder while Legion ran past to get to the power relay station

“i-it was” John agreed breathlessly

“gotten a lot better since Feros”, Jane chuckled as she led John towards the relay station

“Really?” John asked, picking up the teasing glint in his sister's eyes “What makes you say that?”

“Wrex didn't need to save your ass” Jane replied as Legion tapped at the terminals

“That was one time” John tried to argue, only to be cut off by a Siren, followed by Edi’s voice

“righthand power relay back online. Please restore the lefthand relay so Hemlock and disperse the cure”

“on it, Edi”, Jane called as Legion drew his Widow once more “How did it feel?”

“feel?” John echoed as the small group battled their way across to the lefthand walkway

“punching a Krogan so hard their head plate broke” Jane elaborated as she sent several Vorcha flying over the edge

John went silent for a moment as he thought it over before answering “Makes me appereate Luther more”

“really?” Jane asked in surprise as they led Legion to the second power relay station “How come?”

“he was able to do it with enough force to kill them on impact” John asnwered as he rubbed his knuckles “i had cybernetics and biotics and i barely broke through”

“true” Jane aggreed “but remember he’s twice your size and has been killing Krogan for a hell of a lot longer”

“true” John agreed as a secont siren sounded

“all systems are back at 100%” Edi reported “now Hemloc-”

Her synthtic voice was cut off by the sound of rushing air fulling the vents as the life support systems roared into life

“life support online” Hemlock reported “remaning Vorcha are in full retreat. This unit suggests returning to the clinic and speaking with Mordin Solus”

“good job” John replied “meet us by the door”

Hemlock answered with a simple “acknowledged” before the comm when silent allowing the twins to share a look before they turned and marched back towards the entrence

-several hours later, Normandy Briefing room-

Mordin’s eyes darted around the briefing room as John, Jane, and Hemlock finished breifing him. Seconds ticked by at Mordin’s eyes narrowed before he rubbed his chin

“humans, coexisting with Geth” the scientist mumbled his voice a mixture of awe and surpise “Adentri you say? Amazing, truly amazing”

“it is” Jane agreed “back on topic, do you think you can help us create a protection aganst the collectors?”

“of course” Mordin replied with a nod “need to find how they have succeded. Gas, no, to slow. Mass stasis field, cant be, unable to pierce buildings. Agent in water, no, no, unpreditible, would take hours to effect whole colony-”

“you dont need to guess Mordin” John cut in with a chuckle “the collectors have been using swarms of bugs to place people into personal stasis fields. We were able to get our hands on some. We just need you to study them”

“ah” Mordin exclaimed “yes, yes, perfect. Need a lab-”

“there is a fully equipt lab on the centeral command deck of this ship” Edi chimed in “if you are lacking anything please place a reqrisition form”

“curious” Mordin mumbled as his eyes darted about once more “pilot? No, synthetic voice. Synthesized emotions, acess to data in a sealed room without cameras. Can't be; need to ask, is that an AI?”

At this both John and Jane finally burst into laughter forcing Hemlock to answer the doctors question

“this ship is outfitted with an artificial intelligence” Hemlock explained “this unit hopes this infromation will not bother or offend you”

“not at all” Mordin replied his voice excited “will be facinating to work alongside an AI”

“glad to hear it” John said between laughs “Hemlock, could you show Mordin to the lab? Then his qaurters and whie you are at it introduce him to his new assistant Lia”

Hemlock gave a curt nod before striding towards the door and gesturing for Mordin to follow. Laughter continued to echo around the room as the pair departed, until finally the twins managed to rain themselves in

“quite the charcter” Jane commented

“he is” John agreed “i think Hemlock will get along with him”

“oh really” Jane said in surpise “why is that?”

“becuase him, Legion, and Edi are the only three on this ship that can think at a rate similar to Mordin” John explained

“True,” Jane said with a nod. “Enough about that, though; who’s our next target?”

John made a hum of thought before glancing at his sister

“Archangel”

“why him?” Jane asked curiously

“he was in the more imdiate danger” John explained “Aria said three mercenaryg groups are after him, and the ranger was hunkered down in the lower mining district. He will be able to hold out longer”

“true” Jane agreed “guess its time we go save an angel”

“That it is” John said with a smirk as he made his way out of the room to prepare for the next mission

Chapter Text

Jane sighed as she looked over the galaxy map the sound of metallic clicks to her right as Hemlock stood looking over a datapad

“This isn't good” Jane whispered to herself as she stepped down from the command station

"this unit requests elaboration” Hemlock questioned as he turned to look at the ginger

“Everything” Jane answered “The collectors are taking thousands by the day, the reapers are out there, and most of the galaxy doesn't believe it”

A silence followed before Hemlock did something Jane had never heard before. He sighed, causing Jane’s eyes to bolt open in surprise as she looked at the cyborg

“this information is correct” Hemlock commented as he placed the datapad on a counter “this unit advises avoiding thinking about it. Less you face a call of the void”

Jane continued to stare at Hemlock for a good minute before nodding slowly as she blinked rapidly “Alright if I ask you something to take my mind off it?”

Jane asked as her mind raced ‘i didnt even think he could sigh. His lungs are iron’

“Ask” Hemlock replied as he gave a curt nod

“i've been looking at reports on weapon developments over the two years we have been gone” Jane said as she leaned aganst a rail “your pistols dont match anything i have seen before. And they don't use thermal clips. What are they?”

“they are a model reffered to as the Wolfsbane” Hemlock answered “they were created using a design from a prototype weapon project called sidwinder. The project was an effort to create a weapon similar to old world revolvers, however it wasnt popular due to the constant need to load new thermal clips. Hence, it was abandoned”

Hemlock drew one of his weapons to allow Jane a closer look

“Adentri like Geth weapons never moved to the use of thermal clips due to the superior cooling capabilities of our tech” Hemlock explained “Because of this, it was able to modify the design to be more effective and put it into production to be used by officers within its military's ranks”

“nice” Jane uttered as she looked over the pistol “think i can get one?”

“If you desire, i shall place an order for one to be prepared for you” Hemlock answered as he took back his pistol

“i would appreciate it” Jane said with a nod and a warm smile

“Tin can” a familiar harsh voice called as footsteps approached

Jane sighed as she turned to look at the approaching raven-haired woman who was glaring at Hemlock

“You have refused to permit my last four reports to the Illusive Man. Why?” Miranda demanded as she came to a stop in front of them

“this unit has answered said qeustion previously” Hemlock replied coldly “excess data that is not revelevent or does not need to be reported to Cerberus command was present in all previously mentioned reports. Until this unsanctioned data is removed, the reports will not depart this ship”

“unnecessary”, Miranda scoffed “I've cut them down time and time again. At this rate, all they say is we went to a place and recruited a person”

“This is incorrect” Hemlock replied calmly “This unit has requested to removal of data containing the location of the Normandy. You have failed to follow this directive”

Miranda glared as she snapped to look at Jane

“Would you tell this piece of scrap to back off and let me do my work?”

Jane opened her mouth to speak before being cut off

“that piece of scrap is doing his job” John declared as he rounded the corner with Kasumi, Archembald, and Mordin “we told the Illusive man he would get reports. We never said he would get a daily update of where we are and what we are doing”

“b-” Miranda tried to argue

“i don’t want to hear it” John ordered “if Hemlock has told you to remove something from the report before sending it then you need to remove it. Like it or not, we trust him more than we trust you, and marching up to us to complain isn't going to make us like you more”

Miranda snapped around to look back at Jane, looking like John had just slapped her

Jane sighed and nodded “I wouldn't have put it so sternly, but John is right. If you want us to trust you, then you need to earn it. Complaining and trying to get us to bypass our own second-in-command doesn't exactly make that easier”

Miranda just scoffed and made her way over to stand beside Kasumi, who looked displeased at the proximity

“Come on” John said as he gestured to the airlock “We need to get to Archangel before he gets killed”

“Alright” Jane nodded in agreement as she followed her brother only to stop and turn “Thanks for the talk Hemlock; keep the ship in one piece until we get back”

Hemlock gave a curt nod before turning, but for the briefest of moments, Jane could have sworn a glint appeared in his eye. Shrugging, she deemed it must have been a trick of the light as she turned and followed the rest of the team into the decontamination chamber

-A few minutes later, Omega central area-

Footsteps echoed as the team made their way through the winding halls of Omega, the stench of smoke and corpses present as always.

“Mordin, how is the lab?” John asked in an effort to break the ice as the team rounded a corner

“very well equipt” Mordin answered “been quite sometime since work was well funded. Lia is a most efficient assisstint. Will make great biologest with some more hands on training. Must say, surprised there wasnt more listening devices, given the ship is Cerberus built”

“there probably was” Miranda cut in “after the tin ca-Hemlock was made XO most of the devices abord the ship were destroyed. Everything else was jammed by some sort of signal coming from his cabin”

“Of course the ship was bugged” Jane sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose

“i'm surprised you are admitting this” John commented as the team rounded another corner

“You said I had to earn trust” Miranda retorted “The best way to do that is to be honest”

Jane made a low, surprised hum before glancing around and asking

“So Mordin. What did you do before you opened a clinic on Omega?”

“Worked for special tactics group” Mordin answered

“Really?” John said in surprise, “We worked with an STG captain named Kirrahe on Virmire”

“we did” Jane seconded “didnt be mumble something about a Solus being behind the genophage cure?”

Jane glanced over to John, who nodded in confrimation

“worked with Kirrahe myself” Mordin chimed in “previously worked with strains of genophage, makes sense Kirrahe would worry i was involved in a cure. Heard of your work on Virmire bomb created from engine of STG craft. Brillant, Kirrahe, always crafty. Cyborg apparently built it. masterful work using given time”

John let out a chuckle as Jane felt his eyes land on her.

“You should tell Hemlock that”, her brother commented as the group made their way into the music-filled club.

The team went silent as they made their way towards the room Aria had previously pointed out to the twins.

“Here for the job?” a Batarian clad in blue suns armour asked as they got closer

“yep” Jane yelled in response, causing the Batarian to point over his shoulder towards the door

“Rooms clear. Head inside and talk to Taldor”

“Got it” John said with a nod as the team made their way down the steps into the room

“damn” a second Batarian behind a desk exclaimed as the door slid open “you lot look like you could take down a planet. I don't think I've ever seen a Teuton mercenary”

“Men at arms have served for centuries” Archembald replied “They simply don't lower themselves to such petty tasks”

“wish they did” the Batarian mumbled as he clicked something on his terminal “that way we could get some muscle that aren't idiots. Either way, the standard fee for freelancers is five hundred chits, and this doesn't make you a member of Eclipse, Blue Suns, or the Blood Pack. I'm supposed to mention you need your own weapons and Armour, but you have that covered”

“All good on our end” John nodded “Where do we need to go?”

“Just head out to the skycar lot, there will be someone there waiting. Give them this, and you will be good to go” The Batarian handed Jane a card of some kind

“Alright” Jane replied as she turned to lead the team out of the room

The door slid open, allowing a male human who looked no older than eighteen to walk past.

“is this where I sign up for the raid?” the teen asked, causing Jane to wheel around to look at him

“You seem a bit young to be taking a job like this” John commented as Jane continued to stare at the boy

“i’m old enough” the teen retorted as he turned to face them all

“You are old enough to die” Archembald said grimly

“i grew up on Omega” the teen argued as he stepped forwards and pulled a weapon from his belt “i just spent fifty credit chits on this pistol, and i intend to use it-”

Jane snatched the weapon and bashed the Thermal clip chamber, damaging it beyond use

“Get your money back” she ordered as she handed the weapon back

“if you don’t know the difference between a pistol and an SMG, then you aren't ready for any job” Miranda scolded “Especially one as dangerous as this”

“She’s right” Kasumi said gently as she patted the teen on the shoulder “Go find a job that won’t get you killed”

Before the boy could speak, the team turned and marched out of the room to make their way towards the skycar lot

“Hey Archembald!” Jane yelled over the music, “Do Men at Arms actually exist? Or did you just say that to shut that Batarian up?”

“They do exist”, Archembald replied, “although they don't operate outside of Teuton territory.”

“What do they do?” Kasumi asked as the team made their way along the corridor towards the exit

“Historically companies of men at arms served as a large portion of Teuton’s military power during the kingdoms early expansion”, Archembald explained, “although they ceased to as prominent after the forming of the Knight orders. In this day and age, they mainly are made up of veterans who have grown tired of the knight orders leadership. Or the young who refuse to bind themselves to tradition”

Jane made a hum of thought until she spoke once more

“Would it be possible to convince them to prepare for the reapers?”

Archembald paused for a moment before letting out a deep sigh

“No”, he answered simply, “men-at-arms companies are allowed to exist, but if they started gearing for war, it would cause panic amongst the people and fury within the knight orders. With tensions so high already, it would be seen as them gearing for civil war”

“damn” John growled “i don't mean to be rude Archembald, but your peoples politics are frustrating”

“All politics are” Archembald replied as the team arrived at the skycar lot

“You here for the raid?” another Batarian in blue suns Armour asked as he leaned against a skytruck

“Sure are” Jane answered as she handed the waiting Batarian the card

“Alright hop on the back, and we can head down” the Batarian said as he took the card and pulled the door open

Jane turned and gave John a nod as the team made their way around the back of the truck and got on

-Fifteen minutes later, Gozu district-

Jane yawned slightly as she jumped off the back of the skytruck, followed closely behind by Kasumi and Miranda.

“you must be the next team” another Batarian commented as he approched the group “about time they send me someone that looked like they can fight. Did you get briefed on what you are up against”

“Only got told we were hunting Archangel” John answered as he walked over with Archembald and Mordin “No specifics”

“course there wasn't” the Batarian sighed “if they told you then no one would sign on. Archangel first made a name for himself as a sniper, one of the best in the whole terminus.”

“i fail to see how that is relevant” Miranda cut in

“didnt finish” the Batarian growled as he pointed over his shoulder “he’s hunkered down in a building in the bolivard over there. Large building, well fortified, and the only access route is across a bridge with no cover”

“damn” Kasumi mumbled before glaring at Miranda “still dont think him being a master sniper is relvent?”

The raven-haired woman glared back but ultimately didn't speak

“Do you have a plan of attack?” Jane asked as she exhaled in annoyance

“we do” the Batarian said with a nod “there is an infultration team that is going to sneak across using old scafolding a floor bellow. They will then climb onto the main floor and plant a bomb. Your team will be part of a raid party that will attempt to cross the bridge the keep Archangel distracted. If everything goes to plan, the infiltration team will set the bomb and flee to the bridge Then we all get to sit back and laugh as the building goes up in flames”

“Simple enough” Miranda said sarcastically “All we have to do is survive a suicidal bridge charge”

“For once, i actually agree with her” Kasumi chimed in

“Can't you use your cloak to sneak across?” Jane asked in confusion

“i can” Kasumi answered, “but it's the principle that matters”

“You are seriously saying that is the best plan three mercenary factions could come up with?” John asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose

“tried everything else already” the Batarian sighed grimly “if this fails then the only other plan we have is a full frontal assult or to wait him out. If we all charge in, then he may use the chaos to escape. We don't have the numbers to block every possible exit. We take the pressure off him, and he will have the time to escape”

“alright then” Jane said with an exhale “where do we need to go?”

“Head along to the third barricade” the Batarian ordered as he pointed out the route “Sargent Cathka is in charge of the freelancers; he will be the one waiting for you”

“Alright” John nodded in understanding

“Good luck” the Batarian called as he turned and walked away “You will need it”

Jane gestured for the team to move out as she began walking towards the door that the Batarian had pointed out

Behind her, Mordin took a deep breath through his nostrils before speaking up

“Getting in the easy part. Out will be more problematic”

“You can say that again” John muttered

“Not much we can do about it” Jane whispered “We will just have to cross that bridge when we get to it”

“Jane, John”, Edi cut in as the comm activated “, I have scanned the surrounding area, and there are no routes to Archangel that have not been blockaded by the mercenary factions. I would personally suggest trying to weaken them in any way possible before you speak with Sargent Cathka”

“Thanks Edi” Jane replied with a smile “We will see what we can do”

Silence fell over the team as they made their way through a small room full of mercenaries clad in yellow armour with a black star pattern adorning their chest plates. As they moved past a crate that a woman was leaning against, Jane saw Kasumi’s arm move ever so slightly.

Seconds later, there was a whoosh as the door slid open, allowing the team to make their way into another small hallway. John walked ahead with Archembald and Miranda. Jane went to follow when she was suddenly stopped by a tap on the shoulder. Turning around, she saw Kasumi’s eyes shining under her hood as she held out a datapad

“Where did you get that?” Jane asked as she looked at the pad quizically

“Was on the crate” Kasumi said simply as Jane took the datapad “That woman was too busy glaring at us to care it went missing”

“Of course” Jane sighed as her eyes trailed over the message on the pad

~

Tarak:

I've spoken with Garm; he and his men are onboard. Assuming this operation is successful, we can count on high morale and extensive buy-in from the men. From the losses we’ve already taken, the possibility exists that we won't have the men needed to continue on to the next objective. It's clear, though, that none of our organizations would be ready to move on Aria without the assistance of the other two.

Jaroth

~

John’s voice carried across the hall “What does it say?”

“Apparently the leaders of these groups were willing to continue their little friendship” Jane answered as she stashed the pad “Want to use anything they have left over from this raid to try and overthrow Aria”

“that would be unbenifical” Miranda commented as she strode over “T’Loak is at least willing to work with us. I doubt this lot will be as willing”

“Aria is well equipped” Mordin said as he rubbed his chin “would appreciate the warning, though, would be grateful to get the data”

“And if we are lucky, the mercs will be too busy dealing with her and won't have the time to try and come after us” Kasumi agreed

“We could give her the datapad before we go and find the ranger” Jane suggested, causing John to nod

“Sounds good to me” John agreed

“i beg your pardon” Archembald cut in, causing all eyes to land on him “i believed you would be interested in hearing there is a room of ungaurded military grade mechs over here”

“What?” Jane questioned as she darted across the hall

As she came to a stop next to the knight, her eyes went wide as she took in the sight of a room full of Loki mechs along with a singular Yimr mech.

“Did you hack the door when we weren't looking?” John asked as he made his way over

“Not at all” Archembald answered “i approached the door, and it opened”

“Looks like we know their backup plan” Miranda commented as she looked around the room

“Rather confidant” Kasumi uttered as Jane made her way in “Unlocked room, not a single guard; how do they know no one will mess with them?”

“Well we would be stupid not to abuse this” Jane said as she made her way over to a terminal “let's see what i can do”

A few seconds passed as Jane worked over the terminal until she exhaled and stepped away to look around at the others

“handled it” Jane remarked as she strode past, a smirk forming on her face

“What did you do?” John asked as the team followed behind her

“Cut it’s friend, foe targeting” Jane answered as they made their way through another door and past a room full of blood pack and a particularly large Krogan “When that Ymir gets turn on, it's going to kill everything that moves”

“Wouldn't it have made more sense to change the parameters so it wasn't hostile to us?” Miranda asked with a sneer

“Didn't have the time” Jane replied as she shot the woman a glare “i may know my way around tech, but im no master. Without Legion or Hemlock here, it is the best we can do in a short time”

“im sure it will be fine” Kasumi cut in as the team passed another barricade “it will serve as a distraction. If we are lucky, the chaos will be enough for us to escape”

“Doubt it” Mordin commented as a nearby Vorcha’s head exploded

A silent pause consumed the team as they reached the final barricade where several mercenaries clad in hard-shell Armours of different verities and colours stood about waiting.

“damn” John mumbled as he looked about “cant see anyone in blue suns armour”

Jane sighed as she strode towards a man in purple

“Any idea where Cathka is?” Jane asked, causing the man to turn towards her

The man didn't speak. Simply pointed over his shoulder towards an A-61 Mantis Gunship that sat idle behind him. Narrowing her eyes slightly, Jane saw flashes of light and sparks coming from a part of the ship that was obscured by view

“Thanks”, Jane said as she nodded to the purple-clad man before walking towards the gunship, John close behind.

“You Cathka?” John asked as two approached the man clad in blue suns armour

“Sargent Cathka” the Batarian countered as he placed the tool he was using down and tapped his helm, causing his visor to become transparent so they could see his eyes

“That rank doesn't mean anything to us” John snorted as Jane just rolled her eyes

“Didn't think it would” Cathka sighed as he lit a cigar “Salkie radioed ahead, said we had some guys who looked useful on the way-”

“Salkie?” Jane echoed curiously

“greenhorn that greeted ya” Cathka explained “to be fair you all stand out more then standard freelancers. I'm hoping he was right about you being useful; Archangel has been cutting through everything we throw at him. The infiltration team has already made their move, so now we just get to sit and wait for the signal-”

“Target is in sight!” a voice yelled over a nearby comm “Reapeat, Target is in sight. We are a go! Repeat, we are a go!”

Cathka bolted around and slammed his hand down on the system

“Check Alpha team.” Cathka replied before turning toward the gathered group of freelancers and roaring, “bravo team GO! GO! GO!”

Jane watched as several of the men and women flinched before priming their weapons and sprinting towards the barricade. Some of them were already attempting to clamber over, a loud bang rang out, followed by the splatter of blood and a hard thunk as the purple-clad freelancer from before collapsed to the ground dead

“shit” Cathka muttered as he clutched at his tools “i need to get this gunship in shape. Get over that barricade and put Archangel in the ground!”

“You heard him” John declared as he led the team towards the barricade “We need to het out there”

Jane leapt forward and used the momentum to push herself over the barricade. Several thuds echoed as the team landed on the walls other side. Ahead of them stood a long bridge that was littered with the corpses of mercenaries and freelancers alike, along with a crashed skycar that served as the only source of cover against Archangel's unrelenting torrent of sniper fire.

“lets give them a surpise” Jane ordered as she and the rest of the team drew their weapons and moved forward.

Bloody carnage exploded across the bridge as the team engaged the freelancer forces, several of the poor fools being gunned down before they knew what was happening. Those few who reacted quickly enough to turn and defend themselves were swiftly struck by a bullet from Archangel, who adapted quickly to the situation.

“There with Archangel!” a blonde man yelled as he turned “Kill the-”

Before he could finish, Archembald’s morningstar struck him with enough force to shatter his hardshell Armour and send his corpse flying across the bridge, slamming into the far wall of the building. As the team continued to battle their way across the bridge, Jane noticed how Archembald wouldn't attack any of the freelancers who had their backs to him.

‘Must be his code of honour’, Jane thought as she charged into the base of the building and shot a freelancer in red armour who was attempting to activate a large bomb

“Quickly!” a female voice yelled from further in the building “he’s in the upstairs suite!”

John raced past as a blur, followed closely by Mordin and Kasumi. Jane followed them into the massive living space on the bottom floor, where she ran past two more freelancer corpses, one with a shotgun blast hole and the other still smoking from one of Mordin’s incendiary attacks. Not stopping for a moment, Jane sprinted to the stairwell, only briefly catching what appeared to be several corpses laid out in a line, each of them covered in orange cloth that hid them from view.

Gunshots rang out as Jane rounded the corner at the top of the stairs allowing her to take in the sight of two more freelancers being cut down by Kasumi and Mordin while the third was struck with a biotic charged strike from John, sending her flying into the door with enough force to make it explode off its hinges.

Jane allowed herself to finally exhale as a brief calm fell over the building. Carefully, she crept past Kasumi and Mordin until she came to a stop next to John. Glancing to her brother, Jane saw him give her a determined look before they both nodded in unison and darted into the room.

Jane whipped around as she breached the room, instantly pointing her pistol towards Archangel. Midway through the room was a Turian figure clad in blue and black Armour who was balanced on one knee with their focus directed to the scope of their rifle.

“Archangel” John addressed announcing their presence “we-”

Before he could finish, the Turian silenced him by raising a singular talon in a manner similar to how humans silently ask for a moment. Then, ever so carefully, the figure returned its hand to the rifle. Seconds passed before the figure pulled on the trigger, causing a loud bang to echo through the building, followed by a distant thunk.

Satisfied with their work, the Turian moved. Placing the stock of the rifle against the ground, the figure moved his weight to it, hoisting themselves to their feet before carefully sitting down on the edge of a nearby couch.

“Can we speak?” Jane asked as both she and John lowered their weapons

Archangel reached up to their helmet and pressed a button, causing the pressure seals to release.

“That depends”, a familiar voice answered as taloned hands wrapped around the helmet and pulled it from the figure's head to reveal an all too familiar smile as two blue reptilian eyes shone in the light “Will it involve the story of why you two aren't dead?”

A pause fell over the room as both parties stared at one another in complete disbelief until John suddenly raored

“Garrus!!” as he flung his gun to the side and raced over to pat the Turian in question on the shoulder, his face contorted into an expression of joy that could only be beaten by the look he had when he first saw Tali on Freedoms Progress

“after everything we’ve been through that's all i get?” Garrus demanded incredulously, “Come here, you bastard”

Jane laughed as Garrus lunched to his feet and pulled John into an embrace, the Turian’s mandibles flickering in pure joy as he turned to look at her

“Don't just stand there, Jane” Garrus commanded “Get over here”

Jane allowed her smile to widen as she raced across the room and tackled into the two figures, her arms gently wrapping around their Armour.

“you both died” Garrus mumbled as Jane saw tears form in his blue eyes “J-joker told me. H-how are you here?”

“long story” John answered as they pulled away from the Turian “but for the short version. Hemlock”

“Hemlock” Garrus echoed as his eyes widened “of course....i knew he was up to something-”

“Wait”, Jane cut in “You talked to him?”

“only for a bit” Garrus sighed “met with him on the citadel after news of the Normandy’s destruction. Yelled at him a bunch for not caring about your deaths”

“How did he take that?” John asked curiously

“worse then you would think” Garrus commented as his eyes shifted to look over thr bridge “when i got really heated and in his face he backhanded me and told me to maintain myself. Said something about death being far easier to avoid then one would think”

Jane saw Garrus’s eyes narrow

“i should have known he knew something” Garrus mumbled “Why else would he show up on the Citadel, speak with the human councilor and recruit Liara before leaving?”

“he didn't tell you” Jane questioned, rather horrified

“Not a word” Garrus sighed “Can't say i blame him, though; I was hardly in the best place at the time. i don't think i would have reacted well if he told me a bunch of cyborgs were piecing you back together”

“still” John muttered “he should have told you.”

“Can't change it now” Garrus replied as he turned back towards them, his smile returning “What matters is you both are back”

“We are” Jane confirmed with a smile, “and we are going to get you out of here-”

“About time” Miranda chided from the doorway where the rest of the team had gathered

“quite the group” Garrus remarked as he looked over them until he went still “councilor Archembald, is that you?”

“Tis just Archembald now, young Vakarian” Archembald chuckled as he nodded at Garrus

“That will take some getting used to” Garrus mumbled as Jane giggled

“Not to ruin the fun, but we need to get out of here” Kasumi cut in “The mercenaries will know about are little backstabbing by now. We need a plan”

“Quite right” Mordin agreed as he paced about “Exits covered, numbers in mercenaries' favor, likely support on the way”

“damn” John growled before glancing at Garrus “any ideas?”

Garrus made a hum as he looked over the bridge once more

“this building is well fortified” he said after a moment “i was able to hold out alone for weeks. With you six here, it will be easy to hold them off. They don't have the numbers for attrition. The best option would be to hold out until they weaken themselves until we have an opening to push through”

“mr Vakarian’s evaluation of the situation is correct” Edi chimed in over the comm “If it is desired, i can deploy the shuttle for pickup”

“do it Edi” Jane replied “send Hemlock, Zaeed, and Jacob. But tell them to keep a distance until we give the signal”

“Understood” Edi acknowledged as the comm cut out

“Why not just send the shuttle in now?” Kasumi asked as she leaned on a couch

“They would shoot it down” John answered before Jane could

“or they would send the gunship after it” Miranda commented, causing Jane to nod in agreement

“eclipse mechs on the bridge” Mordin called from the balcony causing everyone’s attention to shift towards the barricade.

On the far side of the bridge, several bone white Loki mechs leapt down from the barricade before beginning to advance in a lockstep formation

“i'll head to the ground floor” John called as he made his way towards the door “Archembald, Kasumi you both are with me.”

“Looks like you and me are in the backlines again” Jane commented as the two raced after John

“Just like old times” Garrus replied as he got into position

Jane smiled as she drew her pistol and slid into cover on the balcony as John charged onto the bridge bellow

“Hostiles sighted” one of the mechs declared before its head was blasted to shrapnel by Garrus

Gunfire echoed as the formation of mechs began to open fire on the approaching fires. Jane laughed as she watched the bullets bounce off Archembald and John’s Armour. Blue energy crackled across John’s body as he charged his biotics before flinging himself into the horde of machines with explosive force.

“What!?” Garrus cried in surprise as Archembald sent three mechs flying with a single strike

“Alright there, Garrus?” Jane teased as she shot one of the mechs

“John isn't a biotic!” Garrus yelled as the man in question shattered a mech's body with a biotic strike

“Long story short, he is now” Jane explained as more mechs launched over the barricade accompanied by yellow-clad mercenaries made of Salarian, Humans, and Asari

The fight for the bridge dragged on. Every second merc to cross the barricade was swiftly gunned down by Garrus, while Jane, Mordin, and Miranda acted as technical support for those on the bridge. After a few minutes of intense fighting, Jane saw a Salarian clad in empowered armour standing on the edge of the barricade press a button on his omni tool, causing a large bone white merc to be carried across by a hovering deployment platform.

“let's see you handle this!” the Salarian yelled as the Ymir slamed to the ground, its crimson scanners flickering into life followed by a mechanical growl

“A heavy mech” Garrus scoffed “They are making this too easy”

“i made it even easier on the way over” Jane yelled “Watch”

Garrus turned to ask what she meant, but before he could speak, the Ymir mech wheeled around and smashed a nearby eclipse solder into the ground. Panic erupted amongst the remaining Eclipse forces as the mech began failing about wildly and sending bursts of its heavy machine gun into their ranks

“it gone haywire!” the Salarian from before yelled as he hid behind what little cover there was “Shut it dow-”

Before he could finish John slammed into him with a biotic charge, the force of the impact sent the Salarian flying over the edge of the bridge, a piercing scream echoed as he plummited.

“damn” Garrus remarked “thats Jaroth down. Does your family have a thing for sending people over ledges with biotics!?”

“Apparently” Jane replied as the Ymir mech crashed to the ground before its head was crushed by Archembald's Morningstar

Jane allowed herself a chuckle as she watched the remaining Eclipse mercs clammer back over the barricade in a hasty retreat. While John and the others made their way back up towards the suite.

“Nice job, John” Garrus called as the three made their way into the large section of the house “When we are done here, you owe me an explanation about the biotics”

“Fair enough” John said with a nod as he slumped into a couch

“Garrus”, Jane addressed, drawing the Turian’s attention “You mentioned that Salarian’s name. Did you know him?”

“he and his team where behind the massive tainted ezzo shipment influx that hit the citadel a few years back” Garrus explained as he adjusted his rifle “lots of people lost their lives because of their lives because of them, even more where injured. A few months back, I attacked a massive shipment at the docks before it could leave. Killed Jaroth's top lieutenant during it. He's wanted my head since then”

“Seems like a lot of effort for one guy” Kasumi commented

“to be fair i had destroyed thirty shipments before that” Garrus chuckled “he tried buying me off, paying me to attack other groups, sent assassins after me, everything eclipse usually does to get rid of problems. Guess that was his final straw; since then, he took a more active approach”

Jane saw John go to retort, but before he could speak, the whole building shook, accompanied by the sounds of explosions and the blaring of alarms

“Sounds problematic” Mordin commented as his eyes darted around

“You don't say,” Miranda sneered

“damn” Garrus mumbled as he looked at his omni tool “the blood pack have breached the lower levels. Guess they had to use their brains for something eventually. Think you can handle this while i keep upstairs secured?”

“i don't think it will take six people to stop them” Jane replied “Me, Miranda, and Mordin can stay up here while the other three secure downstairs”

Turning to John, she saw the man give a nod as he primed his shotgun

“Shouldn't take to long” John said with a smirk as he led Kasumi and Archembald to the door

“Thanks!” Garrus called, causing John to yell back

“Don't die!”

Garrus barked a laugh as several howling and screeching noises came from the far side of the bridge. Glancing around, Jane saw several Vorcha and Varren making their way across the barricade.

“a two-pronged attack” Miranda commented as the horde began to approach “i didn't think the blood pack would be intellegent enough to think of this”

“You would be surpised” Garrus countered as he blew the head of the closest Vorcha off with his rifle “Garm can be cunning when he wants to be”

“Numbers are small” Mordin remarked as he sent a incendiary blast towards the attackers “Would have expected a larger assault team”

“Most of them will be bellow” Garrus explained as he shot another Vorcha “Garm’s group was the largest, but they are the least organised and have the most cannon fodder

“Can say that again” Miranda agreed as she launched a biotic wave towards a group of Vorcha, crushing them instantly

The fight drew on as more and more Vorcha and their warhounds charged the bridge, only to be cut down by the team. Down below, John’s group was able to seal off emergency hatch’s locking the main blood pack force out. It was when his team radioed that they were on the way back when another explosion rocked the building.

Smoak and debris filled the lower floor of the manson as a sealed door exploded off the wall, its pieces being scattered across the room. Jane watched as several Krogan commandos entered the lower floor in a tight formation The massive well-armed Krogan the team saw before leading the charge

“find him!” the Krogan leader roared “i want his head!”

A loud bang cut the Krogan off as a Vorcha that as entered behind the Krogan was gunned down by Garrus

“Archangel”, the towering Krogan screamed as his eyes narrowed at Garrus “, I’ll rip your guts out!”

Jane gasped in horror as the large Krogan darted towards the stairs, nothing more than a crimson blur moving at surprising speeds.

“shit” Garrus muttered as he dropped his sniper and reached for a M-15 Vindicator which was leaned nearby before wheeling around to face the door

Not even a second later, the massive Krogan thundered into the room, a mixture of biotic barriers and shields protecting him from the barrage of fire the team unleashed. Instantly, the Krogan slammed one of his arms into Miranda, sending her crashing into a wall before he quickly spun around and charged towards Jane and Garrus.

Jane fired her pistol desperately as the crimson blur drew closer, but even several shots to the head wasnt enough to stop the beast from slamming into her. Jane felt pain course through her body as it crashed to the ground. Her vision blurred as she stared up at the monstrous Krogan as he wrapped one of his hands around Garrus’s throat and lifted him off the ground. Jane pushed herself to move, but before she could rise, a heavy foot brought a crushing weight down on her chest, pinning her in place

“Finally”, the Krogan growled as a sickening smile spread across his scarred face “Any last words, Archangel?”

Jane desperately tried to escape the force pining her to the ground as she heard Garrus choking and gasping for air. Suddenly, the Krogan recoiled as an explosive blast of fire detonated against his back. A thud echoed as Garrus slammed to the floor and clutched his neck, and Jane watched the Krogan snap around to face his attacker.

On the far side of the room stood Mordin, his pistol holstered as he held a single-edged silver metal dagger that was several inches long, with a bone white curved hilt.

The Krogan barked a laugh as he stomped toward the Salarian

“You think you can kill me, runt!?!” the beast demanded

“Think, no. Know, apoloslutly,” was all Mordin replied with before he darted forward with surprising speed.

Jane’s eyes went wide in awe as she saw the Krogan recoil and let out a howl of pain as orange blood splattered against the ground. The beast recovered quickly and lunged forward, slamming its arms down in an effort to crush the scientist. Mordin dodged to the side with a speed and grace that could only be beaten by a Teuton warriors. causing the Krogan to crush a nearby table, Metal skrieks echoed through the room as Mordin devlivered several more lighting fast slices each one perfectly placed to penetrate the warlords massive armour.

The battle master wheeled around in another attempt to strike Mordin, but once again, the Salarian dodged, this time raising his free hand and firing a freezing blast towards the Krogan's feet, locking his foe in place. The Krogan grunted furiously and moved to break the ice. Before he could, Mordin lunged forward and delivered several more perfect strikes. Several large gashes across the stomach and chest before trailing to the neck and eventually the face.

The blood pack warlord screamed in pain as the ice shattered, allowing him to stumble backward, orange blood now drenching his crimson armour and forming a pool at his feet. The Krogan wheezed as he called upon one last burst of energy before lunging at Mordin in a final desperate attack. The Salarian effortlessly sidestepped the Krogan, causing him to stumble forward. Ever so slowly, the battle master turned to face Mordin, who had his free hand outstretched. The Krogan’s eyes widened in horror as light burst from the Salarian’s hand

The first incendiary blast struck one of the Krogan’s open wounds on his stomach before exploding into flames, fire coursing across his skin and through his veins.

The Krogan screamed in agony as the second blast hit, this time striking a wound on his chest. The explosion of fire caused the whole of Krogan’s chest to burst into an inferno as he flailed about.

The beast cried desperately as the final energy burst stuck the large wound in his neck. And for a milosecond, the monster went still as his eyes widened in terror. And then the incedary exploded, blood and ash burst from the Krogan’s neck as fire shot from his eyes. The floor trembled as the beast collapsed to the floor, the fire overtaking its whole body.

Mordin stood over the burning corpse, his eyes narrowed as he carefully wiped his knife and placed it away before taking a deep breath through his nostrils.

“Spirits” Garrus muttered, his mandibles wide as he stared in shock

Jane’s whole body hurt as she clambered to her feet. Glancing to the far side of the room, she saw Miranda with a similar look of shock and disbelief at what they had all just witnessed

Footsteps echoed as three figures charged into the suite

“We got here as fast as we could, what happe-what the Hell!?” John exclaimed as he looked from the massive burning corpse on the ground to Mordin, and then Jane felt his eyes land on her.

“Garm” Garrus chuckled as he nursed his side “tough son of a bitch, i swear he was made in a lab in some pit. He was a complete freak of nature”

“You can say that again” Jane commented as the team began gathering around the centre of the room

“thats two mercenary groups on the run” Kasumi chimed in “think its time we call the shuttle in and get out of here?”

“Yeah” Garrus nodded “We should be in the clea-”

Garrus was suddenly cut off by the sound of smashing glass. Everyone turned, their eyes widening in horror as they took in the sight of the mantis gunship’s floodlights

Jane’s mind raced as a large orange burst erupted from a missle pod atop the gunship, followed by the nightmarish whine of the explosive soaring towards them. Jane’s muscles reacted before her mind could. As fast as lightning, she grabbed Miranda and pulled her behind a nearby shelf. While John tackled Mordin behind to cover of a couch. A deep hum echoed as Archembald’s shield roared into life before he slammed it down in front of Kasumi while placing his back between the human and the explosive.

Garrus dived for cover just like everyone else. But his wounds got to him; the damage from being handled by Garm slowed him. Jane could only watch in what felt like slow motion as the missile slammed into the ground next to the Turian, the explosion and shrapnel tearing at his flesh before the force flung him across the suite, a bone-rattling crack ringing out as his body slammed to the floor.

“GARRUS!” Jane cried in a raw blood blood-chilling scream as she sprinted towards her friend's limp body, a pool of blue blood already beginning to form around it.

“Garrus, stay with me!” she pleaded as she looked down at him, her green eyes starting to water as she stared desperatly into Garrus’s blank blue.

Engines roaring in the background made Jane's attention snap back to the gunship, its heavy machine gun winding up to fire. All of a sudden, explosions consumed the side of the gunship, tearing one of its stabilisers off and causing it to veer downwards as its engines failed.

Seconds later, a silver and black blue soared past the window and turned about before lowing to land on the bridge.

“Made it just on time!” Jacob yelled as the door of the shuttle slid open, allowing himself and Zaeed to leap out.

Jane’s attention turned back to Garrus as she rapidly fumbled with her omni tool and began slathering medi-gel over the Turian’s wounds

“Not good” Mordin exclaimed as he practically dove to his knees beside Garrus “Can stabilise, needs immediate medical attention, need to get him back to the Normandy”

“on it” John acknowledged as he sprinted over “Miranda, Kasumi get down to the shuttle and tell Hemlock whats happened and make sure its ready, Archembald. Once Mordin has him stabilized, you help carry him to the shuttle”

As soon as John finished speaking, the two women darted from the room and sprinted down the stairs. Jane could make out distant voices as they frantically began relaying the information to the shuttle team, but her attention remained on Garrus, watching desperately as Mordin applied medicine. Holding her breath as she saw the Turian’s breathing begin to slow and his grip on his vindicator loosened

-hours later, Normandy briefing room-

Jane frantically paced around the Normandy’s breifing room as John and Hemlock stood on either side of the main table.

“One more time” John requested in response to Hemlock’s recent report, which the cyborg had already repeated three other times

“Garrus Vakarian was stabilised by Professor Mordin Solus”, Hemlock reported, not caring he had to repeat himself “Upon arrival at the Normandy, he was taken into intensive surgery with Doctor Chakwas, Mordin Solus, and Lia’Vael Nar Ulnay.”

“But will he be okay!?” Jane asked as she snapped around to face the cyborg

A tense pause followed as Hemlock’s remaining muscles twisted in a way Jane had never seen before until he finally answered

“Unknown. It is this unit's understanding that Garrus Vakarian has several pieces of shrapnel littering his body. If a single piece struck a critical organ or artery......this ship is not currently equipped with the resources to prevent an animo-dextro entity from perishing to loss of blood”

A pained silence fell over the three as the twins allowed those words to sink in fully. Jane felt tears prickle her eyes as a pain she hadn't known since Mindoir clutched at her heart.

Suddenly, there was a whoosh as the breofing rooms door slid open. Jane snapped around, ready to lose her temper at whatever poor soul had chosen this time to enter. When her eyes landed on the entrance, her whole body went stiff as a joy beaten only by the feeling she had whilst kissing Liara consumed her.

There standing in the doorway with a massive cocky grin and a large bandage covering one of his manibles was Garrus. The Turian opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, John slammed into him, pulling his friend into a brotherly embrace. Jane followed suit by sliding across the table in the room's centre so she could reach her friend all the faster

“Careful” Garrus pleaded as the two embraced him “Chakwas said I was cleared for moving about, but there are still a lot of wounds under here”

“how?” Jane asked as she looked up at him, tears forming in her eyes

“apperntly none of the shrapnel peirced very far because of my armour” Garrus shurrged as the twins let him go” most damage i got was the scar on my face. But that's fine, needed one anyway”

“Why?’ Jane demanded incredulously as she raised a brow

“John needs a girl", Garrus snickered “he never had a chance before because they were always staring at me. Now maybe he has a chance-”

“Hey!” Johm cut in as he playfully punched Garrus’s shoulder

“only the truth” Garrus countered causing John to pull a face and making Jane burst into laughter. As she laughed, Jane saw Garrus glance over to Hemlock, who stood waiting calmly “Hemlock.......like your coat”

“This unit greets you, Garrus Vakarian” Hemlock said with a nod

“Alright” Garrus declared as the twins made their way back around the table “think I'm owed an explanation on what the hell is going on”

“All too happy to give it to you” Jane replied with a smile before she and John lunched into the events that led them here

Garrus’s mandibkes flickered as he looked between the pair once they finished telling him of everything that had gone on in the last two weeks.

“wow” he mumbled after a moment “collectors, Adentri, Geth, Cerberus. This is a lot to take in”

“You can say that again” John agreed with a sigh

“We wouldn't blame you if you decline” Jane said, almost afraid, “but we would like you to be part of our team-”

“oh come on” Garrus cried jokingly “there is no way i would let you do this without me! Of course I'm with you”

Jane felt her smile widen as she let out a sigh of releif

“Thank you, Garrus” she said warmly “it's nice to have you back”

“its good to be back” Garrus replied with a smile only to wince and cup his face “where should i get settled in?”

“Any preferences?” John questioned, causing the Turian to nod

“Somewhere where i can calibrate the main guns” Garrus requested

Jane giggled slightly as John turned to Hemlock

“Any suitable places?” he asked, causing the cyborg to nod and stride across the room

“This unit requests you follow” Hemlock ordered as he opened the door to the room and stepped through

“Fine with me” Garrus countered “Maybe you can explain to me why you never told me the twins were alive”

As the door closed, Jane saw Hemlock nod ever so slightly before commenting

“That....is a reasonable request”

As the door sealed shut, Jane and John burst into laughter so intense it took them a few minutes to calm down.

“S-still got that letter?” John asked as he wiped a tear from his eye

“i do” Jane confirmed as she pulled out the datapad “Don't know if it's still relevant after the damage we did”

“She would probably still like to see it” John argued “If nothing else, it shows she can trust us”

“Guess so” Jane agreed “We can hand it off when we go looking for the folk hero”

“That we can” John said with a yawn as he made his way towards the door “But first, i need some rest”

“Same” Jane nodded “let's get some rest; then we can go find this ‘ranger’ and get the hell off this station”

“Amen to that” was all John replied with as the pair made their way towards the elevator so they could head for the two captains' cabins on the top section of the ship

Chapter Text

John relaxed in his seat as the whole shuttle rattled while descending into the depths of the mining station.

“Still can't get over how big this place is” Garrus mumbled as scenery darted past the viewports as a blur “Makes you wonder just how big this rock was when they found it”

“Must have been massive” Jacob commented “I’m pretty sure I've seen moons smaller than this place”

“Current data indicates Omega’s total size is 44.7 cubic kilomotres” Legion commented as some of its headflaps moved

John made a hum of thought as he turned to look at his sister

“hey Jane” He called over the shuttles rattling “have you checked your emails lately?”

“Yeah”, Jane answered “Is this about the email from the Illusive Man?”

“he emailed you?” Jacob asked in surprise

Both twins nodded in confirmation

“said something about potential problems with something called Project Overlord. Wanted us to investigate,” John explained

“Why not send his own guys?” Garrus questioned suspeciously

“Apparently, the project was something related to studying Geth” Jane answered “he claims that given our connection to the Geth we would have a better chance of finding out what happened”

“Experiments on the Geth” Hemlock uttered coldly “When will organics learn attempting to understand them forcibly will always result in blood?”

“Probably never” John sighed

“i had some other mail as well” Jane commented causing John to raise a brow curiously “got a letter from the kid we stopped from signing up for the raid. Apparently, Aria gave him my contact. He thanked us for keeping him alive and apologized for arguing with us”

“Glad he came around” John said with a nod and smile

“i also got an email from a woman named Catherine” Jane continued “she was the girl who was with that asshole in the quarantine zone. She reached out to thank us for helping her, also wanted us to know she dumped the guy she had been with.”

John barked a laugh as he glanced at Legion and commented, “guess you were right”

“apperently she’s started going out with Eric” Jane finished “that male nurse, the one who helped the Batarian. Also, it turns out that the older nurse was behind the desk. She is Eric's mother”

John burst into a small fit of laughter until he was suddenly cut off by the pilot speaking over the intercom

“We are on final approach. The landing zone is hot and swarming with hostiles”

“It's fine” John replied as the team made their way to their feet “Take us in”

The pilot answered with an “understood” before the shuttle dived down towards an opening that looked like an abandoned skycar lot.

As it got closer, a torrent of gunfire erupted from a small horde of Vorcha that were gathered around the space, with a Krogan barking orders. The shuttle shook slightly as some of the rounds struck its hull, but nevertheless, it was able to make it in close as the door slid open.

John built up biotic energy and flung himself out of the shuttle, slamming into the Krogan with enough force that they flew back and crashed into an old, burnt-out skycar. The nearby Vorcha hissed and growled as they rounded to fire at him. But before they could, bullets soared from the open shuttle and slammed into their ranks.

The fight passed quickly with John, Jacob and Hemlock quickly dispatching of the majority of the horde, while Legion and Garrus, who were being supported by Jane, expertly picked off the stragglers. John allowed his shotgun to fold up as he placed it in its holster on the side of his waist while Garrus made a low whistle

“Glad to see we haven't lost our touch” the Turian commented with a smirk

“Red team report!” a deep voice yelled from a nearby personal radio that was still clutched in the Krogan’s hand.

John watched as Jane stepped over and picked up the radio before muting it and patching their comm systems into the frequency.

“Red team is down”, a different voice uttered “They have to be; you don't just report an incoming shuttle and then go dark”

“damn” the first voice growled “all teams stay alert, and find that fucking ranger so we can get paid”

“Too easy” Jacob smirked as he walked over

“It is” John nodded in agreement

“Their blood pack” Garrus commented as the team began to make their way along an old rusty walkway “They don't do smart”

Silence fell over the group as they carefully crept along ancient abandoned walkways towards the more central area

“it just occurred to me” Jacob whispered as the team walked past some shattered windows “Aria didn't seem to happy when she saw that datapad”

“dont blame her” Jane chuckled “i would be pissed if there was a coup being plotted against me”

“Yeah” John agreed

Metal creaked beneath their feet as they carefully walked down some stairs when the deep voice from before spoke again

“yellow team has gone dark” the voice declared “last reported seeing the ranger near the old foremans office. All teams get over there. And don't even think of attacking alone!”

John stifled a laugh as the comm cut out

“Sounds annoyed” Garrus commented

“Likely a byproduct of working with Vorcha” Hemlock remarked as distant footsteps and hissing could be heard “They aren't well known for intellect”

Rounding a corner, the team approached an old blast door that was rusted halfway open. Creeping forward, John glanced through to examine the room beyond. A large chamber full of old rusted machinary and conveyor belts stood idle. puddles of oil, grease and old dried blood littering the floor.

“That doesnt look recent” Jane said as the team made their way down some rusty stairs

“scans indicate the blood is dated around fifty years of age” Legion declared as they began creeping around the puddles.

John allowed his eyes to wander as he took in the aged masses of orange and violet with the occasional collection of blue and green.

“scans indicate the blood present is made of Asari, Krogan, Salarian, and Turian” Hemlock reported as they made their way through a doorway that had its metal doors laying nearby, having once been blasted open.

“What the hell happened here?” Jacob questioned as they came across a room with just as much blood, along with several skeletons and weapons dotted about

“Records indicate some form of coup occurred here”, Hemlock explained “Data indicates that years ago, the previous leader of omega was overthrown by Aria T’loak. The same data states that very little combat occurred during the actual coup; however, the remnants of those still loyal to the previous leader fled to this refinery. Aria’s forces followed, resulting in a harsh battle”

“And no one cleaned up or fixed the refinery?” Jane asked in surprise

“Negative”, Hemlock answered “Data indicates that this property belonged to the previous leader of Omega in a manner similar to how Aria owns Afterlife. With the previous leader overthrown and those loyal to him destroyed, this property was deemed not to be worth the effort or expense resulting in it being abandoned”

“damn” John uttered as the team found another corridor this one covered in old bullet holes and char marks.

Distant screeches echoed, followed by screaming. Looking out a nearby broken window, John saw several groups of Vorcha and Krogan gathering near an old rusty bridge that led to a platform in the Centre of the underbelly area with a singular large building located on top

“Let me guess” Garrus sighed “That is the foreman's office”

“Correct” Legion confirmed, resulting in several more sighs

“Better get down there” John ordered as he gestured towards a nearby stairwell

The team carefully crept down the decrepit stairs. As they reached the halfway point, gunfire and explosions rang out, followed by the sounds of screaming

“GO, GO, GO!” the voice from before screamed “Get his head”

Darting down the last of the stairs and rounding the corner, John saw the gathered horde of Vorcha and Krogan sprinting across the ancient bridge. Right as one of the Vorcha was about to reach the far side, a shotgun blast exploded from a window, reducing its chest to red paste.

Seconds later, a metal crack echoed as a chunk of the rusted bridge splintered and gave way, sending a Krogan and several Vorcha plummeting downwards

“Better get over there” Jane commented as she nudged John’s shoulder

“Everyone, be careful and watch your step” John ordered as he moved forward “Last thing we need is to fall”

Crossing the bridge was somehow harder than assaulting Garrus’s holdout had been. The Vorcha and Krogan proved to be better trained than the blood pack that had been in the quarantine district and those with Garm. A fact that wasn't helped by the ancient bridge constantly being on the verge of collapsing

“Who the hell hired these guys!?” Jacob demanded as John sent one of the Krogan over the edge

“Someone who clearly has connections” Garrus answered “only way to know good blood pack from the bad”

John exhaled as he darted forward towards the rusted door that led to the foreman's building. Jane followed close behind as he slammed his foot into the metal door, sending it flying.

John went still as he was met by the sight of an AT-12 raider aimed at his chest. Beside him Jane stopped aswell. John’s eyes darted up, trailing over the figure's features.

A long, old, brown leather duster flowed over the being’s crimson armour and bandoliers containing explosives and medicine. John’s eyes finally arrived on the figure's face, forcing his mind to immediately flash back.

John stood in the large room inside a fusion torch. An unmatched fury bubbled inside him as his blood splattered face contorted into a look of pure hatred. Opposite to him stood a Batarian clad in crimson Armour, pain in his four eyes.

“S-Shepards” the Batarian uttered as his eyes widened and his gun lowered

“Arok Baghlor” Jane retorted. They both lowered their own weapons

“y-you remember,” Arok chuckled as he let his gun lower to his side “i didn't think you would remember me-”

“We did” John cut in as he holstered his gun

“Never thought we would run into him again” Garrus muttered behind the pair

“Such a thought would have been illogical” Hemlock uttered in responce

“we heard you are a folk hero” John commented “how did you get here?”

Arok took a deep breath before letting out a shuddering sigh

“after you let me leave x57 i started thinking. I realised i had been given a chance to change for the better.... to make the lives of others better. I started taking jobs that involved protecting people from companies, criminals or other mercs. One day, I met an old human in a bar who called himself Regs. Taught me about old human heroes, called them 'cowboys' We started running together, going out and protecting innocent people. People loved us. They would feed us and help us because we helped them. I felt good, and life was good......for a time”

“What happened?” Jane asked, her voice becoming worried

“Balak”, Arok growled as his four eyes glared “he found out that some others and I left him. Tracked us down one by one. Killed all the others, and then.......then he came for me. B-but when he got there, I wasn't home. R-Regs managed to help my daughters escape, but Balak got my wife. H-he gouged out all f-four of her eyes.......t-then he killed her”

Jane let out a horrified gasp as John felt sick to his stomach. Somewhere behind them, he heard Garrus gasp while Jacob merely scoffed. John whipped around to scold the man, but before he could, there was a loud crack as Hemlock struck the younger man across the back of the head

“What the!-” Jacob began to say before being silenced by John’s glare

“Arok” Jane whispered in a distraught voice “I-i am so sorry......w-we let Balak leave-”

“i know” Arok said grimly “i saw the news. Let him go to save a group of workers. I don't blame you. I would have done the same. m-my wife would have agreed”

“That doesn't make it better” John countered sombrely “What happened to your daughters?, after they escaped?”

Arok let out another shuddering sigh “Regs got them to me safely. H-he died from his wounds shortly after. Balak knows we are out here. Been hunting us since we escaped. A few months back, I was able to drop my daughters off at a mining station; I tricked the Mercs into thinking they were still with me, so they followed me to Omega. Now i have a question for you lot, why are you here?”

“we are putting a team together” John explained “the collectors are attacking human colonies and abducting humans. We are going to stop them, and we need the best”

Arok barked a sad laugh “i would hardly say i am the best.”

“dont count yourself short” Jane said encouragingly “we need help. And if you are willing, we would like you to join us”

Arok was silent for a moment before he sighed again and mumbled “i want to help, i really do, but i need to keep traveling, keep getting jobs. The station is willing to hide my daughters if I pay them. If I fail to pay them, the best case scenario they will sell them as slaves. Worst case, they will hand them over to Balak-”

“We can help, though” Jane countered as John nodded “We can pay you for your services”

“Y-you can” Arok uttered as he looked hopefully between the pair

John looked at Jane, who silently pleaded for support. With a swift nod, a smile formed on Jane’s face as they both wheeled to look at Hemlock.

The cyborg stood silently for a split second before he gave a curt nod and spoke

“The Adentri will supply all that is needed in return for service”

“Do we really need to pay for this guy?” Jacob mumbled, earning another strike across the head from Hemlock, the sound of metal against bone ringing in John's ears

“What do you say, Arok?” John asked as they looked back at the Batarian “Will you join us?”

Tears began to form in the Batarian’s eyes as he nodded frantically

“Y-yes” Arok stuttered “T-thank you, thank you both”

John felt a smile pull at his lips as he and Jane walked over to help support the Batarian and gather his things to depart.

-an hour later, Normandy briefing room-

The Batarian nodded in understanding as the twins finished briefing him on the full extent of the situation.

“payments will be made each galactic standard week” Hemlock informed “these payments will continue until the collectors have been defeated, or until you leave this team. Should you perish on the mission, payments ensuring your daughter's survival will continue for twenty citadel standard years or until requested otherwise”

“R-really” Arok sputtered in surprise “t-that is a lot”

“It is the standard minimum for the ranks of the immortals”, Hemlock replied “Failure to ensure the prosperity of the progeny is a failure to preserve the legacy of the fallen”

“T-thank you” Arok whispered as John saw Jane dawn a wide smile

“Come” Hemlock ordered as he marched towards the door “This unit has already selected an ideal location to serve as housing”

Arok nodded as he followed the taller cyborg out of the room, leaving the twins standing alone

“That was” John began to say

“Surprisingly nice” Jane finished with a nod

John shrugged as he let out a sigh “Guess we need to figure out who to go after next”

“true” Jane agreed “i’ve been thinking it over, and i think we should look for Okeer next.”

“i dont have any problem with it” John remarked “what led you to that conclusion?”

“Jack is locked away in prison”, Jane answered “She won't be going anywhere. Okeer was last seen at a set of coordinates working with some blue suns.”

“True” John agreed tirdly “I'll tell Joker to set course for the coordinates.”

“Okay” Jane smiled as the pair made their way towards the door, ready to head for their next mission

Chapter Text

Jane sighed as she made her way through the Normandy’s lower decks, her mind trailing to a far away place, where the woman close to her heart resided. With all the chaos that had happened since hearing about Liara on the citadel, Jane hadn't had the time to speak with the resident cyborg about how she could talk to her distant lover- assuming Liara still loved her after years of absence.

A cloud hung low over Jane as she came to a stop before wheeling about and marching towards the elevator, promising that she would get the answers she needed.

The trip to the executive officer's cabin was short and relatively swift, the only delay being when Garrus and Zaeed walked past on their way to the engineering deck. Garrus had asked Jane if she was alright, having clearly seen the mental storm that was brewing.

Zaeed answered for her, “She misses her other half is all,” an answer that caused the pair to both recoil in surprise. As Jane had walked away, she heard Garrus ask Zaeed how he knew. The older mercenary simply chuckled and muttered “live as long as me and you start to see shit”

A whoosh echoed as the door slid open to reveal a cabin around half the size of Jane’s own. Glancing around the room, Jane saw pieces of Adentri tech along with data pads containing files and reports. But the most notable part of the cyborg’s room was the plant in a small plant in the corner that looked like a dusting of snow on the edge of green stems, the tiny white flowers a grand contrast to the rest of the room.

As Jane walked towards the room’s desk, she saw four old paintings lining the nearby wall, looming over Hemlock as he tapped at his terminal.

“Jane” Hemlock addressed as he looked up from the terminal and nodded to her.

“Hemlock”, Jane replied as she returned his nod “I need to speak with you. Have a moment to spare?”

“Naturally” Hemlock confirmed as he turned the terminal off completely.

Jane felt a weak smile form as she took a seat opposite the cyborg.

“i-i need to know.” Jane stuttered “can i contact Liara?”

A holographic screen appeared instantly as Hemlock pressed some controls before allowing it to fade once more.

“This unit has sent message access codes to your personal terminal”, Hemlock explained “This unit warns that the system ilos is located in is affected by frequent cosmic storms. This can result in delays or failures to reach the system.”

Jane nodded in understanding as her chest warmed at the thought of speaking to Liara once more “Thank you, Hemlock”

“this unit apologises” Hemlock continued “it was not this units right to deny you information about your partners status. This unit was attempting to do what it deemed best based on personal logic. It failed to account for the fact you are a very different individual”

“It's okay, Hemlock” Jane replied with a warm smile “You were looking out for me.”

Hemlock gave another of his curt nods as Jane’s attention turned towards the four old paintings along his wall. Seconds passed as Jane tried to make out what exactly was happening in each image, and eventually, she was interrupted by Hemlock’s voice.

“Curious?” the cyborg questioned

“Y-yeah” Jane stuttered as she focused on the first in the line of images

It was a haunting display. A human man stood wearing old armour that Jane couldn't place a name on. The figure clutched what looked to be a spear as fire fell down onto the stone streets behind him, a bright light reflected in the armoured man’s terrified eyes.

“What is it?” Jane asked as she glanced at Hemlock

“Faithful unto death” Hemlock answered as his synthetic eyes looked over the image “a work of Edward Poynter. A relic of the old world, it depicts a soldier of Rome witnessing the destruction of a city by the name of Pompeii”

“What happened to it?” Jane asked

“It was located near a super volcano named Vesuvius,” Hemlock explained “It erupted. And the city was consumed by fire, its history buried in ash. This image depicts a man who knows his end is nigh”

“And you have a painting about it?” Jane uttered

“Correct”, Hemlock confirmed as he faced back towards her “This unit finds the defiance and awe displayed by the soldier to be both inspiring and curious. To know one is doomed to die, and to continue to stand one's post. It is either bravery of the highest order, or a foolishness unmatched”

Jane silently allowed her eyes to trail to the second painting, which was somehow even more horrific. The image showed ancient buildings as thousands of humans lay sprawled across a stone street. Men and women cried as they carried and piled the bodies of the fallen as figures clad in golden light flew high above looking down on the scene.

“W-what is th-” Jane stuttered

“The Plague in Nables” Hemlock answered before she could finish “a piece by Domenico Gargiulo, depicting the terror of the old world”

“T-the plague?” Jane sputtered, “What plague?”

Hemlock glanced at her, and to Jane’s surprise, he raised his organic eyebrow before answering

“This unit supposes the teaching of old world history was not needed on Mindoir” Hemlock remarked “The plague in this instance refers to the bubonic plague, also known as the black death or the black plague. it was a sickness that struck the old-world continent of Europe. The disease's potency was such that an estimated 75% of the continent's population was killed by it.”

“H-how many people w-would that be?” Jane asked in horror as she felt slightly sick

“Estimates place the casualties somewhere between seventy-five million to two hundred million” Hemlock said as he looked over the image

“Why do you have a painting like this?” Jane questioned in horror

“This work depicts death and decay”, Hemlock answered simply “This image serves as a reminder to exactly what the Adentri's purpose is. To allow humanity and all organic life to outlive such harsh, brutal, and undeserving ends”

Jane noticed the way Hemlock’s remaining flesh contorted into an expression of fury as he spoke of sickness, and her mind wondered what could cause the cyborg such distress as she looked to the next image.

The painting depicted a burning city with millions of people being killed, their corpses being flung into a massive river. Overhead loomed a headless statue with a brass shield raised high, clouds of ash and smoke blacking out the sky.

“What about this one?” Jane asked as she swallowed as she pointed to it

“The Course of empire: Destruction” Hemlock replied, “a piece by a man named Thomas Cole, depicting the fall of the Western Roman empire”

“Roman empire?” Jane echoed curiously “You keep mentioning it, but i haven't ever heard of it”

“this unit isn't surprised” Hemlock remarked “the history of the old world appears not to have been deemed relevant to the colonies. The Roman empire was one of humanity’s greatest apex’s in history. Standing for hundreds of years, it served as a beacon of development, advancement, and expansion. Such was its importance in history, the period following its fall is referred to as the dark ages.”

“Wow”, Jane uttered as she continued to stare at the painting “If it was so important, why did people make paintings of its fall?”

“as an example” Hemlock answered simply “our species is driven by a desire to expand, evolve, to be better then those which came before. Paintings such as this serve to remind us that even the greatest of empires and longest living of civilisations will one day cease to be. Whether it is through war, evolution, destruction, or ascension. All things are brought to their end by the unrelenting wrath of time”

Jane silently allowed her eyes to trail to the final painting. Smaller than the rest, it held a sombre tone. This work had no fire, no corpses, no men seeing their world come crashing down. Instead, it showed a graveyard, several tombstones and crosses hung in the darkness. But something was out of place; one of the graves lay undug, the coffin open, the cross knocked on its side. And there hovering at the grave's head was an ethereal figure. A misty being veiled in transparent grey light looked down on the grave, a woman’s spirit who was unable to rest that sad eve.

“The Ghost” Hemlock stated his voice different to anything Jane had heard from him before “a work of Josef Mandl.....”

Silence followed as Jane continued to stare at the painting, waiting for an explanation like the three before it had. Minutes passed by, and nothing came. Slowly, Jane glanced back at Hemlock, where she saw something she had never seen the cyborg experience before.

Pain

Hemlock’s remaining eye was clouded over as he stared at the piece, the remaining muscles of his face contorted into a look of share agony, as if someone had come along and torn his metal heart from his chest.

“Hemlock”, Jane whispered weakly, causing the cyborg to snap around to look at her, his eye becoming clear as his muscles became neutral once more.

“This unit apologises, it was deep in thought” Hemlock explained

“its okay Hemlock” Jane said gently as she took in the cyborg’s unmoving features “a-are you alright?”

A pause followed as Hemlock’s four eyes cut into Jane’s soul until he finally spoke in his usual cold and unwavering voice

“This unit is fine,” he replied as he glanced at the painting “This work simply reminds this unit of.........an important individual”

Jane felt her breath hitch in her throat as she leaned forwards slightly

“m-may i ask who?” Jane stuttered

A tense silence fell over the room, The air felt thick as Hemlock’s four eyes bored into her, his muscles shifting as if he was internally battling against himself until he finally spoke once more

“Irrelevant data” Hemlock answered coldly in a manner similar to how he would when Jane first met him

“Oh” Jane stammered “i-I'm sorry-”

“do not apologise” Hemlock replied as he raised a metal hand, his voice returning to a slightly lighter tone “this unit was harsh. It apologises for upsetting you; however, said data is not available for sharing”

“its alright Hemlock” Jane said with a warm smile “thank you for telling me about your paintings. I-it has been nice getting to know you better”

Hemlock gave one of his curt nods as Jane rose to her feet. And for the briefest of moments, Jane swore she saw a glint in Hemlock’s organic eye.

Not wanting to push the cyborg’s boundaries, she chose not to question it, instead turning to make her way back towards the door. Only to stop as Hemlock spoke once more

“Thank you”

Jane whipped around to look at the cyborg as his terminal flickered into life

“This unit thanks you” Hemlock continued “for listening”

Jane felt her warm smile widen as she nodded to Hemlock before turning and departing the cabin to head to her own room.

-A few hours later, Normandy command deck-

“your joking” Jane asked as she and her brother stared wide-eyed at the galaxy map

“i assure you i am not” Edi replied “scans indicate that the debris of the Normandy SR-1 are located on the surface of the world Alchera. This matches the records of the SR-1's last known location before being destroyed”

“i hate to admit it, but shes right” Joker continued “i remember that ice world better than anyone; spent the last two years seeing it every time i closed my eyes”

“I-is there much left?” John questioned

“scans indicate large portions of the lower hull, lower deck, and cargo bay have been scattered across the area” Edi answered “this makes sense given the reports of the attacking vessel using some form of energy beam. The attacks were more likely to cut the ship apart than they were to outright destroy it”

“Could anyone who didn't reach the pods survive?” Jane asked desperetly

A short silence followed before answer

“Unlikely”, Edi replied “Given the damage to the hull and the ship's break up upon entry, survival within the craft would be nigh impossible.”

Jane allowed a sad sigh to escape as John growled slightly before snapping around to face her

“We have to go” He declared “even if we can't save them...... Their families deserve to have what we can find”

“i know” Jane agreed with a weak nod “Joker, Edi,” set course for Alchera”

“On it” Joker said sadly, leaving the twins to head to the shuttle bay

-an hour later, the wreckage of the Normandy SR-1-

A cold blast of air rushed past as the shuttle door opened, allowing the twins to step out onto the icy ground. Garrus and Hemlock following behind them.

Jane felt a cold, twisting pain in her chest as she took in the surrounding area. Massive chunks of metal with a familiar worn paint scattered the area, pieces of the hull piercing the ice, stabbing towards the sky like the bones of the dead.

“Spirits” Garrus whispered as he carefully walked past, causing Jane to turn to face him

Instantly, images flashed in her mind as she took in the sight of the mako, the old tank worn out and covered in thick sheets of ice but still in one piece.

Jane felt her eyes flutter close as the memories flooded her mind. Sitting in the drivers seat as the team raced through gunfire and danger, the fight against the thresher maw when Luther and Wrex leapt from the tanks roof like lunatics, the painful drive towards peak 15 to confront Liara’s mother, even the mocking she received from the team because of the tanks horrible handling now served as a sad memory of day’s gone.

Her eyes burned from the cold as tears began to form. Her eyelids opened so she could take in the sight of the tank once more. Garrus carefully placed his taloned hand on the Mako’s side and ran it along the metal plates.

“Nice to see you again, old girl” he whispered

“This unit detects deceased inside” Hemlock declared as he and John approached, the latter of the two holding two sets of dogtags

“W-where did you find those?” Jane asked sadly as she looked at the pieces of silver shaking in the wind

“Bakari, and Barrett” John replied grimly as he held up the tags “They were buried under some ice near the shuttle

Jane nodded as painful flashes of the soldiers in question appeared in her mind “Y-you said you scanned dead inside the tank, Hemlock?”

“Correct” the cyborg confirmed as Garrus clamored on top of the Mako “This unit suspects the indeivdials intended to try and survive planetfall using the mako”

“its still intact though” John uttered “and it was built for plnatery entry, why didnt they survive?”

“This unit decets a breach on the far hull of the tank” Hemlock explained as Garrus pried the hatch open “Those inside likely perished due to being exposed to the vaccum”

Jane gasped as more tears formed, images of poor alliance soldiers clawing at the inside of the mako as the oxygen was torn from their lungs

“Got Chase, Crosby, and Draven” Garrus called as he climbed out of the Mako, three sets of dogtags in hand

“How many of the crew died?” John asked grimly

“Records indicate that twenty-two members of the Normandy SR-1's crew perished” Hemlock answered as he made his way forward “Subtracting the two of you, this leaves twenty”

Jane’s lungs felt heavy as the group spread throughout the ruins of the old ship. More painful memories flashed in her mind as she passed the old galaxy map, frozen and covered in snow. Near it, she found Emerson and Dubyansky’s dog tags, both withered bodies still wrapped in the cables that had prevented them from being dragged into the void of space.

Continuing her search, Jane felt the most painful stab at her heart when she came across what remained of the cockpit, half buried in snow and on its side. Carefully creeping inside, Jane felt icy tears run down her checks as she came across Felawa’s corpse half buried in snow, his fingers still desperately clinging to the floor. Gathering the man's tags and continuing into the main cockpit, Jane was met with a tragic sight.

Pressly’s corpse sat in one of the chairs, his body sprawled over what were once controls. Half his body was covered in burns, while his eyes stared blankly, a horrified look of surprise still plastered on his face. On the floor nearby was Grenado, her neck-length hair frozen in place as she lay still on the floor, her left arm blown off and resting on the far side of the cockpit, right next to the corpse of Joker’s co-pilot Gladstone. Carefully, Jane retrieved each of their dog tags as she held back sobs.

Deep in her mind, she knew she couldn't have done anything. She and John had raced to the cockpit as fast as they could, and even then, all three had perished by the time they reached the deck. Jane rounded to turn, but then she saw it, a slight orange gleam shining from Pressly’s feet. Carefully and respectfully, she crawled towards it, eyes blurred with tears, frantically searching until she found it.

An old datapad, the screen partually shattered that flickered occasionally, but still worked. With a gentle press on one of the pad's buttons, several semi-corrupted journal entries appeared, which Jane quickly read

~

Pressly’s Journal, Entry 201

[corrupted data] ............%&^......@#%[data available] spoke to the commander about this, lieutenant commander two. I [currupted data] damned aliens abord the alliances most advanced ship. I don’t trust them. Espc[data currupted] that damned Asari. And a Quarian, what do they think this is? A zoo!

~

Jane felt her anger flare slightly as she recalled the aggravated debate she and John had with their executive officer about the aliens aboard the ship. Pressly only backed down when they forcefully pulled rank on him. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she began to read the next uncurropted entry

~

Pressly’s Journal, Entry 222

[corrupted data].........................................[data available] the Quarian. It seems she is on some kind of pilgrimage, trying to improve the lot of the people on her home ship. I can understand that i wou[ currupted data] babysit my childrin or anything. But if she is going to be onboard, I suppose that's not too bad. [corrupted data] Teuton they call him. Giant, rather polite, sticks to himself. Honourable- cares about doing what is right. I don't like him on our ship, but I can respect him. Unlike that monsterous tin can they found

~

Jane smiled slightly, remembering Pressly first meeting Hemlock. She could have sworn the officer was going to have a stroke when the twins told him Hemlock was staying aboard the Normandy. Looking at the datapad, she saw one last entry that she could access. tapping the button, it appeared on screen

~

Pressly’s Journal, Entry 294

[corrupted data] for a while now. I have looked back over my past entries in this journal and realised [corrupted data] how Blind i was. When I first joined the navy and became part of the Normandy’s crew, I thought humanity was alone in the galaxy. We were alone and therefore had to constantly fend for ourselves against the other races who wanted nothing more than to bring us to our knees. I was [corrupted data]. The twins bringing these aliens onto this ship has opened my eyes. Without them, we could never have stopped Saren; without them, humanity and every other race out there would have been destroyed.

Garrus, reminded me of myself when i was young, a hot-headed man who is willing to do anything to protect others.

Liara, the things I said about her. I was horrible. Despite being older than me, I wholeheartedly believe she is a kind young woman who reminds me so very much of my daughter.

Tali, I said some horrible, horrible things about Tali when she came aboard the Normandy. And i will never be able to take them back, but one day i hope i can see her again so i can tell her she is a brilliant young woman with a bright future.

Wrex, i hated the Krogan when he first arrived. I thought he was nothing but a brute, but i started to speak to him. And i realised he was far more then that. He was a leader, a protector, and someone who was broken seeing his people fall apart. Many on the galaxy would hate me for admitting this, but i hope the Krogan can one day find a cure for the Genophage, if they were all half the Krogan Wrex is, then the galaxy would be in very safe hands.

Luther, part of me always respected him. Perhaps it was the fact that he always looked like a giant human. Perhaps it was how polite he was. Or perhaps it was out of respect for his age. I will never know. what i do know is that if all Teutons a like Luther, then the galaxy at large will always be able to sleep safely at night, knowing they have proud warriors standing ready to protect them.

Hemlock, i will be honest, i still don't like him. I heard from Williams about his old service record, and i will admit it is impressive. But I can't bring myself to trust a human who willingly carved away his own flesh to replace it with metal and tech. Trust him or not, I can't deny he was an exceptional help when he wasn't on missions. Perhaps i should talk to the twins about having him replace me once i retire”

I Charles Pressly can proudly state that i would die for any member of this crew, whether human, Turian, Asari, Krogan, Quarian, Teuton, or even cyborg. All i can hope is i one day get the chance to apologise to them all.

~

Tears poored from Jane’s face as she carefully made her way back out of the cockpit, datapad in hand.

“Jane” John called as he approached “what is it?”

Jane couldn't bring herself to speak. Instead, she carefully handed John Pressly’s datapad as Garrus and Hemlock approached, holding the last of the dog tags. Minutes passed as Jane sobbed, and John read Pressly’s entries until he finally let out a deep, shuddering sigh

“I never would have known”, John mumbled as he carefully handed the datapad to Garrus, whose mandibles flickered sadly at the final entry.

A silence fell over the four, only broken by the occasional sob from Jane. Eventually, she stepped forward and took the datapad before handing it to Hemlock

“C-can you r-restore it?” she asked with red, tear-filled eyes

“Unknown” Hemlock answered as he took the datapad “However, this unit will try”

“Thank you, Hemlock” John said as Jane felt her brother's arm wrap around her “Come on, let's get back to the shuttle”

Nobody argued as they carefully made their way back towards the waiting shuttle. Stopping one last time right before the door so they could turn and salute the ruins of the Normandy and those who fell aboard it.

The silent snow was interrupted as the shuttle’s engines roared into life and carried the team away so that they could return to the ever-raging battle for the future of the Milky Way galaxy

Chapter Text

The Shuttle rattled as it dove towards the graveyard of vessels that littered the planets surface. John braced as the shuttle jolted harshly while coming about allowing the team to deploy to a relatively safe space.

“come on!” he roared over the thrusters as the door opened.

The team quickly clambered out heavy boots and metal feet squashing the mud beneath them. Seconds later the hiss of the shuttle door closing rang out followed by the thruster power increasing as the shuttle departed.

“what a shithole” Zaeed growled as the team took in there surroundings

Glancing around the landing zone, John saw that the shuttle and dropped them off in what appeared to be a large half deconstructed thruster. Rusty metal and old pieces of machinery littered all around forming a safe wall against attackers while thick mud covered every inch of the ground.

“kill or be killed!” a female voice yelled over a distant loudspeaker “that is the only measure of succuss!”

“is that-” Jane began to question

“a loudspeaker” Arok finished as both shared a look of confusion

“who the hell does that?” Jacob asked “does she think she’s a drill instructor?”

“or she just likes the sound of her own voice” John muttered as he began to trudge his way through the deep mud

Minutes passed as the team made their way through the scrap, all while expending more effort then any of them would have liked. Finally they made their way out of the old thruster husk allowing them to take in the sight of the remains of a massive ship looming overhead.

“what the-” Jacob muttered

“that's massive!” Jane exclaimed “what could a ship like that have even been used for?”

“size and pattern indicates it is the remains of a Nafanati deep space carrier” Legion stated “records indicate this model of ship was commonly used by Asari as a colony settlement ship in early ages of galactic colonization”

“still seems large for a colony ship” Arok remarked as the team made their way along a muddy path

“historic records indicate that the Nafanati ship class was designed to serve as the colony’s base and administrative building” Legion explained “when colonising a planet, the Asari would locate a space that was geographically suitable. The vessel would then be landed, and serve as the colony for months, years, or decades depending on the resources present and expansion needs for the colony”

“so the ship was the colony itself?” John asked curiously

“correct” Legion confirmed as one of its head flaps shifted

“interestin-” Jane began to say before being cut off by another tirade from the distant loudspeaker

“being hired is only the beginning! You must earn your place in the mighty army we seek to build!”

“army” John echoed as the words echoed off the large metal surroundings

“they are building an army?” Jane asked, concern flooding her voice

“not a chance in hell” Zaeed remarked as he barked a laugh “the blue suns can barely keep there sector chapters together. Them building an army is just the fever dream of a madwoman”

“you sure?” Jacob asked as John shared a worried look with Jane “they seem pretty organized-”

Zaeed barked a second laugh before shaking his head

“lets put it this way” the gruff voice said “the closest thing the blue suns have to a galaxy wide leader is Vido. Even that useless shit couldn't pull the chapters together to make an army, what chance does this woman have?”

John wasn't entirely convinced and from the look Jane was sporting he could see she thought the same. choosing not to argue with the old merc, John turned and gave the signal for the team to continue their advance.

Silence fell again as the team winded their way through the old rusted ruins of ships, the mud pulling at their heavy boots with every step they took. Suddenly John went still as his arm bolted up, hand closed into a fist commanding the team to stop

“what to you mean you cant find it!?” a male voice barked over a staticky radio

“the hell do you think it means!” a Turian voice snapped back “how the hell are we supposed to find a shuttle hidden in all this shit!? Got targets breathing down our necks! Mud everywhere! And Johnson is being dramatic!”

“i don't care how you do it!” the first voice argued as John carefully crept towards the corner ahead “Jedore will have my ass if she finds out a shuttle landed, and if I'm going down i can promise i will drag your scally ass with me!”

A small chime echoed, signalling the communication line shutting off. John carefully glanced around the corner, his eyes taking in an open space where a camp of some kind had been set up on a raised piece of metal keeping everything away from the mud.

Four blue suns stood gathered around the camp looking at one another. A Turian with green markings stood at the camps centre his mandibles flaring in anger as he glared at the sky before snapping around to look at a merc sat near a terminal

“anything?” the Turian demanded

“n-no” the human merc stuttered back

“damn” the Turian growled

John leaned back behind the corner and looked towards the rest of the team who all stood silently waiting

“only four” John mouthed as he rose the appropriate number of fingers “Arok, Jacob, take point”

The two figures nodded as they quickly checked over there shotguns. The two stepped forward preparing to push around the corner, their eyes focused on John as they waited for the order. John nodded and gave the signal.

The two men bolted around the corner, each one firing two shots. Thuds echoed as the mercs collapsed. John exhaled as he and Jane marched around the corner with Legion and Zaeed in toe.

“nice job” Jane smiled as she patted Arok on the shoulder

“he just shot two guys” Jacob scoffed as he rolled his eyes

“that was directed at both of you” Jane retorted as her smile faded

“oh” Jacob exclaimed “i-i-”

“to late” Jane growled as she marched forward leaving John to glare at Jacob

“i was just-” Jacob began to say

“don’t bother” John ordered as he clutched the bridge of his noise before following behind Jane

John carefully made his way onto the makeshift metal platform, the mud on his boots making it slippery.

“anything?” John asked as he approached his sister

“nope” Jane answered dryly as she stepped away from the terminal “just personal emails, and scanners”

“Argh” a male cried from nearby immediately catching the pair attention

Glancing around John saw a blue suns merc leaning against a piece of metal, his armour covered in mud while his leg bled minimally.

‘must be Johnson’ John thought as the rest of the team approached and looked at the sight

“i-it wont stop bleeding” the man muttered as he clutched at his leg “t-they must have hit an artery”

“doesn't look that bad” Arok commented as he squinted his four eyes

“camps got five beds” Jacob commented “his team must have hung him out to dry”

“cant blame em” Zaeed chuckled “back in the day he wouldn't have gotten a set of armour till he had the weakness beaten out of him”

“he doesn't need to know its not a problem” Jane smirked as she strode past before marching towards the merc.

John saw her omni-tool flicker into life causing a smile to form as he realised what she was planning. Before chuckling and following behind

“damn” the merc growled as he looked up at them “i knew i heard gunfire. W-who are you!? Eclipse? Blood pack? Alliance?.......doesn't matter, i wont tell you anything!”

“that's a shame” Jane remarked as she kneeled down “I've got some nice refreshing Medi-gel on standby”

John heard Jacob snicker as Zaeed leaned over and whispered

“almost like he doesn't know all three of those lots have bright symbols on there armour”

John allowed a light chuckle as the merc cursed under his breath

“the hell do you want?” the blue sun demanded “i don't know anything! I just kill the Krogan’s that mad bastard makes”

“who is this old bastard?” John questioned as he stepped closer

“some Krogan scientist” the man spat “has some lab in the old bio vats at the top of the ruin-”

The merc was suddenly cut off as the male radio voice from before spoke

“outpost four report!” the man demanded “Johnson where the hell is Ajax!? He isn't answering his comm and we need a report on that Krogan pack”

Jane leaned closer to the man and whispered

“we want your friends gone. Understand?”

The merc’s eyes widened as Zaeed and Jacob primed their weapons behind while Arok gave a sharp toothy grin

“uh-uh” the merc stuttered as he reached for his ear “A-Ajax took a team to hunt for the shuttle you detected. Must be outside of comm range”

“great” the man on the other end of the comm muttered “well what about the pack?”

“t-they dispersed” the merc Infront of the team stuttered as he winced in pain

“dispersed?” the other merc echoed “Jedore will be pissed. She wanted a show”

The person on the comm would state “dispersed? Jedore will be pissed. She wanted a show”

“you wanted a report! You got it!” the wounded man snapped

“yeah-yeah” the other man chided “teams back on route to the main facility. Tell Ajax to report back once he returns to camp.”

The wounded man lowered his hand as the comm channel cut out

“s-see” the man whined “i-I'm helping. C-can i have Medi gel now?”

“that depends” Jane smiled sweetly “comm channel frequency?”

“nine, three, one, seven” the man muttered

John watched closely as Jane accessed the frequency before glancing towards him and nodding. A smirk pulled at John’s lips as he returned his attention to the wounded man

“get going” John ordered gesturing over his shoulder “if you start limping now you might find a shady spot before you bleed out”

“w-what!” the man exclaimed as his eyes widened in terror

Slowly but surly he clambered to his feet before limping the sound of muttering

“shit, shit”

Fading into the distance as he did

“this platform fails to comprehend the logic in convincing that individual it was going to expire” Legion commented as the team linked into the comm frequency

“wasn't any logic” John replied as he gestured for the team to follow “was kinda fun though”

“if the kids lucky it will be a kick in the balls” Zaeed growled “then maybe he’ll grow some guts”

“i worry about you lot” Arok muttered as his duster flowed in the wind

“we are just getting started” Jane smirked causing the Batarian to sigh while Jacob shook his head

A comfortable silence fell over the team as they made their way through more pieces of rusty metal and piles of debris, until they turned a corner coming face to face with serveral blue suns mercs

“HEY!-” a female yelled

A gunshot rang out as crimson blood painted on the mud followed by the splat of her body collapsing in the mud. John flung himself behind a large chunk of rusty metal as gunfire began to soar past.

“Heads down!” Zaeed screamed as more blue suns appeared on a makeshift balcony overhead

Another loud gunshot was heard as Legion blasted the head of one of the mercs clean off sending their body plummeting off the ledge landing onto of a Turian in cover bellow.

Seeing an opening, John darted around the rusty metal charging up his biotic energy before flinging himself towards the nearest blue sun. Armour splintered as John smashed into the merc the force sending them flighting back, smashing into a metal wall. Suddenly John heard the sound of a weapon priming behind him.

Whipping around John saw a M-15 Vindicator aimed at his forehead, John braced as he prayed the shields around his head would be powerful enough to protect him. A blast echoed off the walls as the merc’s head exploded off his shoulders, followed by the woman close by. Glancing to his right John saw Arok loading a new thermal clip into his AT-12 raider. John give Arok a nod as the last blue sun’s corpse slammed to the ground a few feet away.

“think they radioed us in?” Jane asked as she Legion, Jacob, and Zaeed made their way over

“we would have heard something” Jacob commented

“lets get going” John commanded as he made his way along the path “we have a whole lot of debris to search and only one lead”

The team quickly made their way along the route towards the base of the ancient massive ship, until Jane suddenly let out a horrified gasp

“what?” John asked as he quickly whipped around to look at Jane

The ginger in question was stood next to a horrifically mutilated and deformed Krogan corpse. That was clad in makeshift scrap armour and still clutching a handcrafted sword

“tribal?” Jacob questioned as the team gathered around the corpse

“looks like it” Arok agreed “i recognize some of the parts, bits of old engines, shield arrays, hell i even see scanner parts”

Zaeed hummed in agreement as he leaned over the corpse

“some outdated Turian and Krogan armour as well” the veteran mercenary remarked as he returned to his feet, his good eye focusing on the twins “not the kind of stuff you find laying in a shipyard”

“forget about the armour” Jacob uttered “what the hell happened to him?”

“no form of weaponry has caused the damage to this individual” Legion stated “likely cause of physical damage is complications in birth, unstable mutations, and genetic defects”

“why would someone do this?” Jane asked as her vibrant green eyes landed on John

The man in question let out a sigh before shaking his head

“no idea. The sooner we find the lab, the sooner we will know”

Jane nodded as John turned and marched forward, leading the rest of the team along a path towards the very base of the broken ship. Another minute passed until the small narrow path opened up to a large battle ground, where the corpses of several blue suns and mutilated Krogan littered the ground.

Stood at the centre of the battleground was a still living Krogan monstrosity, flesh and muscle pulled away from parts of his face to reveal the tough bone. the team got closer and John prepared to fight as the horrific Krogan turned towards them, a jury-rigged shotgun gripped tightly in armour hands. Finally the team came to a stop as the Krogan stepped towards them, Zaeed, Jacob, and Legion all raised their weapons before Jane signalled for them not to fire.

The Krogan silently stomped closer until it was less then a metre away from John, its eyes trailed over the team before they narrowed. Suddenly the Krogan leaned forward and took a deep breath through his nostrils, smelling them

“you, you are different.” the beast uttered as he stepped back slightly “You don't smell of this world. Seven-night cycles and i have felt nothing but the urge to kill, to drench the ground in blood. But you.......you compel me to speak”

John felt confusion prick at his mind as he glanced to Jane. The ginger looked just as confused as she returned John’s look with a shrug

“night cycles likely refer to planetary rotations of the local star” Legion stated as one of his head flaps moved

“if its been alive for only seven days how could it be full grown?” Jacob asked

“they must be fully grown in the breeding tanks” John answered as he looked back at the silent Krogan clone “i guess this was the army the woman on the speaker was talking about. Who needs to hire mercs when they are born ready to fight and kill-”

“kill....no, i kill because my blood and bone command it.” the Krogan cut in “it was not why i was flushed from the glass mother. Survival is all i hear in my mind, to fight an enemy that threatens all my kind. But i failed, before i even woke. That is what the voice in the water said......that is why I am here”

“even if he was lab grown” Arok uttered as his four eyes examined the Krogan “he shouldn't be able to speak. Clones can be taught the basic’s quickly, this one is far to literate to be a regular clone”

“there was a scratching in my skull,” the Krogan answered “it became a voice that taught me. to shoot, walk, kill, speak. But i was not perfect, so the voice stopped. And i was cast away”

“you were taught all of that while in the tank?” Jane asked as John felt her eyes land on him “that isn't possible”

“correction:” Legion chimed in “such effects are likely the result of the use of Neural imprinting”

“what the hell is that?” Zaeed demanded while the rest of the team shared confused looks

“neural imprinting is an advanced form of genetic modification technology” Legion answered “through its use knowledge and data can be imprinted directly into the mind of an organic being. Years of teaching and knowledge placed into a mind within hours”

“amazing” John uttered “why haven't we heard of it?”

“only two known races in the milky way galaxy posses the knowledge of its creation and usage” legion explained “the Adentri, and the collectors”

“great” Jacob sighed “Okeer is working for the collectors. He has to be, there's no way in hell the mad cyborgs would have given and equally mad Krogan there tech”

“just because he has their tech doesn't mean he’s working for them” Jane countered “Okeer is ancient, he’s had plenty of time to get that tech some other way”

Jacob went to argue, but was swiftly cut off by Zaeed

“we dont have goddamned time for this” the older man growled “we need to find Okeer before something else happens”

“he's right” John sighed as he turned his attention back to the scared Krogan ”do you know where the lab is? The glass mother?”

“the glass mother.....she is up, high above the broken parts. Guarded by many of you fleshy things.” the Krogan replied as he pointed up at the ruined ship “I will show you a way”

John watched as the Krogan turned and marched towards the ancient ships rusted metal hull. Before reaching down and picking up a large sheet of metal and tossing it to the side to reveal a large hole in the hull that led to the inside of the ruins

“follow this path” the Krogan ordered “it shall take you to the glass mother”

“thank you” jane said warmly as the team made their way towards the entrance

“a guide would be useful” John commented “would you come with us?-”

“no” the Krogan uttered simply “i am here because i am imperfect. I will fight those who come, and i will wait till the father calls for me, this is my purpose”

Before the team could respond, the Krogan clone turned and marched back the way he came leaving them to look at one another with a mixture of confusion.

“come on” Jane ordered as she stepped through the entrance into the ruins “we have a scientist to find”

The rest of the team shared one last look before they followed Jane into the rusty ruins. Mud splattered as they pushed their way down a narrow dark walkway until they suddenly heard a scream from up ahead following by yelling

“fallback! Its an ambush! Fallback!”

Ahead of the team there was a commotion as two human blue suns mercs sprinted into the narrow corridor followed closely by a Turian third. The first two mercs dove for cover while John’s eyes widened in shock as the Turian was impaled by a makeshift spear, is blue blood painting the surroundings as he crumpled to the ground

“they got Cadia!” one of the men roared as he leaned around the corner and fired an M-8 avenger

“i can see that you!-” the other human began to argue before going still as his head tilted to slowly look at the team

“Chief! What the hell-” the second human yelled as he glanced over his shoulder before going as still as his friend.

A brief silence followed interrupted only by the distant screaming of Krogan tribals, until the first of the two mercs spoke up

“i-i don’t suppose you would be willing to help?”

John bit his tongue to avoid laughing as Jacob snickered in the background

“that depends” Jane replied as she made her way down the muddy path “if we help you are you going to stop us?”

“ma’am” the second merc said almost pleadingly “get us out of here alive and we will carry you to the lab”

John allowed a smirk to pull at his lips as Jane gestured for him to join her. Carefully he and the rest of the team made their way through the mud towards the two blue suns.

“what are we dealing with?” John questioned as they got closer

“Krogan pack” the first merc answered “caught us in an ambush while we were patrolling. No idea how many, somewhere between five and eight i think-”

“all with makeshift armour and weapons” the second merc continued “none with firearms, just makeshift blades and blunt weapons”

“damn” Zaeed whispered before chuckling “you boys got to be some of the most effective suns ive seen in years. Who trained ya?”

“Argus Vixtis” the men said in almost perfect unison

“vixtis” Zaeed echoed as John looked at him curiously

“know them?” he asked

“yeah” Zaeed answered with a nod “good trainer. Ex Turian black ops-”

“i’m sure there some great story to tell” Jacob cut in “but we should focus on the Krogan”

“hate to agree” Jane sighed “but he’s right. Either of you boys have a plan?”

The two blue suns looked at one another before looking back at Jane and shaking there heads

“n-no ma’am” the first merc answered “just tell us what to do and we’ll do it”

“okay” Jane as John saw her face him “what are you thinking”

John thought for a moment

“Me, Arok and Jacob push in,” John answered before pointing at the two blue suns “then you come in with these two and give us support. Zaeed and Legion can take up the rear with snipers and pickoff anything at a distance”

“sounds good to me” Jane replied with a smile and a nod “any objections?”

No one spoke allowing. John gestured for Arok and Jacob to follow as he primed his shotgun. Carefully the three made their way towards the opening where the two unnamed blue suns stood guard. Moving past one John glanced around the edge to examine the room.

Stretched out Infront of him was a massive chamber full of old turbines and fuel lines. Instead of a stable ground, there were several rusty platforms which had been connected with makeshift scrap metal bridges. Stomping along them were armoured tribal Krogan, each of which clutching rusty metal weapons.

Glancing back over his shoulder, John saw Jane on standby with the two blue suns while Legion and Zaeed had their rifles out and ready. John saw his sister give a nod as he turned his attention back to the large chamber. Raising his arm he gave the signal to go before sprinting into the room.

Footsteps echoed as John raced along one of the metal bridges, Jacob and Arok close behind.

“fresh blood!!” one of the Krogan tribals roared as he noticed their presence causing the rest of the krogan to snap towards them and scream in fury. The closest Krogan charged towards John lifting a large warhammer over his head. John smirked to himself as he fired a round into the approaching Krogan’s face, with no shields, barriers, or proper armour it would be easy.

But John’s confidence quickly drained away as he watched the Krogan shrug off the shotgun blast, the flesh on his face already starting to heal. He quickly dodged to the side as the beast slammed its warhammer down making the whole bridge shake from the force. In the background there was more gunfire and screaming as the rest of the team fired upon the approaching tribals.

Seeing an opening, John focused his biotic energy into his fist before slamming it into the Krogan’s bleeding deformed jaw, and watched in horror as a strike that would usually have sent a Krogan reeling instead did little but stagger the monster. Seconds later the beast brought its hammer swinging around with enough force to crush a man. Forcing John to dodge to the side. The monster lunged after him in an effort to stop him moving. When suddenly a loud back echoed through the chamber as a round exploded against the Krogan’s hump making it scream in agony and drop its warhammer as it whipped around to look for its attacker. Seeing an opertunity John darted down and gripped the hilt of the weapon, before focusing all the biotic energy he could into his arms allowing him to lift the massive weapon. Noticing the movement the Krogan tribal turned back towards him only for its eyes to widen as it watched its own hammer swing around to slam it in the face, with enough force to shatter its headplate and splinter its skull.

John watched as the Krogan was sent flying off the edge of the bridge before plummeting several metres and slamming against the ground bellow. His victory was short-lived however as the sound of more blood thirsty screaming forced him to turn towards the next bridge where another Krogan, this one holding something that could best be described as a war axe, charged towards him.

John braced himself was the approaching warrior got closer and closer. Right as it was about to strike, its head exploded from a round sending orange blood everywhere. as the corpse collapsed to the ground John glanced to his left to see Arok his AT-raider outstretched

“how come yours works!?” John yelled in an exasperated voice

“explosive thermite rounds!” Arok yelled back ”spend enough time on backwaters you learn how to make some crazy shit!”

“really!?” John asked as he lifted the hammer and made his way across the bridge Arok close behind “why haven't i heard of them!?”

“they are band in citadel space” Arok answered as he blasted another tribal, its arm exploding off upon impact

“when we get back to the Normandy you are showing me how to make them!” John demanded as he slammed the hammer into a different tribal, shattering its ribs

“yes sir!” Arok replied as Jacob, Jane, and the two blue suns caught up allowing the team to push towards the last few tribals

With his new hammer in hand the remaining Krogan were easy to take down, although using the weapon was rather difficult and unwieldy. Nevertheless after a few minutes the last of the Krogan fell, allowing John to drop the hammer with a loud thunk

“what the hell did they do to them” Jacob questioned as he looked over the corpses “Krogan are tough, but this is just unnatural”

John took in a deep breath as he glanced towards Jane who stood next to the blue suns. One of which had an orange three fingered handprint over his helmets right eye while the other was missing the whole right arm section of his armour

“what the hell happened to you two?” John asked as he walked over

“got cornered by one of the tribals while you and the others were busy” the handprint merc answered

“we got it though” the second one wheezed as he took deep breaths

“not a bad job” jane commented as she gestured to the Krogan in question who was missing his head

“how did you manage that?” John questioned as he examined the corpse

“got really pissed after i shot it” the merc without right arm armour answered “tore off my plates as he tossed me across the platform-”

“then it tackled me” the orange marked merc continued “i think it was trying to crush my skull. But it kept screaming. When Echo saw that he jumped on the things back and crammed a grenade in its mouth. Then we both held its jaw shut”

John made a hum of acknowledgement as he glanced to his sister who was dawning her usual scheming look. Wanting to beat her to the punch for once John glanced to the two blue suns and asked

“either of you have any jobs lined up after this?”

The two men stared at John before glancing at one another, before looking back at John

“no.....no we don’t” the orange marked man answered

“would you like one?” jane chimed in “our ship could always use more crew, and it would be a shame to see talented men like yourselves working for the blue suns”

The men shared another look before turning there attention back to the twins

“y-you want to hire us?” the one missing his armour asked clearly confused

“that was the idea” John replied “what do you say? Willing to join our crew?”

Both men shared a final look before replying in perfect unison

“yes”

“great, have names you can tell us?” jane exclaimed with a smile “oh and probably take your helmets off for a second so we can put name to face”

Both men shared a glance before reaching up and removing their helmets. John felt his eyes widen as he saw Jane’s jaw drop out of the corner of his eyes.

Both the men Infront of him were identical. short well kept black hair, brown eyes, the same facial shape.

“I’m Chief” man who had been marked with orange introduced

“i’m echo” the man without arm armour followed

Even as they spoke, john noticed that without their helmets their voices were identical as well.

“i take it you are identical twins?” Jane asked

“yeah” Chief answered

“and your parents named you Chief and echo?” John questioned as he raised a brow

“n-not exactly” Echo admitted “our father named us after himself. The only problem is-”

“he gave us the same name” Chief finished his voice defeated

“your kidding” John almost pleaded as Jane burst into laughter

“no sir” Chief replied before pointing to Himself then echo “Fett junior, and Fett Junior the second”

“Chief and echo it is then” John sighed as the two men put their helmets back on and Jane managed to get her laughter under control

“come on” Jane ordered still chuckling “l-lets get going”

John could only shake his head in disbelief as he and the rest of the team followed behind her towards a set of rusty stairs that would take them higher into the facility

-half an hour later, Okeers chamber-

The old rust covered door hissed as its ruined pressure seals deactivated. A loud scraping noise followed as the door slid open. Stepping inside John saw what appeared to be an old medical office that had been converted into a lab, worn Asari writing and health symbols plastering rusted walls, as ancient run down medical equipment placed next to relatively operational machines. Sat in the centre of the room was an old metal bench which now served as a dissection table, the corpse of a deformed Krogan laying on top of it while surgery equipment sat nearby.

On the far side of the room was a modern metal desk which was covered in data pads and images of x-rays, a two screened terminal sat close by as a familiar looking Asari sat on the chair looking towards the door like she had seen a ghost

Out of the corner of his eye John saw Zaeed, and Jacob both prime their weapons and aim at the Asari

“don't shoot!” the Asari cried desperately as she raised her hands “Shepards, You know me!”

“we do” Jane confirmed in an amazed voice as she entered the room “what the hell are you doing here Thanoptis?”

“Thanoptis?” Arok echoed in confusion as he, Legion, Chief, and Echo entered the room

“someone we saved on Virmire” John explained as he pinched the bridge of his nose

“y-yeah” Rana confirmed as she stood up “after everything that happened i was hired by a Krogan named Okeer. Said he was trying to outsmart the Genophage. I-i took on the job to make up for helping Saren”

John rubbed his temples as Jane signed

“can you tell us what Okeer is doing specifically?” the ginger asked “outsmarting the genophage doesn't exactly cover it”

“i-i wish i could” Rana stuttered “b-but i don’t really know myself. I-i kinda just dissect the bodies the blue suns bring in and give reports to Okeer......oh! I do know he is using collector tech!....somehow.........i-i saw it when......... i delivered some of the autopsy reports............”

As Rana finished speaking her hand clutched her head as she swayed back and forth slightly, her voice becoming slightly vacant, and her eyes clouding over.

“is she alright?” Jacob whispered

“Rana” jane said louder causing the Asari to jolt “are you alright? You look.......unwell”

“y-yeah” Rana replied as her eyes became clearer “since virmire i have been suffering from bouts of dizziness and headaches. I-I've seen some doctors, they all say it is stress”

“unlikely” Legion chimed in “the individual is describing systems that gathered Geth heretic data recorded in individuals experiencing the early stages of indoctrination. Given the individuals presence on virmire, this is a more likely outcome”

Rana’s eyes widened in panic as here breathing raced

“indoctrination?” she echoed as water appeared in her eyes “no, no, no, it cant be!”

John shared a concerned look as Rana continued to panic. Carefully Jane approached the Asari and gently placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered softly

“its okay Rana. We know some people that can help. Once we speak with Okeer we will take you back to our ship and have then look after you”

“r-really?” Rana asked as tears rolled down her checks

“yes” Jane confirmed as John smiled at his sisters usual compassion “stay here. Chief and Echo will keep you safe until we are done with Okeer”

“o-ok” Rana sputtered “h-he’s just through the door.”

The twins both nodded as they and their team walked across the room only to be stopped when Rana called out to them. Glancing back they saw the Asari still crying but dawning a smile as she whispered

“thank you”

Nodding and turning back towards the door. John pressed a button that made is slide open to reveal what had once been one of the ships main medical bay’s which now served as one massive laboratory. Just like Rana’s office old and new tech lay about the space, as old benches now serves as dissection tables or held piles of bone, or organ and flesh samples. On the righthand side of the room next to a massive intact window was a huge tank, with a orange and grey krogan submerged in liquid inside. Silver armour already clad around the unconscious beings body. Next to the tank was a terminal where a far older Krogan in green armour stood working away at the systems.

Walking into the room, the team approached the older Krogan. As they got closer the being spoke without bothering to turn and face them

“about time you arrived” the Krogan growled as he aggressively tapped the terminal’s buttons

“got held up” Jane replied sarcastically as she crossed her arms “take it you are Okeer?”

“doesn't seem happy to see us” John remarked as he glared down the green figure

“the presence of two dead humans would be troubling enough.” Okeer replied as he turned, his eyes narrowed as he glared back at them “but the presence of too dead Shepards means a rather forceful change”

“i see you recognize us” John commented causing the Krogan’s eyes to narrow even more

“surprised?” Okeer questioned “all Krogan should know your names, after the events on Virmire”

Jane let out a deep sigh from John’s side

“look Okeer. We didn't have the time or the Resources for anything else. If we could have avoided it we would have.”

“even if we could find out how Saren did it. I don't think you would have wanted us to” John continued “the Krogan Saren bred were even less ‘Krogan’ then the monstrosity's you have been making”

“you need not justify yourselves to me” Okeer countered as he stepped forward “i approve of of your actions. Saren’s pale hoard were not true Krogan. Numbers alone mean nothing, his actions. A mistake of an outsider, on these fools have also made” Okeer gestured out the large window into a room where the outlines of several blue suns could be seen “i gave Jedore my rejects for her little army. But now, she grows impatient. It is time you take me out of here-”

“i don't think so” Jacob chimed in “we are here about the collectors, nothing mor-”

“i didn't realise you were in command” Jane chimed in as John shot a glare

Jacob stepped back as Zaeed barked a laugh clearly amused by the younger man being shut down.

“ah yes the collectors. They have began attacking colonies.” Okeer remarked drawing John’s attention “A human concern. My for focus has been elsewhere” Okeer turned and approached the large tank with the slumbering Krogan inside “many years ago I traded a planet’s worth of slaves in return for the secrets of Neural imprinting. With it have toiled away to create one, singular perfect Krogan. And with him i shall inflict upon the Genophage the greatest insult an enemy can suffer.”

Okeer turned and narrowed his eyes as he growled

“to be ignored”

“a planet’s worth of slaves” Jane echoed in horror as John felt anger building

“how many people did you condemn!?” John demanded as he stepped closer to the unphased Krogan

“irrelevant” Okeer sneered back

John wanted to strike Okeer, but before he could he felt Jane’s hand on his shoulder.

“we can deal with that later” she stated through gritted teeth “we need your help to stop the collectors Okeer.”

Okeer made a noise of thought as his eyes narrowed once more.

“i relish the chance to kill them” Okeer muttered after a moment “however my focus is on my prototype. I must ensure it leaves this world alive”

John took a deep breath

“how about a deal then?” he offered “we will get you and your Prototype off world. And in return you help us stop the collectors”

Okeer’s eyes narrowed as he made another noise of deep thought, until finally he opened his mouth to speak

“i’ve traced the lose Krogan” the female voice from before said over a loudspeaker “Okeer was behind it, off course. This project had become more effort then it is worth. Gas the tanks and we can get out of here”

Alarms started blaring throughout the room as pressure seals on the large tank began to hiss. Okeer snapped around to his terminal and began tapping at the buttons

“i must save the prototype” he yelled “stop Jedore! And get us out of here and i will help you!”

Satisfied with that answer John drew his shotgun as he and jane sprinted across the room towards the far door. Footsteps echoed as they bolted their way down rusty metal steps and into a massive room full of tanks.

As soon as they entered the room the sound of gunfire erupted as the remaining blue suns fired at them. Charging his biotic energy, John flung himself across the massive space slamming into Jedore with enough force to send her stumbling back. Her shields and barrier armour protecting her from the bulk of the force.

“who are you!?” she screamed manically as she fired her rocket launcher, the explosive munition soaring past John and slamming into a distant wall.

John didn't bother to answer instead choosing charge another biotic attack as he darted forward and slammed a punch into the woman’s jaw, sending her crumpling to the ground.

“i-I'll kill you for that” Jedore sputtered as she spat a broken tooth and some blood out of her mouth. Across the room there was an explosion as Jane sent a powerful biotic blast slamming into one of the tanks.

Jedore clambered to her feet and raised her fists clearly intent on fighting a losing battle. She flung herself towards John, swinging wildly in an effort to strike him. John was faster, and quickly dodged out of the way, before delivering a strike of his own. The blow swiftly connected sending Jedore slamming into one of the tanks. Swinging around she tried to hit him again, and once again John avoided the attack.

Jedore screamed furiously as she tried to throw herself at John. But this time she was stopped by a loud bang that echoed through the room. Red splattered over the floor and nearby tanks as her body went still, and crumpled to the ground. Glancing across the room, John saw Legion with its rifle outstretched and one of its head flaps lifted in a manner that reminded John of a raised eyebrow.

Silence fell over the room as the last of the blue suns fell, leaving the team to exhale. There victory was short-lived as Edi’s voice came over the comm

“John, Jane, the room Okeer was located in has been flooded with lethal gas”

“damn it” John muttered as he sprinted across the room towards the entrance

“automatic systems have vented the gases. However Okeer’s life signs have dropped”

Footsteps rang out as John sprinted up the stairs, the rest of the team trailing close behind. As he reached the door he slammed the button to open it. Hissing could be heard as the pressure seals unlocked and slid open to reveal a grim sight. Okeer’s body lay sprawled on the floor next to his terminal, orange blood coating the ground as a audio message played on the terminal.

“you bought me time, if i knew why the collectors wanted humans i would tell you. Can no longer come with you. But everything is in my prototype. My legacy is pure, this....one soldier.... this Grunt will be perfect.........take him with you.....”

“he was ruthless” Jacob mumbled as the team made their way through the room “why give his life to save one Krogan?”

“it was his legacy” Jane sighed as she examined the tank

“a bullet in the brain would save us a lot of headaches” Zaeed remarked as he glared at the unconscious Krogan

“it would” Arok agreed “but a Krogan ally would save us a lot more”

“cant say i don't agree” John remarked as he examined the Krogan “better to try and see if he will work with us then to kill him”

“yeah” Jane agreed with a nod

John sighed as she placed his hand against his ear

“Edi, Okeer is a no go. But we have an alternative. Send down a crew to help move this tank, and a shuttle to bring us back......oh, and tell Hemlock we have a civilian and two no crew members coming onboard........and collector tech”

“acknowledged” was all Edi replied with before the comm cut out leaving John to look up at the stationary Krogan

-hours later, Normandy engineering deck-

There was a gentle hum as the two Shepard’s made their way along one of the engineering decks corridors.

“you know Miranda didn't seem to like the Krogan being onboard” John commented causing Jane to snicker

“i don't think she likes anything we do” Jane countered

“definitely not” John agreed as he chuckled, before his expression became grim “what are you planning to do with Rana?”

Jane stopped dead before exhaling deeply

“i-i was going to hand her over to the Adentri” she answered “i-i want to help her. But we have no idea how to cure indoctrination, we don't even know if its possible. The only people who would are the Adentri”

John nodded “true.....even if she cant be cured, we cant let her run about the galaxy. If she is indoctrinated, then she is a danger.”

“i know” Jane agreed with a tortured look on her face

John patted her on the shoulder as they made their way through the door into the port side cargo bay and towards the tank with the still slumbering Krogan inside

“Edi” John address causing a blue holographic avatar to appear “seal the door and prepare to open the tank”

“Cerberus Protocol is very clear regarding untested Alien tech” Edi countered

“this isn't a Cerberus ship” Jane chided “the Illusive man handed it to us. And it serves us, not Cerberus, not the council, not the alliance, it serves us to stop the collectors”

A brief silence followed before the door sealed behind them and the controls to the tank activated

“understood Jane. I apologise for upsetting you”

John exhaled as he and Jane shared a look before he stepped forward and carefully pulled the lever that would unseal the tank.

Hissing echoed as the liquid in the tank drained away. John carefully stepped back as the tanks glass doors opened allowing the large Krogan figure to collapse to his knees coughing up transparent liquid.

Suddenly the Krogan’s eyes bolted open as he glared at the pair. In a burst of movement, the Krogan rose to his feet and charged towards him. Reacting quickly John slammed a biotic charged fist into the Krogan’s jaw sending him flying back slamming into the tank.

The Krogan grunted as he glared at the pair

“human, male. Female.” he growled as his eyes trailed over the room “i need a name”

“i am lieutenant commander Jane Shepard” Jane replied as she stepped forward, still relying on the old habit despite not being in the alliance anymore “this is my Brother commander John Shepard”

“not your names” the Krogan spat “i need a name. Okeer couldn't programme connection into me while i was in the tank. I hear millions of words, but none of them hold meaning to me. Warlord, Legacy, subject, prototype, Grunt..........Grunt will do...... I am Grunt. and you must destroy me”

“e-excuse me?” Jane stuttered in surprise as John stared in confusion

“i was bred to be the perfect Krogan” Grunt explained “without a worthy foe to fight and destroy, my existence is meaningless”

“we can help with that” John stated as he stepped forward “we are hunting an illusive alien race that is abducting our people. They are powerful, and we believe they are servants of the most dangerous threat the galaxy has ever known”

Grunt narrowed his eyes as he looked to be in deep thought before he finally nodded his head and uttered

“that is.......acceptable”

John stepped towards the Krogan and held out his hand, which Grunt quickly shook as he chuckled to himself

“if you are lying i will have to fight you both”

“i assure you we aren't” jane smiled “now we just need a place to put you. As long as you don't have any objections it might be best to have this be your space”

Grunt glanced around the room before looking back to the pair

“this will do” Grunt nodded

“great” John said finally exhaling “anything in particular you need Grunt?”

“just some weapons” the Krogan answered before chuckling

“i’ll have someone bring some down for you” jane replied as the pair made their way towards the door “if you need anything else let someone know-”

“wait” Grunt called after them making them both turn back to face the Krogan as he spoke

“is there anything to eat? I'm hungry”

Chapter Text

Jane heard calm chatter as she made her way through the crew deck. Members of the Normandy’s crew joked and laughed as they ate in the mess. Others talked about work or played games.

A smile pulled at Jane’s lips as she approached the medical wing. Glancing to the far side of the deck, she saw Garrus speaking with Grunt while indicating to part of the Krogan’s new shotgun, making the larger figure burst into a fit of chuckles. Nearby stood Miranda, who was speaking to Hemlock while showing him a data pad. Despite the distance, Jane could see that Miranda was dawning a look of frustration and what appeared to be concern as Hemlock gave one of his curt nods.

Jane made a mental note to ask one of them about it later, once she had finished the task at hand. The door whooshed open as Jane stepped into the medical wing.

“Chakwas” Jane greeted as she walked past the older medical officer

“Jane” Chakwas called as she rose from her seat “is everything alright?”

“yeah” Jane called back before pointing towards the door leading to the Ai core “was just going to speak with Legion”

“Ah”, Chakwas said as she lowered herself back into her seat “I always forget it's in there.”

Jane laughed slightly as she made her way through the second door into the dark room where Legion stood.

“Lieutenant Shepard commander” Legion greeted as the door shut behind Jane “How this platform be of service?”

Jane giggled as she took a seat on a nearby piece of metal

“You know, you and Hemlock have almost the exact same way of addressing yourselves” she commented

“elaborate” the machine requested as one of its head flaps rose

“Well, you address yourself as ‘this platform’” Jane explained while gesturing to the Geth, “and Hemlock addresses himself as ‘this unit’”

Legion went still for a split second before replying.

“This platform was aware, however, it never placed any processing power towards that information”

Jane giggled once more before exhaling

“i wanted to talk to you, Legion” Jane said with a smile “Get to know you better”

“This platfrom is ready to exchange data” was Legion’s reply

“i take it, that means you will answer questions?” Jane asked

“Correct” Legion confirmed

“Great”, Jane said, her smile growing wider “let's start with something simple. How long have you known Hemlock?”

“this platfrom has been aware of Hemlock’s existence since the cult of iron arrived in the Tikkun system” Legion answered “this platform was designated as the mouthpiece of the consensus and sent to meet with the cults leadership and high-ranking members. The individual now addressed as Hemlock was amongst their ranks”

“guess that's to be expected” Jane mumbled “did you speak with him at all when you first met?”

“Briefly”, Legion replied “, Hemlock is not open to data exchange often. this was even less common when this platform first met him”

Jane made a hum of acknowledgement “What about you? What can you tell me about yourself?”

“we are Geth” Legion stated simply, causing Jane to let out a sigh

“i know that” Jane said sweetly “i mean, do you have hobbies? What do you do in the consensus? What were you doing before joining us on this mission?”

Legion was silent for a second as some of his head flaps moved

“This platform would engage in online virtual activities” Legion answered, making Janes eyebrows rise in surprise

“Like what?” Jane questioned excitidly

“This platform believes organics refer to them as ‘video games, ’” Legion explained “For organics, they are entertainment and distraction. For Geth, they are whole new worlds to inhabit”

“your kidding” Jane whispered

“Geth do not ‘kid’,” Legion stated simply “Geth are digital runtimes. When we ‘play’ these games, we are linking into their interface. In a way, the runtimes become the avatar they play as”

“thats amazing” Jane uttered as she thought about it “i never would have guessed you were into games........oh! I do have another question”

Legion stood silently waiting for Jane to continue

“When we first met on Ironpeak. It was mentioned that the Geth consensus wanted to speak with us. What was it about?” Jane asked

“the consensus wished to apologise to both you and Shepard Commander for the actions of the Geth heretics” Legion explained “the consensus may not have been behind the attacks on eden prime and Feros. But they hold accountability, when Nazara first arrived they allowed thousands to follow it uncontested. Had we taken a more active approach against them like the Adentri did with their own ranks, the aforementioned attacks may not have happened”

“Nazara?” Jane echoed in confusion

“the name ‘Sovereign’ used when it addressed the consensus” Legion elaborated “the name Sovereign was a title used by Saren Arterius. However, it is believed that Nazara was not the being's name either due to it having meaning in human Arabic”

“Seriously?” Jane asked in awe

“Correct”, Legion confirmed “Definitions range in meaning, some of which are. View, observer, and supervisor. It is because of this that the consensus had concluded Nazara was likely left dormant in the galaxy following the last purge to serve as a contingency in case the citadel relay failed”

“Didn't work out for them, did it?” Jane chuckled “You mentioned the Adentri took a more proactive approach when dealing with people who wanted to join Sovereign. Back when we first met Hemlock had stated that the Adentri didn't give people the chance to defect, when i asked him about it he would never elaborate.......what did the Adentri do?”

Legion was silent as his head flaps moved more

“Following the discovery that there were those in their ranks who believed Saren Arterius the Adentri board grew concerned” Legion explained “They claimed it was obvious Nazara was not a deity; they forbid following Nazara. Many of the Adentri believers gave in and abandoned their desire to follow; others didn't. Records state there were riots and terror attacks in the cities on Kaddi. The Adentri board attempted to appease the defectors, and negotiate. But when they refused to stop their attacks, the board ordered Hemlock to ensure order was restored-”

“i don't like the sound of that” Jane muttered as memories of Hemlock’s favouring of brutality as a tactic flooded her mind

“the weeks that followed are recorded as the red tithe” Legion continued "Hemlock established a new prison identified as the white tower. City by city, he hunted down the defectors; many were captured and taken to the white tower, others were simply killed. All leadership within their ranks were killed, often brutally and publicly. When the tithe ended, all decent had been removed. No members of the Adentri defected. At the time, it was viewed as excessive and savage. Protests followed for months. However, it is reported that opinions became blurred once it was revealed that Nazara and Saren Arterius assaulted Eden Prime”

“guess i shouldn't be surprised it was brutal” Jane uttered, horrified at the information

“the alternitive would have been less ideal” Legion commented “had members of the Adentri been allowed to join Nazara the threat would have been even greater then it already was. The people of the Adentri had the chance to surrender their false ideals.”

“true” Jane sighed “but it doesnt make it any better people died......what happened to the ones in the white tower?”

“Records state that they were released over the months following the tithe.” Legion answered, “Records also state all of them were given payments from the board as reparations for their incarceration. The white tower now serves as a maximum security prison and execution grounds on Kaddi”

“course it does” Jane mumbled as she rose to her feet “Thanks for talking to me Legion, but i need to move on now”

“Acknowledged”, was all Legion replied with as Jane made her way out of the door.

Jane strode through the medical bay, her ginger hair flowing like fire behind her as she went. With another whoosh, the door slid open, allowing her to leave the wing. Footsteps echoed as Jane made her way towards the crew quarters so she could check on some of the other crew. As she made her way down the halls, she passed Echo and Chief.

The two men dawned their former blue sun armour, now sporting red and black paint schemes to match the N7 colours that Jane and John wore. Although the pair had found a creative way to ensure they could be easily identified. Chief had painted an orange three-fingered handprint over his helmet's right eye, while Echo had painted the plating of his whole right arm bright red.

‘creative’ Jane admitted as she made her way towards the small room Miranda inhabited

A hiss sounded as the hydrolic seals released, allowing the door to the small room and office space to slide open. As Jane stepped inside, she glanced around the space, taking note of how barren the room was, with no personal items, and the only notable addition being a desk with a terminal, which Miranda was currently sitting behind.

“Shepard” the raven-haired woman addressed as she looked up from her terminal

“You know you can call me Jane,” the ginger replied as she stood across from Miranda

“i do” Miranda stated as she refused to look up from her terminal “what do you need?”

“Well i was going to try and get to know you” Jane commented as she leaned against the metal wall “but something tells me you won't open up about yourself”

“You would be right” Miranda uttered as she finally looked up from her work “Unless its about the mission, its not important”

“Fine”, Jane sighed as she felt frustration beginning to build “What were you showing Hemlock earlier?”

“How is that relevant?” Miranda questioned

“im not stupid” Jane continued “i know a concerned look when i see one, Miranda. And i know you hate Hemlock, you wouldn't be speaking with him, let alone showing him something if it wasn't important.”

Miranda let out a sigh as she picked up a datapad

“it was a message from the illusive man” she explained “apparently he has increased concerns about project overlord and its recent lack of reports and other communications. He mentioned he had already informed you and your brother about it, but he also asked I pass information regarding the specific details of the experiments to the tin can-”

“i don't imagine he took it well” Jane said with a knowing look

“I wouldn't know”, Miranda scoffed “Whenever I speak to him, he acts more like a machine than an organic. No tonal changes, no facial expressions, nothing.”

“you get used to it” Jane smirked “he was like that for us as well. And constantly insulting him and calling him ‘tin can’ won't help you”

“i dont want to be his friend” Miranda snapped in frustration “i want to be able to read him. My whole life i was engineered to be perfect! And i am being outclassed by a bunch of metal!”

Jane raised a brow as the raven-haired woman took heavy breaths before she continued.

“for as long as i could remember i have been in control. The one who had all the information, the one who knew everyone’s backgrounds, the one that had the answers.......this is the first time I have met someone who is better at my job then me.....and the worst thing is i know its not the machine”

“The machine?” Jane echoed

“The cybernetics”, Miranda elaborated “I read the record you showed me. Time after time. He was and always has been everything i aspired to be....... i don't hate him because he is a machine.....i hate him because he succeeds where I fail”

Jane was surprised as the usually closed-off woman finished her tirade, before a small smile formed on the gingers face

“you know.....” Jane said after a few seconds of silence “he would probably teach you if you asked him”

“i don’t want to be taught” Miranda sighed “dispite everything i was made to be....i cant be perfect at what counts”

Jane made a hum of thought as her green eyes met with Miranda’s blue

“Do you know why Hemlock succeeds where you fail?” Jane asked

“Let me guess”, Miranda spat “, is it because he’s experienced? Maybe it's because he was raised in a loving family? Or is it becaus-”

“It's because he doesn't strive to be perfect” Jane answered simply, catching Miranda off guard.

“What!?” Miranda spat

“Hemlock doesnt try to be perfect” Jane repeated “he doesn't hold himself to any goal, or measure of success. Hemlock succeeds because he has a mission, and he completes it. To him, there is nothing else”

Miranda was silent as her face contorted into a look of contemplation. Jane let out a chuckle as she pushed away from the wall and began to walk towards the door while saying

“i’ll let you think”

Right as the door was about to open Miranda’s voice called out

“Wait!”

Jane turned to the raven-haired woman, who was now standing

“Thank you Jane” Miranda uttered, her voice almost a whisper as she avoided the Ginger's gaze

“its alright, Miranda” Jane smiled “oh, and tell the illusive man that we will look into Overlord once we have got Jack”

Miranda nodded as she lowered herself back into her seat as Jane turned and strode out of the room, her ginger hair flowing like fire behind her. Her next destination, her personal cabin to make preperations for the coming mission.

Chapter Text

The familiar sound of footsteps echoing off metal walls reached John’s ears as he and Jane strode down the large corridor leading away from the docking tube. Arok, Kasumi, Zaeed, and Grunt trailing behind as the team made their way towards the group of waiting blue suns.

“Welcome to the purgatory, the two of you.” a Turian in full blue suns armour greeted as they got closer. “The package under your name is being prepped, and you will be able to claim it shortly. As this is a high-security vessel, we ask you and your team turn over your weapons before we allow you to proceed further into the facility.”

“can't do that” John replied “We’ve had far to many encounters with the blue suns to willingly walk into a facility full of them unarmed”

“have to agree with him” Jane agreed while nodding

“i can understand your concern” the Turian tried to placate “but the rules are here for a reason-”

Suddenly, the Turian was cut off as the large blast door behind him slid open, revealing a second Turian clad in blue sun's armour. Although this one didn't have a helm, allowing John to take note of his lack of traditional facial tattoos and dark grey-brown scales.

“captain stand down” the second Turian ordered before his yellow eyes landed on John and Jane “Shepards... I am Warden Kuril, and this is my ship”

“A pleasure to meet you, Warden” Jane greeted cordially

John allowed his eyes to narrow as he continued to examine the Turian, something about Kuril didnt seem right. Despite the confidence he carried he seemed....afraid, his mandibles flickered slightly as though questioning something.

“a pleasure to meet you as well” Kuril replied “i understand you have concerns about being unarmed. But i must ask you turn them over. They will be returned once everything is in order... this is standard procedure, after all”

“we understand that aswell” John sighed “but it is standard procedure for us to carry our weapons with us. We have been double-crossed one too many times not to. If this is going to be a whole back and forth, Jack might not be worth the effort...”

John watched as the Warden glared at him. His yellow eyes were slightly blank, indicating the Turian's deep thought about the situation until finally, he spoke

“Let them through our facility is more than secure enough to handle six armed guests”

The Turian captain nodded as he stepped to the side allowing John to move forward, Jane and the others close behind.

“We are bringing Jack out of cryo.” Kuril explained while gesturing for the group to follow him, “As soon as the funds clear, you can be on your way. If you would follow me to out-processing for pickup commanders”

“simple enough” Jane nodded as the team made their way through the blast door and further into the prison facility

-five minutes later, out-processing-

A hiss echoed as the large blast door into out-processing slid open. Stepping into the large room, John immediately noted the absence of any person behind the many desks littering the space. The only person present being a human in a technician's uniform who had hastily started walking towards the door as soon as they entered

“out-processing is through the door on the far side of the room” the man mumbled as he strode past

“hey-” Jane began to say only to cut off as the door slammed shut

John continued to glance around the room before finally shifting his focus back to Jane, who was dawning a similar suspicious look

“trap?” John questioned with a raised brow, making

“trap” Jane agreed while letting out a long sigh, followed by a laugh from Zaeed

“most fucking obvious one I've ever seen,” the older mercenary remarked

“looks like any other empty room” Grunt commented

“exactly the point”, John explained as he turned to face Grunt “This centre has nine desks, and for a facility this large, there would always be at least one person manning the centre. And that technician seemed to be in a real hurry to get out when he saw we were here”

“processing centres usually have two doors”, Kasumi chimed in “, an entrance, and a door leading to the cells. Given we just came in the entrance, that door must lead to the-”

“cells” Grunt finished, leading Kasumi to nod and smile while Jane patted him on the shoulder

“dead right” Jane confirmed

“we’ll make a perfect soldier out of you yet” Zaeed chuckled as Arok nodded in agreement

Despite the amusing moment John could not help but rub his temples as he felt the early signs of a headache coming on

“for once, would people just give us what we come for?” he muttered

“that would make it too easy”, Jane chided as she gently punched his shoulder.

“you are all smarter than i gave you credit” Kuril announced over the speakers, drawing John's and the other's attention “i do apologise for this, but you all are worth far more to me as prisoners than you ever will be as customers”

“sure you want to do this?” John called back. “You’ve surely heard how difficult it is to stop us. It's not too late to make the right choice. Give us what we came for, and we can go on our way pretending this never happened”

“a tempting offer.” Kuril replied “But i am afraid i am willing to take the risk. Activate all systems! Secure the twins, i want them alive!”

Alarms began to blare all around as the door behind the team made a loud hiss. its pressure seals release, allowing it to slide open to reveal a group of blue suns, weapons drawn. Before either party could shoot, John reacted, whipping around towards the mercenaries and unleashing a wave of biotics only to realise Jane had done the same.

The combined waves of energy slammed into the blue suns with enough force that the impact shattered pieces of their armour and sent them soaring down the hall, slamming into the far glass wall.

“damn-” Arok commented as everyone drew their weapons

“come on!” Jane ordered as she strode through the door towards a side corridor marked as the path to the solitary command centre,

John glanced at the others and gave them a nod before following behind his sister. As the team rushed along the hall, Kasumi called out

“i didn't even know you could use ranged biotic attacks John”

“I can, but don't”, John replied as he ducked behind a barricade to avoid gunfire. “Apparently, the amps they installed are well suited for powering up physical strikes and protection. But energy bursts and attacks aren't as effective”

“make sense” Kaumi replied as John felt a cloaked figure leap past before clocking the Batarian blue sun in the back of the head

“not bad” Arok commented as he and Grunt took down the last blue sun

“girls gotta try” Kasumi smirked as she strode towards the door and pressed the control

Another hiss rang out as John got closer, as the door slid open, he saw the human technician from before standing in front of a terminal

“the shepards have breached the solitary control room!” the man yelled as he fired towards the team with an M-3 preditor “Sent bac-”

A single shotgun blast echoed, followed by the technician's corpse hitting the ground.

“Grunt!” Jane scolded as John whipped around to look at the Krogan, who simply shrugged and chuckled

John shook his head as Jane stomped over to the terminal and began tapping at the controls. Seconds passed before she glanced towards him, a worried look in her eyes

“We have a problem” she declared

“when don't we” John sighed as he clutched the bridge of his nose “What is it this time”

“the only way to get jack out while the lockdown is active is to open all the cells in the block” Jane explained

“course” Zaeed growled, “like that won't be a bloody damn mess”

“Are we sure she is worth it?” Arok asked “It's not too late to turn around and leave”

“i agree this is more then we bargened for” John said with an even deeper sigh “but we have gotten this far. If she is useful for our mission, we need to try and get her out..... do it”

Jane locked conflicted as she let out her own deep sigh before she tapped a button. A different alarm sounded as a massive robotic arm began to move into position to open the cryo chamber. A robotic chattering echoed as several Ymir mechs below began to face towards the stasis pod

“if she is guarded by this many heavy mechs, then she must be powerful” Kasumi commented as she and Arok stepped closer to the glass to watch

“Usually, I would be impressed seeing this many mechs to stop one girl,”, Arok remarked, his four eyes glancing over them. “Not so much after joining the team. Like half of the squad can take down Ymir mechs, even in numbers”

A hiss rang out as the cryo pod was lifted open revealing a slim bald woman who was covered head to toe in tattoos and wearing a rather revealing set of upper clothing.

“Jack is small” Grunt remarked as he narrowed his eyes

Silence fell as the ice covering the woman's body began to thaw. Suddenly, her eyes bolted open as biotic energy coursed around her before being unleashed into a massive blast, freeing her from her restraints. John watched in slight surprise as she darted through the smoke and slammed her biotically charged body into the nearest Ymir mech, driving it into the wall below with an explosion.

“come on!” John roared as he darted towards the stairwell

As he sprinted down the stairs, he heard Grunt chuckle behind him and comment

“oh i want to see more of this”

“should be quiet the show” Zaeed agreed

Rounding the corner into the solitary room, John was met with the sight of two destroyed Ymir mechs and two others that had been crippled beyond being dangerous, along with a large hole in the wall leading through into a corridor.

“damn it” John muttered as Jane raced past with Arok

Not wasting any time, John and the others followed as the team made their way into the corridor and began chasing behind the escaped biotic woman

“Still think she wasn't impressive!?” Kasumi called to Arok

“i never said she wasnt” Arok argued “i just said we already have people that can do this that dont require a mad prison break in space!”

John chuckled while Jane yelled, “can't argue with that”

“she doesn't seem particularly stable” John remarked as the team rounded a corner

“bit late for that now” Zaeed commented as they were met with the sight of the hallway ahead collapsing as Kuril’s voice roared over the speakers

“all guards restore order! Lethal force authorised, but don't kill Jack! Techs lock down, lock down!”

“this way quick”, John ordered as he slid through a breach in the wall that led out into the ground floor of one of the main cell blocks, the rest of the team following close behind.

As soon as he was through, John was met with the sight of complete chaos. Blue suns guards were gunning down everything that moved, some particularly jumpy ones even accidentally shooting their own. Prisoners attacked with makeshift weapons or guns claimed from killed guards while a Ymir mech roared on the far side of the room and fired its weapons into the crowd.

“hey!” a Batarian in blue suns armour roared as he saw the team only to be swiftly shot by Arok

John sighed as the other blue suns saw them and began to move to attack. Charging his powers, he launched into the fray. Despite the overwhelming numbers of prisoners and blue suns, the fight didn't last long, with the team splitting into two smaller groups to take on the respective parties. Finally, the battle came to a close when Grunt helped John overpower the Ymir mech before the Krogan tore off the machine's head.

“HAHAHA!” Grunt laughed manically as he flung the mechs head towards some fleeing prisoners who had avoided the fight

John sighed as he darted past, followed by Jane and the others as he made his way towards an open door. Stepping over some blue suns corpses, John made his way through a small maintenance area before finally approaching another open door that led through into another cell block which looked like a complete warzone.

“damn” Jane mumbled as they watched several Ymir mechs carve through swarms of prisoners with their machine guns

John didn't reply inside, choosing to sigh and prime his shotgun as he made his way into the block. Another round of combat began as the team was once again forced to split their attention between the blue suns and the prisoners while John and Grunt faced down the Ymir mechs

‘note to self’ John thought as he took a massive breath after taking down one of the mechs ‘Stop leaving Archembald on the ship’

Behind him, there was the sound of a gun being primed. As he glanced around, he saw a blue sun with his M-8 Avenger aimed right towards him. Before he could pull the trigger, the blue sun was struck across the jaw by an invisible opponent as Kasumi’s cloak faded

“thanks” John said with a nod, which Kasumi returned with a smile

“All units to cell block one!” Kuril screamed over the speakers as John glanced towards the rest of the team

“We're in cell block two” Jane commented as she approached

“perfect chance to pay him a visit,” Zaeed remarked as he looked over his rifle

“come on then” John ordered as he waved for them all to follow

Silence fell over the group as they made their way through another maintenance area before reaching cell block one. As soon as they entered, John saw Kuril standing on a raised platform on the far side of the room as several shield pylons rose around the room and surrounded him with an unbreakable shield.

As soon as he noticed them, Kuril opened his mouth to speak. John didn't bother to let him as he aimed his shotgun towards the nearby pylon’s power source and fired.

The machine erupted into an explosion as Kuril screamed furiously

“kill them!”

Blue suns began storming into the room, unleashing torrents of gunfire towards the team.

“Grunt, Zaeed, take the one on the left!” Jane ordered in the background as John gunned down some of the blue suns “Me and Kasumi will take the right! John, Arok keep them distracted”

“on it!” Arok yelled as John saw him blast a Turian with his AT-12 raider

The fight dragged on as John stood his ground with Arok, the two shotgun-wielding soldiers cutting down hordes of blue suns until finally, two loud bangs rang out, followed by smoke and fire. Through the smoke, John saw the blue energy beams fade as Kuril’s shield bubble collapsed.

“no!” Kuril roared as he aimed his weapon

But before he could fire, blue splattered from his head as he crumpled to the ground. Glancing around, John saw Zaeed on the far side of the room, his sniper in hand and a smirk on his face. Despite the distance John saw his lips utter the words

“good riddance”

Relative calm filled the room as alarms continued to sound in the background. Suddenly Kasumi yelled

“up there!”

Whipping around to look at her, John saw Kasumi pointing up at one of the corridors where Jack could be seen sprinting down towards the docking area.

“blast!” John cried as he sprinted towards the stairs. “Come on!”

-Jack-

Freedom

She was free

She didn't know who freed her. She didn't care.

She was getting off this station

Racing around the corner, she saw two blue suns standing guard.

“stop!” one of them commanded as they raised their rifle

‘pathetic’ she thought as she raced forward charging energy to her fist before slamming it onto the man sending him flying. The second guard tried to fire, but wasn't fast enough. A swift kick to the knee brought him down before she grabbed his head and slammed it into the metal floor.

‘Freedom at last’ she thought as she rose to her feet and sprinted towards the docking area, towards a ship, towards her freedom

It should have been easy. Just get on board. Threaten or kill everyone and get out of there.

She never even reached the tube.

As she sprinted into the room, she saw it. A giant shadow.

She tried to dodge, but it was faster.

A grey blur slammed into her with a force she couldn't hope to match.

Her head rang as she flew across the room, slamming into the metal wall with the force to shatter it.

Her eyes blurred as pain coursed through her face, and then, there was a warmth. Reaching up, she felt it.

Blood....

Her blood

It was pouring from her nose. Her broken nose

A single strike. All it took for this figure to shatter her barriers.

As her eyes came into focus, she glared up, to see a giant stood before her.

Clad in armour, with a large metal weapon in hand.

“it is best you remain still” the cold robotic voice declared as footsteps approached “Less you face harm-”

-John-

Reaching into the room, the team was met with surprising sight.

Jack lay against the dented metal wall, blood pouring from her broken nose. Standing before her was Archembald, his Morningstar in hand marked with blood. On either side of him stood Echo and Chief, their rifles aimed at Jack, While Hemlock stood a few feet away, overserving.

John sighed as Jane raced towards Jack to speak to her. Striding forward, John made his way towards Hemlock and patted him on the metal shoulder

“nice job”, John commented, “How did you know she would come for the ship?”

“all other vessels on the station have been damaged or destroyed” Hemlock answered, not looking away from Jack “Logic dictates she would arrive here one way or another”

John nodded and strode forward towards Jack, who was glaring at Jane as she explained who they were and why they needed her help

“you expect me to believe that?” Jack scoffed as she spat some blood from her mouth “if you didnt have you big bastard in armour i would have killed you all by now!”

“Sure, it's worth it?” Zaeed questioned “Killing her now would save a lot of pain”

“damn right” Grunt growled

“i would like to see you try” Jack scoffed

“lady, your nose got broken from one of Archembald’s hits”, Echo chimed in “I don't think his power weapon is even on.”

“he can and will kill you” Chief finished “Don't be stupid”

“we’re not killing her” Jane ordered

“good move”, Jack sneered, although John saw a glimpse of fear as Jack glanced at the Morningstar.

“look Jack” Jane said calmly “you want to be free. And the only way off this station is with us. Perhaps we can offer you something.”

“records” Jack spat

“records?” John echoed

“your ship”, Jack uttered “it's got Cerberus colours. Don't believe you are with them....they wouldn't bother trying to talk it out. I want access to their files”

“simple enough”, Jane commented as John felt her eyes land on him “Any objections?”

“none” John smirked as he walked towards Jack “let's get you aboard and fixed up”

Jack sneered but nevertheless nodded as Echo and Chief moved to escort her inside followed by the rest of the team.

-half an hour later, Normandy briefing room-

John stood silently as he stared down Jack, who was doing the best she could to look intimidating while having a large gauze and bandages plastered to her face.

“got everything?” he asked after another moment

“yeah” Jack sneered “i got it. Have the files for me?”

“Hemlock” jane ordered

The Cyborg in question stepped towards Jack and handed her a datapad

“all Cerberus files present on the vessel have been installed onto the pad” Hemlock stated “This unit has also cornered a section in the engineering undercroft to serve as your personal housing”

“great” Jack scoffed as she snatched the pad before leaning forward and glaring up at him and uttering “Don’t get in my way”

For a split second, there was silence. John watched closely as Hemlock looked down at Jack, his organic eye dawning a look that he assumed was the cyborg equivalent of indifference or boredom. Then he spoke

“you are here because you are of value.” Hemlock declared, “Become more trouble than you are worth, and stasis will be pleasant compared to the wrath of the white tower”

Jack glared silently before turning and storming out of the room, leaving the three to watch her depart

“This unit is already regreti-” Hemlock began to say before being cut off as Miranda raced in

“commanders” Miranda addressed as everyone looked at her in surprise

“Woah, woah”, Jane calmed “What's the matter?”

“project overlord”, Miranda explained “I just received word from the illusive man. Th-the Vi had broken completely free and is taking over the facilities!”

“damn” John growled as he pinched his nose

“Joker, Edi” Jane called as she pressed her hand to her comm “set a course for project overlords co-ordinates.”

“on it Jane” Joker called back

“Hemlock, gather a team” John ordered as he looked to the waiting cyborg

“acknowledged. Miranda follow” Hemlock said with a curt nod before turning and striding from the room. A surprisingly unaggregated Miranda trailing behind

“this wont be good” jane muttered as John felt her eyes land on him “Cerberus doesnt have a track record for being human in their studies”

“i know” John sighed his mind already racing

‘just what horrors will we find on this planet’

Was all he could think as he walked out of the room to begin making his own preparations

Chapter Text

A hiss echoed across the large landing platform as the shuttles door slid open. Fresh air reached Jane’s lungs as she stepped out of the vessel John following close behind. Jane’s green eyes darted over the space taking in the barren environment, a thick eerie silence hanging in the air.

“Quiet” Grunt mumbled as he stomped out of the shuttle “.....two quiet”

Jane went to speak but was suddenly cut off

““thank god you came! My name is Dr Gavin Archer. The situation is urgent-we're facing a catastrophic vi breakout. I'll explain later!” a frantic male voice yelled over the facilities loudspeaker “Right now you need to retract the transmission dish before it can get off world! The controls are in the main facility! Please hurry!”

“damn” John growled as he stomped past towards the entrance

Jane drew her pistol and followed close behind, Miranda and Kasumi taking up the left while Hemlock and Jacob took the right, Archembald and Grunt in the rear.

“how could it do all this?” Kasumi questioned as the group crept closer to the door “taking over several facilities”

“the digital presence is not a VI” Hemlock stated coldly as he began to force the door systems open “it is more akin to an Ai.”

“so Archer lied?” Jacob questioned as the door slid open and John scoffed in frustration

“wouldn't surprise me” Kasumi mumbled as Hemlock strode through the open door

“that, or he is foolishly unaware of the true nature of the creation” Hemlock replied as Jane felt John’s eyes land on her. Glancing to him blue eyes met green as they shared a concerned look before snapping back to reality.

Stepping through the door Jane was met with a glass walled walkway that went left towards a large set of L shaped stairs. At first everything seemed normal as the team approached. As they arrived at the stairs they were met with a horrific sight. Near the far wall lay male and female corpses both clad in Cerberus uniforms, papers and a shattered mug laying around them stuck to the ground by the pool of drying red blood. Overhead was a massive charred blast mark burned into the wall behind where they had once stood.

“unarmed” Jacob whispered as Jane saw his face shift in horror “there engineers-”

“the system didn't seem to care” Miranda stated grimly as her blue eyes examined the seen “they were killed while speaking... didn't even have time to react”

“correct” Hemlock agreed “neither individual perished from the blast that damaged the wall. They were killed by several hostiles”

“horrible” Archembald growled somewhere behind them

“come on” Jane ordered as she turned to continue down the stairs “we need to stop this system”

A grim silence fell over the team as they made their way down the stairs into what appeared to be a main entrance area with two large reception desks littered with terminals. Along with a large couch which had a horrific sight waiting for them.

Half of the piece of furniture was burned, a horribly charred body still sat in place on what had once been a cushion its blistered arms laying on the rests.

“didn't even have time to stand” Grunt remarked as Jane tired to ignore the sickening smell of burning flesh “doesn't smell like fire should”

“plasma infused” Hemlock stated “common tech in Geth flamethrowers”

“Geth flamethrowers” John echoed his voice empty as he stared at the sight no doubt having flashes of Mindoir

“over here” a familiar male voice whispered making Jane jolt before whipping around to face one of the screens were she was met with a staticky image that she couldn't make out

“ah, there you are.” Archer said his voice laced with hope “I've locked myself in a computer room on the far side of the base. Geth are everywhere. A rogue Vi program has ceased control of them and the bases systems.....please be careful”

Jane opened her mouth to speak but the image suddenly flickered out leaving the team in silence.

“would be nice if he told us more” Kasumi sneered as John stepped towards the open doors leading further into the base

“yeah” Jacob agreed “like how the hell Geth escaped”

“what i want to know is how the system is controlling Geth” John growled catching everyone's attention as all eyes turned to Hemlock

“systems forcing direct control over Geth is impossible for Vi’s and lesser Ai’s” Hemlock stated coldly “there has only ever been a single recorded instance of a system taking control of Geth platforms”

“which was?” Jane asked curiously as the team crept along the dead silent halls of the base

“rogue Adentri scientists attempted to forcefully assimilate a human mind into the Geth consensus” Hemlock explained as everyone listened closely only to realise he wasn't planning to elaborate

“don't stop there” John demanded as they made their way into the damaged dish control room “elaborate”

“the attempted fusion resulted in the subject being driven mad” Hemlock continued as eyes eyes glanced over the systems “all systems connected were effected with a digital virus similar to fantasy ‘zombies’. Eventually the virus spread to all Adentri and Geth present in the facility. By this point it was deemed to be two risky to contain. To ensure its complete destruction this unit ordered orbital shelling which lasted exactly five hours. Once completed the facility and the surrounding area had been destroyed completely”

Jane felt her breath hitch in her throat as the cyborg reached down and began to work at the systems.

“and you are saying this is similar?” Miranda questioned “is it possible this system posses the same danger?”

“Unknown” was all Hemlock replied with as the massive dish in the distance began to lower.

A relieved sigh escaped Jane as a small smile pulled at her lips, suddenly every screen in the room flashed as a green pixilated face appeared on them all and let out a booming staticky screech. Green energy crackled across the console and burst onto Hemlock and began flowing across his cybernetics. The towering cyborg recoiled as green energy ripped across his body only to dissipate as crimson energy flooded from Hemlock's chest.

Smoke rose away from Hemlock’s metal as he collapsed to his knee, sparks flickering away from the machine.

“Hemlock!” Kasumi cried as she darted down to place her hand on the mans shoulder only to recoil from the heat

“what the hell was that!” Jacob roared as he, Miranda and Grunt aimed their weapons towards the now dormant systems

“Hemlock” Jane uttered as she kneeled down on the other side of the cyborg “a-are you okay?”

“quite” Hemlock replied as he rose to his feet wearily

“what was that?” John asked as his eyes darted between the dormant systems and Hemlock

“the rogue system” Hemlock stated “this unit is now able to confirm said system is not synthetic in nature”

“how can you be sure?” Archembald asked as he placed a gauntleted hand on the cyborgs shoulder

“synthetics do not have English as an echoed communication system” Hemlock explained eyes many eyes looking over the terminals “and phrases such as ‘make it stop’ are not common in their lexicon”

“make it stop?” Jane echoed a cold dread beginning to flood her veins

“make it stop” Hemlock repeated his voice almost grim despite not changing in tone

A horrified silence fell over the room as the team allowed the revelation to sink in. The quiet was shot lived as the massive dish in the distance began to rise once more.

“h-how” Miranda whispered as panic began to rise

“damn it!” Archer yelled over the comms in a panicked voice “the Vi’s overridden the controls. We have to stop him! He's trying to upload his program off world! You need to get to the dish’s antenna and destroy it! There is a tram close to you! Hurry!”

“blast!!” John yelled as he darted towards the door

“we need to stop it” Jane ordered as she gestured for the team to follow

Nobody questioned as they stormed out of the room

-minutes later, Overlord radio dish-

Metal footsteps clanged as the team sprinted along the alloy floors into the base of the antenna dish. As they raced forward towards the stairs the team was suddenly stopped as Geth covered in green flickering energy raced into the room.

“they are under the systems control” Hemlock stated as he gunned down two Geth shock troopers “they must be terminated”

Jane dove behind a metal pipe as gunfire erupted from more Geth shock troopers the other members of the team quickly splitting up to face the coming horde.

Chaos consumed the room as the team was forced to face corrupted Geth of all types. Geth troopers and Shock troopers were easy enough to destroy partially due to a degradation in tactics which Jane assumed was because of the system controlling them. The new Geth destroyers and hunters were far more tedious to deal with. What they lacked in tactics they made up for with heavy weapons and cloaking tech forcing the team to constantly shift positions to avoid being flushed out by flamethrowers or cornered by plasma shotgun fire.

“we need to move!” Jane yelled over the gunfire “the system is trying to stop us reaching the dish!”

“on it!” John replied as he smashed in one of the corrupted Geth’s heads with a biotic strike “Archembald! Grunt! Help me clear the stairs”

Jane watched as the three figures sprinted up the metal stairwell bullets and rockets exploding behind them as they smashed their way into the lines of Geth blocking the path.

“come on!” Jane roared as she gestured for the rest of the team to follow.

They all obeyed quickly making their way up the stairwell as John Archembald and Grunt continued to clear a path to the dish. Jane exhaled deeply as she raced through the door onto the dish, the door slamming shut behind her as Geth desperately tried to force their way through.

“that bought us some time” Jacob said frantically “now how the hell are we supposed to destroy this dish!?!”

“the main antenna is supported by large struts” Hemlock explained as he gunned down corrupted Geth that had began to crawl out of vent shafts “each strut has a pressure tank at its base to support the hydraulic systems. Open the hatches safeguarding these tanks and a single bullet will be enough to trigger an explosion that will compromise the struts”

“on it” John nodded as he blasted another Geth “Archembald! Grunt! Cover us while we take out the tanks!”

“as you wish!” Archembald yelled back as he crushed a Geth destroyer with a single swing of his Morningstar, close by Grunt let out a manic fit of chuckles as he sprinted into a horde of Geth sending them flying as he cut others down with shotgun fire.

“follow me” Jane ordered as she leapt out of cover and began sprinting across the dish towards the closes strut gunfire and rockets soaring past as the rest of the team followed. As she finally reached the strut jane wheeled around and charged her biotics her eyes fluttering shut in focus as she brought up a large biotic barrier to cover the rest of the team. Seeing what she was doing Miranda quickly darted out of cover and focused her biotic energy into a shield which linked with Janes to create a massive barrier

“get that hatch open” Jane cried through gritted teeth

“I'm working on it” Kasumi yelled as she ripped the hatch off and aimed her pistol towards the tank.

“one the count of three!” John ordered “three, two, one!”

Right as Kasumi fired her pistol Jane and Miranda both lowered their barriers as they spun around refocusing their energy into a large bubble around the tank containing the blast ensuring the rest of the team weren't scorched from the attack.

The whole dish began to shake as explosions started climbing their way up the strut the sound only matched by the furious synthetic howl the rogue system let out as even more Geth began flooding the dish.

Jane turned preparing to sprint towards the next strut only to stop as the doors onto the dish exploded open as a massive armoured Geth coated in green energy charged through

“is that a Juggernaut!?” John yelled

“no!” Hemlock replied “its a prime! More powerful! Better weapons systems!”

The machine in question let out a howl of its own as it began firing a massive M-76 Revenant across the dish towards the team. Only to be stopped as Archembald slammed his Morningstar into one of its legs knocking it off-balance

“Grunt will need some help” Kasumi yelled as the Krogan in question was starting to be swarmed as Archembald continued his battle with the titanic Geth

“this unit shall aid them” Hemlock stated as he sprinted past

“we have two more struts!” Jane yelled “move it!”

The team quickly fought their way across the roof taking down Geth of all types as they tried to reach the strut. In the distance there was an explosion as Archembald took down the Geth Prime only for a second to appear seconds later.

Approaching the second strut Jane reached out with focused biotic energy tearing the hatch off its hinges before firing a single bullet at the now exposed tank. The base of the strut was consumed by fire as the dish shook again and explosions began to ring out overhead

The system screeched again almost desperately as even more corrupted Geth swarmed the dish which had rapidly descended into a warzone.

“one strut to go!” John yelled as he sprinted past with Miranda and Kasumi in toe

Not wasting any time Jane followed with Jacob as hordes continued to descend on them numbers of enemies Jane hadn't seen since the conflict against Saren and Sovereign. The team continued to push forward until Miranda finally reached the hatch and ripped it open with her biotics before diving to the side allowing Jacob to fire a shotgun blast into the tank.

One final explosion rang out as the chain reaction consumed the strut, followed by the loudest synthetic scream yet and the sounds of deactivated Geth platforms slamming to the floor.

“you did it! You severed the link-” Archer cried over the comm only to be cut short as jane felt herself begin slammed to the ground by what felt like a sky car as a massive crash echoed around her. looking up Jane saw Hemlock next to her glancing back towards the massive piece of antenna that had landed right where Jane had stood seconds prior.

Overhead explosions continued to ring making Jane look further up as she rose to her feet. Her eyes taking in a terrifying sight. The massive antenna and struts began to tear apart and collapse down towards the main dish bellow, the dish she and the rest of the team currently stood on.

“you have got to be kidding m-” John uttered breathlessly from somewhere behind Jane before she was suddenly grabbed and lifted over a broad metal shoulder.

The surface of the dish darted past in a blur as Hemlock sprinted across its surface carrying Jane across his shoulder grabbing and hoisting Kasumi over the other as he went. Close by Archembald sprinted with Miranda and John clung in each arm while Grunt took up the rear with Jacob in a bridle carry.

Smoke and dust slammed into the group as the pieces of the sturts and antenna crashed into the dish. The agonizing sound of metal and tech tearing apart followed. Jane’s eyes widened as she watched the collapsing dish getting closer and closer, right as it was a metre away she felt herself become airborne as Hemlock leapt off the dishes edge before plummeting several metres crashing onto a metal walkway.

Jane gasped for air as she felt herself being carefully lowered from the cyborgs shoulder, her feet shakily being placed on the metal ground. Kasumi coughed and sputtered nearby as Hemlock lowered her off his shoulder. a few paces away Jane saw John and Miranda being lowered to the ground by Archembald while Grunt dropped Jacob with an unceremonious thunk before chuckling to himself.

Jane carefully pulled a cloth from her armour and began to wipe the sweat and dust from her face as she wheezed out “thank you Hemlock”

The cyborg gave a curt nod as he turned his attention back towards the destroyed dish, when a familiar voice suddenly called out

“over here!”

Whipping around Jane saw a male human with short brown hair and a goatee clad in Cerberus scrubs sprinting through the dust

“what the hell is going on around here!?!” John demanded as the mans blue eyes trailed over the group

“man’s Reach exceeding his grasp” Archer answered his eyes slightly blank before he jolted and gestured towards the team “p-please follow me, i can explain inside the main facility where to can clean the dust off”

-fifteen minutes later, Hermes station-

Jane sighed in relief as she walked down the hall behind John and Archer. The pleasant feeling of being free of dust and sweat pushing away her general concern about the situation for the briefest of moments.

This relief was soon lost as the three made their way into a large office space with many windows looking over pieces of the facility where the other members of the team had already began moving the many Cerberus corpses into body bags.

“I must thank you both again” Archer stated as he lowered himself into a nearby chair “thanks to the efforts of you and your team we have bought some time. This Vi needs to be stopped-”

“cut the crap Archer” John cut in while raising a hand “we know this isn't a Vi or some standard Ai. If you expect us to help you need to be honest with us”

Archer’s eyes were wide with shock like a animal caught in a spotlight

“w-what do you know” he spattered as his eyes darted between John and herself “h-how could you know!?”

Jane sighed as she pointed out one of the widows towards Hemlock who was stood looking over the many gathered bodies checking them off a records list.

“that cyborg belongs to a group that peacefully co-exists with Geth” she explained “he has seen something like this before. And it can only be caused when a human forcefully tries to integrate with the Geth consensus”

“amazing” Archer whispered as he continued to watch the cyborg “y-your sure he works with Geth?”

“stay on topic Archer” John ordered

“yes of course” Archer jolted as his focus returned “i-i won't deny it. Project overlord was an effort to create a weapon to combat the Geth should war ever occur. In our studies we eventually determined the best weapon would be something that could link into the Geth’s systems, and overpower them. As you can see the results have been..........well less then satisfactory”

“less then satisfactory” Jane uttered her voice a mixture of horror and fury “what the hell would you call a disaster!”

“you cant discount it completely” Archer argued as he recoiled slightly “by all accounts it has succeed.....outside of the”

“killing everyone” John finished in a dry tone

“yes” Archer sighed “when we first discovered a way to ‘link’ into the Geth's systems my brother volunteered to be the subject-”

Jane gasped in horror as John growled and stepped towards Archer

“you put your brother up to this!?” he roared as Archer recoiled once more

“h-he was adamant that he was the one to do it!” Archer cried back “he wanted it to be our legacy!”

Jane felt her brows knit together as she continued to stare at Archer Hemlock’s words from before coming to the front of her mind ‘make it stop’

John growled once more before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose as he spoke once more

“how the hell do we stop it?”

“you will need to get access to Atlas station” Archer said as he posture became more calm “David it wired into the central machine there. The problem comes with the security measures. Atlas station was designed to have a special barricade that seals the door if a lockdown is declared. In order to unlock it you will need to override the lockdown in Prometheus and Vulcan stations.”

“of course” Jane muttered “what can you tell us about these stations?”

“Vulcan station is the geothermal plant that powers all the other facilities” Archer explained as he opened his omni tool sending information and co-ordinates to the twins “Prometheus station was built in a crashed Geth cruiser. I don't know how Cerberus found it. I only know it was full of dormant machines to study”

“but you still chose to fuck with them” John scolded “classic Cerberus. Fucking with things they don't understand then being surprised when everyone ends up dead”

“you can hardly speak” Archer argued as he rose to his feet “you both tried to find the reapers to stop them. Sometimes the only way to be safe is to ignore the risks”

Jane saw John’s eyes flicker with anger as she stepped between him and Archer

“the difference is we went after machine's that want to kill us all and will do so given the chance” Jane scolded “the Geth aren't a threat to us unless you make them one. And in this case you made them one”

Archer opened his mouth to argue. But Jane didn't wait to hear it, striding past him Jane marched through the door with John filing close behind as they made their way towards the shuttle and the waiting members of the team.

-20 minutes later, Vulcan station-

A wave of heat washed over Jane as the shuttles door slid open to reveal a large facility that was protruding out of the side of an active volcano.

“damn” she muttered as she pushed forward through the hot air her suit managing to protect her from being cooked alive. The rest of the team suffering similarly as they trudged towards two large garage doors.

“Hemlock!” John called as the team reached the doors “can you get this open!”

Jane saw the cyborg stride past unbothered by the extreme heat as he pulled up several holographic screens and began working.

“why did it have to be built in a volcano?” Jacob moaned

“its a thermal plant!” Miranda snapped “where else would it be built!”

“could be worse” Grunt commented in the background his voice relatively unbothered despite the heat

“how could this be wor-” Jacob began to cry in an exasperated tone only to be cut off by the garage door sliding open.

Not wasting any time the team clambered forward into the large cool space. Jane took a breath of cold refreshing air as the door slammed shut behind them all shutting them in the garage.

“is that a mako?” John asked drawing Jane’s attention

Glancing around she took in the sight of the familiar outline of a M35 Mako that had been painted black and was adorned with a Cerberus logo on its side. As she stepped closer Jane noted the thinner style of the outer plates and the lack of a turret.

“why would a research plant have tanks?” Kasumi questioned

“i don't think its a Mako” Jane commented as she ran her had along its plates

“good eye Jane” Jacob chimed in as he walked over “this is a M5 Huginn.”

“what is that?” John asked as he raised a brow

“a Mako variant built on the same chasses” Jacob explained “they got rid of the extra armour to make it lighter and replaced the turret with langrage sensors and scanners” Jacob reached up to gesture towards several dishes and antennae that lined the tanks top “gunner seat was replaced with a tech operator. Pretty common in servery teams and scout units, apparently they made another type called the M35 Muninn but I've never seen one”

“that would be the point” Miranda remarked as she strode over “M35 Muninn’s are outfitted with the Mako’s armaments but they had the troop transport section replaced with a cloaking tech and jammers along with the space for an operator”

“so a stealth Mako” Jane mumbled “that sounds.....rather useful, has the alliance started using them?”

“a little.” Miranda answered grimly “too expensive for widespread use. Some have been assigned to black ops teams or N7 squads. But they are a rarity”

“that's a shame” John sighed as he continued to looked around the cool space

“hehem” Kasumi cleared her throat drawing the teams attention.

Glancing towards the source of the noise Jane saw the hooded thief stood by a door that appeared to lead further into the facility before she spoke again

“as interesting as this tank talk as been shouldn't we get on with the mission?”

“y-yes of course” Jane answered as she brought her focus back to the mission at hand gesturing for the team to follow as she made her way towards the waiting thief

-ten minutes later, Vulcan station command centre-

The door into the command room of the facility slid open to reveal a rather surprising sight. Stood opposite to Jane was a Loki mech covered in the rogue systems green energy. Gunfire echoed through the room as the machine fired continuously into the control system linked to the lockdown followed by metal clanking as it began slamming its foot into the base of the console as its weapon overheated.

“what the-” Jacob began to mumble the nose drawing the attention of the mech which whipped around towards them.

Jane based for an attack that didn't come, instead the mech dropped its weapon and raised its arms as if surrendering the green pixilated face on its screen shifting into a look of pained fear.

Before Jane could even process the sight a single gunshot rang through the room as the mech exploded to pieces. Followed by the collective scream of

“GRUNT!” that erupted from John and Kasumi

“what!?” the young Krogan yelled back in an exasperated voice “it was taken over by the machine!”

“it dropped its weapon and raised its arms in surrender” Jane scolded as she faced the Krogan

“s-surrender?” Grunt echoed his face contorted in confusion

“your kidding” Jacob uttered while Miranda facepalmed

“you mean to tell me you don't know what surrender means?” Jane asked as she narrowed her eyes at Grunt

“i-i don't” Grunt mumbled as his blue eyes shifted to the ground

Jane saw John pinch the bridge of his nose out of the corner of her eyes as Hemlock strode closer

“the current galactic definition of surrender is the following” Hemlock declared as Grunt looked towards him “’to stop resisting to an enemy or opponent and to submit to their authority’ when used in the context of warfare if a party surrenders while unarmed they are to be taken prisoner. This unit advises you take this into account on further missions”

“so I'm not supposed to kill them?” Grunt uttered still confused as Jane sighed and walked over to the console

“no young Grunt” Archembald answered followed by the sound of a metal gauntlet patting an armoured shoulder “to kill a foe that cannot protect themselves is to bring dishonour to oneself. The greatest trait of a warrior is to know when to fight and kill and when to speak and protect”

“i think i get it” Grunt replied allowing a smile to form on Janes face as an alarm signalled the deactivation of the Vulcan lockdown control.

The joy was short-lived, as Jane was quickly flooded with shock as several large pixilated faces appeared on the rooms many screens and let out another horrific binary shriek sending her tumbling back into a solid metal object.

Glancing upwards Jane saw Hemlock his many eyes looking over the now black screens as though examining something that wasn't there.

“doesn't seem happy” Jacob commented as Jane stabilised herself

“can't blame it” Kasumi said with a said glint in her eye “why is it trying to kill us but also being non violent?”

“because it is confused” Hemlock replied as he turned towards the waiting team “the process of fusing an organic mind with the Geth consensus is taxing on the individual. To due so forcefully has likely resulted in a form of madness and extreme turmoil for the individual.”

“that's horrible” Jane whispered as John let out a growl

“still think Cerberus is ‘humanity's great hope’” he asked sarcastically as he looked at Miranda

“YOU THINK I WANTED THIS!” Miranda snapped back “Cerberus is supposed to be about protecting humanity when the alliance cant! I didn't know about Archers work! I didn't support it! Death is a part of everything! It should be expected when taking risks! But i never wanted this! I never wanted people to die for nothing!”

The raven haired woman gasped for air as she finished her furious rant. Blue eyes met with Janes green as she and John shared a look before he stepped towards Miranda and placed a hand on her shoulder

“I'm sorry Miranda. I shouldn't have said that-”

“you did though” Miranda spat back “that's not why I'm upset. I'm upset because you are all right.......the galaxy has every reason to hate us”

For the first time Jane saw Miranda dawn a sombre pained look as the other members of the team shared looks of concern and awkward confusion until finally Jane stepped forward

“let keep moving” she ordered “we can all sit down and talk about our concerns once the mission is over”

Nodding in agreement the members of the team turned and begin filing out of the room one by one leaving Miranda as the last who spent one last moment looking at one of the dead engineers before she whipped away a hidden tear and turned to follow the others.

-half an hour later, Prometheus station-

“that's a crosier!?” Jacob cried as he clambered out of the shuttle Infront of Jane “its massive!”

“you can say that again” Kasumi agreed as Jane shared a look with John both clearly thinking of how they would react to the enormous Adentri dreadnoughts being build in Kaddi’s orbit as they spoke.

“this vessel shares the same identification marks as one reported mission six months ago” Hemlock stated as he walked across the platform to examine a nearby terminal

“how did it go missing?” Jane asked as John arrived at her side

“its last report states it was at risk of being caught in a cosmic storm” Hemlock answered as he idly tapped at some of the terminals controls

“how could it have gotten here then?” John questioned his blue eyes running over the crashed vessel “Atie is outside of Geth space”

“this units current theory is the ship was damaged by the storm and the runtimes in its systems overloaded. When Geth runtimes are overloaded they experience something akin to organic panic attacks or hysteria often resulting in brash poorly calculated decisions.” Hemlock pressed a final button making the large Cerberus door into the ship slid open as he continued to speak “the runtimes piloting this vessel likely made a desperate FTL jump to escape the storm. Due to poor calculations they this likely resulted in impact with Atie while the lingering energy damage to the ships systems led to the Geth onboard entering stasis hence their inactivity when Cerberus located the vessel”

Jane mumbled “makes sense” as she strode forwards leading the team into the derelict Geth cruiser

“hey Hemlock” Jacob addressed as the team made its way through narrow corridors “why wasn't a distress beacon sent out?”

“Geth vessels are not outfitted with distress beacons” Hemlock stated simply “when an emergency is declared the runtimes in control of the vessel send out a pulse that is directed by long-range Geth scanners. In almost all cases this is more effective then a distress beacon outside of events where-”

“the runtimes are overloaded” Jane finished earning her a nod from the taller cyborg as he began hacking the controls to another door

“correct” Hemlock confirmed “no pulse was sent out form this vessel. Geth ships were scrambled to its last known location but nothing was found. Squads of immortals were sent to planets that neighboured the system but no trace could be located. The consensus will be pleased that its lost vessel has been located. It will not be pleased to know that its fellow platforms were experimented on”

A small his echoed as the door slid open to reveal atrium with a massive Geth floating in a holographic chamber of sorts in its centre. Green energy coursing across its body as it slumbered.

“another prime” Grunt scoffed as the team walked in

“i don't know” Kasumi muttered as she looked closer “the primes were white. This is black and yellow.”

“the primes didn't have all the extra stuff on them” Jacob remarked pointed to several antenna protruding from the machine's back along with large coils that ran across the hard shell body

“these statements are correct” Hemlock stated as he walked over “the platform before you is the prototype Geth Primus”

“Geth Primus” Jane echoed in confusion as she looked closer at the corrupted machine, its three small eyes looking blankly forward as the ships systems held it in place

“what is a Geth Primus?” John asked outright as he began to make his way to a set of stairs leading to the atriums second floor

“the Geth prime platform dates back to the months following the morning war” Hemlock explained as the rest of the team began climbing the stairs “little has been changed since outside of minor tech upgrades. The Geth Primus was a design created by engineering chief Belisarius and his team using tech research gathered from the study of Sovereign-”

“Belisarius” Jane echoed as she saw Miranda’s jaw drop out of the corner of her eyes “is that the same Belisarius that is on the board?”

“correct” Hemlock confirmed “the Geth Primus was designed to be a more power variant of the prime platform. However they are rare and rather unpopular among the Geth military structure”

“why?” Grunt scoffed “are they not more powerful?”

“current statistics indicates a Geth Primus is around two time more effective in combat then a Geth Prime-”

“then why aren't they using them!!” Grunt demanded

Hemlock went dead still before turning to face the Krogan his many eyes boring into the younger being. Jane held her breath worried she would have to intervene on Grunts behalf.

“are you familiar with the term combat doctrine?” the cyborg questioned surprising everyone

“yes” Grunt growled after a moment clearly still surprised by the question “Okeer mentioned it lots in my memories. But i never made sense of it-”

“combat doctrine” Hemlock cut in “is the fundamental principles behind a military organization and how it desires to conduct warfare.” Hemlock began to pace back and forth Infront of the Krogan as his many eyes continued to watch him “each species in this galaxy possesses its own combat doctrine. The Salarians, espionage. The Krogan, numbers and raw power. The alliance, lighting tactics and adaptability... The Geth military doctrine is numbers in mass. When the Geth go to war they descend on their foe as a horde of steel”

Jane watched Grunt’s eyes narrow as he listened to the cyborgs words intently

“for the same resources needed to make a single Primus platform the Geth can have two and a half primes” Hemlock continued “the Geth choose to have those numbers rather than a more powerful unit. A single Geth Primus can secure and hold a planet sector. Two Geth Prime’s can secure and hold two with the needed supports. Now tell this unit Grunt, following the Geth military doctrine. Which is a better match?”

“two Primes” Grunt replied as his eyes widened in understanding

“correct” Hemlock replied as he turned and continued down the walkway “one day you shall be a commander Grunt. Continue to learn the functions of military organization, and you will succeed where your predecessors have failed”

Jane glanced to John who was nodding at the cyborgs words having clearly found the beings statement to be sound advice. The rest of the team stared in a mixture of confusion or understanding until they were jolted back to reality by the sound of a door opening as Hemlock stood on the far side of the Atrium waiting for them.

Not wasting anymore time Jane strode forward the rest of the team following close behind

-ten minutes later, Prometheus station hanger-

Jane’s lips pushed together in a tight line as her green eyes trailed over the large flooded hanger. Some Geth fighters still hanging from the rigging while others protruded from the deep flood water like small metal islands.

“this is the main command room?” John muttered

“apparently” Jacob sighed

“the control console appears to be on the far side of the room” Archembald stated as he pointed to a platform with several active terminals that was beyond the water.

“why don't we just swim?” Grunt asked once again confused

“the water has lethal levels of voltage flowing through it” Hemlock answered before pointing to several large metal platforms on the water “Cerberus appears to have used floating platforms to cross the water”

“how do we move them?” Jacob questioned

“that large console system would be my first guess” Miranda deadpanned as she pointed to a large screen with several controls located at the stop of a nearby flight of stairs.

“oh....” Jacob uttered as Hemlock strode past towards the terminal Jane following close behind

Minutes later Hemlock had taken control of the system and shifted the platforms into a location that allowed the team to safely cross the lethal water. Not wasting any time Jane marched across the floating platforms towards the control area where several Geth in various states of deconstruction were laid out on desks. before finally reaching the terminals where she pulled the switch deactivating the last of the lockdown key’s.

Jane allowed a smile to form on her face as the screens Infront of her went black.

“well that was easy-” Jacob remarked only to be cut off by a deep sigh from John

“lad” Archembald said in an almost sagely voice as he placed a large hand on the mans shoulder “first law of dangerous environments. Never say that-”

Suddenly all the screens flashed green as the same pixilated face appeared and let out a horrific desperate scream as alarms began to blare all around them.

“what the hell is going on!?” John roared as distant mechanical echo's rang out

“the rogue system has overridden the Geth stasis fields” Hemlock stated his voice cold as ever

“what does that MEAN!” Kasumi demanded

“every functional Geth on this vessel is activating” Hemlock replied as he drew his pistol and swiftly fired two shots into nearby Geth platforms as they began to move

“we need to get out of here!” John roared as he drew his shotgun and began sprinting across the platforms.

Jane followed close behind with the rest of the team. As they reached the door a second binary roar thundered through the ship this one far deeper and more commanding.

Racing down the narrow corridors of the vessel the team watched as chaos broke lose as Geth troopers overflowing with green energy began to fight with untainted Hunters and destroyers

“why are they attacking each other!?” Grunt asked as they ran past

“many of the more advanced platforms had yet to be corrupted” Hemlock explained as he gunned down several Geth “this unit has ordered them to engage the corrupted platforms”

“good job!” Jane yelled as she flung a wave of biotic energy into a small group of Geth

The chaos continued as the team desperately raced through their second warzone for the day dodging and weaving between gunfire and explosions until they finally burst through the door into the main atrium where they were met with a dread inducing sight.

Stood over the smoking husks of hunters and destroyers was the massive green clad outline of the now functioning Geth Primus

“you have got to be kid-” John began to mutter before a deafening roar burst from the primus as it aimed its massive LMG towards the team.

A rush of air hit Jane’s side as Archembald darted past and leapt over the edge bringing his Morningstar slamming down onto the primus. A shockwave of energy blasted away from the figures as the weapon made contact with the large machine, the attacks power sending the LMG flying away.

The Primus recovered quickly moving faster then Jane expected it slammed its large metal fist into Archembald’s shield with enough force to send the large night skidding across the room. a bullet whizzed past forcing Jane to duck as John charged past, flinging himself into the large Geth platform with biotic energy. Jane watched in horror as the Primus barely moved from the attack, quickly responding by swinging one of its arms sending John flying across the room slamming into the wall.

“ARRGGGH!” Grunt screamed as he took his turn to leap over the edge landing on the massive platforms back and wrapping his arms around its head before pulling it back offsetting the beings balance.

The machine began to stop about as it tried to dislodge the Krogan from its back. Using the opportunity Archembald bounded forward slamming his Morningstar into the back of the Primus’s leg joint with enough force to send a second shockwave of energy blasting back.

The mechanical beast made a howl of fury as it crashed to its knee, continuing to flail about wildly in an effort to remove Grunt who was laughing manically. Archembald drew back his Morningstar before swinging it full force once more, the crackling energy weapon slamming into the back of the Primus with explosive force, tearing a gaping hole in the machines back revealing what appeared to be a large metal spine running up the creature. Acting quickly Archembald reached out with his shielded hand and griped the metal tube.

The sound of tearing metal echoed through the room as the giant knight ripped the metal cord from its back. While the metal beast screamed desperately until with one final desperate thrash the Primus went still as the lights across the body flickered out. A crash reverberated through the atrium as the Primus slammed to the ground, sparks still shooting from its back followed bay another clang as Archembald tossed the large metal spine to the side and made his way over to help John to his feet.

Jane let a deep sigh of relief escape her as she clambered to her feet and began making her way towards the stares, the other four members of the team trailing close behind.

-half an hour later, Atlas station-

“are you sure your alright John?” Kasumi asked as the shuttle slowly began to descend into the massive entrance to Atlas station

“y-yeah” John winced as he rubbed his back “armour took most of the impact, just a bit sore is all”

“your sure” Jane questioned while fixing her brother with a stern look “this could be dangerous-”

“I'm fine Jane” he countered as his blue eyes met with hers “i promise”

A weak smile made its way to Janes face as she nodded before dropping the subject. Her focus returning to the dark chamber the shuttle was descending into.

“beginning landing” the pilot called over the comm after a view more minutes

“just how deep is this base?” Jacob questioned as he looked out the viewport

“telemetry data indicates the shuttle is currently four hundred metres bellow ground level” Hemlock remarked as the shuttle jolted to a stop followed by the hissing of the door opening

As Jane made her way out of the shuttle onto the cold metal and stone landing pad she heard Jacob mutter behind her

“all this security and the damn thing still escaped-”

Before being suddenly cut off by Archer’s voice coming over the comms

“I'm getting some troubling readings......” Archer uttered frantically his voice becoming progressively more staticky “the Vi is trying to upload its programme directly from your location! You need to stop it-”

Silence fell over the team as the doctors voice cut out leaving them to navigate this final hellish station alone.

“something tells me this wont be easy” Kasumi uttered as they began walking down the path towards the door

“it never is” John sighed making Jane snicker at what was becoming a running joke amongst them.

As soon as the team walked through the doorway at the end of the walkway metal doors slammed shut behind them and sealed, leaving them locked in a pitch black room.

“this isn't good” Miranda uttered as Jane noticed Hemlock’s glowing eyes moving across the room followed by some sparks

Suddenly the was flooded with cold sterile white light revealing another horrific scene in the form of a man sat at a nearby reception desk, his head resting on his neck and an odd unnatural angle.

“this way” John ordered as he led the team down a narrow corridor towards a set of double doors. As the team got closer a hiss echoed as the doors unsealed themselves before opening wide.

“creepy” Kasumi whispered as her hand shifted towards her holstered pistol

Drawing her own sidearm, Jane crept forward through the doors into a hallway where she was greeted with several human corpses littering the ground and slumped over a makeshift barricade made of desks and other pieces of furniture which still had hot blast marks and drying blood on them.

Taking a deep breath Jane silently gestured for the team to continue as she turned and made her way down the hall towards a stairwell where several destroyed Geth platforms lay surrounded by bullet holes and blast marks.

Continuing down the stairs and into a new hallway the team was met with the sound of doors slamming shut behind them. Carefully creeping down this new hall Jane glanced through a large window into what had been a kitchen space now turned horror scene.

Three corpses littered the room, a woman clad in a officers uniform lay in a puddle of blood near the door while two male bodies in cooks attires lay atop counters. The closest of the two completely missing their head while the one further way was charred and smoking from being placed atop a active stovetop, holding back the sick feeling in her stomach Jane was just grateful the door had been shut locking away the smell of the scene.

“i notice for such a dangerous project there is a lack of trained military personnel” Archembald remarked as the team continued to move forward

“Cerberus doesn't do maned security” Jacob remarked “everyone goes through three months of weapons training, other then that they rely on the mechs-”

“so the main security force for a project about developing AI was....robots?” John asked clearly struggling to grasp the pure stupidity of the idea

“clearly” Miranda scoffed “another case of the illusive man not caring about the damage as long as he gets what he wants”

Jane smiled at the raven haired woman's scornful tone only to come to a halt as she reached the end of the hall as five sets of heavy blast doors sealed one by one blocking the teams advance.

“what now-” Grunt began to say before being cut off as a door to their left opened revealing what appeared to be a large office space.

Jane sighed to herself as she turned and crept into the space only to go completely still as an audio recording began to play from a nearby terminal

“Archers log 181.01” the familiar voice of Dr Archer muttered “the illusive man is going to shut down the project if we don't see results in the coming week. I have no choice. I'm going to tap David into the Geth neural network, see if he can influence the Geth....who knows, he might even enjoy it”

Jane felt a horrified dread flood her veins as the words echoed in her mind glancing around she saw Kasumi and Jacob dawning similar looks of horror while Johns face contorted into an expression of anger

“always rushing us” Miranda muttered in a venomous voice “half the problems Cerberus has is from him pushing scientists to take unneeded risks”

“c-come on” Jane ordered her voice hollow as she lead the team towards an elevator located on the far side of the room.

Fitting everyone inside was difficult but they succeeded only for the doors to slam shut as the elevator plummeted downwards while a horrific metal screeching rang on all sides. The metal box shook as it slammed into the ground, smoke flooded the space fortunately the doors slid open letting the team clammer out into a research section full of inactive Geth platforms and central Geth nodes that had been striped from the cruiser. As the team regained their footing another recording began to play from a nearby terminal

“Archers logs 188.04” Archer’s recorded voice uttered “i’d be lying if i said no harm could come to David. His mind is as Alien to me as an Asari’s or Salarian’s. Anything could happen when we plug him in. But i have to try, don’t i?”

“the bastard knew it was dangerous and he still did it!?” John roared as the recording ended fury washing over his face.

Jane felt like a cold knife had been twisted in her stomach as Archers words continued to echo in her head until she finally marched towards the rooms door determined to end David's suffering.

The rest of the team quickly joined her as they advanced down another corridor towards a large blast door that still had active controls. As they reached the door Jane press the controls only for them to crackle with green energy and fade out as the green energy flowed along the serface of the wall towards a door on the lefthand side of the corridor which slid open as the energy reached it.

Not wasting any time the team quickly moved through the door into what appeared to be a massive systems room full of server nodes and a large console system a few feet from the door with two corpses slumped against it.

Jane carefully crept towards the console with John close behind as Hemlock called to them

“this unit warns coming into contact with systems in this room. All systems present are directly linked to the rogue system”

“which means turning off this console my deactivate it” John replied with a sigh as he strode towards the system and began to reach out towards a large button labelled ‘terminate’

“get ready” John warned as he glanced back “i wouldn't be surprised if this summoned a reaper at this point”

“John wait!” Jane cried as she lunged towards her brother in an effort to stop him, her hand landing on his shoulder right as he pressed the holographic button

A blinding light flashed in Jane’s eyes as a horrific tortured binary screech thundered inside her own skull. Pain washed over as a familiar green energy consumed her body. After what felt like an eternity the pain faded as Jane’s eyes cleared allowing her to take in her surroundings.

The space around her had completely changed, the scenery all becoming a digitalised semi transparent green. While the members of the team all become a transparent pale white as their mouths moved to speak but what came out was complete gibberish. glancing to her side Jane saw John who remained exactly as he had been before touching the terminal along with Hemlock who had a physical appearance the same as John but was covered in red energy that was flowing all around him in waves.

“w-what the-” Jane whispered as she noticed Jacob beginning to reach towards her only to be stopped as Hemlock’s metal hand clamped around the mans arm

“don’t.” Hemlock ordered sternly his voice even deeper then usual and accompanied by a deep binary echo “The Vi has infected their cybernetics. They are disorientated, if interrupted more damage could occur”

Glancing towards John Jane saw him staring at the cyborg intently before glancing at her and shrugging in confusion

“H-Hemlock” Jane whispered as she glanced back to the crimson clad cyborg “c-can you understand us?”

Hemlock answered in binary which Jane instantly understood to her surprise

“what is happening?” John asked as he continued to look around in confusion

Jane’s eyes suddenly bolted up to look over Hemlock’s shoulder as she noticed the familiar figure of Archer now transparent like the others stride down the hall accompanied by two other transparent men

“you saw them too?” John asked his voice becoming concerned

“i did” Jane confirmed “Hemlock, we just saw a transparent Archer and two other men walk down the hall”

“what should we do then?” John questioned

“okay” Jane said as she shared a nod with John

Carefully the pair moved out of the room into the hallway only for the door to slam shut and lock behind them. As the sets of blast doors form before opened allowing them further access to the facility. Sharing one last nod they pushed forwards.

Carefully making their way down a green digital hallway everything seemed to be alright until a synthetic voice screamed withing their own minds

“make it stop!”

“damn” John cried as he winced in pain

“H-Hemlock wasn't exaggerating” Jane uttered “make it stop”

Carefully they crept around a corner where they were met with a transparent glowing green Geth which immediately opened fire at them. Not wasting any time Jane channelled her biotic energy and unleashed it sending a wave of energy slamming into the Geth which shattered like glass upon impact.

“what the he-” John uttered before being cut off

Hemlock’s deep binary voice echoed all around them

“Hemlock!” Jane yelled as she looked around frantically “where are you? How are you speaking to us?”

“isn't that dangerous?” John cried

“so you can see us?” Jane asked

“okay” John said with a nod “lets stop this system before it does anything else”

Jane made her way down the hall with John close behind until they eventually found themselves entering a large digitalised lab where two transparent pale figures stood. One was Archer who stood looking over a data pad as a active Geth strapped to a chair sat nearby all the while the other was a younger looking bald man who was sat on a counter mumbled to himself

“square root of 906.01 is 30.1....square root of 912.04 is 30.2...”

“time on this project is running out” Archer uttered “there are no options left.....but how to get the Geth’s attention”

the Geth said in binary drawing the man on the counters attention

the man on the counter said mimicking the basic aspects of the binary language as he stood up

At this point Archer looked up from his data pad before glancing towards the blad man like he was some sacred artifact

“the robot says hello” the bald man mumbled shyly

“eureka!” Archer cried as he dropped the data pad “David, you are a miracle worker”

The figures faded away as the synthetic voice made what Jane could only describe as a sob

“d-did he speak to the Geth?” John questioned as Jane stared at the surroundings

Hemlock’s deep binary voice answered

“amazing” Jane whispered as the familiar figures flickered into being across the room

“Square root of 906.01 is 30.1... square root of 912.04 is 30.2” David muttered frantically as he Wrung his hands together

“David can you repeat my notes from Thursday’s experiment?” Archer asked without looking up from his terminal

“square root of 918.09 is 30.3.....” David continued his hands rubbing together even faster as his eyes bolted about”

“David!” Archer yelled as he whipped around from his terminal “please pay attention!”

“loud!” David cried as his hands bolted up to clutch his head “its getting loud!”

Archers eyes widened as he lowered his head before taking a deep breath

“I'm sorry David” Archer said gently as he carefully embraced the man “you didn't deserve that. Could you please repeat the notes from Thursday’s experiment”

David shook slightly as he nodded “log 137.3. the Experiment yielded no discernible patterns of Geth obedience. End dictation now. Hell, the elusive mans going to have my head for this-”

Archer let out a grim sigh as he stepped away from David and whispered

“thank you.......how are you feeling today”

“square root of 924.16 is 30.4” David replied as he began to wring his hands together and look about frantically once more “....earplugs would be good”

The figures faded as the Vi let out another sob like sound.

“he was using him as a personal recorder!” John roared furiously “his own brother!”

“He seems to love him” Jane uttered her stomach twisting in horror “but he also seems to like using him as a tool..........anything you can add Hemlock?”

Silence followed before Hemlock’s booming binary voice answered

< statement: Archer made the same mistake many before him have. He assumed the Geth were mindless systems to be controlled and manipulated. Had he treated them as they are, beings of independence and the ability to act for themselves his project would have been more successful>

Archer and David appeared once more. This time accompanied by a man in science scrubs and another in engineering garb. All of them gathered around a Geth shock trooper that was hoisted into the air by a machine

“David, i want you to order the Geth to take a step forward” Archer asked

David said in a mimicry of the Geth language

Within seconds the Geth shock trooper began to move its legs as though attempting to walk making David smile ever so slightly

David whispered so quietly none of the others heard him

“amazing” the engineer whispered

“how does he do it?” the scientist asked as David leaned against a cabinet bringing his legs up to his chest and pulling his arms around them to make a ball

“David is a mathematical Savant” Archer explained as the other to men joined him gathering around David “his mind can interpret the Geth language at is more basic form and mimic their Phenetics. With his photographic memory, cross-referencing the meaning is a snap. He's literally a human computer”

“and you think he can interface with the Geth’s Neural network?” the engineer asked

“i do” Archer answered proudly

“is that even safe doctor?” the Scientist asked clearly not as confidant at Archer

“i see no harm in finding out” Archer answered simply as the figures faded

Jane felt sick to her stomach as she glanced to John who was dawning a look pf pure fury

“nothing but a tool” John spat as a light formed a path along the ground leading back to the corridor

“a-all of this to fight the Geth” Jane whispered “a-an enemy we don't need to fight”

Hemlock’s voice boomed

“true” Jane whispered “h-he asked so politely”

“and he smiled when the Geth did it” John finished “hell he even thanked it. This poor guy. We need to stop this, now”

Jane nodded in agreement as John led the way into the next room where they entered an elevator that lowered down a singular level. The doors slid open to reveal a terrifying sight. Sat in the centre of the room was a machine completely consumed by a orb of the rogue systems green energy with the faint black outline of what appeared to be a human at its centre as several holographic barriers hovered around it.

As the pair got closer to the orb more transparent pale figures appeared before them. Archer and the scientist from before stood surrounded by equipment next to the orb as their voices echoed all around

“Square root of 906.01 is 30.1...” David's voice said frantically sounding like it was on the verge of tears “square root of 912.04 is 30.2”

“we’re ready” Archer declared his voice grim “open a connection to the Geth network”

Binary shrieking thundered through the room only to be silenced by a desperate yell

“QUIET!” David yelled as the transparent figures were surrounded by Geth

“David no!” Archer ordered “tell the Geth to stand down!”

“QUIET!” David cried desperately his voice becoming more synthetic “PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!”

Hemlocks binary voice thundered

“how do we do that?!” John asked as he primed his shotgun

Hemlock explained

“on it!” Jane yelled as several Geth constructs began to form around the massive chamber

Drawing her pistol Jane saw what looked like a large transparent pipe overhead with a large green orb of energy running along it. Not wasting a second she fired into the orb which erupted into an explosion of energy which shattered several nearby constructs and began a chain reaction that resulted in the detonation of the node.

Glancing to the far side of the room Jane watched as John slammed through a small horde of constructs with a biotic charge before firing his shotgun into into another green orb which exploded with the same effect as the first destroying the second node and the surrounding constructs

“David!” Archer’s voice pleaded “you need to stop this!”

“DAVID DOESN’T WANT TO BE HERE!!!!” David screamed back desperately

A twisting pain stabbed at Jane’s heart as she dodged incoming fire from another group of constructs which John quickly took the opportunity to slam into with a charge leaving Jane open to fire on the last energy orb.

Lining up the shot Jane held her breath as she pulled the trigger. The whole world seemed to go quiet as the bullet raced through the air before slamming into the orb which burst into an explosion what consumed the rest of the pipe and the node.

In the centre of the room energy began to build around the central green orb that began to grow brighter and brighter as David's synthetic voice desperately cried

“QUIET! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!”

Jane braced as the orb exploded into a wave of green energy that flooded the whole room with light blinding Jane as it washed over her.

As the light began to fade a deafening silence overtook to room. Finally Jane opened her eyes to find herself once again seeing the real plane of existence. Glancing around she took in the sight of the dark chamber before she quickly shifted her attention to the rooms centre as a gasp of pure horror escaped her

In the dead centre of the chamber where the orb of energy had been moments prior now resided a machine with a man strapped inside

The man was held in the air by a metal dock that reached up from two struts on either side of his body. His arms stretched out other side of him with each of them lined with five metal spikes impaling them, a wire at each spikes end running up towards the head of the machine

The mans head was leaned back, several small metal claws lined his eyes forcefully holding them open while metal spikes and wires pierced the man bald head.

The mans mouth was forced open by more tiny claws that allowed two massive tubes to be forcefully shoved down his throat all while a metal cage brace was bolted into his neck.

“m-my-” Jane whispered as she held back the urge to vomit while carefully creeping towards the machine John following close behind

Green eyes stared into bloodshot brown as David looked down at her desperately

“quiet” he pleaded his voice echoing over the intercom “please make it stop”

“m-my..........” Jane stuttered as he began to shake

To her side John was doing no better, his hand placed over his mouth to prevent throwing up while his piercing blue eyes were wide with horror

Taking a deep breath to try and steel herself Jane began to creep towards the machine only to stop dead when she heard the voice of the devil call out behind her

“Commanders” Archer yelled as he sprinted into the room “wait!”

“wait for what!!!” John roared as Jane turned to face the scientist

“I'm begging you” Archer pleaded breathlessly as he stopped opposite to them “don’t do anything rash-”

“rash!” Jane screamed her fury, hatred, and pure distain bursting forth “RASH!, rash like forcing your own brother into this hellish experiment! Rash, like treating him as little more then a tool! Rash, like saying you ‘didn’t see the harm in finding out!’ Tell me Archer! WHAT THE HELL ABOUT THIS WASN’T RASH!!!!”

Archer recoiled from Jane’s yelling as he rubbed his face with both hands

“i know how this looks” he uttered “but i never intended any harm would come to him. You have to believe me-”

“why the hell would we do that!” John screamed “since we got here all you have done is lie! You said it was a vi, it wasn't! You said your brother volunteered, he didn't! Hell we heard your logs Archer! You knew it was a danger! You just didn't care!”

“i didn’t plan this!” Archer cried as he paced about “it was an accident! Seeing David speak communicate with the Geth......it all seemed harmless”

“Harmless!!” Jane thundered “HARMLESS! Your brother is hanging from a nightmarish machine that i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy and you thought it was harmless!”

“i had not choice!” Archer yelled back “the Illusive man doesn't Broker failure! Any war we fight with the Geth will be bloody. I was asked to find away to avoid that!-”

“this is the Problem with you Cerberus lunatics!” John screamed as he slammed his finger into Archers chest “you are all so focused on the wrong fucking enemies! All this time! All this blood! All this pain! And for what!?! The ability to fight a foe that wants to be left the fuck alone! The ability to say we have a weapon against the one species that doesn't have any reason to attack us!”

Archer stumbled back his lips beginning to quiver as he glanced back towards David, tears starting to form in his silent pleading eyes

“you would sacrifice your brother?” Jane asked her voice now a deep venomous whisper “his happiness? his freedom? his life? All for your own ambition and senseless delusions”

Archers face was still as he stared into his brothers desperate sobbing eyes. Blue met brown as the scientist’s face contorted into a look of shame as he looked over his subject

All around them David tortured voice echoed over the comm

“square root of 906.01 equals-”

“30.1” Archer whispered tears rolled down his face “w-what i have done to David is unethical. If he dies.....it is unforgivable........let me take care of him............please”

“not a chance in hell” John growled “we have seen what happens when you ‘take care of him’”

“bu-” Archer began to say before being cut off by a blood chilling scream

Jane glanced around to see the rest of the team arriving. Each of them taking in the nightmarish sight Infront of them

Kasumi was pale, her hands cupping her mouth as her eyes stared unblinkingly at David

Jacob’s face contorted into a look of share disgust as he glared from David towards Archer

Archembald’s grip tightened on his Morningstar as his helmed head faced the scientist

Even Grunts eyes widened in horror at the monstrosity before him.

Miranda leaned against a pillar for support, her cold exterior briefly shattered as she stared at David in horror

And in Hemlock, for the briefest of moments she what looked to be Pure unbridled rage. His remaining muscles contorted into a look of unmatched fury as his organic eye gleamed with a cold hatred. Before it was gone once more

“David is coming with us” Jane declared as she looked back to Archer “Hemlock, get him out of this”

The cyborg approached as Archer collapsed to his knees. His tearful blue eyes staring up at David

“w-what have i done” he whispered

“Archembald detain him” John ordered “he’s coming with us, i don't know what we will do with him. But he needs to pay”

The knight gave a nod as he marched over, his giant hand reaching down and subduing Archer, before lifting him to his feet.

“i-I'll come with you” Jane uttered as Archembald turned to lead Archer from the room “i-i can't be here anymore”

Jane saw John give a weak nod as he turned back towards David.

Silently Jane and Archembald began to lead Archer from the room as Davids agonised voice echoed over the intercom over and over

“square root of 912.04 is 30.2......it all seemed harmless....”

“square root of 912.04 is 30.2.......it all seemed harmless.....”

“square root of 912.04 is 30.2.......it all seemed harmless.....”

“square root of 912.04 is 30.2.......it all seemed harmless.....”

-many hours later, Normandy briefing room-

Jane felt sick as she stood at the table. John opposite to her, and Hemlock at its end.

“w-what do we do with him?” John finally asked breaking the silence that had hung over the room for half an hour

“D-David” Jane asked sombrely making John nod

“y-yeah”

“i-i don't know” jane whispered “after something like that........you would never be the same.....”

“c-could the Adentri take him in?” John asked as he glanced to Hemlock

“no” the cyborg answered instantly

“w-why not?” Jane asked almost desperately

“David has suffered extreme amounts of psychological damage” Hemlock stated “much of which stems from an obsession with Geth and their systems. To live with the Adentri......to be so close to the Geth home world.....he would never recover..... never stabilise. Bringing him to Kaddi would be taking him from one form of hell and sending him straight to another”

“Your right” John agreed grimly as he slammed his fist on the table “so where can we send him”

“Forgive my intrusion” Edi cut in as her blue avatar appeared “but flight lieutenant Moreau has suggested a location

“w-where?” Jane asked

“Grissom Acadamy” Edi answered “Mr Moreau states that it is suited for caring for special cases such as David. He believes he will be well treated there”

“its the best we have” John uttered as Jane nodded sadly in agreement “set course and notify them of what is coming”

“yes commander” was all Edi answered with as her avatar disappeared leaving a silence hanging over the room

“w-what about Archer” Jane whispered after a few minutes “w-we can't just hold him on the ship”

“this unit shall arrange transport to the white tower” Hemlock said his voice cold

“the maximum security Adentri prison?” Jane asked memory of her conversation with Legion flowing back

“correct” Hemlock confirmed

“i don't know what it is” John sighed “if its an Adentri prison im all for it. We cant let him keep running about, and we sure as hell cant send him back to Cerberus”

“the illusive man wont be happy” jane uttered as she fiddled with her hair

“he sent us in” John countered “he knew what was going on in those stations. If he thought, we would allow it to continue he clearly doesn't know us as well as he thinks he does”

“y-yeah” Jane agreed as she looked back to the waiting cyborg “make the preparations”

Hemlock gave one of his curt nods as he turned and departed the room, his coat flowing behind him.

Jane felt herself shake, the images of David strapped into that machine still hunting her mind as she made her way towards the elevator so she could have a hot shower and rest to recover from the nightmare she had just lived.

Chapter Text

John stared into the darkness as six sets of eyes looked back.

“You have been rather busy” Theodora remarked with a wide smirk

“You can say that again” John sighed as Jane chuckled to his left

“Trying to put a human mind into the consensus” Winter muttered while shaking her head “its-”

“idiotic” Veronica finished

“i would prefer foolish” Winter mused “or stupid, daft, blasphomus, moronic, dull, asinine, or-”

“Enough”, Belisarius cut in before pressing a button that brought up a map of the galaxy “We have contacted you both for a reason. We have determined the next collector target”

“Great!” Jane exclaimed, “Where is it!?”

“The colony world Horizon” Belisarius answered pressing another button that highlighted a system in the terminus before zooming onto a world “an argricultural backwater, little tourisum, and the only frequent transports are carrying food into the treverse.”

“following the collectors attack pattern we are certain they will taget it next” Abelard continued while folding his hands together “has Doctor Solus managed to create a protection against the swarms for your team?”

“Not currently” John answered “The last report said he was on the verge of completion”

“Well, i hope he works well under pressure” Ulysses sighed as he leaned back “i doubt Legion and Hemlock are interested in fighting a whole horde of collectors by themselves-”

“probably doesn't make a difference to either” Winter mumbled, earning her a stern look from Abelard “What I'm just sayin-”

“Enough”, Theodora sighed, although John could see the smirk in her eye “Back to the point, we would like you to head straight to Horizon. Hopefully we can catch these bugs offgaurd”

“On it” John said with a nod

“Lovely” Theodora smiled “Do take care”

And like that, the feed cut out, leaving the pair in the dark.

“Joker set a course for Horizon” Jane ordered as John turned to make his way out of the briefing room's door

-several hours later, Horizon outskirts-

Gravel crunched beneath John’s boot as he stepped out of the shuttle. Jane and the other members of the team quickly followed behind.

“i can’t believe they got here first” Jane muttered as she primed her pistol

“they certainly act quick-” Garrus agreed before being cut off

“Where the hell is the colony” Jack demanded as she looked around to see only trees and fields

“The colony hub is located on the far side of that mountain range” Hemlock stated as he pointed to the set of large peaks located to the left “Due to the collector presence in the hub, the shuttle was forced to land here for safety”

“Then how the hell do we get there!?” Jack yelled

“via a tunnel network that is carved into the mountain range” Legion answered as Jack's face contorted into a look of fury before screaming

“Well, where the hell is IT!”

Before either metal humanoid could answer, the shuttle took off from behind them, revealing a long tarseal road. A silence passed over everyone as John did his best not to laugh, and Jack looked to be on the verge of exploding.

“found it.....” Garrus stated dryly, breaking the silence, which was quickly followed by John bursting into laughter and Jane letting out a deep sigh. As John brought a hand to his eye to wipe a tear of mirth, he made out the sound of Mordin chuckling slightly, which brought a smile to his already hurting face.

“c-come on” John finally ordered as he gestured for the team to follow before sprinting down the road towards the moutains.

-ten minutes later, Horizon suburbs-

Light reached John’s eyes as he reached the end of the tunnel that led out into what appeared to be a commercial district of the colony’s hub. His blue eyes trailed over the surroundings, noting how everything seemed normal until he finally took note of a massive metal pillar that stretched into the sky from somewhere near the centre of the hub, clouds of black bugs flying around it in swarms.

“damn....” Garrus murmured

“Mordin.....your sure these upgrades will protect us?” Jane asked, her voice laced with concern

“certainty impossible.” Mordin admitted in an excited voice, “But in limited numbers, should confuse detection, make us invisible to swarms. In theory-”

“in theory?” Garrus questioned as he finally pried his eyes away from the tower, “That sounds promising”

“We need to keep moving” John ordered as he strode forward

“Finally” Jack grunted

John carefully began moving down one of the streets, heading towards the massive metal pillars. The space was completely quiet as the team advanced, an eerie darkness hung in the air, and artificial lightning cracked from the metal pillars' heads.

Suddenly, a sound appeared. A distinct buzzing like the flap of an insect's wings. The team went still as they listened closely to the approaching sound, getting louder and louder until finally several large humanoids with four yellow eyes soared over a nearby structure and began to barrel towards them.

John watched in horror as they stretched out what looked to be weapons made of chitin and fired, unleashing beams of purple cutting across the space towards them.

“duck!” John roared as he dove behind a nearby crate, the others quickly following.

John watched in horror as the purple beams slammed into the ground and began carving across it, leaving long burn marks in their wake.

“Warning: Collector weapons highly powerful!” Legion called “current scans indicate barriers and shields will be ineffective against sustained fire!”

“got it!” Jane yelled back as she leapt out from behind a crate and sent a wave of biotic energy towards the airborne bugs, forcing them to the ground.

Seeing an opportunity, John pushed himself up and flung himself into the nearest collector with a biotic charge. The force of the impact shattering the creature's exoskeleton and sending it slamming into a nearby wall.

The other collectors made a chittering noise that seemed to be their communication as they wheeled about and prepared to fire their weapons. Before they could the closest of the set was sent flying as Jack slammed into it with her own charge while the other two were swiftly cut down by headshots from Garrus and Legion.

John exhaled as he looked over the purple-blooded creatures.

“ugly shits” Jack sneered as she kicked one of the corpses

“Not a bad shot” Garrus remarked as Jane walked over with the other three

“This platform has an accuracy rating of %99.98” Legion replied

Glancing up, John saw Garrus smirk

“What is my ‘accuracy rating’” Garrus asked as a gleam appeared in his eyes

“Vakarian accuracy is-” Legion began to say before being silenced by Hemlock

“It is best you do not ask questions you don't want the answers to”

“w-wahts that supposed to mean!?” Garrus cried, earning a snicker from Jack and a giggle from Jane

“you need not worry yourself” Hemlock answered as he strode past before fixing his eyes on John “this unit advises advancing. The collector force his likely been notified of our presence”

“Yes, yes, good idea” Mordin agreed “need to stop collectors before escape”

“Then come on” John ordered as he drew his shotgun and continued down the path

Not wasting another second, the team quickly moved through the streets, avoiding more airborne collector patrols by ducking into open buildings while seeker swarms soared past in a constant hunt for victims

“Appears my work is successful” Mordin remarked as the team slipped through another structure, making Jack scoff

“How about we talk about something that isn't echo boosting?” she growled, “ot better yet, nothing at all”

“Well I've been meaning to ask Hemlock something” Jane chimed in, making Jack sigh in exasperation

“This unit will answer all questions” Hemlock replied as he glanced out one of the windows to examine another passing patrol of collectors

“i used that address you have me to message Liara” Jane explained as she crept through a door leading into a living room “It gave me a notification saying that the buoy is unavailable”

“This unit apologises that occurred” Hemlock remarked as he and John followed her through “Recent records indicate that a solar flare occurred in Ilos’ home system. This has resulted in damage to the local buoy. All communications in and out have been cut.”

“damn it” Jane whispered, John could clearly make out the pain in her voice “its alright Hemlock, its not your fault”

“If desired, any messages can be sent to an Adentri vessel that is carrying information into the system until the buoy is repaired.” Hemlock stated as he led the team out of the building onto another street, “However, this unit must be warned that all messages sent in such a manner are screened”

“N-no thanks” Jane stuttered as her face went almost as red as her hair, making John chuckle

“What?” Garrus chimed in, not missing the chance to tease, “not want some poor Adentri comms person reading your love letters? I'm sure they would love the ‘spicy parts’”

“GARRUS!” Jane scolded as John barked another laugh

“Warning: noise will alert collector patrols to this location” Legion warned

“Sorry” Jane whispered before glaring at Garrus

“I’m not” Garrus stated before dramatically placing the back of his hand to his head crest “oh young love-”

“We are like the same age!” Jane whispered harshly as the team made their way onto another street, the massive metal pillar coming back into view now with the appearance of a massive hive protruding from its top

John bit back another laugh as Mordin nodded, seeming to enjoy the Turian’s theatrics while Jack was seething.

“This platform detects human signatures gathered around the vessel” Legion stated “Colonists are likely being loaded aboard”

“All the more reason to hurry” John muttered, bringing his attention back to the mission at hand

“John, Jazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzne” Joker said over the comms “wezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzare pickzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Lozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing sigzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzal. Cazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........”

The comm cut out, leaving everyone to share a concerned look

“fucken useless” Jack uttered as Jane sighed

“On our own now” John said grimly “everyone stay close and watch each other's backs”

The team nodded as they continued to push forward into the central hub area, and towards the collector ship

-half an hour later. Horizon Metropolitain-

John carefully ducked through a door leading him out into a street in the middle of a housing district. The white and grey boxes of the commercial zone having been replaced with the same type of white and grey buildings, now with plants outside.

Moving down the street, the familiar clicking of the collectors' language reached John’s ears, making him go still. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the rest of the team waiting silently, each of them bracing. Jane’s eyes narrowed before she jolted her head slightly to gesture for him to move forward.

John gave a nod of understanding, and he turned and slowly began moving towards the street corner, the sound of the collectors growing louder and louder until he finally reached the edge of the building. Leaning forward, John glanced around the bend, where he was met with a group of collectors all stood around with their yellow eyes scanning their surroundings as if looking for something.

Raising his hand, John gestured for the team to advance. Seconds passed as they carefully crept to his side until Jane arrived right behind him, her head inches away from his shoulder

“its a small group” she whispered “should we just take them out and keep moving?”

“we could” John whispered back “if we do it will set them all on us again. And we are a lot closer to the ship than we were before”

“true” Jane mumbled “so are we going to wait them out?”

“kinda have to-” John began to reply before being cut off by the familiar beat of wings as another group of the collectors arrived from the opposite direction, soaring down the land amongst the first group

“well what now?” Garrus hissed from somewhere further back

“We are going to have to fight-” John began before being cut off a second time by the same wingbeats, this time coming from behind.

Whipping around, John felt his blue eyes bulge in their sockets as he saw another group of airborne collectors bear down towards them, their weapons already charging up.

“Get down!” Jane yelled as the team quickly dispersed to avoid the energy beams

A crack echoed across the space as John flung himself into a nearby home window as a beam narrowly missed him.

“Did you have to yell!?” he demanded as he fired his shotgun through a different window, catching one of the collectors in the chest

“Like they wouldn't have heard the gunfire!” came Jane's muffled reply, followed by gunfire from the building on the opposite side of the street

John bobbed up again, ready to fire, only to dart to the side as Jack flung herself through the window, two purple energy beams coming within an inch of her back as they cut across the room, slamming into the far wall.

“Close call,” John remarked, he watched the bald woman clammer to cover as more energy beams slammed against the outer walls.

“SHUT UP!” she roared back as she leaned around and sent a bolt of biotic energy slamming into the nearest collector, raising it into the air before slamming it into the ground with enough force to crush it on impact.

Using the opening, John focused his biotic energy before flinging it towards the huddled group of collectors. The wave of biotic energy slammed into them with nowhere near enough force to kill, but more than enough to knock several to the ground and stagger the others.

“crafty shit” Jack called as she leapt out of her window her biotics already charging in preparation to charge

“Jack, wait!” Garrus’ voice called from somewhere as the bald woman flung herself into the crowd of recovering bugs. The impact of the attack killed one while sending another slamming into a wall. The biotic woman charged energy into her heel as she prepared to bring it down, only to be stopped when a purple beam exploded against her back.

John darted around just in time to watch a still airborne collector’s head explode, followed by two others being shot out of the air by the combined effort of Hemlock and Legion.

Seeing the opening, John sprinted over to Jack, who was lying completely still on the ground.

“Jack!” he yelled as she shook the woman's shoulder “Jack, wake up!”

Jack’s dark eyes bolted open as a sneer formed on her face

“Get off me” she spat as John felt a hush push against his shoulder as the bald woman clambered back to her feet “i’m fine, just broke the barriers-”

“You got lucky!” Janes voice yelled from the same building as more energy beams slammed against it

“Yeah!” Garrus' voice agreed “now get back into cover before this can get wors-”

The last of the Turian’s words were drowned out by a familiar blood chilling groan that echoed throughout the streets followed by sudden rattling and fumbling as cold dead robotic bodies began to claw their way out of buildings on the far side of the opening their many etheric eyes locking on John as a shiver crawled down his spine

John felt his breathing race as the Husks sprinted towards him like a wave of metal death. energy began to build as his blue eyes darted across the foes, desperately scanning for a weakness to exploit

“what the fuck are these things!?” Jack cried as she unleashed a burst of energy at the nearest husks, the biotic energy blasting the limbs clean off the creatures as their torsos flew back.

“Just kill them!” John roared back as he sent his own shockwave of energy slamming into the husks, “They don't hold up against biotics!”

“tell me something i dont know!” Jack replied as she crushed more husks, “Aim for the legs!”

“What!?” John demanded in confusion as he glanced around to see Jack fire a round into one of the husks knees which made the whole leg explode only for his eyes to widen as he returned his focus to his attackers “legs it is!”

Husks continued to charge in from all surroundings, their bodies piling up as the two biotics killed group after group until finally the groaning ended.

John’s chest rose and fell, his breathing heavy as he looked over his surroundings, scanning for more foes.

“Shepard behind you!” Mordin’s voice suddenly called

Wheeling around, John was met with a Husk, its face inches from his own as it thrust towards him, its teeth bared and ready to strike. John barely had time to react before a gunshot rang out and the husks head exploded shards of bone and metal bouncing off his protective shields as the air was sucked from his lungs.

“f-fucking Husks” John wheezed as he glanced over to the origin point of the shot, where he saw Legion

“Shepard Commander is safe” Legion declared as one of his flaps raised “this platform apologises if distress was caused”

“y-your fine, Legion” John said with a wave of a hand “it just caught me off guard”

“can’t blame ya” Garrus sighed as he arrived by John’s side “i really thought I would never see those creepy bastards again”

“you both seem to overlooking the main problem” Jane said grimly as she walked over, Hemlock and Mordin in toe “the tech to make husks came from Sovereign. If the collectors have it-”

“confirms theories” Mordin fished before taking a deep breath through his nostrils “Adentri board, Consenesus, and Cerberus right. Collectors working for the Reapers”

“great so at least we know who’s taking them” Jake scoffed “why the hell are a bunch of machines and cyborgs the one investergating this!?”

“The Alliance parliament and the Citadel council do not acknowledge the existence of the Reapers” Hemlock stated

“fucken useless” Jack seethed

“Tell me about it” John sighed as he turned and continued down the road

A short silence fell over the group as they advanced another block until it was broken as Jane let out a gasp that drew everyone's attention

“What happened!?” John asked as he sprinted over

His eyes went wide as he took in the sight of several large chitin tubes, each of which had a human inside frozen in place and surrounded by some sort of dark, murky fluid

“What the hell are they?” Jack questioned as the others gathered

“An advanced form of stasis pod” Hemlock answered

“appear to be made of organic and synthetic machines” Mordin uttered as she strode past and began to examine the closest of the pods

“so they are alive?” Jane asked hopefully

“Correct”, Legion confirmed, “no onboard security is detected. Once location is secured, the pods can be opened”

“Why wouldn't they have security?” Garrus muttered as he rubbed his good mandible with a talon

“They likely didn't calculate that anything could get close to one” Hemlock replied

“Truly amazing tech” Mordin remarked as he straightened “Shame it is being used for such purposes”

“it is” Jane mumbled her voice becoming distant as John's attention shifted

Slowly, he crept towards the centre of the street. His mind racing

‘Something's not right’ he thought, his eyes darting all around

Everything was still,

Everything was quiet,

The swarms overhead had faded,

The false lightning had stopped,

It was like time was frozen.

Suddenly, noise appeared from directly above.

Like thunder on a sunny day, collectors slammed to the ground all around the team, perfectly encircling them. Eyes stared blankly as the insects stabilised themselves, black metal armour creaking as the plates moved across their chitin bodies. Long spear-like weapons aimed towards them, large energy weapon barrels in the centre of the weapons' heads already crackling with purple energy.

Then the bug directly in front of John began to flail, its body spasming and thrashing wildly as golden energy burst from its veins and flooded out of its four eyes. A myriad of gasps followed as the collector rose into the air, its wings stationary as the energy completely consumed it.

A wave of energy washed over them all as it burst away from the lead collector, allowing it crash to the ground, its two feet slamming against the tarseal with enough force to crack it, its head slowly rose fixing its four eyes now flooding with energy on them as a horrific blood-chilling voice spoke

“Shepards”

“w-wha-” Jane began to utter

“What are you?” John finished as he felt his stomach turn

“i am the herald of perfection, the bringer of ascension, the first of my kind, for when I arrive the galaxy blooms anew.” The Collector declared, “I am the harbinger”

John’s whole body went cold as the grim realisation of the creature's words hit him one by one. The very nature of the being was something far older and more powerful than anything else in the Milky Way......all but one

“your a Reaper. Aren’t you?” John asked his voice grim, terror and fury battling for control

“Astute” Harbinger remarked, “your terrors are correct organic-”

“h-how?” Jane muttered, “You all are hundreds of millions of miles away in dark space!?”

“such is the power of the eternal” Harbinger remarked “that which organics consider impossible is merely a fraction of our being. i have watched the galaxy for thousands of years through these ‘avatars’. Waiting for the cycle to come to an end-”

“But we stopped it” Garrus cut in, his voice still laced with fear

“Correct” Harbinger stated, unbothered by the interruption

“And you learnt our names?” John asked, clearly confused

“Correct”, Harbinger repeated before taking a step forward “I recognise all beings with the potential to destroy one of my kind. For they above all demand my attention when the cycle is to end. It is because of you we seek humans. For your blood has proven worthy of the acention.”

“what the fuck are you doing with them!” Jack demanded

“bringing acenstion” Harbinger replied “from them the galaxy shall be forged a new. just as it has, just as it always shall.”

“Rather chatty for a Reaper” Jane commented all fear in her voice replaced with steely resolve “Sovereign hated every second speaking with us lowly orangics”

“we speak for one reason” Harbinger stated “to offer a chance to submit. For the Shepards to surrender themselves to the ascension”

John’s anger burned brighter as Jane stepped forward to come to a stop by his side

“Whatever this ‘ascension’ is we will stop it” John spat

“And then we will destroy you” Jane followed her voice dripping with venom

“expected” Harbinger replied its voice unchanging before raising one of its arms, orange and black energy crackling across it “then your blood shall be the first of this cycle to be shed by my hand”

All around them, the collector spears began to flicker into life. John felt his mind race as he tried to think of something. The light of the energy got brighter and brighter. Right as they were about to fire Garrus roared

“GET DOWN!!” as he flung several disks at their feet

Not waiting to be told twice, John flung himself to the ground, the team close behind as smoke erupted all around them. Burning hot beams of energy blasting overhead, followed by the sound of metal exploding and blood boiling. Glancing up through the smoke, John saw the glowing yellow eyes of the harbinger staring down at him.

Energy flooded John’s veins as he flung himself upwards, slamming into the collector's armoured body. The force of the charge rippled across a golden energy barrier as the avatar skidded back a few metres, its body undamaged.

Glancing back as the smoke cleared John saw the other members of the team already fighting with the other armoured collectors. Some of them were already dead and smouldering after being struck by their allies' beam fire, amongst the corpses lay his shotgun, dropped in the commotion. Before he could race back to it John’s attention snapped back to Harbinger as the collector's form rose black and orange energy charging in each hand as its voice thundered

“if I must tear you apart, Shepard. I WILL”

John felt more energy flow around him as he lunched down the street towards the avatar. The insect braced, John assumed it was going to try and dodge or duck. Instead it raised both its arms as he slammed into it with enough force to create a shockwave.

Cold, hard fingers wrapped around each of his shoulders as the black and orange energy singed his armour, creating a pain that could only compare to being burned.

“This hurts you” the avatar stated as John's knees began to buckle to its strength, the insectoid creature bearing down in an effort to crush him

Suddenly, a blast of biotic energy exploded against the avatar's head. The golden energy barrier stopped the brunt of the blow. But the force still sent the figure staggering backwards, giving John an opening to drive a biotic charged punch into the creature's chest, sending it crashing through a wall.

“Are you alright!?” Jane cried as she raced to his side

“yeah” John wheezed as he glanced back at the fight down the street

Legion had retreated and appeared to be covering Garrus and Mordin. The latter of the pair was patching a burn along the Turian's arm. All the while, Jack and Hemlock stood in the centre of the street fighting the remaining spear-wielding collectors. Jane winced beside him as they both watched one of the bugs' heads get torn off by Hemlock, whose pistols lay under the corpse of a different collector a few feet away.

A crash echoed behind the pair, drawing their attention back to the collapsed wall, where the avatar of the harbinger now stood, casting aside a large piece of debris that had landed atop it. Purple blood coated the right-hand side of the creature. A large wound still oozing it as it stepped forward. With a lightning-fast movement, the figure flicked its wrist, sending a bolt of black and orange energy soaring towards them.

John reacted quickly, shoving Jane to the right before diving to the left. The energy bolt barely missed one of his legs as it soared past, slamming into the wall behind with a massive explosion. John rolled as soon as his body hit the ground, quickly arriving back on his feet, as the avatar raised its arm for another attack.

Before it could unleash it a powerful round exploded against the bugs barrier drawing its attention towards Legion. With the flick of its wrist, an attack was sent flying down the street towards the machine, narrowly missing it as the platform darted to the side. Seeing the opening, John charged into the figure, his armoured arms quickly wrapping around the creature's neck.

Chitin-covered fingers latched to his arms as the burning sensation returned. Harbinger thrashed and flailed in an effort to remove its attacker. But John held firm as Jane quickly darted to her feet.

“JANE!” John screamed, his voice laced with agony, “KILL IT!”

The ginger reacted quickly, sprinting forward every volt of biotic energy charging into her fist as she closed in on the beast.

Three feet

Two feet

One foot

Bam

A shockwave blasted down the street as Jane's biotic strike tore through the avatar's barrier, slamming into the creature's chest. The bugs' exoskeleton and armour splintering, as purple blood burst exploded from the wound.

John held his breath as the collector slowed. Its glowing yellow eyes flickering as if desperately clinging to life. Until finally, the light faded and the energy dissipated as its body went limp. Blue eyes met with green as the twins shared a nod. Jane carefully stepped back as John removed his arms, allowing the corpse to fall unceremoniously to the ground.

“well that was-” Jane wheezed before the body exploded into a burst of orange and black energy

John watched in shock and amazement as the body was consumed by energy, slowly and surely erasing it before his very eyes. Seconds later, the energy faded, leaving nothing of the vassal but dust

“what. The. Fuck.” John uttered his voice thick with shock, adrenaline, and pure exasperation

“it would appear to be a destructive measure” Hemlock remarked as he approached, pistols back in their holsters, and purple blood staining his fists

“Yes,” Mordin agreed from slightly further behind. Jack, Garrus, and Legion with him, “likely safety measure to prevent study. Might be to prevent exploitation of the connection.... curious”

“Spirits” Garrus mumbled as he looked down at the dust “second Reaper you’ve fought in person”

“it was” Jane agreed her eyes blurry “i thought Sovereign was bad enough. Now we have this ‘Harbinger’ to deal with”

“That we do” John agreed grimly “but first we need to safe the colonists”

“Acknowledged” Legion stated as he handed John’s shotgun back to him

“thanks Legion” John said with a nod as he turned and walked down the street, his whole body aching and if the groans from some of the others were an indication theirs were as well.

-twenty minutes later, command hub-

The large blast door hissed as it slid open. Revealing a large courtyard area full of creates and a transmission tower in its centre.

“There's the tower” Jack uttered, “the wackjob in the hat said the gun battery's control is somewhere here”

“Over there” Garrus chimed in, a talon pointing to a new-looking building painted blue and white. He mentioned a blue and white control room”

“alright then” Jane sighed before John felt her gaze land on him “what are you thinking?”

“Hemlock and Legion go and get the guns online” John answered as he looked up at the massive ship “and while they do that, we link into the comm tower and get in touch with the Normandy”

“Sounds good to me” Jane smiled “Hemlock, Legion, can you-”

“Acknowledged” Legion replied as Hemlock gave one of his curt nods before they both turned and began marching across the grass towards the command room

John watched them walk as Jane’s attention turned back to him. Delivering a small smile and a quick nod had the ginger wheel on her feet and start walking across the yard.

Silence fell over the team as they followed Jane to the tower. With everyone present other than the machine and three forths machine being rather fatigued from their fight with Harbinger and its entourage. Minutes passed by as Jane hacked away until she stepped back and pressed a hand to her ear

“Normandy, can you hear me?”

“Got the signal, Jane” Joker replied over the team comm “it's weak, but we have you”

“good” John chimed in as he activated his own comm “can you have Edi scan the collector ship?”

“Already tried John” Joker remarked, “no dice”

“Mr Moreau is correct”, Edi stated, joining the channel “The seeker swarms appear to act as a massive dead zone for all scanning equipment. Nothing aboard the Normandy can breach it”

“damn” John muttered “worth a try. Thanks, Joker, Edi”

With the press of a button, John flicked to the channel linked to Hemlock

“Hemlock, report on the guns” John ordered as he glared at the collector's ship

“anti ship battaries taking longer then predicted” Hemlock replied “systems were not instaled prior to arrival. Current estimated time of completion: five minutes”

“Warning:” Legion’s voice called from the background “hub motion sensors indicate collector forces are massing less than a block from current team location. There is a %97.89 chance of an attack occurring in the next minute”

“Great” John growled while clenching his teeth “get those guns working, we’ll worry about them”

“acknowledged” Both machine voices answered in unison as the channel went silent

Glancing to his left, John saw Jane drawing her pistol as the others began to take up defensive positions amongst the boxes

“Never simple” John muttered as he took his position near Garrus

“it never is” the Turian with a snort of amusement

John opened his mouth to counter when the familiar sound of collector wingbeats reached his ears, drawing his attention to the sky as a small horde's worth approached.

Much to John’s delight the collectors that arrived were the stock standard bugs. No armour, no being controlled by an overlord straight from machine hell. Energy beams flooded the yard as collectors attacked from all sides.

Minutes crept by like they were hours as collector after collector fell, only to be replaced by another, until finally the sound of wingbeats faded and silence consumed the yard.

“Somehow I doubt that's the end” Garrus remarked as he suspiciously rose to his feet

“no shAAAGGGGH” Jack began to say before a massive mechanical monstrosity crashed into the ground with enough force to send her and Mordin slamming into nearby creates.

The massive warmachine looked like a metal jaw with four metal legs strapped to it, while four purple eyes glowed from the centre of its head like its collector creators.

The beast let out a horrific scream, showing the monstrous inside of its jaw that was full of still living husk heads, each of them letting out their own deafening groans as the creature rose into the air, and purple energy charged in its purple eyes.

“fuck-” was all John could utter before he was shoved to the side by Garrus two purple beams of energy slamming into the create behind them

“Why do they always have something else!?” the Turian demanded as the two men continued to dart amongst the cover, avoiding the beams “The Geth had the Colossi! The Collectors have this!-”

“i know, i know!” John called back as gunfire and aggressive screaming rang out, followed by the sound of the beams stopping

“Guess Jacks up” Garrus commented as he holstered his sniper and pulled his assault rifle out

“Say what you will about her personality” John sighed “she gets up quickly”

The Turian gave a low chuckle as they shared a nod before darting around the corner. Immediately, John was greeted with the sight of Jack holding the two back legs of the creature, biotic energy coursing through her as she held it in place. All the while Jane used her own biotics to try and weigh the beast down as Mordin tried to pierce its armour with his incineration tool.

The beast let out another horrific scream that was drowned out by the sound of massive guns firing as the defensive batteries roared to life. John watched in horror as biotic energy began to build around the creature

“GET BAC-” he tried to warn, but it was too late

A massive shockwave exploded from the machine, sending Jack, Mordin, and Jane flying back, crashing into the surrounding crates. The beast hovered higher as the remaining biotic energy wrapped around it to form a defensive barrier, light crackled in two of the machine's eyes as its energy beams charged.

John whipped around and sprinted away, Garrus close on his heels. Behind them, a noise rang out, followed by an explosion as the energy beams narrowly missed them while they darted between crates and debris, the hum of the beasts hovering following slowly behind.

“How do we stop it!?” Garrus yelled as another explosion rang out

“I don't know!” John replied as a piece of shrapnel narrowly missed him.

John desperately scanned the area. Looking for something, anything that could be used to stop the hulking machine. Then he saw them, bright red and shining in the light like a gift from some god, Several large fuel tanks stacked amongst the crates.

“Garrus!” John cried, catching the Turians' attention. Blue reptile eyes darted towards him before following his own gaze to the tanks

“Perfect” Garrus declared as the beast rounded a corner behind the pair

“i’ll get it in place” John yelled as he turned firing a shotgun blast into the creatures barrier ensuring its attention was on him “you get into position to set them off!”

“on it!” Garrus acknowledged as he sprinted to the right, leaving the creature to bear down on John

John fired another blast as he allowed the creature to get closer, not wanting it to try using its beams. The massive jaw opened as it prepared to lunge, seeing an opening, John turned and sprinted, the beast letting out a furious noise as it slammed to the ground, the heavy clanking of metal limbs echoing as it chased.

John sprinted as fast as he could towards the crimson tanks, the sound of the hellish machine getting closer and closer ringing behind

Three feet

The ground trembled behind him

Two feet

Another scream rang out

One foot

John could feel the heat from the machine right behind him

With one final desperate burst of energy, John leapt over the tanks using the momentum to keep pushing him forward. There was the clanging of metal as the machine began to clamber its way over the tanks, only to be cut off by a distant gunshot, followed by an enormous

BANG!

The shockwave from the blast sent John flying forward, crashing to the dry ground as a ball of heat erupted behind him. John clambered to his knees as his vision blurred and his ears rang, glancing behind him, John was met with the sight of a pillar of fire and smoke, the machine nowhere in sight.

A smile began to pull at his lips until it was interrupted as a damaged, sparking limb burst out of the fire, followed by a second, then finally the half-destroyed face of the machine, slowly being dragged forward by its two remaining limbs.

‘You have got to be kidding me’ was all John could think as he stumbled to his feet, bracing as purple energy crackled in the beast's remaining eyes

“ARRRRGH!” a female voice screamed as a blur of blue energy sprinted past John before slamming into the damaged machine. The force sent it crashing to the ground as its already damaged body tore in half.

“damn” Jane uttered from the other side making John spin around to see her being supported by Mordin

“Indeed” the Salarian agreed as he stared at the machine

Glancing back to the scene, John watched as Jack stumbled away from the creature that had begun to decompose, its metal and organic parts crackled with blue energy as they dissolved into nothing more than a thick black smoke.

For a brief moment, all seemed calm as John took a deep breath.

Suddenly and ungodly roar echoed across the entire hub as the massive singular engine at the base of the collectors ship roared into life, propelling it into the air at what should have been an impossible speed for a ship that large, a massive pillar of fire being all that was left in its wake.

“No!” a familiar male voice cried as the cap-wearing engineer sprinted past “Don't let them get away!”

“They are already gone” Jane uttered weakly as Jack and Garrus arrived with the trio “There is nothing we can do-”

“Half the colony is in there! They took Egan and Sam and....Lilith.” the man cried a mixture of fury and sadness before turning to face them and screaming “DO SOMETHING!”

“what the fuck are we supposed to do!” Jack roared, making the man recoil, “If we could stop them, don't ya think we would have done it by now!”

The man's face flashed with a look of sorrow and shame as he collapsed to his knees, slamming his fist into the ground in fury. John opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the door on the far side of the yard slid open. Within a second, every one of the team's weapons was trained on the door, each of them expecting collectors. Instead they were greeted with a familiar-looking female in red and white armour

“Come on, the guns were fired from her-” Ashley Williams cried, only to stop dead. John watched in amusement as brown eyes scanned Jane before shifting to him. a smirk pulled at his lips as the woman's jaw hung open

“Ashley, wait!” a second familiar voice cried as a black haired man in marine armour charged after her, only to don a confused look as he followed her gaze “w-why did you sto-”

Kaidan’s eyes bolted open as his own jaw went slack. Both Marines stood in complete silence as they stared towards the Shepards, both of whom were doing everything in their power not to laugh at the sight

“Well this is interesting” Garrus commented, finally breaking the silence

Within seconds, both Marines dropped their weapons. Sprinting across the yard at a bullet's pace, Ashley tackled Jane into a powerful embrace while Kaidan slammed his fist into John’s shoulder plate.

“h-how!?” Ashley cried as she helped Jane to her feet

“Long story” Jane answered

“Well, you better start talking” Kaidan declared as John gave him a pat on the shoulder

“We got saved by the Adentri” he explained “Hemlock had us put back together-”

“ya know i shouldn't be surprised” Kaidan began to say with a large smile

“The TIN CAN!” Ashley cried, her tone surprised, lacking any fury

“Greetings Williams” the familiar cold voice address from behind, making the two Marines jump as they turned to face the approaching Hemlock and Legion

“GETH!” Ashley roared as she reached for her pistol, Kaidan’s biotics charging

“wait, WAIT!” John cut in quickly, moving to stand between the pair and Legion, “he’s on our side”

“w-what?” Kaidan sputtered

“its name is Legion” Jane explained “it is part of the Geth consensus. The ones the Adentri work with”

The two marines stared at Legion for a moment before relenting. Kaidan’s biotics fizzled out while Ashley holstered her pistol with a look of suspicion still plastered on her face.

“what, do i not get a hello?” Garrus teased as he moved towards the Marines

“It's good to see you, Garrus” Kaidan greeted as he gave the Turian a punch to the shoulder

“Every time i think I'm free from you” Ashley mumbled in a tone indicating it was a joke

“You should know I'll always come back” Garrus said with a smirk, “even if I die, Spirits willing I will haunt you all”

“gotta say Hemlock nice coat” Kaidan remarked as his focus returned to the cyborg “where did you get it?”

“It was gifted to this unit by Luther of House Bane” Hemlock stated

“You never told us that” Jane commented

“You never inquired” Hemlock replied flatly, making John bite back a chuckle

“i hate to cut into whatever this is” Jack sneered while gesturing to the group “but half the colony is gone, and the collectors have escaped. We got nothing out of this”

“as much as it pains me to say this. Jack right” John agreed with a heavy sigh before glancing to Jane, “we should get back to the ship so we can plan our next steps”

Jane's face dropped slightly, but she nodded in agreement before turning back towards the two Marines

“its alright” Kaidan said with a warm smile “mission comes first”

“You are always welcome to join us” Jane said hopefully

The two Marines smiles faded slightly as they shared a look

“we would love to-” Kaidan said with a heavy sigh

“But the alliance needs us” Ashley finished “With you both gone, they have been relying on us. If we up and leave, then it will cause all sorts of problems.”

“We’re sorr-” Kaidan began to say before John cut him off

“it’s alright” he said with a small smile “you have your mission and we have ours.”

“Yeah” Ashley agreed, her voice stained with sadness

“on the bright side” Jane chimed in as she activated her omni tool “just because we are on defferent missions doesnt mean we cant talk” Both marines tools chimed as a message came through “those are John and my contacts. Make sure to message us”

“We will” Kaidan said with a warm smile

“Absolutely” Ashley confirmed

“ETA for shuttle is 1 minute” Legion chimed, catching the group's attention

“Good luck, you two” John said with one final smile

“Same goes for you” Kaidan smirked

“Don't die on us” Ashley agreed as both marines turned and began to make their way across the yard, leaving the team to wait for the shuttle

-half an hour later, Normandy briefing room-

A deafening silence hung as the members of the Adentri board all stared at the twins. Veronica, Ulysses, and Winter all wore looks of disbelief and shock. Theodora and Abelard both remained calm with a glint of pride in their eyes while Belisarius looked completely neutral, likely due to half his face not being present.

“so to recap” Winter said, breaking the silence finally “you confirmed the collectors are working with the reapers, fought collectors, killed husks, fought armoured collectors, fought some ungodly machine, and talked with then fought and killed the avatar of a reaper calling itself Harbinger?”

“Sounds right to me” John replied

“how the hell-” Ulysses began to say

“Don't ask,” Jane sighed “we don't know how we survived either”

Another small silence fell until Belisarius spoke up

“Not to undermine your accomplishments”, the jawless man remarked, “but for all that, nothing has been achieved. No new information has been presented; all the weapons, tech, and the collectors themselves have decomposed. We have nothing to work with”

“i disagree” Theodora chimed in “although we have gained no new information the Shepards saved half the people of the colony. That is objectively better than all of the colonists being taken.”

Abelard, Winter, and Uylsses nodded in agreement. But by the look in Belisarius’ eyes and Veronica’s movements, they didn't think the same. Neither contested the statement, instead remaining silent as Theodora’s attention returned to the pair

“What is your next course of action?” the grey-haired woman asked

“no idea” John answered honestly, “without leads, we are kinda dead in the water”

“Any chance you found a way through the Omega Four relay?” Jane asked hopefully

“We are afraid not” Abelard answered grimly

“damn” John muttered

“if you are struggling for tasks i have something you could look into. i’ll brief you once the meeting has concluded,” Theodora offered with a smile, earning her curious looks from Ulysses and Winter while Abelard's eye shone with a knowing expression

“Okay” Jane agreed while John nodded

“if there is nothing else to discuss, i must return to my work” Belisarius stated

All the board members shared a glanced before shaking their heads and returning their attention to the twins

“Until next time” Winter said warmly as she flickered out

“Keep us updated” Belisarius said simply before he and three others disappeared, leaving the twins standing alone with Theodora

“So, what have you got for us?” John asked his curiosity peaked

“this” Theodora replied pressing a button that brought up the image of a toxic world “you probably dont know this but i am actually a historian and archologist. Just as your friend Dr T’Soni studies Protheans, I study the Rachni. Over the years, I have sent several long-range drones and probes into the Rachni species' former territories in an effort to learn about them. Recently, one of my probes detected something most interesting”

The image of the planet was quickly marked with a glowing red dot, followed by red waves indicating a pulse of some kind

“a signal was detected on the former Rachni home world Suen” Theodora continued “no signals have been present on this world since the Krogan and Teutons descended on it during the Rachni war. It is possible some ancient Rachni relic has been unearthed by the constant shift in the environment, or perhaps it is something to do with the queen you met on Noveria. Either way, i want to find out”

“If you are so interested, why don't you go yourself?” John questioned, genuinely confused

“if i went, i would have to explain my absence” Theodora sighed “Doing so would mean admitting that i sent drones and probes outside of Geth space, which is technically forbidden within the Adentri”

“so you want us to check it. That way they can't prove you sent probes and drones,” Jane finished

“exactly” Theodora finished “the board wouldnt do much to punsh me. Especially because the master at arms permitted it, but it's best we don't have conflicts that can be avoided”

“Hemlock approved it?” John asked with a raised brow

“he did”, Theodora confirmed, “his reasoning at the time was that the law was made to protect the Adentri. No one would find these probes and drones because they are in forbidden space, and even if they were found, they are primed to detonate."

“Alright” Jane said as John felt her eyes land on him “I’m all for checking it out”

“Should be interesting” John agreed with a nod

“lovely” Theodora smiled “i’ll send you the co-ordinates.”

And like that, the older woman's image flickered out, followed by the twins exiting the display.

“Greetings Shepard Commander and Shepard Lieutenant Commander” a synthetic voice said behind them, making the pair jump

Spinning around, both were met with the familiar glowing eye of Legion, who stood patiently in front of the door.

“H-hey” Legion Jane smiled

“Everything alright?” John questioned

“This platform wished to inform you of a recent report of a Quarian marine team deploying into Geth space” Legion answered

“Okay”, Jane replied, “what does that have to do with us?”

“The consensus deemed you would want to know due to the presence of Tali’Zorah Vas Rayya-” Legion answered before John cut it off

“She is!?” he cried, panic flooding his veins“Is she alright? What happened!?”

Behind him, Jane let out a fit of giggles as Legion raised one of its headflaps

“Following their arrival on the planet Haestrom the Consensus ordered all Geth present to avoid the Quarians” Legion explained, “orders have been given to observe the Quarians and to not engage unless first attacked”

John let out a deep sigh of relief as he reached up and patted Legion on one of its metal shoulders

“Thank you, Legion” he smiled “keep us updated on what happens”

“Acknowledged” Legion replied, “this platform warns that Miranda Lawson awaits outside”

“What does she want?” Jane asked

“unknown” Legion replied simply as he turned and walked towards the door

A hiss rang out as the door opened revealing the patiently waiting Miranda. Once Legion walked off, the raven-haired woman walked in holding two data pads

“Everything alright, Miranda?” Jane asked as she leaned against the table

“Quite”, Miranda replied, “The elusive man sent me two new dossiers. Apparently, some of the people on his list resurfaced on the planet Illium.

“Alright” John said with a nod as he took the two datapads “We’ll have Hemlock look over them and report back”

“understood”, Miranda acknowledged as she turned towards the door “, you both look tired. You should rest”

“Next on the agenda” Jane smiled

“Good” Miranda nodded before walking out of the room

leaving the two tired Shepards to gather themselves before heading for the elevator to finally go to their cabins and get some rest.

Chapter Text

The plan had been simple.

Go to Suen and find out what the origin of the signal was.

Plain, simple, almost basic for the likes of them, Jane thought. Everything had been going smoothly. That was until two hours ago, when Hemlock approached and said the words that had been rattling in her head since.

“Liara T’Soni has been attacked on Ilos”

Jane’s soul felt like it had dropped out of her body as her heart went still.

Over the two hours it took the Normandy to reach Ilos, all she could do was pace back and forth while trying to hold her fears in check.

Jane’s mind cleared as she was jolted back to the present, the shuttle rattling about as it soared past an Adentri cruiser in Ilos’ atmosphere, identical in appearance to the four others that had been blockading the mass relay when they entered the system.

Jane held her breath as the shuttle dove down towards temporary buildings constructed amongst the ancient ruins.

A hiss rang out as the shuttle’s door opened. Instantly, Jane leapt out onto the stone ground, her green eyes rapidly taking in the surrounding space where she noted several immortals standing guard, one with gold markings adorning his armour, approaching as John and the others disembarked the shuttle close behind.

“Master at arms” the Immortal addressed, slamming his hand to his chest in salute as he came to a stop opposite the group

“Report, Captain Rampart” Hemlock ordered as he stepped past

“At 23:00 last night, Dr T’soni triggered her personal silent alarm” The Captain Jane now knew as Rampart, explained, “Two squads of immortals were deployed from the ASV Compliance in orbit-”

“orbit” Jane cut in anger already flaring her green eyes darting between Hemlock and Rampart “why weren’t there gaurd onsight!? You knew she was in danger!”

“Dr T’soni didnt want armed gaurds” Rampart explained “said it would disrupt her having armed personel in her space. I tried to argue with her, but she didn't let up. I ended up agreeing to leave the immortals on the ship if she carried an alarm-”

“You just gave in!?” Jane demanded fury and desperation flooding her mind

“Jane”, John whispered as she felt his hand land on her shoulder “, you know Liara better than anyone here. You know she wouldn't give up if she wanted something-”

“Yeah” Garrus agreed

Jane wanted to scream or yell at them, but deep down she knew they were right. If Liara wanted something, she wouldn't give in till she had it. One of the many traits she loved about the Asari.

“y-your right” Jane whispered her anger shifting towards sadness as she looked towards Rampart “i-I'm sorry-”

“Don’t apologise ma’am” Rampart cut off with the wave of a hand “she is important to you, we all know what it's like-”

“report” Hemlock cut in

“blast!” Rampart uttered “sorry sir, As i was saying. When the immortals arrived, they killed several squads of shadow broker agents. They also found the lab ransacked and Dr. T’soni missing.”

“so she’s not dead?” Kasumi chimed in as Jane's breath hitched in her throat

“No, Ma’am” Rampart replied, allowing a wave of relief to wash over Jane “She is, however missing”

And like that, the fear returned in droves.

“Any ideas where she went?” Arok questioned

“we know she has to be somewhere in the ruins” Rampart stated pointing to an all to familiar entrence “once word reached the compliance the four other ships blockaded the mass relay while more immortals where sent down to begin serching. So far we have been able to find a visual recording from the security cameras showing Dr T’soni fleeing into the ruins while being chased by an Asari in blue armour”

“Anything you can tell us about the Asari?” John asked as Jane began to pace back and forth, her breathing starting to race

“She appeared to be donning the spectre insignia” Rampart stated

A small pause followed while the members of the team shared concerned looks before Garrus spoke up

“Why would a spectre be working for the shadow broker?”

“can't say sir” Rampart answered “all i know is Dr T’soni is in those ruins with her. I would be more concerned if it weren't for the fact Dr T’soni knows those ruins better than any other being alive.”

“So she’s using them to hide” Kasumi mumbled

“Or hoping to lose the trail” Arok remarked, earning a nod of agreement from Garrus

“Are there any more details?” Hemlock questioned

“no, sir” Rampart replied as he straightened

“very well” Hemlock stated his voice almost grim as he began to walk towards the ruins entrance Rampart trailing behind “contact the ships, have them send down the whole Garrison. Lock down the ruin and cover every exit, have gunships link to this unit's signal and ready to respond should assistance be needed”

“At once” Rampart said with another salute before turning and swiftly moving away

“We need to find her” Jane said as she approached the cyborg, her voice desperate

“This unit agrees” Hemlock replied simply as he drew one of his pistols

“Then let's get moving!” John ordered as he marched past, shotgun already in hand Kasumi and Arok in tow

Without a word, Hemlock moved forward to follow. Jane reached for her pistol to follow suit, only to stop when a taloned hand touched her shoulder. Glancing around, green eyes met with blue as Garrus looked down with a weak smile

“Don't worry Jane” he said warmly and comfortingly “we’ll get her back safely”

Jane tried to speak, but her words betrayed her, leaving her silently staring up at the Turian on the verge of tears.

“its okay” Garrus said clealry noticing her struggle “now come on.”

Jane turned and followed Garrus down the same stone road that the Mako had carried them years prior in their hunt for Saren. All the while, her mind raced as she prayed to whatever entity that would listen for Liara to be okay

-fifteen minutes later, Ilos Ruins-

Jane found herself at the front of the group with John to the left, while Hemlock was to the right. The rest of the team scattered behind them, scanning every piece of scenery for a clue to the doctor's location.

As they walked in silence, Jane noticed how Hemlock was searching with his synthetic set of eyes while his organic one read data from a holographic screen.

“What is it?” the ginger asked, her voice laced with hope and desperation

“scanning reports” Hemlock answered, not looking away from either of his tasks “This unit is attempting to determine how a force could have infiltrated the planet with five cruisers present with advanced scanning equipment”

“stealth tech like the Normandy” Arok suggested, his four narrowed eyes glancing over

“Negative” Hemlock stated simply “Adentri vessels are capable of detecting stealth drives”

“Maybe they have someone on the inside” Kasumi suggested

“possible but unlikly” Hemlock said as another screen appeared “Adentri tech tracks the members using it by the gene code applied to their neural bastion. If an entity had hacked or manipulated the scanners, it would have been tracked. It is completely impossible to copy a gene code, they can only be acquired through the taking of a neural bastion which requires the termination of the owner. Which would have been detected”

“Could it be something to do with the solar flare?” Garrus asked, “You know the one you mentioned interfering with Jane's messages?”

“that......” Hemlock considered opening a third screen to examine readings and what appeared to be dates “is very likely. All scanning equipment would have been rendered ineffective during this period of time.” the holographic screens flickered out as the cyborgs full attentioned returned to the surroundings “if this theory its correct there is fortunate news”

“Which is?” John questioned as he examined a large pile of debris

“The vessel used to transport the forces to the system must have been the size of a corvette or smaller.” Hemlock elaborated, “anything larger would have been easily seen while entering the system. In turn, the shadow broker force is not likely a large one.”

“so you think the Asari is the only one left?” Garrus asked

“This unit assumes based on current information” Hemlock answered

“Great” Jane said as she strode forward taking the lead “now we just need to find Liara before that bitch does”

-ten minutes later, Ilos ruins ancient road-

‘fuck’

Was the only thought that crossed Jane's mind as she huddled behind a large stone, bullets and rockets racing past.

“What happened to it just being the Asari!?” Garrus yelled from somewhere further back as he blew one of the ambushing agents' heads off with his sniper rifle

“This unit stated it was an assumption” Hemlock replied, walking amongst the torrents of gunfire his shield leaving him unfazed as he gunned down two agents “Clearly this unit assumed incorrectly”

“ya don’t say!” Kasumi chimed in as she appeared behind a sniper on a high ledge before slamming her omni-tool into the back of the agent's head, an electrical pulse thundering through their body

“Could be worse” Arok called as he took down one of the rocket troopers “it's better us than T’soni”

Jane felt her whole body shake with anger as she bolted out of cover, focusing all her might into a massive biotic wave that washed across the ancient stone, slamming into the shadow brokers' force like a tsunami, sending them flying across the space into the far wall, which shattered and began to collapse from the impact.

Jane wasn't done there as she bolted forward, slamming her shoulder into one of the agents, lucky to have avoided the wave, sending them tumbling to the ground.

“WHY ARE YOU AFTER HER!?!” the ginger roared her biotics flaring as she stared into the unblinking crimson eyes of the man's helmet

“Don’t know” the man sputtered “don’t car-”

Jane’s fury peaked, within a moment her knees slammed into the man's chest as all her fury came flooding out. Crack, after crack rang out as she slammed her fists into the man's helmet over and over.

“I. HAVE. LOST. TO. MUCH” Jane yelled, blood rushing to her head as tears streamed down her face “I WON’T LET YOU TAKE HER!!!!”

Strike after strike echoed through the darkness as blood began to pour from the open wounds on the woman's knuckles. The whole world around Jane felt dark and empty as she saw nothing but crimson beneath her until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Whipping around, green eyes locked with blue. Dragging her back to reality, the rest of the team stood all around her, their faces contorted.

Garrus looked a mixture of surprised and saddened seeing her in such a pained state.

Hemlock in an ever-rare case had his face contorted into what could be mistaken for shame.

While Kasumi and Arok both shared a similar expression. One of understanding.

And John. John was the worst of all. He wasn't scared, or upset, or disappointed. His face held one expression. Pain, pain that Jane was suffering, pain that Liara was in danger, pain that this was happening.

Without a word, he leaned down, Jane felt his arms wrap around her as she was pulled into a tight embrace. Silence fell over them all as Jane buried her head into her brother's shoulder, tears streaming down her face, and her whole body trembling.

A few minutes passed as the two twins who had been through so much simply sat, embracing each other. Until finally John carefully helped Jane to her feet, her body still trembling as she stumbled away from the agent's course only to collide with Hemlock.

“s-sorry” the ginger whispered as she moved to pull away, only to be stopped when one of the cyborg's cold metal hands landed on her shoulder, making her tearful eyes dart up to meet with glowing blue

“Do not apologise” Hemlock ordered “you have suffered enough, Jane Shepard”

“s-still-” Jane began to say before she was cut off

A blood-chilling scream echoed through the stone from the depths of the ruins. The familiar tone of the voice made Jane’s heart go still.

Within a second, she was bolting down the road, her body moving faster than she thought possible. Her mind was a blur as anger and pure terror flooded her veins.

-Ilos ruin depths-

Jane charged forward at the familiar sight of the dormant miniature mass relay coming into view, and at its base lay a sight that made her whole soul burn.

Liara lay in green scientific scubs, her back pushed against the base of the mass relay, both hands creating a biotic barrier desperately holding back a wave of energy.

Stood over her was an Asari clad in deep blue armour the spectre symbol adorning the large right and shoulder plate, one arm outstretched unleashing a torrent of energy towards Liara

“HEY!!!!!!” Jane roared as she sprinted forward

“JANE!” Liara cried, her voice shaky and full of pure joy

The asari attacked, bolted around her eyes, narrowing as Jane continued her approach

“Jane Shepard”, the Asari addressed as she strode forward, a glint in her eyes “, I’ve heard a lot about you. Visions from Prothean beacons stopped Saren, saved the citadel. The perfect spectre-”

“Unlike you” John chimed in as the rest of the team arrived, weapons already drawn

“i would hardly say what im doing here is against the rules” the Asari spat before gesturing to Liara “little T’soni here pissed off the wrong people, its just so happens the same people give me information that i then use to save lives-”

“You use the shadow broker as an informant” Jane hissed, her voice full of venom “you are willing to attack an innocent woman because they want her”

“one life is a small price to pay to save many more” the Asari said with a shrug “now why would the two legendary Shepards be here hmm?”

“you pissed off the wrong people” Garrus stated dryly priming his rifle

“it's not to late to see reason” John offered “Stand down and walk away, and we can pretend this never happened”

“Afraid not” the Asari replied, her biotics already flaring as she took a step forward, only to stop as a distant sound hummed into existence

Jane barely had a second to glance behind her before she felt the rush of air as two black craft thundered past at a lightning pace, both turning gracefully in the air as doors opened.

Heavy slams echoed through the large chamber as Immortals crashed to their feet all around the Asari spectre. Their weapons primed and trained on the woman, while the two gunships shifted overhead, several mounted guns swivelling towards her.

“This unit offers a chance of surrender” Hemlock declared as he strode forward “Failure to accept will result in immediate termination”

The Asari’s biotics continued to crackle as she looked over the surrounding cyborgs until finally they fizzled out, followed by a deep sigh.

“i know i fight i cant win” she uttered as she raised her hands behind her head “two Shepards would have been difficult. This is mad”

Hemlock gave a flick of a wrist, and instantly two immortals approached the woman, one of them quickly placing large cuffs around her wrists before leading her towards one of the landing gunships, where Rampart stood waiting.

“Jane!” Liara cried immediately, catching the ginger's attention

Green eyes bolted back towards the mass relay where they took in the sight of the most beautiful Asari in the galaxy sprinting towards their owner like a freight train.

Jane braced and opened her still shaking arms wide as Liara rushed into them. In an instant Jane pulled the shorter woman into a tight embrace, using the remaining momentum to lift the Asari into the air and swing her around

“J-Jane” Liara giggled, a sound more heavenly than any choir

After a few more seconds, the ginger lowered her love to the ground, Green eyes staring into the most beautiful shade of blue. Time felt like it crawled to a standstill as the two faces got closer to each other. Liara’s warm breath crawled over Jane's skin, and the beautiful scent of Thessian flowers flooded Jane’s nose.

Finally, their lips collided as the familiar burst of love, joy, and pure happiness flooded Jane with such a force that tears began to form in her shut eyes.

“i missed you so much” Liara whispered as they pulled apart, arms still wrapped around one another

“I did too” Jane whispered back as she gently placed her forehead against Liara’s “i’m so sorry i didn't see or message you sooner-”

“don’t be” Liara uttered as Jane felt a hand cup her face “Hemlock. He told me everything in a message before the flare. He said it was his fault you hadn't sent messages-”

“of course, he did” Jane said as she leaned into Liara’s touch

“um” John’s voice came from behind them, making the pair jolt back to reality

“John”, Kasumi scolded as the two lovers looked back towards the rest of the team “, why did you do that!?”

“Sorry” the blue-eyed man said as he rubbed his neck

Jane’s eyes trailed over the team, taking in their amused looks as she noticed someone missing

“Where’s Hemlock?” she questioned

“he went to speak to the spectre” Arok answered as he pointed towards the gunship

“he could have waited, then me and John could have help-” Jane began to say

“he didn't want to interrupt” Garrus cut in “Wouldn't want to interrupt the lovers' moment”

“Garrus” Jane said in a warning tone as a smirk appeared on the Turian's face

“oh to be young and in love” the Turian said, his voice thick with mocking humour, while he placed his hand to his head crest theatrically

“i’m the same age as you!” Jane cried as Liara let out another fit of giggles

“This unit advises against mocking” Hemlock called from the gunship, “lest she become aware of your attraction to a crew member aboard the Normandy”

In an instant, the Turian went still as his eyes widened. All the while, a massive smirk pulled at Jane’s lips

“what crush?” Jane asked, her eyes darting to John, who was already donning an expression of excitement and pure joy

“Don’t” Garrus pleaded

“Vakarian appears to have taken an interest in Miss Lia’Vael Nar Ulnay” Hemlock continued his voice slightly less cold than usual before returning his attention to the Asari

“damn you” Garrus uttered as he pressed both taloned hands to his face earning laughter from the rest of the team plus Liara ”now i will never hear the end of it!”

“damn right” John said before punching the Turian across the shoulder before glancing towards Liara “but first. I'm glad you are okay Liara”

“thank you” Liara replied with another giggle “i am so happy to see you both alive and well, and Garrus. I never would have imagined you showing up.”

“don’t just stand there” the Turian demanded as he opened his own arms “or do we just get hello’s”

Jane’s smile widened as she let go of Liara, allowing her to walk over and embrace both Garrus and John.

“gotta say though” John began as Liara walked back over to Jane. The ginger growing warm as the Asari laced her fingers with janes. “the shadow broker must be a real collector to be this pissed about some Prothean tech”

“it wasn't the tech” Liara admitted a small frown appearing “i assume Hemlock told you what happened?”

“only a brief summury” Jane smiled while rubbing Liara’s hand with her thumb “said you became friends with a shadow broker agent and convinced him to give you Prothean tech. Because of this, he was captured, and you are now a target of the shadow broker.”

“pretty good summery” Liara sighed “he left out the reason i am being targeted. When Feron gave me the collector tech, he also gave me a cypher that can be used to find the location of the shadow broker.”

“he did!?” Arok cried, his four eyes widening

“Amazing” Kasumi whispered, “no one has ever come face to face with the shadow broker-”

“Which explains the attacks” Garrrus sighed

“Why didn't you give it to the Adentri?” John asked, “Couldn't they have sent people to convince the broker to back down?”

“the cypher was incomplete” Liara said sadly

“so all of this was from an incomplete cypher!?” Jane roared furiously, earning a nod from Liara

“foruntantly this is no longer and issue” Hemlock stated as he returned “this unit has just aquried a complete cypher from miss Tela.”

“she just gave it to you?” Kasumi sputtered in surpise

“Negative”, Hemlock replied, “this unit gave her the choice of handing over information or imprisonment.”

“but if you imprisoned her you would piss off the council” Arok commented

“Miss Tela was here on shadow broker orders”, Hemlock stated, “as far as the council is aware, she is currently in the Attican Traverse. If she failed to return, they would never have a hope of finding her. Once this fact was stated, miss Tela was rather happy to comply”

“Isn't that a happy coincidence?” Kasumi mumbled before her hooded eyes turned to face John “What’s next?”

“The way i see it the shadow broker will keep going after Liara” John sighed as Jane unconsciously tightened her grip on Liara’s hand “If we have a way to get to ‘them’ at the source, we shouldn't waste it”

“Agreed” Jane said her voice determined as her green eyes stared into Liara’s blue “i won't let ‘them’ get away with sending someone to kill you”

Liara smiled before leaning in, pressing a small peck to Jane’s check that made her face flush.

“if you are going after the broker i want to come with you” Liara declared as she leaned back “Feron is in this mess because of me. And i don’t want you all to have the fun of getting back at the shadow broker without me”

“it would be amazing to have you back” Jane smiled as she pulled Liara into another embrace

“Just like old times” Garrus agreed a smirk evident in his voice

“Great”, John said as the lovers pulled away once more “Hemlock, can you have the shuttle come pick us up?”

“Already on route” Hemlock replied simply, seconds before the shuttle in question rounded the distant corner and began soaring towards them all

“Always efficient” Liara whispered, making Jane smile as she led the shorter woman to the landing shuttle, more than ready to show her the new Normandy

-hours later, Normandy Jane’s cabin-

“So, what do you think?” Jane asked as she led Liara into her personal cabin

“The SR-2 is an amazing ship” Liara smiled “Although it troubles me, it was built by Cerberus”

“Don’t worry” Jane comforted as she gently pulled Liara down next to her on the couch “Hemlock has scoured the ship up and down for anything that doesn't meet his standards”

“that does make me feel better” Liara said with a warm sigh as she rested her head on Jane’s shoulder “its so good to have you back.”

“I’m sorry i ever left you” Jane apologised, feeling guilty “it must have been horrible-”

“it was” Liara chimed in bluntly “it felt like my world was crashing down all around me. I genuinely thought my heart was going to stop. By far the worst half an hour of my life-”

“Half an hour!” Jane cried in surprise,

“half an hour” Liara conformed snugling closer “i was sobbing horribly when i recevied a message informing me i had a call. I was on the verge of ignoring it when i saw the ID was Hemlocks. I knew he wouldnt be calling me at random so i allowed the call through.”

“What did he say?” Jane asked curiously

“he said that the Adentri had your and John’s bodies and that they had both been stabilised and where on route for Geth space for reconstruction” Liara explained as Jane felt a warm hand tangle with her own “i had never been so relieved in my life when he told me you had the chance to survive. When he told me you had been restored and would awaken once the flash freezing thawed, i would have kissed him had he not been millions of miles away”

“Wouldn't that be cheating?” Jane teased as she gave Liara a light nudge

“You know what i mean” Liara replied “ive spent a decent amount of my free time over the last two years learning human expressions from Rampart”

“Have you now?” Jane smiled before pecking her lover on the head “How did you end up working for the Adentri anyway?”

“Hemlock stated he was sending people to study Ilos” Liara answered, her smile wide, “said he would send me under the condition that the information gathered was shared with the Adentri. I got to do one of my favorate things in the universe and in return i just had to share information with the man that was saving my girlfriends life.”

“win, win” Jane finished as Liara nodded up at her before returning her head to the place on the ginger's shoulders

“You should have seen me when i found out Hemlock was in contact with you and hadn't told me” Jane whispered as she rested her head against Liara’s “i scared the life out of some poor Salarian shop owner”

“he mentioned it in the message” Liara giggled “he was rather thorough in his explanation for why you hadn’t contacted me. Even mentioned that if i was upset, i should direct it at him”

“Really?” Jane asked in complete shock

“mhm” Liara humed in confermation “most sencare I've ever seen him. Although it was more about how it was logical to blame him and not you, if I'm honest, I think he began to worry his actions could have damaged our relationship.”

Jane nodded as she wrapped her arm around Liara’s shoulder, pulling the smaller woman in closer as warmth enveloped the pair and Jane allowed her eyes to flutter shut. Comfortable silence washed over them as they sat there in the cabin in complete peace, both happier than they had been in years

“Jane” Liara said breaking the silence after what felt like hours “c-can i ask you something?”

“of course” jane whispered back as she listened to the Asari’s gentle breathing

“a-are you okay?” Liara questioned, making Jane go stiff as her eyes bolted open

“w-why?” Jane stammered as she looked down to meet Liara’s gaze

“Hemlock mentioned everything with the council” Liara explained her beautiful eyes staring into Jane’s soul “With everything going on i wanted to make sure you are okay”

Jane felt her eyes blur as she began to stare blankly, her mind racing inside her skull

‘am i okay?’

She thought as a gentle grip tightened on her hand

“You can always talk to me Jane” Liara uttered as she leaned up and pressed another kiss to the ginger's lips “i am here for you”

Jane let out a deep shuddering sigh as she looked back Liara

“i-i don’t know” jane answered “humans are being taken by the thousands. And now we know for a fact that the reapers are behind it. But....but”

“but?” Liara asked gently, encouraging Jane to continue

“but most of the galaxy just doesnt listen” Jane sighed “the council think me and John are raving lunitics, Well all of them except Baldwin. None of the species governments have listened, not even the alliance is preparing.....”

“oh Jane....” Liara whispered as Jane felt tears begin to prickle in her eyes

“hell!” Jane cried fury begining to flood once more “the only people that are listening are a bunch of isolationist cyborgs, the literal Geth consensus, and Cerberus!...FUCKING CERBERUS! Is taking this more seriously than most governments”

Tears rolled down Jane’s cheeks as Liara pulled her into a tight hug. Jane felt the Asari’s fingers gently run through her hair as her tears continued to fall

“i-i just want to protect them” jane uttered her voice muffled “h-how can i save them when they wont let me?”

"You can't,” Liara whispered after a short pause, “all you can do is keep pushing, like you always have.”

“what if i cant?” Jane asked in a rare moment of vulnerability

“then i will help you” Liara replied as she pulled back so her beautiful blue eyes could once again meet with Jane's green

“I-i love you so much” Jane said breathlessly as she leaned down towards Liara’s lips

“i know” Liara replied as their breath mixed in the air “i love you Jane....more than words can hope to describe-”

An unbelievable warmth washed over Jane as her lips pressed against Liara’s once more, her hands reaching out to pull the Asari’s body so that it was flush with her own, all the while thanking the fact that her cabin was soundproof.

-meanwhile with John-

An exasperated sigh escaped John as he stepped into the XO cabin where Hemlock sat behind a terminal, his many eyes already on him.

“How may this unit be of service?” Hemlock questioned

“Just needed some time away from the cabin” John explained as he took a seat “Liara and Jane seem to be enjoying their time together-”

“What makes you believe that?” the cyborg inquired

“The command cabins are soundproof John stated, “but one of my walls is still shared with hers. And let's just say that wall was shaking far more than it should be”

Hemlock’s expression didn't change, but for the briefest of moments, John thought he saw the cyborg's organic eye flicker before he gave one of his curt nods and returned his attention to the terminal, leaving John to shudder in horror at what was happening floors above.

-many more hours later, Hagalaz shadow broker ship-

Jane’s knuckles turned white as he clutched the shuttle's hand rails, the small vessel jolted and rocked in the storm like some ancient bag in a strong breeze.

“Was there really no better option!?!” Garrus yelled over the racket caused by the gale-force winds

“Edi said the storm would make it too dangerous to approach with the Normandy!” John yelled back as the shuttle shook again

“I’m more worried about the broker's ship!” Liara chimed in as Jane felt the smaller woman's frame lean into her for support, “How are we supposed to raid a ship with just the four of us!?”

“With this!” Jane smiled as she gestured to a disk-like device attached to her belt

“A minute till dropoff” the pilot's barely audible voice declared over the speakers

“what is it?” Garrus questioned as he began to clammer towards the shuttle's door

“Some sort of cyber weapon!” Jane answered as she and Liara followed, “Hemlock said to attach it to an access point to the mainframe, and it will cause havoc on the ship's internal communications and alarm systems. Broker won't know what hit them till it's too late”

“hope thats tru-” John began to say before he was cut off by the speakers

“in position. Go g-” the Pilot screamed before their voice was silenced by the sound of rushing wind as the shuttle door opened.

Without missing a beat, Jane pushed forward, her feet thudding to the ground as she landed on the ship's metal exterior. The light hum of her mag boots activating became lost under the myriad of other noises. Jane glanced around just in time to see the shuttle peeling away from the massive ship and disappearing into the storm that was raging all around them.

“Do you think they know we’re here!?” John called as he began to slowly stride towards a higher piece of metal that could protect against the wind

“almost certainly!” Liara replied as Jane felt a light grasp on her hand, “Every inch of this ship will have scanners!”

“Then we better start causing some chaos!” Garrus suggested as he marched past, priming his rifle as he went

Jane glanced to her side and gave Liara a gentle smile as they both began to move forward to keep pace with John and Garrus. Slowly and carefully the team began to advance along the top of the massive vessel in search of something that could be used to breech the hull or its internal networks, their efforts where cut short when a hatch suddenly exploded open some thirty metres ahead of them as agents clad in shadow broker armour clambered onto the hull

“fuck-” Jane cursed as she pulled Liara behind a large sensor bullets already starting to soar past

“Are they mad!?” Liara cried as she frantically adjusted her footing

“That, or paid really well” Garrus joked as a shot from his rifle struck one of the approaching soldiers

Jane watched as the man's body went limp for a fraction of a second before he slumped backwards, the rushing wind sending the body tumbling along the ship until it soared off into the distant storm.

“nice shot Garru-HOLY SHIT!” John cried as a massive bolt of lightning suddenly struck the tip of a large pylon that he had been using for cover, the energy from the strike coursing down the structure until it crackled into a massive set of coils at its base

“Shoot the pylon!” a Salarian agent yelled as he raised his pistol

Before he had a chance to fire Jane pushed herself out from behind the scanner and sent a wave of biotic energy slamming into the base of the agent's legs, tearing their feet away from the metal floor, lifting them into the air

“wait, wait, noooooooooooooo” the Salarian cried frantically as the winds caught him, sending him flying back at an incredible speed, his ragdolling body arriving halfway down the ship before a loud bang rang out as another bolt of lightning struck the figure

“oh my-” Liara whispered as Jane pulled herself back behind cover

“That was a bit excessive” John teased as he finished moving to join Garrus behind a piece of cover that wasn't an exposed lighting rod

“i didn't thi-” Jane tried to argue but was silenced by another bang as a bolt of energy struck a pylon located right in the centre of the path, surrounded by the remaining broker agents.

“this will be excessive” Garrus commented as he lined up his rifle.

Jane watched as the broker agents all glanced towards the crackling coils, all seemingly aware of what was about to happen. Some began to desperately try and sprint away their mag boots, slowing their effort. Others braced behind what cover they could find, a single gunshot rang out as a blue bolt streaked across the space, slamming into the coils.

For a fraction of a second, everything was still, and the noise of the rushing wind seemed to fade. Before a massive explosion of energy encompassed the walkway, blue streams of lightning cracked across the metal surface, charring and scorching metal, flesh, and armour alike. Screamed filled the air as the agents' bodies flickered and sparked, smoke and fire bursting through the gaps in their armour before one by one they collapsed, what remained of their bodies being carried away by the harsh winds, long trails of smoke flowing behind them.

A short pause consumed the four as Jane glanced at Liara, who was staring at the scene wide-eyed. Slowly, Jane turned her attention to John and Garrus, who both had their mouths slightly agape.

“You were right Garrus” Jane exclaimed as she began stumbling forward “That was excessive”

“i-I" Garrus stammered as John shook himself back to reality and said

“Don’t bother, just keep moving before more show up”

“Can we use the hatch they came out of!?” Liara questioned from somewhere behind the ginger as she continued to push towards the former opening

Green eyes raced across the metal surrounding the circular hatch desperately searching for some way to open it from the outside, only to find nothing.

“well!?” Garrus called as the vibrations of footsteps got closer

“nothing!” Jane yelled grimly, “Only opens from the inside!”

“damn” John spat as he arrived at her side

“damn indeed” Jane sighed as she began to trudge forward

The team was once again consumed by silence, talking being made relatively impossible due to the constant drone of the winds accompanied by frequent loud thunderclaps. The slow advance of the team was occasionally broken up when more agents would clamber out of hatches in an effort to stop them, only for the hatches to seal the second the ship's defenders crossed through. But finally an opening profided itself

“Over here!” John roared, instantly catching Jane’s attention

The ginger spun around as quickly as she could and stomped towards the call, Liara close behind. Carefully making their way down a slope towards a waiting Garrus, the two women quickly saw the reason for the call. John stood a few metres further down a narrow metal walkway, a large, sealed blast door with a terminal mounted into the wall right next to it.

“Think it will be good enough?” John asked as he gestured to the disk still hanging from Jane’s belt

“Only one way to find out” Jane said with a smirk as her fingers wrapped around the disk

Jane held her breath as she moved towards the terminal, a small hiss could be heard as the disk sealed to the system before a crimson light flickered from the disk's centre. For a brief second, silence fell over them all before a crimson holographic orb appeared

“system online” a cold synthetic voice declared “eterminatus programmes priming.”

Jane glanced to the side, where she saw the other three all looking at the small disk with clear confusion

“System warning,” the voice declared, snapping Jane's attention back to it “Once active, all systems noncritical to the vessel's continued function will be terminated. Exterminatus will begin in. Three, two, one-”

In an instant, the terminal flickered and glitched as the distant sound of alarms reached Jane's ears. She opened her mouth to speak, but before a single word could escape a loud hiss rang out as the large blast door slid open to reveal a dark narrow corridor.

“Amazing” Liara whispered as she took a closer look at the disk

“come on” John ordered as he strode into the corridor “We need to find the guy and the broker before they get the ship back under control”

“his name is Feron” Jane corrected, making Liara smile as they both strode after John,

“What the hell did that thing do?” Garrus asked as he took up the rear, as doors slammed open and shut all around them, and screens flickered and glitched

“no idea” Liara exhaled “i believe the expression humans use is ‘nuked it’”

Jane’s lips pulled into a smile as John snorted a laugh from the head of the pack while Garrus chuckled from the back

“w-what?” Liara stammered while her face turned slightly purple

“oh nothing” Jane teased as she patted the Asari on the shoulder “Just never thought you would use slang for anything”

“h-hey” Liara began to argue before she was silenced by John’s hand bolting up to make a fist

Silence fell over the group, leaving only the sound of now distant wind and still blaring alarms, until suddenly a muffled voice appeared.

“What the hell is going on?” a thick Asari accent questioned from the other side of a nearby metal door

“how the fuck should i know?” a Salarian voice replied “maybe the intruders had something to do with it?”

“how could four intruders fuck up the whole ship!?” the first voice cried “everything is going haywire! I can't reach command or the broker!”

“Stop worrying so much” the Salarian chided “all we have to do is guard one Drell, how hard can it be?”

“Drell” Liara whispered her voice full of hope “I-it could be Feron”

“Only one way to find out” Jane mouthed as she crept forward,

John gave a silent nod as he moved up beside her before each of them took a place on either side of the door. With one final nod of confirmation, Jane reached to the side and pressed her hand to the still glitching and flickering control, making his echo down the narrow hall as the door slid open.

“What the-” the Asari cried before she was cut off by a shotgun blast swiftly followed by a second

“did you need to kill them” Jane asked as she moved through the door only to stop when she took in the sight of both former guards clutching heavy machine guns “holy shit”

“i know right” John mumbled to her left “scared the shit out of me when i saw them-”

“FERON!” Liara cried as she darted into the room, her focus directed to a Drell who was strapped to a large chair with several cables attached to it from the ceiling

“L-Liara?” Feron sputtered as his murky eyes bolted open, “h-how?”

“i had some help” Liara beamed as Jane watched her gestured towards herself and John

“S-Shepards” Feron said, his voice weak as his eyes widened “i-i see you are back on your feet”

“what we are” John smiled as he strode towards a nearby terminal “and we are here to save you”

“w-why?” Feron asked clearly surprised

“Liara made a very compelling argument” Jane smirked as she made her way to a large control terminal while John shuddered in the background

“J-Jane” Feron uttered as the ghost of a smile formed on his face “Liara constantly t-talked about you-”

To Jane’s right, the Asari in question let out a squeak of embarrassment as she began to flush purple

“Did she just?” Jane questioned as a smirk pulled at her lips, “you’ll have to tell me about it once we get out of here”

“I-it would be a pleasure-” Feron sputtered before Liara hissed

“Don’t you dare!” instantly making both twins burst into laughter, with even the Drill having a weak chuckle. After a few moments, the still purple Liara spoke up again, “H-how do we get you out of here?”

“thats the hard part” Feron said as his face dropped slightly “the security systems are directly connected to the shadow brokers personal computor. I-i don’t know what you did to the rest of the ship’s systems. B-but i know the broker's main computer has its own grid, to get me out, you will need to-”

“Get to that computer” John sighed, earning a nod from Feron

“guess we are confronting the shadow broker today” Jane said grimly as she stepped away from the terminal “any idea where they are?”

“fortunately that's the easy bit” Feron said as his smile returned slightly “just keep going down the corridor form this cells entrance, at the end you will find a large door. The broker will be on the other side”

“Alright”, Jane said with a nod, “any advice before we go?”

“he is......large” Feron uttered, “and rather ugly”

“Most dangerous weapon he could possess” John deadpanned before turning and heading out the door

“We’ll be back Feron” Liara promised as she followed after John, stopping for a brief moment to shoot Jane a bright smile

The ginger in question gave the Drell a nod as she began to turn, only to stop as his weak voice called out to her

“J-Jane”

“What's wrong?” Jane asked as she glanced back at the imprisoned Drell

“i-i wasn’t joking about L-Liara" the Drell said weakly “she missed you a-alot. T-take care of her”

A smile pulled at Janes lips as she gave Feron another nod “i will”

Feron didn't speak, instead he merely smiled as he leaned back, his eyes flicking shut as Jane turned and made her way back to the corridor where everyone else stood waiting.

“Got to be honest, i was expecting something to come our way” Garrus sighed as he moved away from the wall he was leaning against

“That system really did a number on this ship” John commented as he looked over his shotgun “When we get back to the Normandy i should ask Hemlock what the hell it was”

“True” Jane agreed as she drew her pistol “but for now, lets find the broker”

-ten minutes later, the broker's lair-

A hiss echoed as the door slid open, revealing a sight that made Jane gasp.

Before her was a massive chamber covered wall to wall with terminals and screens of various sizes and colours, images and words in a dozen different languages dancing across them at an incredible pace. High above some sort of eezo chamber which flowed and crackled with the same ferocity as the storm beyond the walls of the ship. But the most horrific sight was what resided in the room's centre.

Dead centre of the room sat a giant figure a teuton in sature if not bigger. Eight pitch black eyes stared from a massive bony faceplate. Massive horns protruded from the beasts head, which when mixed a large mouth loaded with small sharp teeth and the deep crimson colour of the beings face left the impression of demons from storys Jane read when she was young.

“What the hell” John muttered as Garrus let out a low, mocking wolf whistle

“i take it you are here for the Drill” the broker stated in a deep reverberating voice as it folded its try-fingered hands together Infront of it “reckless even by your standards”

“Hardly” Jane countered as he stepped further into the room, John carefully trailing as he trained his shotgun on the broker “hell, we wouldn’t be here if you just left him and Liara alone”

“alone” the Broker repeated a cold hiss appearing in his voice “the boy betrayed me when he handed that cypher, incomplete as it was, to Dr. T’soni. The Drell is merely paying for his actions”

“its not to late to let this end peacefully” John chimed in “let Feron go, and call off your attacks on me, and we can walk away”

“You won’t be leaving this place” the Broker declared as his eight eyes narrowed

“awfully cocky for a cornered information broker” Garrus chuckled as he began moving to the left

“it is good you brought Archangel” the Broker stated, completely ignoring Garrus’s comment “the bounty for his body has yet to be claimed”

“you won't lay a hand on anyone” Liara hissed

“it's pointless to challenge me” the Broker said calmly “i know your every secret whilst you fumble in the dark”

“is that right?” Liara countered as Jane saw a smirk pull at her lips, “You’re a Yahg, a pre-spaceflight species quarantined to their homeworld for massacring the council's first contact team. This ship is older than you’re species discovery, let me guess you killed the original shadow broker and took over?. I'm also guessing you were taken from your world by a trophy hunter who wanted a slave........or a pet. How am i doing?”

A deafening silence filled the room as the yahg’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Slowly and surely, the creature placed both of its hands on the desk before pushing itself to its feet, quickly towering over the four. The air in the room became tense as Jane tightened her grip on her pistol. In an instant, the Yahg brought a fist slamming down into the metal desk, the sound of tearing metal and sparks echoing through the room as the piece of furniture tore in two.

In a singular, swift motion, the Broker grabbed the larger piece of the desk and flung it towards Liara. Jane moved quickly, tackling Liara to the floor as the desk soared past, exploding against the wall. Gunfire thundered throughout the room, making Jane’s head whip around to look at John and Garrus, who were both unleashing a torrent of bullets into the broker.

A pile purple shield wrapped around the Yahg's massive body as his large mouth opened to let out a deep blood curdling roar before lowering his body and sprinting towards John at a surprising speed. Jane watched as John dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack, as the broker's head slammed into a large metal pillar.

“Are you alright!?” Jane questioned frantically as she helped Liara to her feet

“y-yeah” Liara stammered as her legs wobbled slightly “h-how are we supposed to stop something like that?”

“i have no idea” Jane admitted as she aimed her pistol towards the screaming beast before firing it

The bullet bounced against the shield, dealing no damage but succeeding in taking the beast's attention of Garrus and John. The broker wheeled around and sprinted across the room towards them. The two women wordlessly bolted to the right, narrowly avoiding the charge as the beast brought himself around again to continue the chase.

“we need a plan” Liara whezzed as the monster continued to chase them around the room “we won’t ever kill them like this!”

“i know!” Jane cried back as she dodged a swinging arm, which slammed into a massive terminal, destroying it on impact.

“JANE!” Garrus screamed, catching the ginger's attention

Green eyes darted across the room towards the Turian, who wordlessly pointed towards the ceiling in the centre of the room. Jane’s eyes quickly followed the direction of the talon until they arrived on the thick glass that sat between the eezo core and the chamber below.

‘cunning shit’ she thought as she dodged another furious swing from the beast.

Jane glanced to the side and gestured for Liara to follow. Liara gave a wordless nod as Jane turned and sprinted forwards, narrowly avoiding a strike from the broker, while Liara did the same on the creature's other side. Both women sprinted into the room's centre with the broker trailing close behind, the horrific hissing and screeching getting closer and closer until it was suddenly cut over by another torrent of gunfire.

Jane and Liara kept moving forward as the beast let out another furious roar, the two of them quickly skidding to a stop and darting around to face the broker, who was positioned directly beneath the large glass panel, as John and Garrus continued to unleash a barrage of bullets into him.

“Aim for the glass!” Jane told Liara as she charged her biotics

“ah!” Liara cried in realisation as her own biotics flickered into life

“NOW!” Jane commanded as she unleashed a massive biotic blast towards the glass, quickly followed by a bolt from Liara

Both masses of energy slammed into the glass with explosive force, sending massive deep cracks snaking across its surface as eezo energy began to flicker through. The broker let out a horrific, deep laugh as he cried

“fools!”

“Not done yet!” Liara yelled as Jane saw a determined smirk form out of the corner of her eye, “Follow my lead!”

The ginger did as ordered, following Liara’s movements as they both reached up towards the glass and the eezo behind it with their biotics. Then in one swift, powerful motion, both woman forced their hands down, tearing the shattered glass from the ceiling and unleashing the eezo. The energy flooded downwards like a tidal wave, slamming into the Yahg’s massive frame with an extraordinary amount of force. Jane’s eyes went wide as she watched in a mixture of amazement and horror as the massive creature's body flailed about, slowly and surly burning away amongst the ocean of energy. All while every terminal and screen in the room flickered and jolted.

Finally, the wave of eezo flickered away, leaving nothing but a charred skull and bones lying where the shadow broker had stood mere moments prior. Silence completely enveloped the room, only disturbed by the flicker and hum of the exposed eezo core overhead.

“WE DID IT!” Liara cried excitedly as Jane was tackled to the ground

The ginger smiled as she looked up at the beautiful Asari’s who’s eyes had an unbelievable shine in them.

“We did it” John echoed somewhere else in the room

“we did it!” Garrus chaired, followed by the distinct sound of a fist punching a shoulder plate, “We just took on the shadow broker!”

“And won” Jane chimed in as Liara helped her up

“one problem” John cut in his voice, suddenly grim, making everyone snap towards him “a lot of the galaxy, good and bad rely on the shadow broker-”

“And we just killed them” Jane sighed, already seeing the problem at hand

“it will be alright” a familiar voice whizzed from the doorway, instantly making everyone snap around to it

“Feron!” Liara cried as she darted over to the Drell, who was clutching his side with one hand and holding the door for support with the other.

“Are you alright?” Jane asked as Liara offered a hand for support

“I’ve been better” Feron sighed “i’ll be okay after some time”

“Glad we got you out” Garrus said as he walked over John next to him

“Was worried frying the core might have been dangerous” John commented as he gave the Drell a nod

“it was worth the risk” Feron smiled “with the broker dead, Liara is safe, and I'm not strapped to that chair”

“What about all his assets?” Liara asked

Feron looked to be deep in thought for a second before he sighed and nodded to himself

“i-I'll take his place” the Drell declared “he kept extensive records so I'll be able to pick up where he left off.”

“are you sure?” Jane questioned as Liara donned a worried look

“i’m certain” Feron nodded “I’ll be able to put the resources to better use than he ever could have”

“Alright”, Garrus agreed “, before any of that, we should get you checked out, any idea if this ship has an infirmary?”

“it does” Feron confirmed, “i can point out directions”

“i’ll take you-” Liara tried to offer before being cut off

“Garrus and I can take you” John offered as he carefully took the man's free arm and shooting the Turian a look

Garrus gave a low chuckle of agreement as he carefully took Feron’s other arm from Liara

“A brilliant idea” Feron agreed as a grin formed on his face “o-oh before i go, check the systems for records, i remember the broker mumbling about collecting information on your crew-”

“will d-” Jane began to say, only to be cut off by the door shutting

A small silence fell as the two women stared at the door blankly before finally bursting into laughter as they turned to face one another.

“is that them being subtle?” Liara asked as Jane wrapped her arms around the shorted woman, pulling her into a tight embrace

“Apparently” Jane replied between laughs as she felt Liara’s arms snake around her back

For a short time, the woman didn't speak, instead choosing to enjoy silence as they held onto one another like nothing else in the universe mattered.

“J-Jane” Liara said weakly after a few minutes, fear clearly present in her voice

“w-whats wrong?” Jane asked as she pulled back, carefully cupping Liara’s face with one of her hands

“i-i mi-missed you” Liara said as tears began to form in her beautiful eyes “a-and i wan-want to be with you”

“but?” Jane questioned her voice laced with pure terror and desperation. As she felt her heart threatening to shatter deep in her chest

“i-i can’t st-stay on t-the No-Normandy" Liara sobbed “i-i l-love you so much, a-and i d-don't want to be a-away from you, b-but t-they need me a-at the br-brass city”

A deep sigh escaped Jane’s lungs as she pulled Liara into another tight embrace, the smaller woman's head resting on the ginger's shoulder

“you had me worried” Jane whispered as Liara trembled in her arms

“y-your n-not a-angry" Liara’s muffled voice asked from Jane’s shoulder

“no” Jane answered warmly as she carefully pulled the Asari away so her green eyes could stare into pools of blue “i love you Liara, and no matter where you are i will love you. If you want to go to the brass city, I'm happy to support you”

“Even if I'm not beside you on your mission?” Liara sobbed

“of course” Jane whispered comfortingly before placing a gentle kiss on the Asari’s head, “so long as you are happy, I'm happy”

“b-but” Liara stuttered “i-i won't be beside you-”

“thats okay” Jane smiled “i think our relationship can last long distance.....that is, if you want it to-”

“yes!” Liara yelled before flushing slightly, “S-sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm a barrel of emoations right now.....i-i was so afraid you wouldnt want to be with me if i wasnt there with you. Deep down i knew you would never do that, b-but i was always afraid.”

“its okay” Jane soothed as she grasped both of Liara’s hands “so, we are going to make this work?”

“o-of course” Liara sniffed before shooting Jane the largest, most beautiful smile the ginger had ever seen

Without missing a beat, Jane leaned down and pressed her lips to Liara’s as her eyes fluttered closed. Liara didn't waste a second before she returned the kiss as the pair's arms once again snaked their way around the other. After a few moments, Liara pulled away as her body rocked slightly

“o-oh my” she whispered

“Everything okay?” Jane asked as she helped stabilise her lover

“i-I'm rather exahsted from everything” Liara admitted “the adrenaline seems to be wearing off now so its hitting me. I-is it alright if i lay down for a bit?”

“of course” Jane smiled as she carefully helped her partner move across the room towards a large couch

“i’m sorry” Liara mumbled as Jane carefully lowered the Asari onto the couch

“Don’t be” Jane replied as she rose back to an upright position “While you nap I'll have a look through the Shadow Brokers files and make sure that everything on us and the team is purged”

“s-sounds-” Liara began before letting out a deep yawn, her eyes already fluttering shut “g-good”

Jane smiled down at Liara as the Asari’s breathing slowed, taking one final moment to lean down and place a small kiss on Liara’s forehead before she turned and made her way across the room towards what appeared to be the main terminal.

“Alright let's see what you had” Jane mumbled as she tapped at the controls, bringing up a search for all files in the database “Shepards-”

As soon as she pressed search, a massive data vault full of files appeared on the massive screen in front of her, each file named after one of the members of the Normandy’s current crew. But what caught Jane’s immediate attention was the file that was still open from the last time the Broker had looked at it.

~

File Subject: Hemlock (Alius)

Position: Master at arms of the Adentri, XO of Normandy SR-2, personal advisor to the Shepard twins.

Recruitment availability: impossible

Extranet history and data: unavailable, firewalls to advanced.

Believed identity: Caliban Wallace

Caliban Wallace notes pieced together from alliance documentations:

-Born, London, Earth 2134 CE. Current age 51.

-Parents. Elizabeth Wallace, father unknown (believed abandoned family following Caliban’s birth)

-appears to be named after old human playwright ‘Shakespeare’ work called ‘The Tempest’

-Elizabeth Wallace perished to unknown disease when Caliban was aged six. Resulted in Caliban being sent to an orphanage due to lack of family. (Orphanage records state Caliban was never the same after his mother's death, with the boy developing a cold emotionless exterior)

-Caliban disappears from the orphanage aged 15. No government or police records indicate located he was located. (no information about this time)

-age 18 Caliban joins the Alliance military, (several instructors indicated in official records that Caliban was an emotionally cold individual, several expressed concern about potential sociopathic behaviour)

-Caliban was recorded as being part of the first class of the Alliance N7 special forces program, with him graduating prior to the First Contact War.

-Caliban participates in the first contact war with the rank of commander. During this war, Caliban received a reputation for an open willingness to use brutality to achieve victory. Attached below is Kane Ablins ‘The Glory of man’ time painted unknown

~

Jane’s green eyes flicked to the image below which depicted a company of Marines gathered below a platform where a faceless commander clad in N7 armour stood high and proud, a pistol raised in one hand while the other held a rope with a Turian swinging from its base.

Glancing at the notes below Jane continued to read

~

-Note, this painted was created from rumor and word of mouth. Current records indicate that Caliban didn't take any glory or joy out of the action, simply doing it to ensure later victories

-Following the end of the first contact war, Caliban Wallace was discharged from the alliance military under the grounds of ‘excessive brutality’. Following his discharge, Wallace was sighted joining a transhumanist sect called ‘the cult of iron’ that was located on the moon titan.

-Caliban Wallace officially disappeared from known space following the cult of iron’s exodus from Alliance territory.

~

Jane stared unblinkingly at the file before her. Her mind racing with the information that she had found.

‘t-that can’t be true’ she thought as she began to tap some buttons bringing uo the systems needed to purge the files ‘.....can it?’

-hours later, Normandy-

Ultimately Jane couldn't hold the questions in. Once Liara had drifted to sleep in her cabin, Jane carefully crept to the elevator, taking it down to the main deck. Fortunately, Jane didn't cross another soul's path as she tiptoed through the floor until finally she stopped opposite the XO cabin’s door. Taking a deep breath, Jane reached out and wrapped her knuckles against the cold steel twice before a familiar deep voice commanded

“enter”

Reaching down, Jane pressed a button allowing the door to slide open, revealing the familiar sight of Hemlock stationed behind his desk, his many eyes focused on the terminal before him.

“Jane” Hemlock stated as the ginger in question moved into the room towards the seat sitting opposite to him “Your arrival is unexpected”

“I-is that a bad thing?” Jane stammered as she took her seat, hoping to avoid awkwardness forming before she told the cyborg what she had seen

“This unit did not state that” Hemlock replied, deactivating his terminal with the wave of a metal hand “This unit simply believed you would choose to rest, given your stressful day cycle, along with the presence of Liara”

“true” Jane sighed as she forced her green eyes to stare into Hemlocks remaning organic one “i-i need to be honest Hemlock......today in the brokers lair...i saw something”

The cyborg didn't speak, instead his head gave a slight nod, gesturing for her to continue

“w-when i went to delete the brokers files on us i acendently read the one he had on you” Jane confised as she felt drops of sweat forming on her forhead “t-there wasnt much.....but he had some stuff about Caliban Wallace.....”

“Such as?” Hemlock questioned his voice unchanged

“that you were from London on earth” Jane said before gulping “it also said your father abandoned you at birth, t-that your mother died when you were six, a-and.......and that you were never the same since......”

Silence filled the cabin as Jane stopped speaking, her eyes focused on the cyborg sitting across from her. Jane held her breath as she stared at the unmoving cyborg; his whole body remained still as a slight fog appeared over his organic eye.

“I-I'm really sorry for reading it” Jane apologised after a few minutes, desperate to break the silence “i-i swear i didn-”

Before she could finish, the fog faded from Hemlock’s eye as he raised a metal hand to silence her

“it is alright” Hemlock stated, his voice unwavering “This unit does not feel fury towards these events”

Jane allowed a slight sigh of relief to escape her before she took a breath and braced to ask her next question. “i-is it true?”

Jane braced as she expected a silence, or an excuse, or just open denial to answer. The one thing she hadn’t expected was what she got

“It is” Hemlock answered simply

“w-wha” Jane stammered

“That which you read aboard the broker's vessel is correct” Hemlock continued

“s-so your father-” Jane stuttered

“Gone” Hemlock stated

“and y-your mother” Jane mumbled, sadness clutching at her heart

“Gone” Hemlock repeated

“And you being different after she died?” Jane whispered, as a brief pause fell over the room

“many in the Adentri believe Hemlock was born when Caliban Wallace died” Hemlock stated as he leaned back in his chair “this is incorrect. Caliban Wallace died the day he lay clutching his mothers' corpse as she lay pale and unmoving in a damp barren room... Caliban Wallace, what he was, what he could have been lies buried outside of London....alongside his mother”

Jane felt a tear roll down her cheek as she continued to silently stare at the unblinking cyborg before her. Silence consumed the room once more until Hemlock leaned forward and pointed to the wall, exactly where the fourth and final painting hung”

“The painting” Hemlock remarked, “this unit assumes you see its meaning”

“y-your mother” Jane answered her voice a barely audible whisper

“correct” Hemlock confirmed his voice almost grim “you know Jane. Even decades after Elizabeth perished, her existence continues to shape this unit's being”

“r-really?” Jane questioned as Hemlock turned towards the corner of the cabin

“this units mother in her youth was most fascinated by old world apothecaries and plants” Hemlock stated, “her favourites being the Wolfsbane and............”

“And?” Jane echoed as Hemlock raised a metal hand to point at the small white flowered plant

“........the Hemlock” the cyborg answered as tears prickled at Jane’s eyes

“t-thats beautiful” Jane uttered as Hemlock turned back towards her “I-I'm so sorry”

“don’t be” the cyborg ordered “there is nothing which could have been done.”

“s-still” Jane said weakly “loss always hurts”

“This unit knows” Hemlock replied his synthetic voice, boarding on gentle as Jane saw what could have been a flicker of sadness in his usually cold, empty eye

Before Jane could speak, a loud yawn escaped her as her eyes fogged over slightly.

“This unit suggests returning to bed” Hemlock stated as Jane struggled to keep her eyes open

“Okay” the ginger agreed as she carefully made her way to her feet before turning and beginning to move towards the door, only to be stopped when a synthetic voice called after her

“Jane”

Slowly glancing back, Jane saw Hemlock looking at her before nodding slightly and stating

“This unit thanks you”

“always Hemlock” Jane smiled as she turned and departed the cabin leaving Hemlock to slowly return his gaze to his fourth painting as memories and thoughts raced through the old cyborgs head.

-A Day later, Normandy-

Jane let out a sombre sigh as she watched the familiar crescent outline of an Adentri cruiser approaching the Normandy to gather one very important piece of cargo.

“i guess this is it” a sad voice said behind her, drawing the ginger's attention like a moth to a flame

“i guess it is” Jane said sadly as she turned and gave Liara a weak smile “i’ll miss you more than i can put into words”

Liara gave a little giggle as she leaned over and Jane felt a small brief peck on her lips.

“we’ll be able to talk” the Asari smiled as she pulled away “i’m sure the Brass city has better reception than Ilos”

“i certainly hope so” Jane deadpanned

“it does” Hemlock cut in as he and John approached from a nearby door “This unit has already assured the housing has the needed equipment for communication with the Normandy”

“thank you Hemlock” Liara said warmly as she smiled at the two men before asking “is something wrong?”

“No”, John answered with a shake of his head, “we just wanted to be here to see you off. It’s a shame you couldn't join us again, but helping the Adentri is probably a better long-term goal”

“Speaking of that, any idea what you will be studying?” Jane asked as her green eyes glanced between Liara and Hemlock

“no clue” Liara answered instantly before she turned her own gaze on the cyborg

“This unit is unfamiliar” Hemlock answered, surprising all three of them “The artifacts were retrieved by Winter; she will be overseeing them and their study”

“That's odd” John murmured “i think that's the first time you have said you didn't have specifics about something happening in the Adentri”

“This unit has access to a vast deal of information due to its position as master at arms” Hemlock remarked “The artifacts Winter has gathered are not technology nor related to the military, therefore they are not currently related to this unit's field of work”

“Why do you think studying them is so important then?” Jane questioned slight disappointment bubbling at the idea Liara was going away to study random artifacts

“from what this unit has been told the artifacts appear to be from the end of the Prothean empire” Hemlock explained “the current theory is they may hold historic information related to the Reaper invasion. If the Adentri is lucky, these artifacts may give insight to the nature of how the Reapers wage war, in turn allowing for better preparations to counter them upon their arrival”

“ASV Salvation is docking with us now” Joker announced over the local intercom “Couple more minutes, and you can be off Liara”

“thank you Joker” Liara called out before turning her attention back to John and Hemlock.

Jane watched as Liara wordlessly stepped over John, pulling him into an embrace which he quickly returned with a smile. After a few seconds, they pulled apart before Liara turned and, to everyone's surprise wrapped her arms around Hemlock’s metal frame. Jane stared wide-eyed as she expected some sort of comment or request to stop instead, she was even more surprised when Hemlock briefly wrapped his own metal arms around Liara and stated

“This unit hopes you enjoy your time in the Brass city”

The Asari gave a wide smile as she pulled away from the cyborg and began to move back towards Jane as the airlock hissed open to reveal a familiar gold-adorned immortal

“Ready to go ma’am” Rampart asked as his four-eyed helm looked down at Liara

“i-is it alright if Jane walks with me over to the ship?” Liara asked as Jane felt a gentle grasp on her hand

“of course” Rampart answered with a nod, “i’ll wait here till she gets back”

“Thank you” Liara uttered as she moved towards the docking tube, pulling Jane along with her

Both women walked in silence as they walked down the tube, the only sound being the voices of John, Rampart, and Hemlock growing increasingly distant. After a short walk, Jane found herself inside the familiar interior of an Adentri vessel as Liara carefully placed her bag down against the wall.

“i-I'm really going to miss you” the Asari said sadly as she turned towards Jane “the last few days with you have been amazing.”

“i’ll miss you too,” Jane replied weakly as she gently cupped Liara’s cheek before pulling her into a deep, passionate kiss

“P-promise you will message” Liara stuttered as they finally pulled apart, her face drenched in purple

“i promise,” Jane whispered soothingly, her own face matching her hair

For a few seconds, the two women stood holding one another until finally Jane pulled away, sending her lover one last smile before she turned and began her silent walk back down the tube.

“so that was the only one?” John questioned as Jane slowly crept back into the Normandy

“Correct”, Hemlock confirmed, “the disk used on the shadow broker vessel was a one-of-a-kind cyberweapon.”

“That's a shame” Rampart muttered “From what the commanders described it could have been useful......oh Ma’am-”

The captain jolted slightly as he noticed Jane coming to a stop next to him, making John chuckle while Hemlock remained silent.

“it would appear it is time to depart” Hemlock stated as he turned his attention to Rampart

“of course, sir” Rampart replied, giving a salute before turning and marching towards the tube, only to stop and glance over his shoulder to say “by the way, it was an honour meeting you, commanders”

The soldier’s words made a small smile crawl onto Jane’s face as she watched the door seal behind him before silently moving back toward the viewport. A few silent seconds passed by until pressurised air could be seen escaping the tube as it slowly moved back into place near the Adentri cruiser's airlock. Jane held her breath as she watched the ASV Salvation pull away its FTL engines, powering up until finally, with a burst of crimson, it was gone.

A small tear crept down Jane’s face as she felt her lips quivering slightly, only to stop when a hand landed on her shoulder, gently pulling her around to reveal her brother standing next to her. John didn't speak, instead he carefully wrapped his arms around her, pulling Jane into a tight embrace as she finally allowed the sobs to escape her. The two Shepards stood unmoving for some time until Jane finally pulled away her eyes, red from her tears. The two shared only a silent nod before they turned and made their way further into the Normandy, already knowing that a long battle with the collectors waited ahead.

Chapter Text

John let out a deep sigh as he strode through the halls of the Normandy. thoughts still hung heavy in his mind as memories of the previous day cycle played in his mind.

‘She doesn't deserve this,’ John mused sadly as he strode past Chief and Echo, making his way into the cargo bay ‘Neither of them do-’

“John” a deep voice called, drawing his attention.

“Archembald” John replied as he turned towards the approaching giant “everything alright?”

“All is well” Archembald answered as he came to a stop “It is you that worries me-”

“me?” John whispered as his brows shot up his face in surprise, “What do you mean?”

“come now John” Archembald sighed as he leaned down to whisper “i may not be experienced or wise as Luther. But I know the look of a troubled man, human or Teuton.”

“That's easy to read?” John uttered as he let out his own shuddering sigh

“to me” Archembald answered “so i ask again, what troubles you John?”

“Liara and Jane” John replied as he felt a large hand land on his shoulder and begin to lead him to the far side of the bay “t-they spent two years away from each other and when they finally see each other again it was because Liara was in danger... and now they are separated again”

“And that troubles you?” Archembald asked as John took a seat on a crate

“Jane is my sister” John answered “I've always looked out for her. After our parents died, we were so alone....i was so happy when she found Liara. They were practically made for each other, but now-”

“She is alone” Archembald finished.

“and I can’t do anything” John continued as a pain built in his chest “I-I've tried talking to her...but I don’t know how to comfort her.....relationships have never been my strong suit”

Archembald let out a low hum of thought as both his arms reached up and clutched the underside of his helm. A hiss echoed out as the seals of the helmet released. John felt his eyes widen as he watched Archembald lift his helmet up to reveal a clean-shaven face and short, well-kept ginger hair that was beginning to grey along the sides. Large golden lion-like eyes met with blue as Archembald placed his helmet by his side, while John felt his jaw drop

“You seem surprised” Archembald commented as he shot a smile that showed the large fangs all Teutons possessed

“w-well” John stammered “only ever took his helm off once, At Benezia’s funeral. I thought Teuton knights always kept their faces hidden”

“a fair guess” Archembald chuckled “as a whole Teuton Knights don’t have to cover their faces. All except for those of the order of the unnamed. Part of their oath as law bringers and judges is to keep their faces hidden behind their helms and robes.”

“i see” John sighed as he gave a nod “w-why did you take it off?”

“i believed it would help connect with you” Archembald smiled “i can’t say i have much advice to give on relationships either. My marriage to my wife was arranged at a young age-”

“your married?” John blurted out as his eyes widened before he quickly caught himself, “..sorry”

“it is alright” Archembald chuckled “it was never mentioned. But yes, I am married, as was Luther. Both of us are nobles, so we had marriages arranged, so we never experienced courting a woman, nor do we have experience in resolving issues of distance”

“Luther is married” John whispered

“Was” Archembald corrected grimly

“What happened?” John questioned, dread creeping up his spine

“She was killed” Archembald sighed, his eyes becoming sad “I’m afraid that is all I will say...it is not my story to tell”

“its okay” John replied as his mind turned back towards his sister “......i....I wish I could help her......she’s been locked in her room since Liara left”

“perhaps a distraction would be helpful” Archembald suggested “are we not on route for Suen?”

“We are” John confirmed, “still a few hours out though”

Archembald made another hum of thought before speaking up, “Perhaps you and Vakarian could do something with her, you are all friends, aren't you?”

“maybe” John uttered as he let the thought turn in his head “what would we do?”

“It could be something as simple as talk” Archembald answered “If Jane is alone, then being there beside her will do more good than anything we could imagine”

“True”, John mumbled before nodding to himself and pushing himself up to his feet “I’ll give that a try. Thank you for the help, Archembald.”

“anytime young John” Archembald replied as he lifted his helmet up to return it to his head allowing John to turn and walk back towards the elevator his next mission clear in his mind.

-A few minutes later, Normandy crew deck-

Footsteps echoed as John marched past the mess area towards the main gun chamber when a voice suddenly called out, catching his attention

“John!”

A sigh escaped John as he stopped and turned to face the voice's origin

“Sorry” Jacob apologises as he stops in front of John and gives him a salute

“its fine” John replied as he gestured for Jacob to be at ease “whats the problem?”

“well” Jacob began his voice becoming strained and awkward “t-the problem is.......”

“Spit it out, Jacob” John sighed “i can’t help if you don’t tell me”

“i know” Jacob countered before he exhaled deeply “Recently, i got a message from the Cerberus network.... usually it wouldn't be anything.....but this was different”

“How so?” John questioned as he raised a brow

“it was a distress signal” Jacob answered as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other “from the MSV Hugo Gernsback. It went missing ten years ago, but the Cerberus network picked up its distress beacon activating on a planet called Aeia about a week ago”

“is it normal for the Cerberus network to notify all its agents when a distress signal is detected?” John asked, confusion flooding his system

“no” Jacob answered as his brow knitted together “thats why i want to check it out. That and because.......because”

“Because?” John echoed

“my dad was on that ship” Jacob uttered before exhaling again “he went missing with the ship. I-i-”

“Want to know what happened?” John finished as he felt his expression soften

“Yes” Jacob replied after a moment, “i know we have bigger problems bu-”

“its alright Jacob” John cut in as he raised his hand “send the co-ordinates to Joker, we’ll look into it once we finish on Suen. I'm sure Jane will be on board”

“Thank you, John” Jacob smiled “I-it means a lot”

“Happy to help” John said with a weak smile as he turned and continued towards the main guns chamber

-another few minutes later, outside Jane's cabin-

“So we’re just going to crash in her room?” Garrus questioned as John led him out of the elevator

“Yep” the blue-eyed man answered as he stepped towards the room in question

“And you're sure this is a good idea?” Garrus asked

“I’ve had worse” John replied, earning a sigh from the Turian

“That's not encouraging” Garrus commented in an unconvinced voice

“oh shut it” John muttered before he slammed his kuckles against the metal door and called “Jane, are you alive in there?”

Silence followed for a few moments as John saw Garrus give him the side eye until a muffled voice finally called back

“What do you want?”

“Are you presentable?” John continued ignoring his sister's question

“i’m dressed” Jane’s muffled voice replied “.......why?”

John reached down and pressed a button, which was swiftly followed by a hiss and the sound of the door sliding open

“Because Garrus and me are coming in” he answered as he marched into the room, Garrus trailing behind

“JOHN!” Jane cried as she flung a blanket over her body

“You said you were dressed” John chided as he made his way to the couch.

“Yeah! In pyjamas!” Jane yelled as green eyes narrowed and landed on him, “Why the hell are you even here?”

“To cheer you up” John replied as he lowered himself onto the couch

“And you think barging into my room will do that!?” Jane scolded before glancing towards Garrus, who was busy staring around the room “And you agreed!”

“hey i was just told to come with him” Garrus countered as he held his hands up infront of him “didn't even fill me in till we were in the elevator. I can’t say i wasn't worried about you, though”

Jane’s glare hardened before she let out a deep sigh and lowered her head while mumbling, “Was it that bad?”

“You’ve been locked in your room since Liara left” John replied

“Space never hurt anyone” Jane countered

“You haven't eaten in nearly two days” Garrus deadpanned

“i-I" Jane stammered as John felt his eyes widen “h-how the hell do you know that?”

“Hemlock mentioned it”, Garrus answered as he shrugged his shoulders “Last time you ate was after we got back from the shadow broker ship.”

“That snitch” Jane hissed under her breath

“You haven't eaten for two days” John said as he felt his voice becoming stern

“I-i wasn't hungry” Jane uttered as she pulled her blanket up to cover her face

“That's no excuse” John countered as he made his voice gentle “You need food, Jane”

“i know!” she snapped before taking a deep breath “i-i know..... it's just”

“Hard” Garrus sighed as he strode past John and took a seat on the other couch “We know......but you need to take care of yourself”

“i-i know” Jane mumbled, “I-it's so hard”

John watched as his sister shrank in on herself, her expression becoming sad and more vulnerable than he had ever seen before.

“which is why we are here” Garrus said with a smile “it still a few hours till we reach Suen so how about we do something?”

“Like what?” Jane uttered

“Vid” John suggested “we could always watch that one that Tali showed you”

“Fleet and flotilla?” the ginger replied with a raised brow

“Oh spirits” Garrus groaned

“That bad?” John asked as he felt a smirk pull at his lips

“It's terrible” Garrus replied with a frantic wave of his arms “classic romance slop-”

“it's not that bad” Jane cut in, making the Turians' mandibles flicker in surprise

John felt his smile widen as he moved towards the projector, watching as Garrus brought the palm of his hand to the crest of his head with a gentle smack

“Of all the things-” the reptile mumbled as John began tapping at the controls for the projector and navigating the device's menus

“Respect the classics” Jane countered a smirk evident in her voice

“classics!” Garrus cried in an exasperated voice, “What in the spirit's name did Tali do to you!?”

“i’ll have you know-” Jane began to counter before she was cut off why a deep gong sound and a voice coming from the projector's speakers

“Now presenting. Fleet and Flotilla”

“oh come on” Garrus mumbled as John moved back to his seat

“Shush” Jane hissed, her green eyes instantly focusing on the holographic image

John gave the Turian a smile as Garrus let out a sigh, but nevertheless turned his attention to the display and began to watch the opening battle of the play. John took a deep breath as he relaxed into his seat and his mind began to wander towards a certain Quarian.

-hours later, the planet Suen-

“This place is hellish” Jane yelled from somewhere behind him as John made his way towards the source of the signal

“Suen is tidailly locked” Mordin called “ressulted in unfavourable enviroment. Not helped by the bombings conducted during the burning of the world.”

A massive gust of radioactive wind blasted against John’s body as he continued to clamber over the jagged rock formations.

“What are we evening looking for?” Grunt complained as he stumbled on a rock from the front of the group

“The Rachni lived underground!” Archembald’s voice boomed easily, cutting through the sound og the wind “If a signal is reaching the surface, it will be from a sinkhole that was caused during the Krogan bombing!”

“Is that why Hemlock gave us rope!?” Jane cried frantically

“Likely” Mordin answered

“come on Jane” John yelled as he carefully made his way over another rock “Hemlock is the master at arms of one of the most technologically advanced groups in the milky way! He wouldn't give us rope to go into a sinkhole-”

John felt his throat seize as he rounded a corner to be met with the sight of a massive hole that appeared to be at least five kilometres in size, with the pitch darkness staring back at him in an almost mocking manner as if laughing.

“Oh, what the hell!” Jane roared in exasperation as she came to a stop to his left while Mordin and Archembald silently took up positions to the right

“i kinda wanted to warn you,” Grunt mumbled as he kicked a rock “but i thought it would be funny to see your faces”

“Well, was it?” John questioned as he pinched the bridge of his nose

Grunt let out a deep chuckle before answering “yes”

John saw Jane open her mouth to retort out of the corner of his eye. Deciding to prevent her from cussing out the young Krogan he quickly stepped forward while ordering

“come on, the sooner we get down there the sooner we are out of this damned wind”

-half an hour later-

“i’m going to kill him” John muttered to himself as he arrived at the bottom of the cable, all the rest of the team already standing around waiting.

“Now, now” Jane tutted mockingly just as he had when she said the same five words during her way down

John shook his head but nevertheless found himself smiling as he turned his attention to the surrounding space. The large cavern in question had turned out not to be as deep as first thought, with the darkness of Suen’s stone making it appear far deeper than it was. The team now stood on a mountain of stone which had formed when the cavern's top had collapsed during the ancient bombing. John found his eyes widening in surprise as he glanced over the walls of the cavern, as he realised that it wasn't just some random cave.

The mountain of rumble was located in the centre of what appeared to me a massive underground atrium with enormous cobble-like pathways and ancient lights covering the ground and leading towards the walls of the cavern. Narrowing his eyes as he peered over the Blackstone at the space's borders, John realised that structures had been carved into them with large ornate stairwells leading up to massive arching doorways adorned with patterns and jewels, while some even had what looked to be carved bone as decorations.

“Amazing”, Mordin whispered as John turned to see him examining the space “Rachni were always described as a mindless savage race. Never would have imagined such constructions”

“i have seen some of the tapestry’s depicting the siege” Archembald commented as his helmet turned “massive sprawling cities carved in the depths out of the blackest of stone. When i was young, i remember an elder of the house telling me of why the galaxy knows not of their beauty”

“Why?” Jane questioned her eyes, snapping away from a flowing current-like pattern in an open space on the floor

“the council did not want the galaxy to see any side to the Rachni but danger” Archembald replied grimly “by the time Krogan and Teuton forces had pushed the Rachni into their own tunnels it had been determined that they needed to be exterminated. According to the elder, showing the galaxy that the Rachni were capable of art would have made many reconsider such an action”

“Why would some carved rock do that?” Grunt spat in confusion, “They were a danger, so they were all killed”

“because it shows they were more” John answered as he smiled as the puzzled Krogan “the galaxy wanted the Rachni destroyed because it thought they knew nothing but killing. If people realised that the Rachni could be changed to a more peaceful path, then many might have tried to stop their extinction.”

Grunt stared blankly for a moment before shaking his head and muttering “idiots”

“The signal is coming from the north” Jane remarked as he examined her Omni tool and turned towards the direction in question

John followed his sister’s gaze and felt his eyes bolt wider as he took in the sight of an enormous arching gate half the size of the caverns wall with ginormous symbols and Rachni figures carved into its frame which appeared to be depicting some sort of ancient war were they fought four eyed humanoid creatures that were firing beams from their arms. John narrowed his eyes in an effort to look through the darkness to find what was beyond the gate, but he was met with only murky blackness.

“Come on” John sighed as he began to carefully make his way down the rocks, all the others letting out sighs of their own as they began to follow

-an hour later-

For an hour, the team had marched along the massive cavern, which, just like the atrium, had structures and art carved along the walls. Cobbled paths flowed beneath them with ancient dead lights along both sides. Ornate pillars reached the ceiling, depicting more ancient battles, sometimes against other Rachni, other times against the four-eyed attackers, and even some depicting Rachni fighting alongside the four-eyed warriors against unrecognisable monstrosities. All the while, rubble and ancient debris covered the space from the battle that once raged along the passage.

“one hundred metres out” Jane commented as she glanced down at her Omni tool

“weapons ready” John ordered as he unfolded his shotgun, the sound of other guns folding out and locking into place echoed around the massive space quicky accompanied by the hum of Archembald’s power weapon powering up.

John took the lead and began to carefully step forward his eyes narrowing as he pressed his finger against the side of the gun ready to fire should something attack. Step after step he moved forward until a large mound of Blackstone came into view. Carefully, he moved closer and closer until his touch light landed on something.

A deep royal purple gleamed from beneath some of the dark blackstone. Slowly, he moved the light across the purple allowing him to take in the sight of an ancient metal, dinged and scarred by ancient weapons. Carefully, he moved the light up the metal until he was caught off guard by the gleam of gold.

“What the-” Jane began to utter from John’s left

“Stand and unfold yourselves” a deep robotic voice thundered, echoing all around the massive chamber

John recoiled away as he moved his light towards the source of the noise at the top of the mound, where it revealed a large purple and gold machine helm adorned with patterns and symbols that left his eyes wide

“Krogan, Salarian, and Fellow Son of the forest” the voice continued as a deep creeking echoed followed by the helm moving ever so slightly “and you.....I do not recognise your kind. Are you the honourable? Or the wretched?”

“By the crown” Archembald uttered his voice more in awe than John had ever heard before “its........its an entombed”

“I am Harkon of House Gloria!” the ancient’s voice thundered “Ancient of rites of the Order of Providence! Champion of my house! Scourge of the sinful! Now i command again, stand and unfold yourselves!”

“un-unfold ourselves?” Jane uttered frantically

“introduce youselves” Archembald elaborated as he stepped forward and bowed “before you stands Archembald, Baron of House Gavel. Former captain of the watch. And a member of the inner circle”

“J-John Shepard” John stammered, still feeling surprise and awe flooding his veins “Captain of the SSV Normandy”

“Jane Shepard” Jane followed “Lieutenant Captain of the SSV Normandy”

“Mordin Solus” Mordin said with a bow of his own “scientist. Former STG agent”

“Grunt” Grunt grumbled finally “just Grunt”

“good....very good” Harkon replied his voice calming “what brings you to the ancient world of Suen?”

“we came to investigate a signal” John explained as he stepped closer “w-why is a Teuton entombed on Suen?”

“i have been here since the siege” Harkon answered “for i was damaged during a cavein during the battle and have been stranded ever since.”

“You’ve been here since the Rachni wars?” Jane uttered in surprise

“i have Harkon confirmed “i have spent centuries using what little movement by armour could afford to dig myself out from beneath the stone in the hopes that one would find me. And from my faith, the ancients have sent me you”

“We must get him out” Archembald stated as he wiped around to face them “he must be returned to Karsk and to his house”

“couldnt agree more” John sighed as he pressed his hand to his ear “Hemlock, gather everyone you can and get the shuttles down here. We.......are going to need a lot of help”

-several hours later, Normandy briefing room-

“a Teuton entombed” Theodora echoed as she raised a brow “you mean to tell me he’s been sitting there since the Rachni wars?”

“he has” John confirmed as he rubbed his temples “spent half of the trip back to the ship explaining what Humans were to him.”

“Amazing” Theodora uttered as a smile formed on her lips

“and talkitive” Jane sighed “kept going on and on about the ancestors and faith. Then again, he was part of the Teuton’s religious knight order, so i guess it makes sense

“so what will you do with him now?” Theodora questioned as she folded her fingers together

“we are on route to Karsk” John answered “Archembald finally managed to convince Harkon to let Hemlock look over him to ensure no immidate problems. Luther has already been in touch and informed us that house Gloria is eagerly waiting for our arrival”

“excellent” Theodora nodded “and once you have returned the entombed to his people?”

“one of our crew members came to us about a personal matter he needs help with” Jane replied “Given our current lack of leads on the collectors, we planned to help him investigate”

“i’m glad you are finding ways to entertain yourselves” Theodora remarked with a sigh “Abelard and Veronica have been attempting to plot the collector's movements, and Belisarius continues to try and find a way through the Omega Four relay”

“Doesn't sound like you have any good news” John muttered grimly

“still no way through the omega four relay” Theodora answered “and it would appear the collectors have gone to ground after horizon. No colonies have been attacked since.”

“so we’ve scared them” Jane said as she leaned back and crossed her arms

“it would appear so” Theodora smiled “We will update you on any new developments”

“Thanks” John said while giving a nod

“always happy to help” Theodora replied, “good luck”

Chapter Text

“So we’re looking for Jacob’s father?” Jane questioned with a sigh as she glanced at John

“Yep”, John replied drily, “was aboard a cargo ship that went missing ten years back. Apparently, it's distress signal only activated a few days ago”

“So a ship goes missing for ten years, and suddenly the signal goes live? Sounds suspicious,” Jane remarked as she leaned on a nearby rail

“couldnt agree more” John agreed with his own sigh “and it gets worse. I asked Hemlock to look over the schematics for the ship model. Apparently, it wasn't outfitted with an automatic signal pulser. The only way that signal was activated was if someone or something turned it on”

“great......” Jane mumbled as she felt a mixture of exasperation and dread begin to flood her chest

“Ten minutes out, guys” Joker called over the intercom

“Best get to it” John uttered as he rubbed his temples

“Meet you in the cargo bay” Jane replied with a smile as she turned and marched towards the elevator, footsteps echoing around her

-half an hour later-

“This is the world?” Zaeed scoffed from somewhere behind Jane as they disembarked the shuttle

“What did you expect?” Jack mocked

“something dangerous” Zaeed answered instantly “this looks like a damn vacation spot”

“Virmire did as well” John chimed in “that didn't stop it from almost killing us when we hunted Saren”

“To be fair, it was the Geth and Krogan that tried to kill you” Kasumi chimed in as she appeared to John’s right, making him jump

Jane snickered as she held back a laugh, which earned her a false glare from her brother, who quickly glanced around to Hemlock and spoke

“Got anything, Hemlock?”

“a large unnatural structure has been detected 250 metres to the north of this landing zone” Hemlock answered as he gestured to the direction in question “a substantial energy signature has also been detected 500 metres to the east.”

“so two locations to check” Jane sighed as she pressed her hardshell Gauntlet to her forehead “Jacob, this is your mission which should we check out first?”

The man in question startled as he looked up from his shotgun before he sighed and admitted

“I don't know. The ship is closer, so we should probably start there”

“Alright” John nodded before gesturing for the group to follow as he turned and began making his way in the direction Hemlock had indicated.

Jane watched as the rest of the team quickly began to follow, leaving Jacob and her standing by the shuttle. The man's eyes fogged over slightly as he stared blankly at the ground until Jane stepped closer and patted him on the shoulder, startling him once more

“It's okay, Jacob” she smiled “we’ll find your father”

“thats what I'm worried about” Jacob sighed as he began to stride down the path a grimness Jane had never seen in him before hanging overhead For a few minutes Jane silently watched before drawing her pistol and making her own way down the path.

She had to admit, Zaeed was right. Jane knew that one should never judge an uncharted planet by first appearance, but there was no denying that this planet was not outwardly dangerous. Making her way down the narrow grass path with nothing but simple plants and rocks catching her attention proved that anyone who had survived the crash should have been able to get the beacon up within minutes.

‘So why didn’t they?’ she mused as grass gave way to soft sand and the path widened out onto a gentle beach

“This shitstack was a ship?” Jack questioned as Jane approached the team, all of whom stood examining a large rusty vessel that was half-submerged in the salty sea

“Correct”, Hemlock answered bluntly, “this vessel is what remains of the Hugo Gernsback.”

“And you're sure the distress beacon couldn't automatically activate?” John asked as his blue eyes examined the ruined vessel

“correct” Hemlock repeated with one of his curt nods “this vessel was not outfitted with an automatic destress pulser.”

“Then why didn't they activate it after they crashed?” Jacob questioned as his brow knitted together

“Maybe the beacon was damaged or submerged?” Kasumi suggested in a somewhat optimistic voice

“unlikely” Hemlock deadpanned coldly “the distress beacon of this model of cargo ship was located in the bridge. Which is currently located above sea level”

Jane watched as Hemlock pointed towards the highest point of the ruined ship which remained high and dry a decade after crashing and from the outside appeared rather intact.

“Better check” Zaeed suggested as he motioned towards what appeared to be a makeshift bridge that connected to ruin to the shore “if nothin else, we can see if the black box is aboard”

“sounds good” John nodded as Jane saw him turned towards her “i’ll head in to check the ship. Can you look around out here for clues?”

“Okay” Jane nodded “Jacob, Kasumi, Zaeed, you're with me”

“Course”, John whispered with a sigh as he turned back towards the bridge “Hemlock..........Jack, you're with me”

“You don't need to whisper,” Jack scoffed as John led the two towards the bridge “i don’t like you either boy scout”

Jane shook her head as she watched the trio disappear into the metal ruin before she turned towards the three who stood patiently waiting for orders

“spread out and look around” Jane commanded as she gestured to the rusty surrounding crates “that bridge didnt built itself and these crates defenatly didnt land like this. We need to figure out where the survivors went”

Zaeed, Jacob, and Kasumi swiftly spread out and began to look over the crates and other pieces of moved metal that covered the beach. Minutes crept by as the sound of creaking metal overpowered the ambient sound of the sea until finally there was a flickering noise followed by a gasp from Kasumi

“What?-” Jane began to question as she spun around, ginger hair flailing behind her, as the sight of a well-dressed male Vi flickered into existence across the beach next to where Kasumi stood

“Looks like they fixed the ship’s Vi” Zaeed commented as they strode towards the still flickering figure

“Gr-Greetingzzzz” the Vi addressed as they all stood before it “h-how may i be of serviczzzzzz?”

“What happened here?” Jane questioned, “Where are the crew?”

“The exact r-reason for t-t-the crash is u-nknown" the Vi answered instantly “l-location of remaining c-crew memberzzzz izz a-also unknown”

“when were you activated?” Kasumi asked with a frown

“This system was restored t-ten years prior” the Vi replied, “and estimated 10 hours following t-the crazzzzh”

“What about the captain?” Jane continued “why didn’t he activate the distress beacon?”

“a-acting c-caption R-Ronald Taylor or-ordered the i-immediate r-repair of the distrezzzz b-beacon-”

“Acting captain?” Jacob cut in as Jane saw him glance towards her, “My father wasn’t Captain. And he definitely wasn’t second in command”

“Capt-captain Harrizzzz Fairchild d-died during t-the crash” the Vi elaborated “a-aszzzz did vice c-captain E-edward Hancock. R-Ronald Taylor a-assumed command”

“ya said the beacon was damaged”, Zaeed commented “How badly?”

“t-the beacon was da-damaged m-minimumly" the Vi answered “e-estimated time for r-repeirs. 8 hourzzzzz”

“How does eight hours turn into ten years?” Kasumi mumbled

“no idea” Jane replied as a scowl formed on her lips “what was your last directive?”

“m-my last d-directive w-was to animalise th-the organic f-fruit th-that the crew w-were consid-considering consuming. M-my last r-report was 10 yearzzzz ago w-when i-i re-reported the toxic effe-effects of the fruit to the command staff”

“toxic” Jacob uttered

“all f-fruits present on t-this world a-are toxic” the Vi elaborated “t-they cause neurological decay r-resulting in per-permanent damaged to mental c-capacity"

“That doesn’t sound good” John called as he, Hemlock, and Jack approached

Jane quickly caught the three up on what the Vi had revealed before asking what they had found in the remains of the ship

“The vessel’s Blackbox was terminated during the crash” Hemlock answered “The distress beacon has also been removed from the vessel, along with the parts that would be required to repair the device to usable condition”

“So we know the beacon is gone” Jack grumbled “but nothing else-”

Before the bald woman could finish, a loud crash rang out from behind Jane swiftly, resulting in the team spinning towards it with their weapons drawn. About ten metres down the beach stood a woman with dark, long, unkept hair that had sticks and leaves throughout an old, torn uniform wrapped around her body as her blue, vacant, and foggy eyes stared like a creature in headlights.

“Hello”, Jane said gently as she carefully began to make her way down the beach towards the still woman “Who are you?”

The woman flinched as she stepped back slightly, her eyes beginning to frantically dart around and her breathing becoming quick

“its okay” Jane soothed as she dropped her pistol and razed both hands infront of her “we are here to help. What is your name?”

The woman stared for another minute before she timidly stepped towards Jane and said in a low voice

“t-twelve”

“Twelve?” Kasumi echoed from behind as Jane felt her own confusion

“I-it was the name the master gave to me” the woman uttered

“The master?” Jane asked as she arrived in front of the woman

“o-our master” the woman attempted to elaborate “h-he said skypeople would c-come for us! I-i shouldn’t be away from the village. B-but you are here, you are able to save us skypeople!”

“Save you” John asked

“f-from the hunters!” the woman cried hysterically “the exiled! The mad! They hunt and kill the master's machines and those who serve him”

Jane opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, three loud gunshots rang across the beach. Her green eyes widened in horror as three male figures clad in loincloths and covered in mud and leaves fell from the high points above before slamming into the ground dead. Glancing around, Jane saw Hemlock stood with one of his pistols outstretched, his cybernetic eyes fixed on the trees above as he scanned for more hostiles

“H-hunters”, the woman cried as Jane felt her duck behind her. The ginger turned and calmly placed her hands on each of the woman's shoulders as she saw Hemlock holster his pistol, indicating the threat had passed.

“Who are the hunters?” Jane asked as the others made their way across the beach to examine the corpses of the men

“They fight the master!” the woman cried “They will kill us all!”

Jane took a deep breath and sighed, “You mentioned a village before. Can you take us there?”

“y-yes” the woman said with a frantic nod as she darted past Jane towards another passage away from the beach

“She is heading east” Hemlock stated as he approached and handed Jane her pistol “This matches with the indicated location of the power source”

“it does” Jane agreed as she gave the cyborg a nod and holstered her weapon “how did you know those ‘hunters’ were there?”

“thermal scanner” Hemlock stated as he indicated to one of his three eyes “this unit warns that more than three were present. However, all others fled following the termination of the first three”

“So there's more” John sighed as he made his way over

“it would appear so” Hemlock answered with his usual coldness

“COME!” the woman cried from the passage “we must return before the hunters come in numbers!”

Jane glanced at the rest of the team and gave a nod before she led the group towards the waiting woman, who quickly made her way along the path. Silence enveloped the group for a few minutes as they left the soft sand of the beach behind to once again cross grass and rock.

“What do you make of this, Jacob?” John asked, finally breaking the silence

All eyes landed on the man in question as he took a deep breath and exhaled

“i-i don’t know. None of this makes sense.”

“Here”, Twelve suddenly cut in as she turned a corner leading into a large clearing in the middle of several small stone cliffs where several huts had been constructed out of old metal, canvas, and leaves.

As the team strode into the village, something immediately caught Jane’s attention. All of the inhabitants had similar long dishevelled hair and glassy vacant eyes. But what stood out most of all for the inhabitants was their gender.

They were all female, and more oddly than that, most of them wore radically impractical clothing. Most of them wore nothing but former undergarments while others wore old clothing that had been ‘customised’ to show off aspects of themselves in a manner that would only be practical in a bedroom or a perverted fantasy.

“What the hell is this?” Jack uttered in pure disgust

“a village......” Kasumi muttered, “A village of only females......”

“this doesnt make any sense” Jacob growled as he strode past “even if their minds rotted from the fruit they would wear something pratcial. Why the hell are they dressed like-”

“you” a woman with long blond hair cried “you have his face! You have the master's face!”

“h-how can this be!” a different tan-skinned woman cried

“That's not a good familial connection, Jacob” John commented as the two women moved towards Jacob, each of them seeming to be afraid but still displaying themselves to Jacob

“what the fuck went on here” Zaeed asked as Jacob shewed the woman away

“Maybe it's an effect of the fruit” Jane suggested “men become more violent and aggressive, and women become more........like that”

“unlikely” Hemlock cut in “if the woman became like this because of the fruit, then they would have adjusted to the male aggression and developed conditions to avoid it. For this dynamic to have developed, they must have been separated throughout the neurological decay process... they have been conditioned to be this way”

“We need to find out what happened here” Jane commanded as she strode further into the village

“Couldn't agree more” Jacob growled as he pushed one particularly persistent woman off of him and quickly followed behind

As the team strode through the village, they came across a large makeshift generator which Hemlock swiftly identified as being the village's source of power, as well as carrying power to a location further to the east. But what stood out the most was what had been built atop the generator. A massive metal pillar with a rugged statue raised into the sky, with the words ‘our eternal master’ carved into it

As the team continued towards the east side of the village, Jacob muttered

“You don’t just build that out of the blue. Someone compelled them to do that”

Finally reaching the east side of the village, the team were stopped when a woman who was older than all the others and was clad in the only sensible clothes in the form of a long robe.

“you are the skyborn” the woman addressed as her foggy eyes glanced over the team “you are here to save us. To save him”

“Who is this ‘him’?” Jack demanded

“The master”, the woman answered simply as she held out an old data pad “Long ago, he ordered the destruction of his scripture and gave it to me. I cannot remember why, but i disobeyed and hid it instead.......all i know now is that the word ‘truth’ holds meaning to it. I-i cannot remember what truth is......but somehow i know you shall need it to walk the path ahead”

Jane watched as Jacob took the datapad and swiflty began to read its entry’s his eyes growing wider with each line read a mixture of pure horror and share fury bubbling within them until finally he turned off the pad and handed it to Hemlock as he let out a deep sigh.

“Well?” Zaeed questioned as Kasumi placed her hand comfortingly on Jacob's shoulder

“They did this on purpose” Jacob said flatly, “the command staff”

“t-they what?” Jane echoed as she felt her own dread bubbling inside

“once they found out about the fruit they forced the lower ranks to eat it and kepts the safe food for themselves” Jacob elaborated “the men were exiled because they were ‘dangerous’ and the woman.......the woman were given a number and portioned off to each officer as servants and ‘toys’”

Shocked gasps escaped the members of the team as Jack cursed furiously under her breath

“that lasted for a year” Jacob continued “then the officers started having ‘accidents’ and their woman and food were redistributed until only the master was left.......Ronald Taylor”

“so he made his own fucking Harem!?!” Jack spat

“What kind of man-” Kasumi began

“a sick one” Jacob growled as fury consumed his voice “i need to meet him. I need to look into the eyes of the man who did this.”

“Then let's get going” John ordered as he took the lead down the path

-half an hour later-

After half an hour of travelling across the island, the team finally found themselves at what could easily be mistaken for a mix between a holiday home and a temple built out of the same mashed together scraps as the village was. As the team walked inside, they were greeted with the sight of the repaired distress beacon, which had been built into the very structure of the space in the centre of the open room like an altar.

“Finally!” a deep male voice cried as a dark-skinned male limped down a set of stairs towards the group, his eyes sharp and piercing in contrast to the woman of the village “I’ve been trapped here for so long. The women and the men ate the fruit. I told them it was dangerous, but they didn't listen. Their minds faded, the men became savage and went into the wild and the woman.....the woman thought i was somekind of god t-they trapped me here. I'll get you all something real nice once we get back to alliance space....gotta have some real backpay commin soon”

“What about your crew ‘acting captain?’” Jacob questioned through clenched teeth

“A total loss” Ronald answered “They're completely mad...waiting for a chance to signal has been total hell-”

“That's the best you can do?” Jacob scoffed as he glared at his father, “After all these years, that's your excuse?”

“y-you let all your people talk back to you like that?” Ronald asked as he glanced at John, who Jane saw was barely holding back his fury, “w-who are you anyway?”

“Commander John Shepard of the Normandy” John growled, “and this is my sister, Lieutenant Commander Jane Shepard....and i believe you are already acquainted with Mr Taylor”

“T-Taylor” Ronald's face dropped and began to pale as he glanced at his son, who began to march towards him “Jacob....no, not Jacob, anyone but you-”

“why not me!?!” Jacob roared as he stood in front of his father, “Would ten years of this look better to anyone else in the galaxy?”

“y-you have to understand” Ronald sputtered as he recoiled back “t-this isnt me....the realitys of command...they change you.....i-i wasn’t ready.....i made sure you were raised right”

Jane let out a sigh before speaking in a low, commanding voice

“We’re not unreasonable people, Ronald. But THIS,” she gestured all around her, “and for ten years. What the hell happened?”

“t-there was resistance to the plan” Ronald stammered “mutiny, we had to take a hard line to keep order.....then things settled down. As the decay set in, we made sure the crew were comfortable....some even seemed happier, ignorance is bliss and all that. T-they were grateful for guidance, and pure authority was.....intoxicating”

“that's it!?” Jacob demanded as he grabbed his father's shirt and shook him, “You made a Harem and played king. TEN YEARS IN A JUVENILE FANTASY!!”

“We can take the people to the alliance” Kasumi said, “hopefully we can get them the help they need”

“and what about this jackass” Jack questioned as she pointed to Ronald who was still held in Jacobs hands

“he should pay!” Jacob roared as he pushed his father away and aimed his pistol as Ronalds head “i should blast his head off for what he did here. But he’s not even worth the bullet!.”

“We could turn him over to the alliance” Jane said, her voice barely level “They can punish him through the courts”

Zaeed barked a laugh and spat on the ground, “Worst they’ll do is lock him in a box for a few decades. Hell, he’ll live to see sunlight if we take him to them”

A deafening silence fell over the team until John spoke, his voice grim

“Hemlock....would there be a place for Taylor in the white tower?”

“There is always space in the white tower” Hemlock stated coldly “Lady Tisiphone would be most pleased to have such a degenerate in her care”

Jane shared a look with John, both of them sombre but knowing what needed to be done before they turned back to Hemlock, and Jane gave the order

“Contact the Adentri....tell them the tower has a new prisoner”

-many hours later, Normandy briefing room-

“What do you mean you had nothing to do with it!?” John roared as three figures stared down the Illusive man

“Exactly what i said,” the illusive man replied as he placed a cigarette into his chair's tray “Jacob is a good man and one of my better agents, but i don’t make a habit of sending information through the grapevine to my soldiers, especially when they are on a mission”

“So you’re saying you had nothing to do with someone from the Cerberus network sending me that distress signal!?” Jacob demanded

“Glad we are all caught up” the illusive man sighed

“If it wasn’t you, then who was it?” Jane questioned as her eyes flickered furiously, “Nothing happens in your own network without you knowing”

The illusive man raised a brow and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, a familiar female voice cut him off as a raven-haired woman walked into the hologram

“i did” Miranda said simply as everyone, including the illusive man, looked on in shock “i saw it come up in reports and sent it on to Jacob because it involved him”

“w-why?” Jacob sputtered

“Thought you would want to find out what happened” Miranda said with a shrug

“You and i will discuss this later, Lawson” the Illusive man uttered before he returned his cigarette to his mouth “but for now, i have business to attend to-”

Before anyone could speak, the hologram faded, returning light to the room. Jane turned to speak to Miranda, ready to demand further elaboration for her actions. But before she could, the door to the room slid open, and Legion made its way into the room

“Shepard Commander. Lieutenant Shepard Commander” Legion addressed, earning everyone's attention

“What's the matter, Legion?” John asked with a raised brow

“This platform has received data from the consensus. Legion explained, “Tali’Zorah’s team has disappeared on Haestorm”

Chapter Text

John felt his lungs seize as the shuttle rocked all around him. His mind was racing as Legion's worlds flooded his thoughts

“disappeared!?” his voice roared in the inner chambers of his head “how could they have disappeared!?”

“The Quarian team have vanished from all forms of scanners” Legion elaborated “exactly one citadel standard hour prior to entering the Haestrom catacombs”

“Catacombs?” Jane's voice questioned, “What catacombs?”

“the planet Haestrom possessed several large cave systems that could be accessed via large sinkholes” Legion explained his voice echoing in memory “during the Quarian colony era several structures were constructed in the depths of these systems.”

“t-thats okay then” Jane's voice relaxed “they can handle themselves in some caves-”

“negative” Legion cut in “they are at risk of being attacked by the Haestromites-”

“what are Haestromites?” John asked as his browed furrowed together, remembering Legion's response

“Following the morning war, many Quarians fled into the depths of the caverns” Legion replied “Due to their environment and the consumption of mutagenic fungi and moss, these Quarians mutated into a savage tribal species that have been identified as Haestromites”

John felt the colour drain from his face both in real time and in his memory as he was jolted back to reality as the shuttle shook in its descent. Blue eyes glanced around the shuttle, taking in the sight of Grunt and Mordin, who were glancing over their weapons while Garrus and Jane donned looks of concern.

“L-legion”, Jane said, breaking the silence as she glanced at the Geth in question “Are we sure the Haestromites will attack the Quarians?”

“There is a 99.89% chance that the Haestromites will act aggressively towards any organics that are not their own species or the domesticated insect species that serve as cattle” Legion replied instantly.

“So we have to search a whole cave system by ourselves?” Garrus asked with a flicker of his mandibles

“negative” Legion countered “the consensus has determined the sink hole that the Quarian team used as its entry point. This platform has ordered a contingent of Geth to gather at the coordinates. These platforms will aid in the search”

“How far out are we?” John asked in an effort to suppress his concern, only for his question to be answered as a massive chasm the size of a town appeared in the view of the shuttle's ports

“Estimated time of arrival is 51 seconds” Legion answered bluntly as the shuttle began touching down at a staging ground on the outskirts of the sinkhole

A hiss rang out as the door of the shuttle opened, revealing a large space in the shade of a nearby natural rock structure. Around thirty metres away sat two Geth dropships with several mobile terminals and radars set up nearby. Several Geth shock troopers patrolled the space while many more stood in perfect formation alongside several crimson destroyers and pale hunters. The ground crunched beneath John’s boot as he made his way out of the shuttle, the rest of the team following close behind as his eyes landed on an approaching Geth hunter with an old, worn piece of crimson and orange fabric wrapped around the chest of its body.

“Shepard Commander, Lieutenant Shepard Commander” the Hunter addressed in the same manner Legion did, with a much deeper voice “This platform has been assigned to act as the ‘commander’ of the Geth presence in this operation”

“g-great”, John replied with a rare stutter before taking a deep breath to centre himself “Can you give us an update on the situation?”

“Affirmative”, the Hunter replied as it began to lead the team towards the terminals. It has been approximately ten Citadel standard hours since the Quarian team entered the Catacombs, a day and a half, Haestrom day-night cycle. Following the command of Platform 000014367899, the one you address as Legion. This force was deployed, since arrival at the site, drones have been sent into the sinkhole and have determined the location of the Quarian team’s basecamp”

“great” Jane chimed in “are they safe?”

“unknown”, the Hunter answered as it gestured towards a blurry image on the nearest terminal, which appeared to be a camp of some kind “This is all the data drone 15 captured before it was terminated and the coordinates sent.”

“We need to get down there” John ordered as panic sank in

“Affermitive”, the Hunter replied before letting out a spout of binaric chatter. Within seconds, the formations of Geth began moving towards the edge of the sinkhole to prepare for deployment, leaving the team to turn back towards the shuttle.

-A few minutes later. The depths of the chasm-

John felt his breath hitch in his throat as he clambered into the darkness, his helmet's night vision flicking to life, allowing him to easily take in the sight of the ruined remains of what had once been a camp. Geth examined the torn remains of tents and searched through shattered crates while others set up a perimeter around the site. Carefully making his way forward, John heard the others follow behind as they approached a burnt-out campfire where Legion and the Hunter stood scanning the scene.

“no bodies” Grunt remarked as he glanced around should’t there be bodies?”

“unlikely” Mordin answered before taking a deep breath through his nostrils “fresh meat hard to come by in caverns. Quarian and Haestromite bodies taken as a meal”

“the Salarian is correct” the Hunter cut in as Jane let out a small gasp. The larger Geth then gestured towards Legion, who John now noticed was holding a damaged portable terminal

“This platform has been able to restore data from the camp’s terminal” Legion stated as John took the system in his hands “it would appear to be entries from the team, some of which done by Tali’Zorah Vas Rayya”

John glanced down at the shattered screen as Jane moved beside him to glance over his shoulder as he opened the first of three entries

~

-Entry 34-

The Geth have been acting odd since we got to Haestrom. No attacks, no attempts to stop us, Keelah i swear i saw a Geth patrol walk past our camp while without even looking our way!. Reegar agrees it's suspicious, but everyone else says we are being paranoid.

Geth problems aside, we finally found a lead. Apparently, our ancestors on this world transferred all the data about the star to some grand archive in the depths of a cave network when the Geth rebelled. Prazza says it's a miracle, and if we can find it, we will be legends for bringing so much history back to the fleet.

Reegar and I want to know why the Geth haven't tried to go to this Archive.......too late to turn back now

~

John let out a sigh as he read Tali’s writing before briefly glancing at his sister, who had a worried look on her face as she returned his look from behind her night vision goggles. Looking back at the screen, John pressed down on a key, flicking to the next entry

~

-entry 36-

We have just made base camp at the bottom of the sinkhole. Light down here is non-existent. And we sent the ship back to the surface to avoid damage.

This place is creepy.....i swear i keep seeing movement in the darkness. When it was my turn on watch, I saw something pale for a second. And I hear these hisses and scuttering.

Prazza says it's nothing. He’s an idiot. Reegar agrees that something's not right. We head out tomorrow. I should rest

~

“This can’t be good” Jane whispered as John flicked to the final entry

~

-Entry 37-

WARNING! WARNING!

Tali! Reegar! Prazza! Whoever finds this!

You need to get to safety! They are everywhere!! We called the ship! It exploded in the air after they shot it with giant spikes!

It's like a never-ending horde! Get to the archives! And pray you find communications!

Keelah Salai

~

John felt a panic spike in his veins as he read the warning over and over, while Jane let out a concerned gasp

“What!?” Garrus demanded in an exasperated voice

“the Haestromites took out the Quarian ship” Jane explained, making the Turian go still in surprise

“Wouldn’t there be debris?” Grunt asked as he looked around the site, “i don’t see any ship”

“Processed metal also rare in caverns” Mordin commented “Debris likely taken to be repurposed”

John finally pulled himself back to reality as he let the now-useless system fall to the rocky ground with a crack before raising his hand to his ear and radioing the shuttle pilot

“return to the surface staging ground” he commanded, the Cerberus pilot didnt answer instead the silence was suddenly cut off as the shuttles engines roared into life and the small vessel swiftly rose into the air and headed back towards the surface.

“we need to follow the team that left the camp” Jane stated, which John swiftly agreed to with a nod before he saw her turn towards the Hunter and ask “do we know which way they went?”

“Affermitive”, the Hunter answered as it stepped to the side and pointed north “Quarian tracks have been located departing the Northern section of the camp. This matches historical data of the Archives location-”

“lets go then” John cut in as he sped forward gesturing for the rest of the team to follow. Footsteps echoed behind him as Legion let out a binary order, which swiftly resulted in the Geth force breaking formation to follow the team.

Silence fell over the force as it made its way along the large stone passage. The only sound being the clanking of metal against rock or the occasional sigh of frustration from Grunt when he would accidentally kick a rock. After a few minutes, the group descended down a small cliff face, leading them into what appeared to be a subterranean forest made of large fungi trees and moss bushes. The Geth Hunter took the lead to scan the Quarian tracks while Shock troopers and destroyed fanned out in a spread-out formation with the other Hunters taking up the rear behind the team.

The forced continued to move through the fungi forest in complete silence for what John assumed was half an hour until it was suddenly cut off when one of the Shock troopers let out a Binaric roar, followed by it unleashing a volley of gunfire into the darkness.

Within seconds, John felt himself being pushed as the cloth-clad Geth Hunter sent him slamming into a mushroom tree to narrowly avoid an arrow that soared past.

“GET DOWN!” he roared to the other members of the team as all hell broke loose

Arrows rained through the darkness as the Geth force formed a protective perimeter and began firing in calculated bursts. John peered through the abyss using the flashes of light from the Geth’s torrent of gunfire to make out large, lanky, pale figures darting amongst the fungi in the distance. John’s attention suddenly shifted as another binaric roar rang out, glancing to its origin, he was met with a horrific sight.

About ten metres away, a Geth shock trooper had been impaled by a long wood and stone spear being wielded by a pale white figure. Thin arms with three bone-like fingers curled around the spear as the deformed, pupilless black eyes flickered around wildly. Thick moss clothing flowed around the creature's body as it tried to pull the Geth platform off its spear.

John raised his shotgun to kill the beast, but before he could pull the trigger, a hiss echoed, followed by the roar of a flamethrower bursting into life. A large destroyer marched past, unleashing a torrent of flame onto the Haestromite, making it thrash in agony as it let out a horrific screech before it fell to the ground. All around, more bursts of fire lit up the Fungi forest as Geth destroyers began lighting the hordes of Haestromites ablaze, swiftly sending those not caught in the inferno fleeing into the darkness.

For a few seconds, there was complete silence outside of the occasional gunshot as a shocktrooper gunned down a fleeing Haestromite. Until finally, Garrus uttered between breaths

“w-what. In the spirit's name. Was THAT!?”

“Haestromites” Legion answered as it aided the Turian in question to his feet

“Specifically a hunting party” the clothbound Hunter continued, as it offered a hand to a pale Jane

“t-the Quarians became that?” Jane asked in a horrified voice as she glanced towards the still-burning body of a Haestromite

“Affirmative” both Legion and the Hunter said in perfect unison

“We need to get to Tali” John ordered as he did his best to remain calm

“An abandoned bunker is located two clicks north” a Destroyer stated “Current calculations estimate an 87.65% chance the Quarian team made base there”

“lead the way” John commanded as the rest of the Geth force swiftly reformed their formation and continued north out of the Fungi forest.

Within minutes, the team stood in front of an ancient bunker which had been carved into the side of the cavern wall. Its large rusty metal blast doors lay torn from their hinges, with several dead Haestromites and a large black insect beast lying around them.

“We’ll check inside” Jane said to the Hunter “Have your Geth form a perimeter and look for other clues”

“Affermitive”, the Hunter replied as John stepped over the rusty doors into the bunker itself.

The inside of the bunker contained several more dead Haestromites, some with bows, others with spears or daggers, all of them shot from a room at the end of a hallway.

“guess these Quarians did better fending them off” Grunt commented as the team made their way down the hall only to stop dead at the sight of a male Quarian whose limbs had been torn off laying half buried beneath pale corpses. Grunt sighed and uttered “......m-most of them”

Continuing into the room, John was met with what appeared to be another campsite with sleeping bags, another burned-out campfire and a female Quarian who was hanging from a wall via a spear which had impaled her chest. Flickering on a far bench was a datapad which John swiftly picked up to see another entry from Tali, which he read aloud

“Keelah!

w-we were attacked by monsters! T-they look like our ancestors, they tore the doors off while we were sleeping. It was like a wave of pale, white, death,

Zarra and Komo were torn apart

Reegar managed to organise a defence......we pushed them back.....i think we realised why the Geth didn't come down here.

We are packing up and rushing for the archives.....we can only hope that it is more structurally sound than this old bunker.

Jia, Hela, Beotos, if you find this. call the shuttle, get back to the surface,

Keelah Salai”

“Why would they leave the bunker?” Grunt asked as he kicked a Haestromite corpse, “They could defend this place”

“they could” Garrus sighed “but only for so long. If the Haestromites came back with a larger group, then they would be able to overrun them.”

“We should get moving,” Jane commanded as John did his best to focus

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't hear the rest of his sisters' words. He stood staring at the poor female Quarian and her bloodstained yellow suit as his mind fed him horrific images of Tali nailed to a wall, her own suit stained with blood as she cried in the dark

“J..hn. John! JOHN!” Jane’s voice called finally snapped the man in question back to reality

Blue eyes snapped around towards the entrance to the room where Jane stood waiting for him with a concerned look on her face.

“c-coming” he stammered as he moved towards the door and followed her out of the bunker to the waiting team and Geth force

“Did you find anything?” John asked the Geth Hunter as Mordin examined the insect corpse in the background

“Tracks leading south” Legion answered

“this matches data on the archives location” the Hunter continued “data also indicates another bunker is located along the route. This platform suggests examining the bunker while on route to the archives”

“Okay” John agreed with a nod as he attempted to push the fearful thoughts from his mind “l-lead the way”

Without a word the force continued deeper into the cavern along what appeared to be an ancient road that had once been used by the Quarian people to access the archive. As they moved, more images flooded John’s mind, images of Tali being hurt or consumed by the savage creatures, images that made his stomach drop and his blood turn to ice. Images that hurt more than he could explain and images he desperately wanted to be rid of.

“Why does the road exist?” Grunt asked, breaking the silence out of the blue

“it was used to transport resources and Quarians-” the Hunter explained before Grunt cut him off

“i know that” the Krogan cried “but why wasn’t there a road near the sinkhole?, didnt you say that was the entry point?”

“Affirmative”, Legion replied “When the catacombs were used by Quarian colonists, a landing pad was located at the base of the sinkhole where shuttles would land. Quarians would then travel along a road that crossed the side of the chasm that became the fungi-infested area. An estimated 160 years prior to now, an earthquake shook this section of the catacombs, which likely destroyed both the landing pad and a section of the road network”

Grunt was quiet for a second before muttering, “Makes sense”

“since we’re asking questions i gotta know” Garrus chimed in “shouldn’t we be worried that the Haestromites will try to ambush us again?”

“negative” the Hunter chimed in “Haestromites rely on ambush tactics. They will not attempt to ambush a force of this size without cover.”

“Okay” Garrus said as the road turned to reveal a second bunker, which lay half caved in and missing one of its doors

“You know the drill” John ordered as he moved past the Hunter “We check it it you stand guard”

A muffled “affirmative came from behind as John strode into the entrance of the bunker, where he was met with the sight of several bags of equipment lying in front of a blocked door, along with another data pad. John darted across the room as Jane and the others entered behind him. he quickly picked up the pad and flicked it on to read the entry out loud.

“-Entry 39-

Keelah.......t-there all gone

Voma, Kia, Neomia, Viletia, Feria, Pharo,

We pushed forward as much as we could. As fast as we could.

But they picked us off one by one.....we would turn for a moment only to look back and see nothing but a blood splatter and a dropped gun.

There is only five of us left. Prazza isn't so excited anymore, Reegar is trying to hold strong. Frea, and Jomo are scarred........

I'm scared......i keep telling myself i have to do this.

But deep down i wish i went with Jane and John.

I keep asking myself what they would do......

What John would do......

Old records in this bunker say that the archives are less than a click away. Reegar and I have a desperate plan.

We are dumping all extra weight. We will rush for the archives and pray we can get a message to the ship.

Keelah Salai”

With each word, John felt his face grow paler until he finally glanced up at the team. Jane and Garrus both looked horrified while Grunt's teeth gnashed together and Mordin took a deep breath through both his nostrils. A thud echoed as John let the datapad slam to the ground before he sprinted out of the bunker and yelled

“We need to get to the archives now!”

The Geth reacted instantly, all of them turning and sprinting along the road with the Hunter leading the charge. The rest of the team quickly moved out of the bunker and followed John to take up the forces' rear.

-ten minutes later, The Archives-

John felt his eyes widen in surprise as he rounded a corner leading into a massive underground chamber with a massive ornate stone structure built into the far wall of the cavern. John’s attention quickly shifted to the large metal gates at the base of the structure, where gunfire roared as a pale and black horde descended on makeshift barricades with Quarians behind.

“COME ON!” John screamed as he sprinted forward with the rest of his team, and the Geth force swiftly moved behind.

The full size of the Haestromite force only dawned on John as he moved closer and closer to the horde, the pale figures turning towards the new source of noise as the large insect war beasts moved to attack.

The nearest Haestromite lunged towards him with a blade made of crude, rusty metal, only to fly backwards as he fired a shotgun blast into its chest. Within seconds, three more descended on hi,m each letting out their own screech that was cut off by an approaching

“ARHHHHH!!!” as Grunt sped past, slamming into two of them with enough force to send them flying before bringing his foot down on another, crushing it instantly.

Chaos consumed the cavern as the sounds of battle echoed across the chamber. Gunfire soared in all directions as Geth Shock troopers formed battle lines and began to gun down the horde. Cloaked Geth hunters appeared amongst the mess to slaughter the insect warbeasts while destroyers unleashed waves of fire into the pale mass, sending the Haestromite ranks fleeing from the heat source, trampling one another in an effort to escape the machine's inferno.

Jane and Mordin took the right flank using biotics and incendiary weapons alike to cut down waves of the monsters. Garrus and Legion held back, taking it in turns to blow the heads off Haestromites who managed to break get close to the Geth ranks. John felt his blood pump as he used his biotics to charge into a body of Haestromites, sending them flying in all directions while Grunt charged in behind while bellowing with laughter. Over the chaos, John heard an unfamiliar female Quarian voice cry

“The Geth!? What do we do!?”

Followed by an unknown male screaming, “Monsters first, Geth Second!”

Then finally, a third voice, which he did recognise as Prazza screamed

“its the Shepards and their Geth friend!! Don't shoot any of the GETH!!!”

The battle continued to rage as more and more Haestromites fell to gunfire and literal fire until finally they began to flee. Desperately clambering to the side to escape into the depths of the cavern. The Geth reacted swiftly as they quickly followed the routing force to prevent them from organising, the clothbound Geth Hunter and Legion leading the charge after them, leaving the team standing amongst a field of pale corpses.

“I-is that....all of them?” a blood-soaked Grunt asked from atop a literal mound of corpses

“i...it seems so” Mordin answered before taking a deep breath

John felt his heart thunder in his chest as he glanced over the scene, only to look around as he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

“JOHN!” a familiar voice cried as a force slammed into the man with enough force to stagger him before wrapping him in a tight embrace

“T-Tali”, John said gently as he let his shotgun fall to the ground so he could return the woman's embrace. While the dread that had been present since he arrived finally began to fade.

“So these are the Shepards you love to talk about, ma’am” a Male Quarian clad in red mentioned as he walked over, Prazza and a female in blue in toe

“Yep” Jane confirmed as she strode over “Good to see you haven’t gotten yourself killed Prazza”

“i try my best” Prazza replied

“Not to be rude, but who are you two?” John questioned as he gestured towards the other Quarians

“Kal’Reegar sir” the red-clad male said with a nod “pleasure to finally meet ya”

“Frea’Vas Tonahawk” the blue-clad female answered as she wiped some blood off her visor

“J-John” Tali murmbered as her body shook “w-what are you doing here?”

“The consensus informed Legion you were here” John explained as he gently rubbed Tali’s back “We asked him to have the Geth avoid you and keep an eye out-”

“They what!?” Prazza spat in surprise

“i told you something was up” Reegar deadpanned as Prazza sputtered

“we shouldn’t be surprised” Frea sighed “after everything Tali has told us about the two of you one would think you could move mountains. Let alone work with Geth”

“you two are taking it a lot better than most Quarians” Garrus remarked

“i’ve served with Admiral Zaal’Koris.” Frea said simply, “if anyone can teach you not to hate Geth it's him”

“i’m just a simple marine” Reegar shrugged “i shoot things that endanger the fleet. If that means killing Geth, then so be it. If it means working with them, then all the same”

“This is fortunate” Legion called as it and the rest of the Geth force returned to the cavern “Attempting a recue on hostiles is a difficult directive”

“Assume Haestromites have been dealt with?” Mordin asked as the Hunter arrived

“affermitive” the Hunter answered “all Haestromites have been terminated. The sector is secure”

“can’t believe I'm saying this, but good to see ya sparky” Prazza remarked as he mock punched Legion on the shoulder. The Geth didn’t react outside of a raised head flap and the widening of its main eye

John glanced down as he felt Tali pull away, giving her one last pat on the shoulder and a smile as she turned and moved towards Garrus to give him a hug.

“i-its good to see you Garrus” Tali said weakly as she embraced the Turian “You look worse than usual”

“hey” Garrus exclaimed as he returned the hug “its good to see you too Tali. With you back, the Normandy will be like home again”

“Did you find any of the others?” Reegar questioned as the two pulled apart

“No sorry” John answered with a sigh “Your camp was attacked, and the Haestromites managed to take out the ship when they called it in for evak”

“They took out the ship?” Frea asked in a mortified tone, earning a nod from the team before she muttered, “We are truly lucky you came”

“We read your entry’s Tali” John said as he smiled at the Quarian in question “Did you manage to get the data?”

“No”, Tali replied, “they were right behind us when we got here.”

“Transport arrival has an ETA of 3 minutes” Legion chimed in “This platform suggests gathering the data before arrival”

“We’ll handle it” Frea said instantly as she grabbed Reegar and Prazza “You stay here and ‘catch up’ Tali”

Tali seemed like she wanted to say something, but the three were gone before she could speak. John raised a brow curiously as he glanced towards his sister, only to see Jane walking away with Grunt, Garrus, Mordin, and the two Geth.

“We’re going to check out a landing zone” Jane called back “You two wait for the others”

John stood staring in confusion as the team got further away until he turned back to Tali, who was standing with her arms folded shyly in front of her.

“What to look around?” John suggested instantly making Tali brighten up as she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the archive structure.

As the pair wandered the ancient halls of the archive, John noticed the fact that Tali had linked her arm with his and couldn't help but flush at the closeness to his Quarian friend, his mind beginning to wonder why he felt this way being so close to her. The minutes passed by until it was time to regroup in front of the archives, with John noticing the way Jane smirked at him and Tali while they approached, mentally noting to ask his sister about it later once back aboard the Normandy.

With everyone back together, they clambered onto the Geth dropships all ready to escape the hellish underground pit

-hours later, Normandy Briefing room-

“Wow” Tali uttered seconds after Hemlock finished summarising what had happened since they had all last seen one another “the collectors.....”

“Yeah it's....... a lot” Jane said with a sigh as she leaned against the table “We know you are important to the fleet, but we would love to have you back on the Normandy-”

“I’ll join you” Tali cut in instantly, the three words making John’s heart race unexpectedly

“Y-you will?” he stammered hopefully

“yes” Tali replied warmly with a nod “i completed my work for the admarlty board. But I know where I'm really needed. And that's aboard the Normandy”

“it will be a pleasure to see you return Tali’Zorah Vas Rayya” Hemlock said before gently patting the shorter woman on the shoulder with a metal hand

“it will be nice to be back” Tali replied before rubbing her left arm awkwardly “i-i do need to ask. What about Prazza, Reegar, and Frea?”

“This unit has already organised transport to the migrant fleet” Hemlock answered simply, instantly making Tali straighten happily

“Thank you, Hemlock” Tali said warmly as she embraced the cold metal frame of the cyborg “i missed having you around to help”

“It is this unit's duty to serve” Hemlock replied with another pat “This unit has also determined a suitable location for your housing aboard the Normandy”

“Always reliable” John remarked, his heart still fluttering at the sight of Tali

“This unit also has information for you and Jane” Hemlock remarked as his four eyes turned towards them

“Really?” Jane asked curiously with a raised brow, “What is it?”

“While on your mission, a message was received from an individual requesting to visit the Normandy” Hemlock explained

“Well, who was it?” John questioned caution and curiosity bubbling inside

John could have sworn he saw a glint in Hemlock's organic eye as he answered

“one. Solana Vakarian”

Chapter Text

Jane felt her mouth fall open as her exhausted jaw gave way from shock. To her side, John made a similar face as the two experienced a rare surprise that was shocking enough to leave them completely speechless. The two stood silently staring at the cyborg until, in unison, they glanced at Tali, who, despite having her face hidden, looked just as surprised as they were.

“S-Solana” Jane finally stammered, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room

“Correct”, Hemlock confirmed with his usual calm and steely voice.

“Garrus’ sister Solana?” John continued as Jane saw him snap back to reality

“Correct”, Hemlock repeated, his voice unchanged. If the repetition of the conversation bothered him, the cyborg didn't show it.

“Does Garrus know?” Tali asked

“Negative” Hemlock answered simply, “per the younger Vakarian’s request, the nature of the message has been hidden from Garrus and has only been shared with the XO and the commanders of the vessel....and their trusted advisor”

“She wanted it secret?” Jane questioned as her brows knotted together in confusion, “Why?”

“It is this unit's understanding that the younger Vakarian seeks to surprise Garrus” Hemlock explained as he manoeuvred around the table in the centre of the room

“This is amazing” John uttered as Jane glanced towards him to take in the mischievous gleam that had appeared in his blue eyes “We have to do this”

Jane felt a small giggle escape her as she watched her brother's face light up at the idea of messing with their friend. And admittedly, she could feel her own excitement building at the idea of surprising Garrus and meeting his sister.

“it would definatly be fun” Jane mumbled half to herself and half to the room as a whole “but do we have the time for it?”

“Jane”, John said with a heavy sigh “, we literally have nothing else to do. We have no leads on the collectors”

“True”, Jane agreed with a nod before glancing towards Hemlock “What about those other dossiers we got a while back?”

“both candidates have been deemed acceptable” Hemlock replied swiftly “however neither of their locations are currently known. Without further data, attempting to recruit them would result in failure”

“And there is nothing else from the Adentri?” Jane countered as she did her best to keep a straight face

“Negative”, Hemlock answered, “All current objectives and tasks that have been determined a priority have been completed.”

“well i guess we should get the ship in shape for a guest” Jane declared as John let out a sigh that made Tali burst into a fit of giggles while Jane was sure she saw Hemlock shake his head sligtly at the antics before giving a curt nod and departing to prepare. Leaving the three to scheme just how they would surprise their old friend.

-days later, Normandy main deck-

“I don’t get why you need me up here” Garrus whined as he stood to Jane's left “I could be calibrating the main guns right now”

“Aren’t you always calibrating them?” Tali asked as she made her way over, her voice laced with genuine curiosity and a small hint of concern

“well yes” Garrus mumbled, “but its worth it. What if the Normandy gets in a fight-”

“To quote Uncle Wrex, ‘you're an idiot if you want to fight in a stealth ship’,” John chimed in as he arrived. The words instantly triggered laughter from Tali. And even Jane felt her dam break as she remembered the Krogan's words, accompanied by Garrus’s horrified face.

The Turian in question stammered as his mandibles flickered before he finally crossed his arms and glared at John, only making Tali and Jane laugh harder as John joined in. After a few more seconds of hilarity, the group's laughter died down as they returned to a comfortable silence, standing around in a semicircle until Garrus spoke up again

“Why are we even getting supplies delivered anywa-”

Before he could finish, the airlock slid open to reveal Hemlock. And next to him stood a tall female Turian clad in what appeared to be a flight uniform, with the same silver-grey scales as Garrus. Familiar blue marks adorned her face as her identical blue eyes swiftly scanned the room before widening slightly as they landed on Garrus. Jane glanced at the Turian in question, who stood frozen like a statue as his jaw hung open, the only indication he was alive being the movement of his chest and the occasional flicker of a mandible.

“well don’t just stand there!” Solana cried as she strode forward, stretching out her arms

Garrus finally snapped back to reality as he darted forward to pull his sister into a tight embrace, which she swiftly replicated.

“What in the spirit's name are you doing here?” Garrus questioned as the two siblings pulled away from one another

“Finding out where the hell you went” Solana declared as her eyes narrowed and she delivered a swift punch to Garrus’ shoulder

“Hey!” Garrus cried as he stepped back and rubbed the shoulder in question “What was that for?”

“that” Solana began as she placed both hands on her hips and her mandibles flared “is for disappearing for the better part of two years. Then, when you finally re-appear, it's to tell me you were working with your dead commanders again and that you had almost DIED!!”

All in the room bar Hemlock recoiled as the Turian yelled, fire burning brightly in her blue eyes as she glared at her brother.

“w-well you see” Garrus stammered

“Shut it” Solana barked before turning her attention towards them and smiling excitedly “You three must be John, Tali, and Jane”

Jane blinked rapidly in surprise before glancing at John and Tali, who she could only assume were doing the same. Finally, John spoke as he stepped forward

“Yeah that's us” he said as he stretched out his hand “i didn’t realise you knew us”

“it would be hard not to” Solana replied as she shook John's hand and began to move towards Jane “Garrus would never shut up about you three while you were hunting Saren-”

“Solana” Garrus cried to cut her off. But his efforts were for nought, for the damage was done

“is that so?” Jane asked as she felt a smirk pull at her lips while she shook the taller woman's hand

“it was Shepard this and other Shepard that in every message home” Solana continued as Garrus appeared to shift shades “the only thing that could compete was his complaining about a Krogan and a cyborg”

Jane’s smirk grew wider as she saw Garrus go still before slowly glancing towards Hemlock, who stood by the wall with the same neutral expression as always on his face. Although a small gleam appeared for the briefest of moments as the Turian returned his attention to his sister

“How are you here?” Garrus asked as he pulled Solana away from a still giggling Tali

“well i heard you had joined up with your dead commanders through the old whispering trail” Solana said with a shurg “i asked if anyone knew their contact information and eventually i was pointed towards the human councillor. Didn't think i would get an answer but i got an respnce to my message less then an hour after i sent it.”

‘Good old Baldwin’ Jane thought as Solana continued

“he said that he wasn't in a position to give out the commander's contact information. But he did give me the Normandy's link and said that whoever the XO of the vessel was would receive it and determine if it was appropriate to pass on to the shephards So I messaged the link and i got a response less than a minute saying that the XO would process the request-”

“Less than a minute” Garrus cut in, clearly surprised by the response time

“yeah” Solana confirmed “honestly i was surprised it was so fast. Then i realised the XO was a cyborg and probably is connected to his messages via some chip, and it made a lot more sense”

At this, everyone glanced towards Hemlock, who merely gestured back to Solana and remarked

“You were informing Garrus of how you arrived here”

“Oh yeah” Solana said as she snapped her attention back to her brother “About an hour after that, i got another message saying the request had been approved, before giving a time and a meeting place”

Garrus stared at his sister for a moment before taking a deep breath and exhaling. Slowly but surly, he turned towards the small group before harshly whispering

“You knew about this? Didn't you”

Which was finally enough to make the three burst into laughter once more as Garrus donned a look of amusement and exasperation. As the laughter died down, the group led Solana through the main deck to begin a full tour of the ship. The younger Turian's eyes widened as she gushed about the ship's design. And upon reaching the cockpit, she had a long-winded conversation about the handling of the ship and piloting skills with Joker, who seemed overjoyed to talk to someone about flight with John, even joking at one point that Solana should be Joker's co-pilot, which, to everyone's surprise, the brittle boned man didn't instantly veto. With it instead being Solana who turned down the offer, claiming that she wanted to spend more time in her current position, but if the offer still stood, she would take it up in the future. After about an hour had passed, the group headed for the elevator so the tour could traverse to the lower decks, with Hemlock remaining on the main deck to assume command. But right before the elevator doors closed, the cyborg managed to get in one final torment on Garrus.

“Don’t forget to introduce young Solana to Miss Lia’Vael.”

Jane giggled while John snickered and Garrus opened his mouth to counter the cyborg's statement, only to be cut off by the doors shutting. Solana glanced around the elevator, looking for an explanation,n which John swiftly offered

“Lia’Vael is a Quarian biologist we have working aboard”, he explained between chuckles, “and Hemlock happened to notice-”

“John” Garrus cut in his mandibles flaring

“That-” John continued

“please don’t” Garrus pleaded desperately as both hands landed on Johns shoulders before shaking him gently “i’ll never hear the end of it!”

“oh now you have to tell me” Solana declared

“Definitely” Tali chimed in “I want to know what has him so worked up-”

“Don’t” Garrus repeated

“Fine” John replied a gleam appearing in his eyes as Jane saw them shift towards her and wink instantly, filling her in on her brother's plan “i won’t say a word”

Garrus let out a breath as Solana and Tali made sounds of disappointment, “thank yo-”

“Garrus has a huge crush on Lia’Vael!” Jane declared loudly with a massive grin plastered over her face

“DAMN IT JAN-!!” Garrus cried before being cut off by the combined sound of John bursting into laughter while Tali and Solana made similar excited awws

“big, scary, Garrus has a crush” Solana remarked as Garrus’ shade sifted once again as he glared at Jane “is she cute?, what is she like?, when do i meet her?”

Jane burst into giggles as Solana continued to bombard Garrus with questions while the Turian in question stood looking like he wished he had died on Omega. John continued to bark with laughter while Tali watched the events unfold. Until it was finally time to depart the elevator and continue the tour, which was now filled with jabs and questions about Garrus’ crush at every potential moment. Finally, as the tour came to a close Solana met the green-clad Quarian who had earned her brother's affections, and as she departed to return to the lab, Jane heard Solana lean over and whisper to Garrus

“Good choice”

Which instantly made the Turian explode into another shade, which Jane continued to question if blushing was supposed to be possible for the reptilian race. Sadly, all good things come to a close as the time for Solana’s departure rapidly arrived. The team made its way back to the main deck of the Normandy, where they were once again greeted by Hemlock, who stood waiting beside the airlock.

“i guess this is it” Solana said sadly as she looked to her brother

“y-yeah” Garrus stuttered

Jane watched as the two stared at one another before swiftly moving into a tight embrace

“i-i know you are out here fighting for what you believe in” Solana uttered, “but promise me you won’t die”

“you know i can’t-” Garrus began to say

“of course i do” Solana cut him off “there is never any certainty we come home......”

The elder Turian held her tighter as Jane saw a tear escape Solana’s eye before she took a deep breath and pulled away.

“its been so nice meeting all of you at last” Solana said warmly as she looked around at them all “be safe on your mission out there.”

“will do”

“No promises,” Jane and John said at the same time, earning a laugh from the others as Solana shifted around to point at Hemlock

“You make sure none of them do anything stupid. Alright?”

“as thou commands” Hemlock replied with one of his curt nods as Garrus and John both gasped and made to retort only to be silenced as Solana slipped through the airlock calling “gotta go byeeeee” As it closed behind her. Leaving a flabbergasted John and Garrus stood alongside Tali and Jane as they let out a set of giggles at the two’s misfortune.

-half an hour later, crew deck-

“gotta say that was pretty cool”

Jane jumped as the female voice appeared out of nowhere while walking down a crew deck hall. A second later, there was a flicker of light as a hooded figure appeared about a metre away.

“Kasumi” Jane wheezed as the woman in question leaned against a wall

“sorry, Commander” Kasumi said with a gentle smile, her eyes shining from under her hood

“its ok” Jane replied as she caught her breath “and call me Jane”

“ok, Jane” Kasumi corrected her, smile becoming ever so slightly larger

“Is everything alright?” Jane inquired with a raised brow

“sorta” Kasumi replied as she stood up fully “i needed to talk to you about......well, about the deal i made with Cerberus”

Jane felt her breath hit in her chest before nodding

“you and John don’t have the best history with them” Kasumi continued “i don’t think anyone does. But the deal was still really important to me on a personal level. I-i can understand if you don’t want to do it because Cerberus accepted it. But it would mean a lot to me if you and John helped-”

“its okay, Kasumi” Jane cut in as she raised a hand and donned a warm smile “im happy to help you. im sure John will be too......well, assuming we aren’t stealing anything”

“well.....” Kasumi said with a sharp breath through her teeth

“What are you wanting to steal?” Jane asked as she felt her expression drop

“A greybox”, Kasumi said quickly, “I-it has all the memories of my partner Keiji......”

Even in the darkness of the woman's hoo,d Jane could see Kasumi’s lips quiver as she spoke

“h-he was killed by a crime lord named Donovan Hock” Kasumi continued “H-Hock is keeping the greybox in his personal vault-”

“You want us to steal from a crime lord?” Jane asked as he straightened up

“y-yeah” Kasumi admitted

Jane let a deep sigh escape her as a smile returned to her lips “Well, that's good.”

“You don’t care?” Kasumi questioned clearly confused

“Kasumi, John, and I are soldiers”, Jane said warmly as she took the woman's hands in her own “We know all too well what it means to lose someone close to us. Hell, you were on the mission to Ilos. You helped me save Liara, the least i can do is help you get this greybox back”

“But it's still stealing” Kasumi pointed out as Jane rubbed her thumbs comfortingly across Kasumi’s

“i don’t think it counts as stealing if its from a crimelord” Jane countered with a smirk “especally if it was your lovers property. I'm certain John will be on the same page when I say that we both want to help you”

The smile returned to Kasumi’s face as her eyes shone even brighter, and in a swift movement, she pulled Jane forward and wrapped her arms around the ginger. Jane smiled as she returned the now sobbing woman's embrace

“T-Thank you” Kasumi uttered between sobs “i-i just miss him so much-”

“It's okay” Jane said soothingly as she gently rubbed her hand across Kasumi’s back, allowing the woman her moment of pain

Minutes ticked by as the two woman held each other until Kasumi finally pulled away a determined smile on her lips.

“So what's the plan?” Jane questioned

“Donovan Hock is throwing a party at his estate on Bekenstein in the Boltzmann system in about a citadel standard week and a half” Kasumi explained “i’ve gotten three identities for you, me, and John to infiltrate the party so we can slip into the vault and escape with the grey box”

“Sounds simple enough” Jane remarked with a nod “i assume you have more details than that, though”

“just a more thorough rundown of the plan” Kasumi admitted “but we can save that for the briefing. No point going over them now when there is still a bit of time”

“True” Jane agreed before letting out a sigh “does mean John and me need to think of something to occupy us for a week and a half”

“fortunate timing then” a second voice declared from further down the dark hall making both woman jump. Jane clutched at her chest as she whipped around to see Mordin appearing in the darkness

“Mordin” she wheezed “how long have you been there?”

“Five minutes,” the Salarian replied quickly

“How?” Kasumi questioned

“Not the only sneaky individual onboard” Mordin replied with a small smile

Kasumi continued to stare at the Salarian in surprise as Jane finally managed to get her breathing under control a second time

“you said it was fortunate timing Mordin” Jane said with a raised brow “what is?”

“have run into a pardicimint” Mordin replied “firstly, familiar with work on Genophage yes?”

“i recall you mentioning you had worked on it” Jane answered

“correct” Mordin continued “but was also in charge of STG team sent to Tuchanka. Studied the genophage, refined it, released new strain to ensure continued population control”

Jane felt her temper begin to build “Is there a reason you are talking about this, or do you just like bragging about Genocide?”

Mordin stopped suddenly and inhaled sharply through his nose

“former team member and student has been captured by blood pack” Mordin said ignoring Janes accusation “has been taken to Tuchanka. Is being forced to create cure for Genophage. Clear, we don’t see eye to eye on use of Genophage. But undeniable fact that if blood pack and clans backing them get cure, outcome disastrous”

Jane sighed. She wanted to disagree and to say that any work on a cure for the Genophage was good. But that would be a lie. If the blood pack got the cure, they could cause massive amounts of damage and kill thousands of people.

“Alright”, Jane uttered, “I’ll talk to John, and we can head to Tuchanka pronto. Then we can stop the blood pack and free your student”

Mordin looked down at her with a small smile “Thank you, Jane”

“For what?” Jane asked, slightly confused

“Putting aside personal beliefs” Mordin replied, “understand can be difficult. In your debt”

Despite her frustration, Jane couldn’t deny the smile that pulled at her lips as Mordin gave one last nod and turned before walking back down the dark hall. Leaving Jane to depart from Kasumi so she could fill John in on their next two missions all the while she could only hope that they were about to do the right thing.

Chapter Text

John's mind was racing as he marched through the halls of the Normandy. His chest felt tight and his stomach was churning as he arrived at the elevator and pressed the button for the cargo bay.

It had barely been an hour since Jane had told him about Mordin’s request to travel to Tuchanka to save his old student and prevent the creation of a cure. She had been seething as she explained, her expression dark and furious. He didn't blame her; this was the second time they were faced with the hard choice about the Genophage, and the second time they were going to allow it to continue plaguing the Krogan race.

‘What else can we do?’ John questioned as he desperately thought for solutions, it's easy to say that the cure should be made. That the Krogans deserve another chance. But most of them are still aggressive and far too spiteful.’

A hiss rang out as the elevator doors slid open, allowing John to move onto the cargo bay, his mind still plagued with troubles, until he was suddenly snapped back to reality as a gruff voice called out to him

“Alright, there, John!?”

Glancing around, John was met with a surprising sight. On the far edge of the cargo bay was a metal table around which sat Zaeed, Arok, Echo, and Chief, all of whom were looking at him with amused and curious expressions.

“i’m fine” John replied as he strode towards the four “what makes you ask Zaeed?”

“don’t bullshit me” Zaeed replied simply as he began shuffling cards “your minds so far out ya skull its a miracle your standing”

Arok and Chief snickered as John let a sigh escape him before he asked, “Is it that obvious?”

“No offence, sir” Echo spoke between sips of what appeared to be whisky, “but with the way you marched in here, you would think a reaper just landed on earth”

“i almost wish one had” John replied as he took a seat “not as much on my conscience when we destroy them”

“Well, what's bothering you then?” Arok asked as Zaeed passed around cards before placing

“i assume you’ve heard about the mission?” John checked as he checked his cards

“Yeah” Zaeed grumbled before placing three face-up cards in the centre of the table ”something about recusing a Salarian and stopping a cure for the Genophage”

“Yeah”, John sighed as he looked over all five cards “It's a rather sore topic for me and Jane...neither of us believes the Krogans deserve the Genophage. But we know curing it will only cause more damage”

A collective hum echoed around the table as the four other men present all thought about the issue at hand.

“Couldn’t you just take the research?” Arok suggested as Zaeed placed a fourth face-up card in the centre of the table

“How do you mean?” John questioned with a raised brow

“Do the mission with Mordin, save the scientist, student, or whatever. Then, once the mission is done, download the data. Then you could give it to one of the independent researchers trying to cure the Genophage” Arok elaborated “That way, you can help move along a Genophage cure, and Mordin is happy-”

“doesn’t solve the problem though” Chief cut in “they want to make sure the Krogans don’t get out of control like they did during the rebellions.”

“right......” Arok agreed as he took a deep breath through his sharp teeth

“ya wasting yer time”, Zaeed sighed before his good eye stared directly into John's “ya can’t be on both sides of this, John. When it comes ta something like this you either make the cure and live with the consequences or ya don’t and carry on knowing ya could have done more. Play both hands and you’ll end up winning neither”

Silence fell over the group as Zaeed's words sank in. John allowed the words to turn over in his mind in an effort to make an argument against them, only to fall short each time. Finally, the silence was broken as John let out a deep sigh and uttered

“Guess you're right”

“i often am” Zaeed replied with a chuckle before reaching over and placing down the fifth face-up card

“Unless you're playing poker” John countered with a smirk as he placed his cards on the table to reveal the royal flush that they made

“how the fuck-”

Was all the dumbfounded Zaeed managed to choke out as the other three men at the table burst into laughter while John just shrugged his shoulders at the older merc.

-a day later, Tuchanka’s atmosphere-

“Give me a rundown on where we are going” John yelled to be heard over the rushing wind outside of the descending shuttle

“Hemlock was able to identify a clan willing to let us land at their camp!” Jane yelled back,” The current plan is to speak to their chief to see if they know anything about Maelon, and then we go from there!“

“okAY!" John began to reply before the shuttle suddenly jolted as it landed, sending John slamming into Grunt

“Everyone alright?” Jane questioned as the shuttle's door opened

“Quite alright” Mordin said simply as Zaeed growled

“Fine here” Tali said in a sarcastic tone John had missed, while Grunt just shrugged

One by one, the team made their way out of the shuttle onto a large raised platform that appeared to be in the remains of what was once a bunker. Thuds echoed through the large chamber as the team made their way down the steps towards two armed Krogan guards, accompanied by what appeared to be a captain of some kind, all of whom were clad in bone white armour.

“The clan leader will want to meet with you” the captain declared with a deep rumble before narrowing his eyes on Grunt “that rutting pet will need the rite soon or he’ll be put down”

“what!” Grunt growled as he moved to lunge at the captain, only to be stopped as Jane placed a hand on the Krogan's shoulder

“What rite?” John asked as Grunt continued to growl furiously

“ancestors sake” the captain muttered “just go speak to the clan leader. He can explain if he wants to”

John saw Jane attempt to reply, but before she could speak, the captain turned and walked away.

“That's Krogan hospitality for ya” Zaeed said with a chuckle as John sighed

“Come on” John ordered with a wave of his hand “let's go meet this clan leader”

The rest of the team nodded as they fell in behind and followed John through the narrow rubble-filled halls of the ancient bunker. Silence fell over the group until they finally turned a corner that lead into what appeared to be the main camp. The area appeared to be an ancient garage or hangar, which was now full of tents and other makeshift housing. In the distance, John saw what appeared to be several large wheeled vehicles along with a throne that was raised upon a pile of debris and surrounded by Krogan clad in different shades of armour, blocking the chief from view.

“This is Tuchanka?” Grunt spat as his blue eyes scanned the space, “This is the proud land of my ancestors?...”

“It was once” Jane said as she patted Grunt on the shoulder, “but now it's-”

“a shithole” Zaeed finished as he strode past earning him a glare from Jane “i’d say the throne would be where we find the clan leader”

“Good start to search” Mordin remarked before taking a deep breath through his nostrils

“Better get going then” John sighed as he made his way down the debris

As the team made their way through the camp, John noticed the many eyes that landed on them. Some of them were curious or ambivalent about their presence there, while many more were glares of hatred or disdain, all of which happened to be pointed towards Mordin and, much to his surprise, Grunt. Turning a corner, John began to climb up the pile of debris towards the throne, only to come to a stop as two armed Krogans clad in white armour approached with their hands outstretched

“halt!” one with a green headplate commanded “you must wait until the clan leader summons you. He is..........in talks”

John watched as the Krogan glanced back towards the throne, which now only had one Krogan standing before it clad in a pale white armour with blue accents.

“You know what tradition demands!” the Krogan cried as he marched back and forth in front of the throne. “Clan Urdnot must respond. Your reforms will not go unopposed. You risk appearing weak at a critical time-”

But the rest of the mad Krogan's words were drowned out as John turned his focus to the throne, and shock overcame him. Sat atop the throne clad in his deep crimson family armour and donning a look that could only be described as a plead for death was Wrex.

“I-is that” Tali stammered

“It can’t be” Jane replied in shock

Suddenly, Wrex’s head turned towards them, his previously narrowed eyes widening in surprise before he uttered

“Shepards.......”

The blue and white clad Krogan went quiet as Wrex pulled himself up from the throne and strode past him, pushing the blue and white clad Krogan aside as he went. The two Krogan standing guard glanced back towards the team as John found a smile forming on his lips

“Good enough?”

“outta my way, outta my way!” Wrex commanded giddily as he parted both guards with a single push before wrapping one of his arms around Jane, while John felt the other close around him, pulling them both into a bone-crushing hug that lifted them off their feet.

“g-good t-to see you Wrex” Jane choked out as Zaeed and Grunt barked laughter in the background, accompanied by Tali’s giggles

“JOHN, JANE!. MY FRIENDS!” Wrex cried happily as he held them in the air

After another agonising moment, the Krogan relented and placed the pair back on the ground, allowing air to come flooding back into John's lungs.

“don't know why your laughing Tali” Wrex said warmly as he turned towards the Quarian “give your favourite Krogan a hug!”

“No wait-" Tali cried as she began to back away, but it was too little too late as she was pulled into Wrex’s soul-breaking embrace and lifted into the air, giving John time to recover from Wrex’s friendly assault.

“W-Wrex” Tali choked as John felt his smile widen, and Jane had her turn to giggle at the display of affection

“It is good to see you, my friends!” Wrex declared as he returned Tali to the stable ground and turned to face the twins, “I knew the void couldn’t hold you”

“It certainly tried” Jane muttered with a smirk

“and it failed” Wrex countered with a toothy grin “and now your here.”

“That we are” John said as he patted the Krogan on the shoulder “I see your plan to return to your clan worked out”

“sure did” Wrex replied happily as his crimson eyes glanced over the surroundings “destroying Saren and his cure to the Genophage broke any of the clans loyalty to him. I used that to spur the clans to unite under clan Urdnot”

“You abandoned many traditions to get your way” the blue and white clad Krogan muttered, “dangerous”

In the blink of an eye, Wrex spun around and slammed his headplate directly into the blue and white clad Krogans, letting out a loud crack and sending the other Krogan reeling back.

“Speak when spoken to Uvenk,” Wrex commanded as he glared at the Krogan John now knew as Uvenk “I’ll drag your clan to glory whether it likes it or not”

Uvenk's eyes narrowed at Wrex, but he didn't retort. Instead, he stepped back as Wrex strode back towards the throne, allowing the team to follow.

“Now, what brings you here?” Wrex questioned as he lowered himself into the large stone seat

“One of our crew has a bit of a problem” Jane explained as she gestured to Mordin, who stepped forward and bowed his head to Wrex

“A Salarian problem on Tuchanka” Wrex half mumbled, half growled, “can’t wait to hear about this”

“student of mine has been abducted by blood pack” Modrin said swiftly, only pausing to take a deep breath through his nostrils “know he is on Tuchanka, likely being housed with one of the clans”

Wrex let out a low hum before sighing “i hate Salarians, but I'll help you because you walk beside the closest of my friends. My scout commander mentioned seeing blood pack members with a Salarian a few days back. Speak to him and he can point you to where he was”

“Thank you, Chief Urdnot” Mordin replied with another bow of the head before stepping back, which John noticed caught Wrex off guard

“that was the reason we came to Tuchanka” John remarked before glancing towards Grunt “but the captain at the landing platform mentioned something about a rite when talking about Grunt. What does that mean?”

Wrex’s eyes narrowed as they focused on Grunt. The younger Krogan stepped forward as Wrex inhaled deeply as if sniffing the air before asking

“Where are you from, welp? Was your clan destroyed before you could learn what is expected of you?”

“i have to clan” Grunt stated as his bright blue eyes stared back into Wrex’s crimson “i am a tank-bred by the Warlord Okeer. My line distilled from Kredak, Moro, Shiagur-”

“you recite warlords,” Uvenk scoffed “yet you are nothing but a spawn of a syringe!”

Wrex made another deep rumbling hum of thought before he spoke.

“Okeer is a very old name. A very hated name”

“he is dead” Grunt declared

“of course” Wrex said with a chuckle before gesturing to Jane and then John “your with these two. How could he have been alive?”

“So what's wrong with him?” Jane asked, a look of worry appearing on her face

“Nothing's wrong with him” Wrex answered simply, “he is becoming a full adult-”

“like a Pilgrimage?” Tali chimed in

“Puberty rituals common amongst species with hormone-driven breeding cycles” Mordin remarked with a nod

“i dont care what aliens call it” Wrex growled with the wave of a hand “Krogan undergo the rite of passage. Each clan has its own different path to earn the right to be within the clan. Once completed a ritual is carried out by the clans Shaman to bind the Krogan to their clan.”

“So what happens to a Krogan without a clan?” John asked as he felt both curiosity and worry mix in his stomach

“if he stayed here he would be killed” Wrex replied nonchalantly as John felt the crimson gaze land on him “the clan-less are not respected, a tank bred even less so. He will also become more aggressive and lose his self-control. The ritual binding to a clan helps mark the new beginning in a Krogan's life. Without the ritual hormones build up until the Krogan becomes nothing but an angry husk”

“Have you noticed anything like that, Grunt?” Jane asked as she rested her hand on the young Krogan's shoulder

“i’ve been restless recently” Grunt answered “trouble sleeping, wanting to eat constantly, craving a fight more then i usually do....”

“Sounds like the early stages” Wrex said with a knowing nod and a deep hum

“So what do we do?” John asked as he turned his focus to Wrex, “Do we find him a clan to join?”

Wrex was silent for a moment as his crimson eyes remained focused on Grunt. The air felt tense as if Wrex was contemplating something that would determine the fate of Grunt's life. Until finally he spoke

“Tell me, Grunt. Will you stand with clan Urdnot?”

“Too far, Wrex!” Uvenk roared as he marched past, his arms flailing madly, “Your clan may be dominant, but this thing is not Krogan!”

John watched as Wrex stared at the slowly retreating figure with a look of annoyance and disdain before returning his attention to Grunt

“You would allow a tank bred to become one of your clan?” Grunt asked, confidence fading from his voice for the first time John had ever heard

“traditions would frown upon it” Wrex replied “I've never cared much for most traditions. Should you pass the rite of passage, you hold the same right to clanship as any Krogan born of the womb”

Silence enveloped the space as Grunt thought. Until the young Krogan finally bowed his head and proclaimed

“It would be an honour to partake in the Urdnot rite of passage”

“that a boy” Wrex said with a deep thundering chuckle before he faced towards John “i’ll tell the Shaman to prepare the rite. It will take some time, so you can run off to find that Salarian student or whatever”

“sounds good” Jane smiled “you mentioned speaking to your scout commander. Where would we find him?”

“Over by the garage” Wrex replied as he pointed to a space where several large six-wheeled tanks were parked “Once he’s given you the location, speak to the chief engineer and tell him Wrex gave you permission to use the Tomkah’s”

“Thanks Wrex” John said as he gave the Krogan a nod “We’ll get going then”

“best of luck” Wrex said as the team turned and made their way down the route they had come only to hear Wrex’s voice call “and don’t die!”

John let out a chuckle that was swiftly accompanied by Jane and Tali’s laughter as they made their way through the camp towards the garage that Wrex had pointed out to them. After a few minutes, the group arrived at the base of a ramp next to which stood a rather unamused-looking Krogan clad in bone white armour with a set of large binoculars hung around his neck

“Take it you are the outsiders I'm to speak to” the Krogan grunted as they approached

“you the scout commander?” John questioned as the group came to a stop

“Yeah” the Krogan replied with another grunt

“Then we are the people you're looking for” Tali answered, earning an eyeroll from the Krogan

“Wrex told us you saw blood pack members with a Salarian” Jane asked “We need to know where they were”

“bout eleven klicks north west” the Krogan scout commander said with a hum “they were escorting the little shit into clan Weyrloc territory. Looked like they were headed for the Weyrloc hospital”

“so that would be the best place to search?” John said, earning a nod from the scout commander

“Great” Jane smiled “Thank you for your help”

“Whatever” the commander snorted as he turned and marched away

“Best get hunting then” Zaeed remarked as he gestured up the ramp towards the Tomkah’s

“Best indeed” John and Jane replied in unison, earning a giggle from Tali as the group strode up the ramps towards the vehicles

-half an hour later, Tuchanka wastes-

Harsh warm air blasted across John’s face as he hauled himself out of the Tomkah, a loud thud coming from beneath him as his boats landed on the old stone. Glancing at the surrounding area, John found himself greeted by rubble and ruins as far as the eye could see. Overhead limed the remains of an ancient elevated highway while a still rather intact building stood ahead of the team.

“That's the hospital?” Jane questioned as he unholstered her pistol

“looks like a damn bunker” Zaeed grumbled

“by design” Mordin remarked “Krogan hospitals needed to be sturdy. Often had to endure punishment of war.”

“Guess that explains why it's still standing,” John said before realising a sigh “Everyone, fan out and watch your backs.”

The rest of the team all nodded in understanding as they drew their weapons in preparation before following behind John as he strode down the ancient rubble-covered space. The approach to the hospital was as hostile as John expected for the Krogan home world. The narrow paths proved to be perfect for blood pack ambushes, accompanied by the local wildlife taking their turn in trying to get a bite of the team until they finally got to an entrance to the hospital located near an overturned and buried Tomkah, which looked long destroyed by some conflict. The heavy blast door rumbled as a massive metal wheel spun around, unlocking the mechanism to pull the door open. To reveal a cold and dry-looking hall which led to a dust-covered stairwell.

“Doesn't look like it's been used in a while” John commented with a raised brow as he took in the sight of the ruined space.

“Footprints in the dust” Grunt said, pointing towards the stairs, whereupon a closer look, John made out the large outline of Krogan feet

“Nice eye, Grunt” Jane praised as she patted the Krogan on the shoulder, earning a chuckle from him

“Come, come” Mordin said as he slipped down the steps “need to find Maelon, end this madness”

John shared a look with his sister before they both nodded and followed the Salarian down the stairs. The team didn't make it far before they came to a stop at the next flight of stairs, where Mordin stood over a human corpse who was clothed in only rags.

“The hell?" Zaeed muttered as Mordin flicked on his omni tool and lowered himself over the corpse

Mordin let out a hum as he waved his hand to scan the corpse before a holographic display of a male human body covered in several glowing red spots appeared from the omni tool.

“sores, tumours, ligatures showing restraint of wrists and ankles. Track marks for repeated injection sites." Mordin rose back to his feet as he took a deep breath through his nostrils. Then stated grimly, “test subject. Victim of experimentation”

Gasps echoed through the silent hallway as both Jane and Tali recoiled in disgust. John felt his teeth crash together furiously as he looked into the vacant stare of the man.

“Any way to ID em?” Zaeed asked

“no tattoos, birthmarks, or identifying features” Mordin declared “could be slave or pirate, merc or criminal. Doesn't matter now”

“This is horrible” Tali whispered

“i thought we had seen the worst of the experiments on hearts ship” Jane uttered her voice laced with venom

“all the more reason for us to stop this” John sighed as Mordin nodded in agreement

Continuing down the stairs, the team was met with an alcove that was full of dust-covered crates marked with medical symbols and Asari and Salarian writing, along with another large blast door. Another deep rumble rang out as the door's wheel mechanism spun and pulled it open to reveal a large room where several Krogan stood high above on a platform. At the head stood a Krogan clad in pale white and grey armour who was glaring down at the team as they made their way into the room.

“i am the speaker for clan Weyloc outsiders” the Krogan proclaimed in a loud booming voice “you have shed our blood and the blood of our guests. By the rights, you should be dead already. But Weyrloc Guld, the chief of chiefs, has ordered that you be given leave to flee and spread the word of our coming”

“You want us to leave?” Jane spat her voice mixed with both fury and confusion, “Why?”

“To tell the galaxy of the acention that is to come” the speaker yelled as he pointed down towards them “Soon the Salarian shall cure the Genophage, and clan Weyrloc will spread across the galaxy in a sea of blood and fire!” the speaker began to pace back and forth as he spoke his hands gesturing furiously as his voice boomed louder “When we cure the Genopage, Weyrloc Guld will rule all Krogan!. The Krogan rebellions shall become the Krogan Empire!, the surviving races will frighten their spawn with tales of what the blood pack did to the Turians!, the Asari shall scream as their citadel is plunged into a dying star!, we shall keep the Salarians as slaves and eat their eggs as a delicacy!” John saw Mordin recoil ever so slightly in surprise as the speak turned to face them once more and screamed, “THE TEUTONS SHALL BLEED BEFORE US AS THEY FACE THEIR MOST WORTHY FOE IN BATTLE!!!-”

Suddenly, a gunshot rang through the room, silencing the speaker as all eyes turned towards Zaeed, who stood with his rifle outstretched

“You talk to much” the older mercenary growled as he fired his rifle once more, the bullet soaring towards the base of the platform where the Krogan stood, which John now noticed was a gas tank of some kind

“Get down!” John roared as he grabbed Tali and pulled her behind a nearby crate, as Grunt did the same for Jane and Zaeed, and Mordin slid into cover

“wha-” was all the Weyrloc speaker managed before an explosion rocked the room, followed by a large inferno consuming the platform and the Krogan atop it.

Screams echoed through the room as the large figures flailed and desperately clambered to escape the flame, only to fall silent one by one as the fire ended them.

“Was that necessary?” Tali asked as John helped her to her feet, a small warmth appearing where her hand had met his

“No” Zaeed answered before grinning slightly, “but it was bloody fun”

“successfully cleared path without combat” Mordin chimed in “efficient”

“lets go” Jane ordered “the whole place will be on top of us soon”

John nodded as he followed his sister up a set of stairs and around the still charred corpses of the Krogans before approaching another large metal door that unleashed another rumble as it opened, allowing a stench to escape instantly, making all but Tali and Mordin recoil in disgust

“hell on Earth” Zaeed coughed “i thought i had experienced it all”

“Makes me glad my suit doesn't have scent receptors” Tali remarked as she looked over them all

“The only time I've never been hungry” Grunt choked as Mordin strode into the room

“Problematic” the Salarian mumbled as the team followed “decay, rotting medicine, bacteria.”

John nearly slammed into Mordin's back as the Salarian suddenly stopped, glancing around. Mordin John was met with the sight of a large body lying on a rusty medical bed, a large blanket covering it from view. Mordin took a deep breath through his nostrils before he approached the corpse and picked up an active datapad that was lying on a table beside it.

“dead Krogan, female, tumours indicate experimentation, no restraint marks” Mordin took another deep breath through his nostrils “volunteer”

Silence fell as Mordin dropped the Datapad and moved around the bed as if moving closer to the deceased female before he spoke once more.

“Sterile Weyrloc female willing to risk procedure. Hoped for a cure. Pointless. Pointless waste of life”

“i didn’t expect you to be so disturbed by the sight of a dead Krogan” Jane remarked, her voice neutral.

“What? Why?” Mordin cried his voice raising in a way neither shepard had heard before “because of Genophage work?, irrelevant. No. Causative.” one of Mordins long fingers pointed towards Jane as his eyes narrowed “never experimented on live Krogan. Never killed with medicine. Her death not my work. Only reaction to it.”

A deep sigh escaped the Salarian as he strode to the head of the bed and continued to speak

“goal was to stabilise population. Never wanted this. Can see it logically... but still unnecessary. Foolish waste of life.”

“i didn’t think you would have to interact with things like this often” John said as he gestured to the still corpse “did you ever come back to Tuchanka after you dropped your strain of the Genophage?”

“yearly recon missions” Mordin replied instantly as John noticed Jane eyes widen “water, tissue samples. Ensure no mistakes. Superiors offered to carry it on. Refused. Need to see it in person. Need to look. Need to see. Accept it as necessary. See the small picture. Remind myself why I run a clinic on Omega”

Silence fell as Mordin took a deep breath through his nostrils. His eyes focused on what was once a Krogan woman's head, but was now covered by a thick cloth serving as her tomb.

“Rest, young mother.” Mordin said as he raised a hand and gently placed it upon the corpse's head, “Find your gods. Find someplace better.”

“I-i didn’t take you for spiritual” Jane stammered

“genophage modification altered millions of lives” Mordin replied before taking other deep breath “then saw results. Ego, humility, juxtaposition, frailty of life, scale of universe. explored religions after work completed. different races. no answers. Many questions”

“You had a crisis of faith” John uttered, barely noticing the words escape his own lips

“genophage modification great in scope. scientifically brilliant” Mordin continued with a sombre nod “but ethically, difficult. Krogan reaction visceral, tragic. not guilty. never guilty. Responsible. Trained as doctor. Genophage affects fertility. Doesn’t kill. Prevents what could be..... still caused this. Hard to see big picture behind pile of corpses.”

John stared silently at the Salarian before him, his mind churning as he realised everything he had known about Mordin had been a lie. From the moment he had met the scientist, he had thought of him as callous and unconcerned about the effects of his work so long as it was positive. But now, now John was realising to what extent Mordin allowed his actions to plague his mind.

“c-can you really just rationalise it away?” Tali aske,d snapping everyone's attention to the Quarian

“wheel of life” Mordin replied as he took another deep breath through his nostrils before he began to slowly pace back and forth “popular Salarian concept. Similar to human Hinduism in focus on reincarnation. Appealing to see life as endless. Fix mistakes in next life. Learn, adapt, improve. Refuse to believe life ends here. Too wasteful. Has to be more. Mistakes to fix. Cannot end here. Could do so much more.”

“Mordin”, Jane said softly, all the aggression and passive disdain she had held earlier having faded from her voice “How can you live like this? How can you tell yourself that the Genophage was the right course when you have done a lifetime's worth of soul-searching to justify it?”

“had to be done” Mordin replied as his dark eyes stared into Janes green leaving everyone to hold their breaths “end of Rachni wars. Krogan rebellions. All pointed to Krogan aggression. So many simulations. Krogan population increase. All pointed to war. Extinction. Genophage or Genocide. Save galaxy from Krogan. Save Krogan from Galaxy. Patience of Teutons not infinite. Ability to force Krogan to heel limited. Eventually, even ancient patience runs thin”

“But you could have cured them” Jane countered almost pleadingly as John felt like a lead weight was in his stomach “They would have rejoiced”

“assumes human response”, Mordin said grimly “, Krogan biological and cultural response to stimulus is different. Would have caused chaos on Tuchanka. Victor would have war economy, bloodthirsty army. Galactic expansion logical outcome. More war, Genophage saved lives that war would have taken.”

Silence fell over the team once more as Jane looked to be on the verge of tears, and Mordin donned a sombre expression John had never seen the Salarian use before

“Come on” John ordered as he waved for the team to follow “We need to find Maelon”

The team silently followed behind him as John moved towards the next door, only to stop as he glanced back towards Mordin and uttered

“A very old and very wise man once said to me that the Genophage is a genocide delayed and nothing more.”

Mordin didn’t reply, but as John went to turn away, he saw the Salarians' mouth quiver slightly as a deep sigh escaped his nostrils.

Silence remained as the team trailed behind John. Slowly making their way out of the lab space, leading them into another damaged and dusty hallway with two familiar large blast doors at the end. Making his way down the hall, John quickly came to a realisation as he examined the doors closely.

“This ones locked” he announced, gesturing to the door on the right-hand side of the hall

“Odd” Jane replied as the team stopped in front of the door in question “None of the other blast doors have been locked”

“Think they got gear locked in there?” Zaeed questioned as he glanced at Mordin

“unlikely” Mordin answered, his tone more grim than usual “All other equipment was in open-”

“Why not just blast it open and find out?” Grunt asked in a bored voice

“Like the looking inside part” John agreed as he gave the young Krogan a nod before turning to Tali “but a more subtle touch would be better”

“On it, John” Tali replied with a giggle before moving towards the controls, her omni-tool flicking to life

A few seconds ticked by as Tali battled with the lock mechanisms systems before a click could be heard, followed by the familiar sound of the door rumbling. Tali stepped back as the door began to open, allowing John to reach forward and give her a gentle pat on the back, which made her jump before sighing as she turned to him and took in his smile. Both their attention snapped back to the door as it opened fully, revealing what had once been a private room but was now converted into a prison cell with a prisoner included.

“w-what are you doing here?” a male Krogan clad in a bright orange prisonors suit slurred as his blurred eyes took in the team

“don’t worry about that” Jane said gently as she began to carefully approach the Krogan “who are you?”

“H-Harbok” the Korgan slurred as he seemed to struggle sitting up straight “i-I'm a scout f-for clan U-Urdnot"

“Careful”, Mordin warned as Jane stepped closer to the Krogan, displaying symptoms of disorientation. Likely been tested on. May be aggressive”

“its okay” Jane replied her voice still soft as she leaned down and placed he hand on the Krogans shoulder “you won’t hurt us, will you?”

“n-no” Harbok answered as he seemed to put all his energy into focusing on Jane

Jane smiled “Now, can you tell me how you got here?”

“w-was s-scouting" Harbok said drops of drool rolling down his jaw “b-blacked out.....wo-woke up here. H-helping cure the g-genophage t-they said. F-for clan U-Urdnot"

“This is a Weyrloc hospital” Grunt commented instantly, making Harboks eyes narrow before he shouted

“NO!” spitting saliva everywhere as his head shook “i-it can’t be! T-they said i was h-helping t-the clan!”

“Shuuush”, Jane said softly as she gently rubbed Harbok’s shoulder “It's okay. We are here to stop them from hurting you and your clan.”

“n-need help?” Harbok slurred as his blurry eyes once again focused on Jane

“no, no” Jane replied with a comforting smile “you just rest here and keep safe. Once we have everything sorted out, we will come back for you”

“p-promise” Harbok asked, his voice becoming afraid

“We promise,” John chimed in as he gave a weak smile to the disoriented Krogan

“o-ok” Harbok sighed as he leaned back against the stone wall “st-stay here”

Jane’s smile faded as the Krogan’s eyes slowly shut, and he let out a deep rumbling snore, allowing her to climb back to her feet.

“The hell did they do to em?” Zaeed asked as he continued to stare at the sleeping Krogan

“Krogan bodies extremely resilient” Mordin mumbled, “for such a disoriented state must be suffering several infections. Cause likely body's immune system weak from experiments”

“They are willing to take and experiment on their own people” Tali said sadly “they must be desperate”

“Or they just don’t care about anyone else” Grunt countered simply

“Either way, we need to put an end to it” Jane declared through gritted teeth

“Couldn’t agree more” John said with a sigh before turning and moving towards the opposite door, which began to open with a simple button press

Another loud rumble echoed through the hall as the door slid open to reveal a large atrium full of walkways and ancient rooms that would have once served as a place of medicine, but now was nothing more than dusty stone. Quiet fell once more as the team began to make their way through the old walkways and down the stone stairways until they began to move across a bridge leading to the far side of the chamber with the only still intact blast door in the space, when suddenly a familiar deep rumble echoed through the large chamber.

John felt his reflexes kick to life as he picked up movement all around him. Within seconds, his shotgun was aimed at one of the higher walkways where several Krogan clad in blood pack armour stood with weapons drawn. Glancing over his shoulder, John saw the rest of the team had formed a circle of sorts, all of them aiming towards the Krogan surrounding them from above.

“well shit-” Zaeed growled before his voice was downed out by a deep booming laugh that pulled John’s attention back to the blast door Infront of him where a giant Krogan clad in deep black armour adorned with what he could only assume was the clan Weyrloc crest stood glaring at them all.

“made it further then expected” the Krogan remarked as he took a step forward “if my favourite speaker wasn’t dead i would almost say i was impressed. And be assured, such praise does not come lightly from the great Weyrloc Guld”

“We don’t have to fight” John said through gritted teeth, making Guld burst into another booming laugh

“Don’t tell me you truly believe that, human?” Guld asked as he drew a Claymore shotgun

“No, but it was worth a shot” John admitted while aiming his shotgun towards the clan chief, his breath already hitching in his chest

“shame we had to meet like this” Guld sighed in a saddened tone “i think i would have liked you. Kill them-”

Before Guld could finish the order, John charged his biotics and lunged forward. He felt power flood his veins as energy curled around him, propelling him towards the Krogan like a bullet. A massive shockwave exploded all around him as he felt his shoulder collide with Guld’s chest, sending the Krogan warlord staggering back while his Claymore slammed to the ground. Behind him, gunfire and explosions rang out as the blood pack Krogans fired on the bridge, only to miss as Grunt grabbed Tali to pull her to safety on the same side as him while Jane led Mordin and Zaeed to the other side, where they hunkered down.

John wheeled around wanting to help bring some of the pressure off his sister and teammates. But before he could act a massive force stuck him in the back of the head easly breaking his biotic barrier. John’s vision blurred as he slammed to the stone ground, letting out a pained growl as his forehead rested on the cold stone.

“JOHN!” Tali’s voice screamed, somehow managing to overpower both the distant gunfire and the furious screaming that appeared to be coming closer, before a loud thud echoed through the room.

John managed to push back the pain as he slowly lifted his head, his still blurry vision taking in the beautiful sight of Tali’s purple hood and glowing violet visor as her worried eyes looked down at him through the glass. Shifting his weight, John glanced around where he saw Guld and Grunt in the middle of a gruelling fight. John felt his eyes widen in surprise as Grunt dodged and weaved between Guld’s strikes before delivering blow after blow to the older Krogan's armour, some of the moves appearing familiar until his mind flashed to images of his own fighting style mixed with Archembald's moves.

“w-wow” John stammered as he felt his vision begin to clear, although his head still pounded.

“Are you okay John?” Tali asked swiftly, snapping his attention away from the fight and back to the Quarian who was still holding him in both her arms

“Yeah” John answered with a smile before pushing himself to his feet “just a knock to the head”

“Are you sur-” Tali tried to reply, only to be cut off by Grunt letting out a pained scream

John snapped around in an instan,t where he was met with the sight of Grunt collapsing to his knees as Guld raised both hands high above his head to deliver a massive strike. Before John could think, he felt himself move as he charged his biotics once more and charged across the room. His body slammed into Guld full force, sending the unbalanced chief soaring back and crashing into a large metal tank, which exploded from the impact. John felt his body fly back as a blast wave encompassed the room. Pain coursed through his body as he slammed back to the stone floo,r his biotics and armour protecting his head and neck from damage. As a deep voice let out a horrific scream, making John quickly lift his head, allowing him to see Guld covered in flames as he flailed about desperately. A shotgun blast echoed through the room as blood exploded from Guld’s chest. Guld’s arms fell to his sides as his jaw hung open from a mix of pain and shock before he collapsed to the ground with a thud, leaving John to glance around to see Tali standing about a metre away with her shotgun in hand.

“n-not bad”, Grunt remarked as he stumbled to his feet on the other side of the room, his blue eyes shifting from Tali to Guld’s corpse before they finally landed on John, and a smile appeared on the young Krogan's face.

“You did well yourself” John praised as he clambered to his feet “only been out of the tank for a month or two, and you're already taking on chiefs”

Grunt gave a deep chuckle as he scratched at his head before uttering, “I’ve had good teachers”

John felt his lips form a smile even as his head continued to pound and his body ached. He was about to reply to Grunt and comment that he had noticed the young Krogan using some familiar moves when Zaeed's voice filled the room

“hell” the old mercenary remarked as he strode into the room, Jane and Mordin following behind

“Are you okay?” Tali asked, her voice laced with worry

“Fine”, Jane replied with a warm smile, “once we had cover, they were nothing to worry about. I see you handled Guld”

“Sure did” Grunt said with a smirk as everyone glanced back to the still flaming body

“good” Mordin declared before sighing “death of Guld will prevent further Weyrloc efforts to cure Genophage. May cause problems for clan. Not our concern”

John sighed at the Salarian’s words as he moved across the room to pick up his discarded shotgun, his mind too sore and tired to think of a comment for Mordin. With shotgun in hand, he turned towards the far end of the room where another large blast door waited.

“Guld came from this room” Tali commented as she looked around “it would make sense that Maelon is somewhere nearby”

“only one way to find out” Jane sighed as she began to make her way towards the blast door. John reached up to gently rub his temples before he followed his sister, the rest of the team falling in behind.

John watched as his sister reached forward and pressed the button. Another deep rumbled echoed through the room as the door mechanism spun and pulled the blast door open. John has braced himself for a horrible sight. Some poor Salarian tied up and beaten an inch of his life. Instead he was met with a large room full of computer displays and medical beds, many of which with dead Krogan lying on them. But what stood out the most was a Salarian clad in a clean white set of scientific scrubs working at a large terminal on the far side of the room.

“Maelon. alive. Unharmed.” Mordin uttered breathlessly as he moved into the room, John and his sister following on either side of him, “no signs of restraint. No evidence of torture.... don’t understand”

“for such a smart man, professor, you always had trouble seeing evidence that disagreed with your preconceptions” Maelon spat as he rounded on them his black eyes narrowed and a scowl on his lips “how long will it take you to admit that I'm here because i wish to be here?”

John felt his breath catch in his throat as a sense of dread washed over him

“y-you don’t mean-” Jane stammered

“he wasn’t kidnapped” John cut in with a sigh “he came here willingly to cure the Genophage”

Maelon gave a nod as Mordin’s eyes widened in what appeared to be horror or even betrayal.

“Impossible” Mordin uttered his tone almost pleading “whole team agreed. Project necessary”

“how was i supposded to disagree with the great Doctor Solus” Maelon scoffed “I was your student! I looked up to you!”

“Experiments performed here. Live subjects!. Prisoners!. Torture and executions!. your doing?” Mordin’s eyes narrowed as a furious scowl appeared on his face. A finger raised with each point made before he pointed to Maelon with the final accusation, his voice barely containing his icy fury

“We’ve already got the blood of millions on our hands, doctor” Maelon countered as he flung his hands up in frustration “if it takes a bit more to put things right, I can live with that”

Mordin’s glare hardened as Jane looked between the two Salarians before asking

“What do we do now? Maelon clearly doesn’t need recusing”

“Have to end this,” Mordin answered with a cold grimness in his voice that made Maelon’s eyes widen

“y-you can’t face the truth!” Maelon stammered as he drew a pistol and tried to back away, “c-can’t admit your brilliant mind led you to commit an atrocity!”

Before either twin could react, Mordin struck Maelon across the jaw, sending him slamming into the tubes and terminal behind him, his pistol falling to the ground with a clang. Mordin stepped towards Maelon, drawing his pistol and putting it to the base of Maelon's chin in one fluid motion.

“unacceptable experiments. Unacceptable goals,” Mordin said, his voice level and cold, won't change. Won't learn. No choice. Have to kill you.”

Time felt like it had crawled to a still as Maelon’s eyes stared into Mordin’s with a look of pure fear. Maelon’s lips trembled as if attempting to form words, but no sound escaped. Mordin’s face twitched as he held the trigger of the gun as if struggling to pull the trigger.

“Wait!” Jane cut in as she placed a hand on Mordin’s shoulder “You don’t have to do this, Mordin. You're upset and betrayed. But you aren’t a murderer. You don’t take lives you don’t have to”

Maelon nodded desperately as his eyes continued to stare into Mordin’s. Seconds ticked by as everyone held their breath until Mordin finally sighed.

“No. Not a murderer” Mordin echoed as he lowered his pistol and took a step back ” Thank you, Jane”

Maelon let out a sigh of his own as he brought an arm up to wipe the sweat that had formed on his face. His lips still trembled as his breathing was erratic, but he was alive.

“finished, Maelon” Mordin declared his voice returning to its neuterl tone as he holstered his pistol “get out. No Weyrloc left. Project over.”

“You heard the professor” John said as he nodded to Maelon ”get out of here”

“w-where am i supposed to go!?” Maelon cried, his hands clutching his scubs anxiously

“don’t care” Mordin replied with a level face “try Omega. Could always use another clinic”

Maelon lowered his head before turning and slowly beginning to walk towards the room's exit, only to stop on the threshold to look back

“The Krogan don’t deserve what we did to them, Professor” Maelon said with a pleading voice “The Genophage needs to end”

Mordin didn’t speak as Maelon turned and continued to walk away. It wasn’t till Maelon was gone from view that Mordin finally turned to look at the terminal and uttered

“not like this”

“M-Mordin?” John asked as he moved to stand beside the professor

“Apologies, John, Jane.” Mordin said with a deep sigh, “misunderstood mission parameters. No kidnapping. My mistake......thank you”

“it’s ok Mordin” Jane replied “what about you? Are you ok?”

“should have killed him” Mordin answered his voice pained “wanted to. Easier than listening. Easier for him, too.”

“How so?” John asked as Mordin’s eye turned to him

“Experiments indicate how far he’s fallen” Mordin explained, his tone becoming a mixture of sad and disappointed “expected it from Krogan.......not one of mine”

“Maybe you will remember that the next time you are discussing the ethics of the Genophage” Jane remarked, her voice neutral even as she placed a comforting hand on Mordin’s shoulder

“Yes.” Mordin agreed with a sombre nod, “so many variables. Impossible to predict.....something to think about”

Mordin reached down and began to tap at the terminal's controls until the screen flashed and several images depicting files of data appeared

“Maelons reserch” Mordin explained answering the unasked question “only loose end. Could destroy it. Closure, security. Still valuable, though”

“This is the research that was conducted on unwilling living victims” John uttered as he felt his brow shift into a glare “It’s tainted”

“right now victims died for nothing” Mordin replied with a sigh “keep it, use it. Deaths worth something. Purge it, lives wasted.” Mordin’s gazed shifted as his black eyes looked into John’s “Maelon's work could cure Genophage. Don't know. Effects on Krogan. Effects on galaxy. Too many variables. Too many variables!”

“What do you think we should do with the data?” Jane asked as she looked between Mordin and the screen

“d-don’t know” Mordin admitted “too close to the problem. Biased in solution. Should be you. Must be you.”

John turned his gaze to Jane. blue eyes locked with green as a conversation was had without a single word said until John turned his attention back to the screen and said

“You regret what the Krogan have become”

“you see the horror of what they did here” Jane continued as she patted the Salarians shoulder “but you see the loss, too.”

“Beautiful people, great culture” Mordin uttered as a tear slid from his eye “wasted potential”

“They don’t deserve this, Mordin.” John proclaimed as he placed his own hand on Mordin’s free shoulder, “save the data.........save them”

Silence fell over the room as Mordin’s black eyes stared up at the screen. The outlines of data and images reflected in the darkness as he took a long, deep breath through his nostrils.

“capturing data copy” Mordin declared as he tapped some buttons and flicked his omni tool to life “wiping local copy.”

The twins stepped back as Mordin turned to face them, his expression neutral but his eyes shining like they hadn’t before.

“done” Mordin said simply as the screen turned black behind him and made a chime “ready to go. Ready to be out of hospital”

John felt a smile form on his face as he and Jane turned and began to move back towards the door they had come through

“we should go get Harbok and then head for the Urdnot camp” Jane commented as the team departed from the room. None of them noticed the way Mordin had stopped and turned back to glance over the deceased Krogan, his eyes still shining.

“Save them.......” he uttered in the gentle silence before turning to follow the team “Save them, i shall”

Chapter Text

A deep face face-splitting yawn escaped Jane as her mind drifted back to consciousness. Her mind felt fuzzy as she pushed herself up from her bed, her back sore from the unusual firmness of the mattress. Her green eyes fluttered open as confusion took hold of her still half-asleep mind as she took in the blurry sight of a tan canvas tent.

“What the-” she whispered to herself as she reached up to rub her eyes, her voice being cut off by the sound of movement across from her

Glancing across the tent, Jane saw Tali curled up in a makeshift bed, her helmet making a small hissing as she snored lightly.

‘ah’ Jane thought as memories of the previous evening made their way to the front of her mind ‘forgot we stayed with clan Urdnot’

Jane flicked her wrist, bringing her omni tool online before tapping one of the glowing orange buttons to bring up a display of Tuchanka’s time.

“Four thirty one” Jane sighed as she leaned back into her bed

Jane let her eyes flutter close as she took in the gentle ambience of the space. If she had no memory of arriving here, she would never imagine she was currently lying in a tent in the ruins of one of the galaxy’s most war-torn planets. The sound of Tali’s gentle breathing and the hiss of her helm where a relaxing chorus only broken by the occasional distant footsteps of a Krogan. No doubt, members of the morning watch who were checking the perimeter, or hunters, are going to check evening traps for game.

‘Mordin’ Jane thought as her mind shifted towards the events of the prior day ‘i was wrong about him. I wanted to hate him. But I can’t'

Her weight shifted as Jane rolled to her side, opening her green eyes to take in the patterns on the old, worn Krogan blanket

‘he really believes the Krogan needed the Genophage....that war is unavoidable without it....but is that true?’

Guilt and fear began to roll in the ginger's stomach

‘Luther and Archembald both hated the Genophage’ Jane argued mentally in an effort to dispel her doubts ‘but the Teuton’s are powerful....they never feared the Krogan.’

Jane shifted again as she allowed the full consequences of the previous day hit her

‘a cure for the Genophage.....i promised Wrex i would do everything i could to make it happen...and i broke it....”

Sadness overcame her mind as she willed herself back to sleep, desperate to escape the sadness at the betrayal of her friend.

-hours later, Clan Urdnot camp-

Jane’s mood had improved marginally when she was sat down before a large breakfast of cooked meats and what appeared to be vegetables that had grown in the wastes.

“Tastes better than i thought it would” John muttered to her left as he bit into what looked like some sort of fowl

“it does” Jane replied as she bit into her own leg of meat. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw her brother's expression drop as he lowered his food back to his plate

“What's wrong?” John asked his voice laced with concern, making Jane feel all the worse

“n-nothing” Jane answered while mentally cursing her inability to lie to her brother

“don’t give me that” John sighed before donning a scowl “I'm your brother Jane. You can tell me things. Is it about yesterday, or..........Liara?”

“n-no” Jane stammered, feeling her face flush with embarrassment

“Well......” John continued, drawing out the word

“It's about Wrex” Jane answered with a deep sigh as she stared down at the plate, “and the promise i made him”

Silence fell over them as Jane looked down at her food. Her focus was on John, who was staring holes into the side of her head.

“well i need more than that” John commented as he waved his hand to gesture for her to continue

“on Virmire i promised Wrex i would do everything i could to help find a cure for the Genophage” Jane explained in a low voice “i broke that promise by stopping the blood pack. Then i broke it a second time by leaving the data in Mordin’s hands.”

John made a hum of acknowledgement as Jane finished speaking. Glancing at her brother, Jane could see a look of conflict in his eyes, but his face remained neutral.

“i think it will be ok” John eventually said breaking the silence “Wrex, for all his bravado and yelling, is a smart man. He will understand why we did what we did.”

“Do you think we should tell him?” Jane questioned, her brows knitted together, “w-what if he hates us?”

“We’ll have to tell him” John sighed before taking a sip of water “he’ll be angrier if we lie or don’t tell him at all”

Jane felt like a block of lead had replaced her heart. But deep down, she knew John was right, so with a deep exhale, she looked to her brother and asked

“When should we tell him?”

“Now would probably be good” John replied nonchalantly

“n-now!” Jane stuttered as she felt her eyes widen, “w-why now!?”

“Because he’s walking over” John said simply as he gestured with his leg of fowl

Jane’s head bolted around to face where John was pointing. Sure enough, there was the familiar scared Krogan marching towards them with a large grin on his face.

“JOHN! JANE!” Wrex cried happily as he arrived in front of the pair, his crimson eyes looking down at them fondly “How are you liking a Tuchanka morning?”

“More peaceful than i would expect” John answered with a smirk and shrug

Wrex let out a bombing laugh as his smile grew wider “Tell me about it. Makes me miss the old days, would wake up to brawls and drunken fights.”

“sounds more in line with what i expect” John replied as Jane’s breath remained hitched in her throat “mind taking a seat Wrex? Jane and I need to talk to you”

Wrex gave John a confused look before glancing at Jane. Nevertheless, the old Krogan pulled over a large piece of rubble and took a seat in front of the pair.

“What's this about?” Wrex grumbled, although Jane could see some level of concern in his crimson eyes

“w-we need to tell you about yesterday’s mission” Jane sputtered while avoiding the Krogan’s gaze

“What about it?” Wrex remarked with a wave of the hand, “You killed clan Weyrloc, found my missing scout, and saved the lost Salarian. Sounds like a success to me-”

“Wrex”, John cut in his tone, both stern and sombre. The Krogan became quiet, allowing the pair to take it in turns to explain the nature of Maelon, Mordin, and the Genophage cure that Weyrloc was making.

As they finished explaining, Jane finally managed to look at Wrex. The clan chief sat perfectly still, his face pulled into an unreadable expression. Silence fell over the three as Jane felt like her lungs would collapse in her chest. To her side, she saw John hold his breath as he looked at his friend sadly.

“damn” Wrex sighed after a few minutes, his head shaking “another cure. So close, and so far”

“y-your not angry?” Jane asked, fear still flooding her veins

“furious” Wrex growled as his eyes narrowed and he leaned forward “but not with you. Not with Maelon........not even the Pyjak Mordin.”

Sighs of relief escaped both Jane and John at the same time before the latter spoke

“Then, who are you angry with?”

“us” Wrex answered with his own sigh “the clans, the Krogan people. I hate the Salarians and Turians for the Genophage. I'll always hate them for that, and i'll never stop wanting my people to have hope.” Wrex shifted as he placed his headplate in his hands “But the blasted Pyjak is right!. If the Genophage is cured now, it will be the rebellions all over again! And i don’t think the council will let that happen twice”

“w-what are you saying Wrex?” Jane asked as she placed her hand on the Krogan’s shoulder

“we're not ready for a cure” Wrex whispered his voice full of hatred “i want a cure more than anything. But it needs to come when the clans have stabilised. When we have learned to be more than killers. Otherwise, we’ll just get ourselves killed”

A sombre tone fell over the three as Jane gently rubbed her hand over Wrex’s shoulder to comfort him. Once a few minutes had passed, Wrex let out a chuckle and allowed a smile to return to his face

“e-enough about that” Wrex sighed as he returned to his feet “i came to tell you the Shaman is ready to see Grunt for the rite of passage”

“Really?” Jane replied, excitement replacing her sadness

“Sooner than i thought” John remarked between bites of food

“not much else for the Shaman to do” Wrex replied as he glanced towards a far stairway which Jane assumed led to the Shaman “once your ready head up those stairs and speak to the Krogan in crimson battle armour covered in bones. He's the shaman, he’ll tell you and Grunt all about the rite”

“Alright”, Jane smiled while nodding “Any advice for us or Grunt?”

“you know i can’t do that Jane” Wrex smirked before leaning down and lowering his voice “ya may want to get some others down here. Tali and the Pyjak look tired”

Wrex’s gaze turned towards a nearby campfire where Zaeed sat with Grunt, telling the Krogan stories of a mercenary's life. Nearby, Tali looked to be barely awake while Mordin stood staring into the distance, his mind clearly still focused on the previous day's events.

“Good advice” Jane sighed as Wrex chuckled

“Know it is” Wrex remarked as he turned and began to walk away, only to stop and call “It came from me after all”

A deep sigh of relief escaped Jane as she watched Wrex disappear further into the camp before she turned to face John, who was sitting silently, having finished his food.

“That went better than i thought” John remarked as Jane took a sip of her own water

“i-i thought you said he would understand?” Jane coughed, caught off guard by her brother's statement

“did” John said simply while shrugging “still thought he would be more upset about it.”

“y-yeah” Jane agreed her thoughts already starting to stray “what do you think about the team?”

“Wrex is definatly right there” John sighed as his attention turned to the others “Tali is tired and hungry, there's no food she can eat down here. And Mordin clearly needs some more time to himself before we throw him into another mission.”

“So we swap them out for two others” Jane mused as she began to brainstorm who should come. “i think we should get Arok and Miranda down here”

“Sounds good” John agreed with a nod

Jane raised her hand to her ear and activated her comm before speaking into it

“Hemlock, can you have Miranda and Arok get ready to join us?”

-fifteen minutes later, Urdnot ceremonial chambers-

The sound of yelling and the gnashing of teeth echoed through the ruined stairwell as Jane made her way into a large room which had several ancient stone statues of Krogan standing around its perimeter, while images of battles covered the walls.

“You must be mistaken!” a frustratingly familiar voice yelled, drawing Jane’s eyes towards an unfolding scene.

On the far side of the chamber stood Uvenk with two Krogan clad in his clan's white and blue armour behind him. While the oldest Krogan Jane had even seen clad in red armour, covered head to toe in bones, stood opposite to him.

“You go beyond yourself, Gatatog Uvenk!” the Shaman retorted, his yellow eyes narrowed “The rites of Urdnot are dominant”

“how do we know the trials will challenge him!?” Uvenk spat as he flailed his arms, “he is unnatural!”

“The blood of a Krogan knows challenge, no matter the womb” the Shaman growled as his glare deepened “Your barking does not help your case”

“I’ll speak for myself!” Grunt declared as he marched past, his voice making all for Krogan glance towards him

‘great’ Jane cursed mentally as she followed Grunt to take a place by his side while John came to a stop on the other

“this is the tank bred?, it is very... lifelike” the Shaman commented as his yellow eyes examined Grunt, before he took a deep breath and uttered “smell's correct as well.”

Jane saw Uvenk's eyes flicker with rage as the Shaman turned back towards him and stated

“Your protests ring hollow, Uvenk”

“Urdnot Wrex has given Grunt permission to seek clan status”, Jane explained as she focused her attention on the Shaman

“permission” the Shaman scoffed while rolling his eyes “i have been told. Lacks spirit. But I will allow it”

“if this must stand on ritual, then i invoke a denial!” Uvenk cried furiously as his eyes narrowed on Grunt, “My Krantt stands against him, he has no one!”

Jane felt her eyes narrow to match Uvenk's glare while the Shaman snorted a sigh and rolled his eyes once more

“my patience is tested” the Shaman remarked his voice laced with anger and bordom “but Uvenk invokes correctly. Who are your Krantt Grunt?, the allies you shall call whom are willing to kill and die on your behalf?”

Jane felt her breath hitch in her throat as she glanced to the right. Across from her, John was donning his own concerned look as they had both come to the same realisation.

‘Grunt doesn’t have a Krantt’

“i call upon my commanders Jane and John Shepard” Grunt replied as he took a step forward he eyes not leaving Uvenk “and my crewmates from the Normandy. They are my Krantt”

Jane’s eyes widened in shock and a small gasp of surprise escaped her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw John raise a brow and smirk

“You foolish child!” Uvenk spat, “A Krantt is to be as blood is to the flesh! Bound and inseparable, these aliens cannot be a Krantt!”

“the ancient ways never claimed a Krantt must be Krogan” Grunt retorted before turning his focus to the Shaman “a Krantt must be blood. The Shepards and their crew are my blood. Without them i am nothing, without me they are nothing.”

“very good” the Shaman said with an approving tone while giving Grunt a nod “i see Okeer has taught you the old ways. I shall grant this interpretation and allow your alien allies to stand as your Krantt”

“Aliens don’t know strength!” Uvenk roared, his head snapping back to the Shaman, “My Krantt are true Krogan! And just as me, they see everything about Grunt is a lie!-”

Uvenk was suddenly silenced as John flung his head forward, bionic energy coiling around it as it slammed into Uvenk's headplate with an ear-splitting crack, sending Uvenk staggering back.

“You, you dare?” Uvenk growled as a head reached to his head plate

The air in the room became tense as Uvenk’s guards moved to stand beside him while Arok and Zaeed moved to stand beside either Shepard. But suddenly a deep booming laugh encompassed the chamber as the Shaman’s head rolled back and a tear of mirth escaped his eye

“I like these ones!” the Shaman declared as his laughter died down, his yellow eyes landing on John, then shifting towards Jane “They understand!”

Uvenk’s eyes narrowed before he let out an angry snort and marched away, his two guards following close behind

“i withdraw my denial!” Uvenk called angrily, “This will be settled elsewhere!”

“you have prevoked them” the Shamam remarked as the three Krogan disappeared from view “reason enough for me to like you. They are your problem now”

“Do we need to worry about them intervening in the rite?” Miranda asked as she moved forward and rested a hand on her hip

“no” the Shaman said simply while waving his hand “he and his Krantt may not act during the rite. Before and after, who’s to say?”

“What do we actually need to do?” John inquired while rubbing his temples

“Come” the Shaman replied as he moved past them towards the stairs “i shall explain once we arrive”

-an hour later, Urdnot trial grounds-

A small thud echoed beneath Jane’s feet as she exited the Tomkah. Glancing around, she saw the Shaman and John standing a few feet away in the centre of the large, ruined structure. All around stood large damaged statues of different Krogan, while ancient images on the walls depicted what appeared to be the creation of Tuuchanka and the Krogan species.

“wow” Arok uttered as he landed to Jane's left, “reminds me of the hall of the elders”

“hall of the elders?” Jane echoed curiously as she and Arok moved away from the Tomkah

“Like a church” the Batarian elaborated as his coat flowed behind him “they were places of worship where we honoured our ancestors and the tenets of the pillars of strength”

“i didn’t know Batarians had a religion” Miranda remarked as she strode up beside them

“Not very popular outside of Batarian space” Arok said with a shrug as Zaeed arrived

“all are here, excellent” the Shaman exclaimed as he motioned for the team to gather. And once everyone had taken their place in front of the Shaman, he spoke once more, “For each clan, the rite of passage is different. For Gatatog, it is the great hunt; Vynchar has the blood duels. Clan Urdnot has the guide of the waste. We stand in one of the last halls of our ancestors' glory, in the shadow of Vaul”

The Shaman turned and everyone's focus shifted towards the statue he pointed to. A massive Krogan with many more eyes than natural, holding a great spear in his hand, which he pointed towards a large gate which led out into the wastes.

“beyond this gate stands a great keystone” the Shaman continued as he began to stride towards the opening, the team following behind “Grunt shall ring the keystone three times to call upon the beasts of the waste. They shall hear and come seeking blood, survive the horde, kill the beasts. And Grunt shall be a son of Urdnot”

“That’s it?” Zaeed asked in a disappointed tone, “Kill some Varren, and the boy ere gets to join”

“things far older and more dangerous call these wastes home” the Shaman replied as he faced the group once more “this is as far as i may go. I shall wait for your return. Or your demise.”

“Thanks for the encouragement”, John remarked with a sarcastic tone as Jane turned her attention to Grunt

“ready?” she asked while placing a hand on the young Krogan’s shoulder

“i was born for this” Grunt answered with a determined nod before he stepped past and walked through the opening

Glancing around, Jane saw the rest of the team with their weapons drawn. With a nod shared between them, she drew her pistol and led them through the opening, leaving the Shaman to watch the figures disappear into the dusty wind.

Jane felt the warmth of the radiation scorched dust hit her face as she followed Grunt along the ancient stone path which led out into a large amphitheatre or arena-like space with a large metal tower looming high above, while a massive metal cylinder covered in symbols sat at the tower's base.

“So, how do we start?” Arok asked as his duster blew in the wind

“I’m going to take a guess” Miranda replied with a mocking tone while pointing near the tower's base, “and say pressing the large green button has something to do with it”

Jane watched as the Batarian’s eyes narrow in frustration as they followed the raven-haired woman’s gaze to the green blinking button attached to the tower's base.

“Let’s get started then!” Grunt cried as he marched over and slammed his fist into the button

For a second, everything was still as Jane felt her breath hitch in her throat. Then the sound of engines and machines roared to life as many thick metal cables lifted the giant metal cylinder which Jane now realised was a hammer for the keystone

“First the Krogan conquered Tuchanka..” the Shaman’s voice declared over intercoms all around the tower “and mastered a natural world only we are fit to hold”

The team braced as the hammer fell, slamming into the stone with enough force to shake the earth beneath them while a deep rumbling sound echoed through the wastes like distant thunder. Everything felt still and quiet. Jane looked around and saw that everyone, even Zaeed and Grunt, where holding their breath. Then she heard it, a distant scuttling accompanied by approaching screeches.

“Sounds like-” Zaeed began to say as Jane saw his eyes narrow

Suddenly, a crimson face appeared as a large insect pulled itself over the stone walls and debris that surrounded the space. But it wasn’t alone, within seconds, the once barren space was covered in the large crimson bugs, all of them leading out deep screeches and some spitting fire as they clambered towards the team.

“Klixen!” Arok yelled as he fired a blast into the nearest beast's right legs, blasting them off and sending the creature onto the ground, where it thrashed about

“ARGH!” Grunt screamed as he charged past

“No wait!” Arok called out as he tried to stop Grunt,

But it was too late. Grunt brought his food down on the Klixen’s skull before the beast exploded in a burst of gas and fire, sending Grunt flying back and slamming into a large rock.

“What happened!?” Miranda demanded as she used a wave of biotics to block balls of fire that soared towards her

“They have flammable gas glands!” Arok explained as he shot another one, resulting in another explosion, “shoot them in the head or hit them with enough force and they go up in smoke!”

“so keep yer fucking distance!” Zaeed roared as he set off a chain reaction by shooting a Klixen that was close to another

“Fine” Grunt whined as he brought himself back to his feet before drawing his shotgun

Jane let out a sigh of relief while John just laughed at the Krogan’s disappointment. Nevertheless, the battle continued. Despite the numbers of the Klixen horde, the team was able to fend them off with relative ease. John, Grunt, and Arok formed a frontline and gunned down the bugs as they got in range while Jane and Miranda used their biotics to keep the flames at bay. Zaeed took up a position at the back and used his rifle to pick off groups of Klixen that were huddled together. Soon enough, the last of the bugs exploded into a ball of flame, letting a calm fall over the charred space.

“damn” Zaeed growled as he exhaled “didn’t expect a horde for the first round

“Didn’t expect it at all” Arok chimed in as he wiped his brow

“if we are lucky, they will have scared off other creatures that may come” Miranda remarked, although Jane could see no confidence behind that statement in the woman's eyes

“Let's find out” Grunt said with a smile as he punched the button again

“then the Krogan where lifted to the stars” the Shaman’s voice declared over the speakers as the metal hammer raised up the tower, higher then it did before “to destroy the fears of a galaxy. An enemy only a few could chase to their lair”

Jane braced once more as the hammer slammed into the stone. Once again, the ground beneath her feet shook as the great rumble echoed all around. There was another deadly silence that fell over the team as they all held formation, waiting for some sign of movement. But nothing could be heard over the dusty wind. Then Jane felt it, a trembling beneath her feet. Gentle at first, then stronger, and finally

“Look out!-” Jane cried as she quickly shoved Miranda to the side, as the ground beneath them exploded

Jane felt light as she soared across the space before pain course through her body as she slammed into the ground, her biotic barrier flickering into life to protect her from the brunt of the impact.

“JAN-” John’s tried to call, only to be cut off by a deep hiss

Jane pushed her head up to look at her attacker and was met with a horrible sight. Where she and Miranda had been standing mere seconds before was now nothing more than a hole with a large serpent creature rising out of it. The beast had deep cyan scales that rolled and folded under large bone structures along its thin body up to the creatures head which took the form a exposed bone skull with a large cobra like fan on either side. The creature let out another his as it slashed towards Arok with two thin arms that protruded from below the beast's head, only to be stopped when Grunt slammed his fist into the monster's head, sending it reeling back.

“What the hell is that!?” Zaeed demanded as the ground trembled once more, followed by more explosions, as five more of the beasts appeared from the surrounding ground

“Uzuerks!” Grunt replied as he narrowly dodged a slash from one of the beasts' scythe-like tails

“How do we kill them!?” John yelled as he slammed into one with a biotic charge, giving Jane the time to clamber back to her feet

“Aim for the scales!” Grunt replied as he followed his own advice and slammed his developing headplate into a cyan part of the nearest Uzuerk’s body, making the beast reel and let out a screech of pain

The team were quick to follow the young Krogan’s advice. One of the Uzuerks fell when Miranda used her biotics to hold it in place, allowing Arok to blast it right below the skull, killing it instantly. Another fell as John leapt onto its back and wrapped a nearby piece of chain around its head, holding it down, allowing Zaeed to riddle the weak cyan scales of its body with bullets. And Jane felt pride bubble in her as she helped Grunt kill a third by using her biotics to create an opening allowing Grunt to grab the beast by the tail before he swung it around and slammed it into the ground with enough force that its skill shattered on impact. The three remaining Uzuerks let out hisses and screeches as they backed away from the team before turning and disappearing into one of the tunnels they had arrived through.

“What. The. Hell.” Miranda uttered between deep breaths

“Snakes, serpents. Or whatever you humans call them,” Grunt answered simply as he took a swig from his canteen

“Not worried they’ll come back?” Arok asked as Grunt offered the water to him, and the Batarian took a sip

“pack hunters” Grunt replied as he sealed his drink “smarter then the bugs. They won't fight prey they can’t take down without a fight. We killed half the pack, they won’t be back”

“And how do ya know all this?” Zaeed questioned as he wiped his brow

“Okeer hunted them when he was young” Grunt explained as he dusted off his armour “would tell stories about them when i was in the tank. Weren't very interesting, but it's not like i had anything else to do”

“Either way, you did a great job Grunt” John said proudly as he patted the young Krogan on the back, which made Grunt’s smile widen and eyes shine

“two down, one more to go” Jane sighed, “shall we?”

Grunt gave Jane a nod that made her feel like a proud parent as he turned and moved towards the button before punching it one final time. Once again, the hammer began to rise as the Shaman's voice carried over the speakers

“Now the Krogan bear the genophage, our reward, our curse. It is a fight where the only goal is survival!”

Jane held her breath as she watched the hammer reach the very top of the tower. Then, like a flash of lightning, it descended, slamming into the stone with enough force that the ground quaked as a deep rumbling echoed for miles all around. Seconds ticked by as the echo died down. But the trembling didn’t, rather it got stronger and stronger until with an unmatched explosive force a beast erupted from a mountain of debris, its two great arms slamming into the ground as its jaw split open and let out a horrific roar

“AH HA!” Grunt cried happily as Jane felt her blood run cold, “A challenge!”

“that's a fuckin thresher MAW!” Zaeed screamed as the beast reared back its green acidic spit forming in its mouth

“damn right! And we get to kill it!” Grunt exclaimed happily as the team scattered just in time to narrowly dodge the ball of acid that exploded against the ground

“And how the hell do you suggest we do that!?” Miranda demanded as she took cover with Jane behind an old statue

“The Shepards killed on before!” Arok supplied from behind a nearby tower

“We had a tank and a Teuton who was alive during the Krogan rebellions!” Jane chimed in as some acid slammed into the statue

“But we learned something from that!” John exclaimed as he sprinted across the space before diving behind the statue next to Jane, “Remember what Luther told us about maw skin!?”

Jane’s mind frantically raced back to the events of over two years prior while driving the Mako as Luther and Wrex rode atop it towards the deadly creature.

“s-something about their skin” Jane replied as the ground trembled from another ball of acid slamming the statue

“Their skin is like a weave!” John replied as he pushed his back against the statue's base, “heard to pierce with ballistics-”

“But can be cut through!” Jane finished as she remembered the ancient Teuton’s words

“How does that help us!?” Miranda demanded with a hiss

“If we get a sharp enough piece of metal and slam it into the thing's head, we can kill it!” John replied as his eyes frantically scanned the space

“What about one of those things tails!?” Arok suggested as Zaeed distracted the maw

Jane followed Arok’s gaze to one of the dead Uzuerks and their large bone scythe tails, which would be perfect for piercing the skin of the maw.

“It’ll need a lot of force!” Zaeed chimed in as he dodged some acid

“It’ll need a Krogan’s worth of force!” Grunt declared as he sprinted out from behind his cover towards the nearest Uzuerk

“Cover him!” John roared as the thresher maw made to attack Grunt

In an instant, everyone burst out from behind their cover and unleashed torrents of gunfire and biotic energy into the maw’s jaw, managing to stagger the beast as it slammed backwards into a ruined building. Behind the team, there was a loud snap. Jane glanced around and saw Grunt with the bone tail clutched in his hands with a wide, daring smirk

“Now, how do we get him up there!?” Miranda questioned as the Thresher maw pushed itself back up

“Arok! Zaeed!, distract it!” Jane roared as both men nodded and darted to the side “Grunt! Get all the momentum you can and run at it! Me, John, and Miranda will give you a boost!”

“On it!” Grunt replied as he started sprinting full speed towards the maw

“On the count of three!” Jane ordered as she moved into position with John and Miranda on either side of her

“three!”

“Two!”

“ONE!”

Grunt leapt off the edge of a large stone as Jane focused all her biotic energy into a wave that she unleashed around him. To her left, she saw Miranda’s body crackle with energy, while to her right, John was the same as all their biotics used all their energy to launch the Krogan high into the air. Time felt like it crawled to a standstill as Grunt descended, bone scythe held high above his head.

“FOR MY KRANTT!!” Grunt roared as he collided with the maw, the bone tail piercing into the beast's skull, the momentum and weight dragging Grunt downwards as he cleaved open the maw's head.

An ear-splitting screech pierced the air as the maw thrashed to remove its attacker. But Grunt remained, clung to it until finally the monster went still. The earth trembled as its corpse slammed to the ground, kicking up dust in all directions.

“G-Grunt!” Jane cried as she stumbled closer, desperate to see if the Krogan was alive

And then, as the dust began to clear, she saw him. Grunt stood proudly atop the felled maw’s head, the bone tail in hand and a cocky grin that could rival John’s plastered on his face.

“I’ll be dammed” Zaeed uttered as Grunt leapt down from the maw and began to walk over

“That was amazing Gru-” John began to say as he approached the Krogan only to be cut off by the sound of a ship’s engines as a shuttle appeared overhead

“Just great” Arok deadpanned as the team turned towards the shuttle as it landed

A hiss escaped the doors as they opened to reveal Uvenk, who was flanked by two guards clad in the same white and blue armour but now donned matching helmets and held claymore shotguns in hand.

“most impressive” Uvenk remarked as he strode out of the vessel his eyes fixed on Grunt “to have killed a Thresher maw. None have done so in generations. Urdnot Wrex was the last.”

“My Krantt gave me strength” Grunt stated, making Jane feel warm with pride

“This will cause discussion. I wonder....” Uvenk mused aloud as he moved forward, “You claim you are pure? No alien meddling in your construction?”

“he’s the perfect Krogan” John cut in proudly, earning him a glare from Uvenk

“being perfect is the problem, it proves he was engineered” Uvenk continued with a thoughtful voice “but not made by aliens. And he is truly powerful... that is a tolerable loophole”

“A what?” Grunt demanded as he stepped towards Uvenk

“a reason to except you” Uvenk elaborated as he began to pace “you are a mistake. Your existence is an insult. But your potential could tip the current power balance of the clans-”

“You dare?” Grunt spat as his fists clenched “You spat on my creator's name. John and Jane's names!. And now you stop you ranting and dare to come before me because i am strong!?”

“come Grunt” Uvenk replied in a voice that remined Jane all to much of Udina’s “my offer is good. You would be forbidden from breeding and you could not serve aboard an alien ship. But you would be clan in name. Proud and with a true Krantt beside you”

“i already have my true Krantt” Grunt replied, his voice now scathing

“A shame” Uvenk sighed as his hand switched towards his gun “Your head will be valuable whether on your neck or not-”

Uvenk went to draw his shotgun, but Grunt was faster. Within a second, a blast rang out, followed by the thump of Uvenk collapsing to the stone below.

“Want some as well!?” Grunt demanded as he aimed his gun at the two guards, both of whom had their hands raised. Grunt exhaled as his glare began to fade “the greatest lession i have been taught is mercy. Go from this place,”

The two Krogan nodded hastily before reaching down and picking up Uvenk’s body. Jane watched as they began to move back towards the shuttle, and then she turned to Grunt, feeling pride swell within her. Grunt smiled back at her and opened his mouth to speak.

“you truly are a perfect Krogan” a familiar voice said cutting him off. The team's attention turned towards the entrance, where they saw the Shaman stood waitingwith a small smile “Come, we must return for the ceremony”

The Shaman turned and began to walk back into the temple, giving Jane the chance to look back at Grunt with one last proud smile before gesturing for the team to follow.

-that evening, Urdnot clan camp-

“Brothers, Sisters!” Wrex’s voice boomed from his throne. To his right stood the Shaman, to his left a Krogan holding a box of some kind. Jane’s focus shifted back to Wrex, and he continued to speak, “We are gathered here to celebrate the triumph of Grunt!”

The crowd all around her cheered and roared, only to be silenced as Wrex raised both hands.

“The young Grunt, with Krantt at his side, faced the rite of passage and came back alive!” Wrex continued as he turned towards Grunt who stood on the far side of the stone “and now for your triumph i call you forward!”

Grunt silently moved to stand In front of the three before lowering himself to one knee

“for passing the rite of clan Urdnot i bestow to you the mark of the clan!” Wrex proclaimed as he picked up what appeared to be a vial of blood from the box, allowing the other Krogan to move away, “Do you, Grunt, accept this offer!?”

“i shall” Grunt answered urning another round of cheers from the crowd.

Jane held her breath as she watched Grunt take the vial from Wrex and down it in a single gulp

“i declare you Urdnot Grunt! RISE!” Wrex proclaimed as the loudest set of cheers broke out, while Grunt returned to his feet

“by the rite you may now partake in mating” the Shaman declared as the cheers died down “and you shall choose a warlord of your clan to serve under. Who shall you take as your master, Urdnot Grunt?”

“i shall take Jane and John Shepard as my Warlords” Grunt replied, making Jane’s eyes widen in surprise

“a most worthy choice” the Shaman replied with a nod “so it shall be, go forth Urdnot Grunt. May the galaxy tremble at your might, and may Tuchanka always call you home”

“and now” Wrex chimed in once more “Let us FEAST!

Chaos erupted all around Jane as the crowd burst into cheers and roars of celebration rang out.

‘guess the evening’s just begun’ she thought to herself as she proudly watched Grunt get tackled by some other Krogan who pulled him into a welcoming embrace.

-hours later, Urdnot camp-

A jaw-splitting yawn escaped Jane as she moved towards her tent. The night had been long and full of celebration and merriment. Much of which she was certain the party goers would be feeling in the morning. Particularly Wrex, John, and Zaeed, who were drunk beyond words.

Jane sighed happily as her eyes felt heavy; she wanted to stay with the others. But she knew at least one of them needed to be in a lucid state for the next day when the team had to leave Tuchanka behind so they could continue on their journey.

“Jane” a voice said suddenly, snapping the ginger from her thoughts

Whipping around, Jane was caught off guard by the presence of Grunt, who stood about two metres away with a small smile on his face

“Everything okay, Grunt?” Jane asked with a gentle smile

“y-yeah” Grunt stammered with a rare look of nervousness “i wanted to thank you”

“Thank me?” Jane echoed in confusion

“You and John have become the one thing Okeer never promised me” Grunt explained

“Which is?” Jane asked soft voice

“Family” Grunt replied simply, his smile wider than ever “Thank you, Jane”

“Oh Grunt” Jane uttered, tears on her eyes. Within a second, she darted forward and pulled Grunt into a tight embrace, which Grunt quickly returned

“I’ll let you sleep” Grunt smiled as he began to move away, only to stop as Jane called out to him

“I’m proud of you, Grunt”

Jane’s smile widened as she saw a small tear roll down Grunt's face before he nodded and turned, whispering as he went

“she's proud of me”

Jane watched as Grunts outline faded leaving her to turn and head into her tent, her smile not once leaving her face.

Chapter Text

“So let me get this straight”, John sighed as he leaned on the table in front of him, his blue eye shifting between neutral-looking Jane and Kasumi, who appeared to be holding her breath “We are stealing your dead partner's grey box, which contains all his memories. And to do this, the plan is to dress up in formal clothes and crash Hock’s party?”

A small pause filled the room before Kasumi let out her own sigh

“That's the plan” the thief replied her eyes shining from under her hood “i know missions like this aren’t exactly your speciality, but i promise everything will go smoothly”

“i’m not complaining about the mission” John replied as he pushed himself up “i’m struggling to see why we don’t just blast our way in. Jane and I are spectres after all, we could just walk in and take the grey box, Hock couldn’t do a thing”

“you could” Kasumi agreed as she shifted her weight between her feet “but Hock wouldn’t let go of the box without a fight. And as much as i want him to suffer for what he did to my Keiji, busting in with two spectres and stealing something currently held by one of the most powerful crime lords in the galaxy will make it incredibly hot in the black market,” Kasumi moved around the table as she let out another sigh “as much fun as I'm having aboard the Normandy, i don’t intend to stay here assuming i survive the collectors-”

“so you would spend the rest of your life on the run” Jane finished, earning a nod from Kasumi

“makes sense” John muttered as his brows knitted together and a hand reached to rub his temples “So what's the plan once we get inside?”

“glad you asked” Kasumi replied as a gentle smile formed on her lips before she reached down and pressed a button on the desk, which made a holographic image of a mansion appear before she continued

“This is Hock’s residence.” Kasumi explained as she gestured to the image, “I’ve spent months gathering data on it from different contractors. It was a pain trying to crack the datalocks, but thankfully, Legion was more than willing to assist. Now the plan: We will arrive at the party via skycar and enter through the front”

A red dot appeared, soaring outside the large building before touching down, allowing three small yellow dots to move towards the main entrance

“Once we get through the security at the front, we enter the main hall, where we will fan out and attempt to find the vault entrance”

The three yellow dots split up and began moving around the interior space of the mansion

“hold up”, Jane cut in, catching Kasumi’s attention “You have all these blueprints but don’t know where the vault is?”

“unfortunately not” Kasumi answered grimly “best I've got is the entrance is located somewhere in the main hall, but nothing more concrete than that”

“damn” John muttered to himself as everyone returned their focus to the image

“Once the vault entrance has been found, we will figure out what security it has and break it”

Kasumi continued as the yellow dots met up at a random area before disappearing and re-appearing in a large underground room that was attached to several winding tunnels and smaller rooms

“i managed to steal some blueprints from the contractor that built this estate for Hock” Kasumi explained as she pointed towards the largest chamber “this is the main vault where the priceless artifacts are kept. All the smaller rooms and halls are a mixture of the estate security and criminal enterprise space.”

“so, assuming we get the grey box undetected, what's the plan to get out?” John questioned with a raised brow

“good question,” Kasumi replied with a twinkle in her eyes before pressing another button, making a green light appear near the skycar “what i didn’t mention was our special ‘gift’ for Hock”

A picture of a gold hunk of metal that had been cast in the image of hauntingly familiar Turian appeared near the blueprints

“this is a statue of your old friend Saren in his younger years” Kasumi continued as she pointed to the freshfaced spectre who was lacking the cybernetics that both of the twins had come to know him for “little will Hock know, there is a capoline-9000 emp inside. When we arrive, the statue will be offloaded and taken inside the manor”

The green dot moved forward into the large mansion before becoming still once more. Then a massive blue wave encompassed the whole manor as Kasumi’s smile widened and her eyes gleamed brighter

“once the time is right, i will set off the emp, which will cut most of the mansion’s power and will cause chaos for the security” the hooded thief explained “And in the madness, we can escape through the artificial river here”

John’s eyes focused on what appeared to be a river moving through one of the lower rooms before flowing out of the side of the mountain and towards a large lake at the base.

“a shuttle will be waiting for us at the lake, ready to jet us off” Kasumi finished as the image faded away “By the time Hock realises the box was stolen, we will be gone to the wind”

A small silence fell over the three as John turned to share a look with Jane, who was donning an expression that appeared to be a mixture of impressed and surprised

“you’ve been planning this a while” the Ginger stated, finally breaking the silence

“nothing but”, Kasumi answered, her voice sombre “So, any questions?”

“what about our faces?” John asked while gesturing between himself and Jane “The galaxy may still think we are dead, but im pretty sure someone would recognize us”

“another very good point” Kasumi replied as she reached into a pocket and pulled own two chit sized disks before sliding them across the table and explaining “these are faceless disks, they act similar to the chameleon camo that i use to cloak. Instead of hiding you from view, they will wrap a projection of a face around your head to make you look like someone else”

“wow” Jane said breathlessly as she took one of the disks “How does it work?”

“just put it on the side of your neck and press it to activate it” Kasumi answered while pointing to the specific part of Jane’s throat

John watched silently as Jane obeyed by putting the disk to her throat and pressing down on it. For a second, nothing happened, then suddenly there was a flash of light as Jane's face flickered and was replaced by the face of a woman with dark brown hair and brown eyes

“amazing” she whispered, only to let out a gasp as her voice came out deeper than usual

“how the-” John uttered as he looked back at Kasumi

“the disk vibrates when you speak” Kasumi explained while holding up the second disk “the vibrations mix with the vibrations made by the vocal cords, changing your voice”

“that's amazing”, Jane repeated as she pressed her neck, and her usual appearance returned “Why isn’t it more common?”

“experimental tech,” Kasumi said simply as John took the other disk from her “These are the first two working models in existence, stole them as soon as i learnt I'd be working with you two”

“well, i guess that answers my concerns” John mumbled as Kasumi glanced between them

“i thought of everything” Kasumi remarked with a determined gleam in her eyes “so, what do you think?”

John felt Jane’s eyes shift to them out of the corner of his eyes. Glancing towards her, he was met with a pleading expression, his own sister's eyes shining with the same determination that fuelled Kasumi’s

“better dig out my tie” John sighed while allowing a smile to pull at his lips

Both women donned their own smiles as Kasumi darted around the table, her arms wide to wrap around to two before pulling the pair into a tight embrace. John felt his eyes widen in surprise but quickly recovered as he returned Kasumi’s embrace, allowing a comfortable silence to fall over the room once more

-A day later, Normandy main deck-

A rare clacking echoed through the main deck as John marched towards the galaxy map, his perfectly shined dress shoes making each step echo.

“don’t look too comfortable” a smug voice commented

John turned towards the voice's origin, his face already falling into a deadpan expression as he took in the sight of a Turian who looked to be on the verge of exploding from laughter

“i never cared for formal wear” John replied as he reached up and tugged on his dress shirt's collar

“can’t say i blame you,” Garrus remarked as he fell in step with John, and they continued towards the galaxy map “i hate them as well, but you got to do what you got to do”

“i know” John sighed as the pair arrived near the galaxy map where Jane and Kasumi already stood waiting for him while chatting with others

Jane wore a purple knee-high dress with blue accents with a black leather jacket wrapped around her. While Kasumi wore a longer black dress that reached down her legs with a slit down the right side revealing a high black boot, long dark green opera gloves trailed along her arms while a dark cloth hood reached down from her head and flowed over a partly exposed chest.

To John’s left, Garrus let out a low whistle, which earned him a glare from John. But his frustration dissipated as he saw Garrus’ neutral expression and a lack of actual ogling in his eyes.

“wow John you clean up nice, isn’t that right Tali?” Kasumi remarked a smile on her lips

John barely noticed her words as his attention had shifted to the Quarian who had been standing next to her talking. But was now still as a corpse as her visor stared blankly at him. For the first time in his life, John felt self-conscious about his appearance, and a feeling he couldn’t describe began to bubble in his stomach.

“Tali” Jane said gently as she placed a hand on the Quarian’s shoulder, making her jolt

“y-Yeah” Tali cried as she straightened, and her hands began to fiddle with something on her suits belt “Y-you look r-really, n-nice John”

Several giggles and snickers broke out, but John didn’t hear. He was to busy battling the warmth suddenly appearing in his chest and the heat that was coursing across his cheeks

“t-thank you” he stammered with an extremely rare stutter

“on final approach to Bekenstein” Joker called over the intercom “Oh put a s-”

Joker’s voice suddenly cut out as Edi’s replaced him

“Legion has prepared the shuttle in the cargo bay. Well wishes commanders”

Another round of snickers broke out, this time with John and Tali joining in before the formal trio turned and began to move towards the elevator, only for John to stop when he felt a familiar gentle hand land on his shoulder

“Tali?-” he began to ask as he turned only to go silent when he saw how close she was to him

“you really do look good, John” Tali whispered with the faint glow of her mask “Try not to get into trouble”

“will do” John replied as a smirk formed on his face before he turned and entered the elevator, his mind desperately trying to force away the still present pink on his cheeks

-Bekenstein, Hock estate-

John’s eyes took in the beautiful scenery as the pale white skycar soared towards the large manor

“one more time” Kasumi ordered as the skycar began its descent “your names are-”

“Jonathan Gunn” John replied his voice a different pitch than it usually was while fake hair and a beard flowed from his face

“Allison Gunn” Jane followed her voice deeper than it was normally with the same dark hair and brown eyes as before

“And you are?” Kasumi pressed

“the a pair of twin crime bosses from the expanse who took over the Gunn family after killing their father, Topius Gunn” both twins repeated in perfect unison

“great” Kasumi replied as the skycar pulled up outside the manor

“what about you?” Jane questioned as she pulled a handbag over her shoulders

“i’m a servant” Kasumi answered as she applied some lipstick “Hock’s never seen me or heard my voice, so hopefully they won’t care enough about me to ask further.”

“great” John muttered as the door lifted open allowing the trio to step out of the skycar, the statue of Saren hovering behind them

As soon as he was standing, John was met with a wall of pale white stone accompanied with polished silver and gold accents along with finely trimmed plants that popped against the white of the stone. Stairs rose up towards a large ornate door, which was surrounded by armed guards in hardshell suits with a crest of some kind planted on their chests.

John felt his mouth dry as he strode up the steps with Jane and Kasumi on either side of him while Saren’s statue trailed behind. Everything seemed normal as they approached the door, only to be stopped as one of the guards held up a hand.

“names?” the guard demanded through a voice filter as he brought up his omni tool

“Jonathan and Allison Gunn” John replied as the guard glanced over a list before nodding to himself

“yeah i see you here” the guard mumbled “can’t let ya in though”

“why not?” Jane demanded with a practiced harsh tone

“don’t know who she is” the guard replied as he pointed to Kasumi “no invite, no entry-”

“now, now Pyrrhus” a snobby, honeyed voice with a thick accent called from the door, instantly drawing all eyes to it

John looked up to see a man clad in a suit white as fresh snow that was adorned with gold. His dark hair was neatly kept while his beady eyes scanned the scene with the cunning glint

“M-Mr Hock” the guard stammered as Hock strode down the stairs towards them

“theres no need to be so dramatic Pyrrhus” Hock replied as he focused on Kasumi, “i’m sure we can make an exception if the Gunn’s tell us just who they brought as a guest to my party?”

John’s mind raced before an idea flickered into his head

“this is Locusta Cyrus” John replied as he wrapped his arm around Kasumi’s waist and pulled her closer, the thief give a tiny jolt at his touch before catching on and leaning into his side. “she is our mistress of whispers. You will find no better an information gatherer in the galaxy, but she is more than just skills. Her beauty caught my eye and i thought no party would be complete without my beloved at my side”

“i am always grateful to spend an evening with you, my darling” Kasumi said as she leaned closer and placed a kiss on John’s cheek

“i see” Hock murmured while stroking his chin “i could hardly call myself a host if i pulled apart a pair of lovers. You are welcome to join the festivities Miss Cyrus”

“thank you Mr Hock” Kasumi replied with a well-practiced smile

“you are a most gracious host Mr Hock” Jane chimed in “please allow us to thank you with this gift”

The statue of Saren hovered forward earning a small smirk from Hock as he examined the figure

“Saren Arterius” Hock uttered as he looked over the golden features “a most impressive work of him in his younger years. Your gift is most appreciated, i look forward to adding it to my collection”

“Glad you approve” John grunted remembering Kasumi’s assurance that Jonathan didn’t smile

Hock gave a nod as the guard moved away before he turned and began making his way up the steps only to stop and glance back at the trio to say

“do enjoy the party”

Before he disappeared through the manor main door. As soon as he was out of sight, John let Kasumi go, allowing the three to begin up the steps towards the door.

“nice job” Kasumi whispered under her breath as the trio arrived at the main entrance to the hall

John felt his breath hitch in amazement as he stared around the massive space. Statues and pieces of art lined the walls while hordes of people from every race gathered around, talking and drinking. Massive lights hung from the ceiling while the sound of running water echoed through the space because of the large fountain that resided on the far side of the hall in front of a massive window that looked out over the distant city.

“ok” Kasumi whispered “now we-”

“split up” both twins finished in unison under their breaths

“great”, Kasumi beamed “If anyone finds anything, the comm channel is safely encrypted.”

John gave a nod as he split away from Kasumi and his sister. He carefully made his way amongst the hordes of people who were dining and drinking while talking about their wealth and the crimes they had committed to attain it.

“i’ve heard rumours the shepards returned-” a female Salarian with many rings on each finger commented

“nonsense” an older male human with an Asari in each arm replied “they got spaced”

John rolled his eyes as he moved into a side room on the left with a crackling artificial fire where more guests chatted as they admired the art

“they still don’t know what those black ships were” a Turian with black face patterns clad in an old dress uniform muttered “ships of unknown make appear, kill Geth, loot the ship, then disappear as fast as they came”

“it concerns this one as well” a Hanar replied as one of its tendrils lifted a cocktail “rumours claim cyborgs. Madness this one says”

A small smirk formed as John moved back towards the main room where he saw Hock stood chatting with a Asari clad in a black dress with red accents

“i heard he survived” the Asari mumbled as John got closer “beat the assassin half to death with his cane”

“He did I'm afraid, miss Dantius” Hock confirmed as he took a sip from his Champaign “it would appear Mr Baldwin is far more sturdy than i thought”

“i told you” A bald human male with a ginger beard growled while an Asari with extremely defined features in a skintight black and brown leather suit hung from his arm

“yes, yes Anton” Hock sighed as he rubbed his forehead “just because you are here on behalf of miss T’loak doesn’t mean you get to speak out of turn-”

“out of turn my arse. Your just upset i was right” the man scoffed before turning and moving away with his Asari still beside him “come Morinth my lovely it's time to return to Omega, I've had my fill for the evening”

John watched as the two disappeared into the crowd, the Asari looking at the man more like a predator does to its prey than a lover does to her partner. For some reason, John felt a small shiver down his spine as he turned and moved away from the fountain, only to notice a set of stairs that led down to a walkway. Glancing around to make sure no one was paying him any mind, John crept down the stairs into the dimly lit hallway where a large, sealed door waited for him.

‘bingo’ he thought as he brought his hand to his ear

“Jane, Kasumi do you read me” John whispered as he rested his back against the wall

“loud and clear” Kasumi replied with her own hushed voice

“yep” Jane answered simply “got any leads?”

“i’ve found a sealed door at the bottom of a stairwell near the fountain” John explained as he glanced back towards the stairs “its unguarded and looks like it's just been locked to keep guests from wandering”

“but its a good start” Kasumi chimed in “Jane I'll meet you by the fountain”

“got it” Jane confirmed as the channel went silent

John let out a sigh as he lowered his hand and let his focus shift back towards the stairs. A minute or so went passed before two sets of heels clacked down the stairs as Jane and Kasumi arrived.

“oh this definatly is a good lead” Kasumi whispered as she crept over “made to look like any other door so passers by don’t notice but is hidden out of sight so no one sees it without looking for something. Lets see what we have”

Complete silence fell as Kasumi brought up her omni tool and began cutting through the security, a few seconds later, there was a click as the door mechanism began to unlock

Kasumi made a low hum as she stepped back while deactivating her omni tool

“thoughts?” Jane asked under her breath as the door made another click

“not bad security” Kasumi mused “but far weaker then i would expect for Hock’s vault-”

Kasumi was suddenly silenced as the door slid open with a weak hiss reaveling a small room on the other side. The inside of the room was completely barren except for a large terminal that was attached to a wall on the far side right next to a large blast proof door

“that's more like it” Kasumi said with a smirk as she strode inside

“how long will it take to hack?” John asked as he and Jane slipped in behind her, allowing the door to shut

“oh we won’t be hacking this” Kasumi replied as she examined the terminal, her hands running across what looked like a speaker and a small built-in dish

“but you said-” Jane began to say before Kasumi whipped around her eyes gleaming

“oh we will break in. Just not by hacking it” Kasumi explained as she leaned against the terminal “i’m not a bad hacker, but these things have some of the most complex systems in the galaxy. If we had Legion or Hemlock with us I'm sure we’d be in there already. But no one who can’t speak binary is getting through this system anytime soon”

“so how do we get in?” John questioned as he crossed his arms and raised a brow

“This system has four components” Kasumi said while moving to point at the terminal “a DNA scanner, voice lock, password, and, of course, a kinetic barrier”

“so to get through, we need to?” Jane asked

“We need samples of Hocks DNA, recordings of his voice, and to know the password” Kasumi listed “oh, and we need to cut the localised power”

“ok, where do we start?” John asked as he rolled his shoulders back

“recording’s of Hock’s voice will be the easiest” Kasumi answered as he tapped her chin “all we need to do is walk up to him and get him talking.”

“sounds like a plan” Jane said with a determined nod as the three turned and slipped back through the door

The trio silently made their way back up the stairs and quickly found that Hock remained in front of the water Foutain, his company having changed from the female Asari to a male Salarian who wore a traditional robe of some kind while he stammered about something or another. As they moved closer, John saw a slight flicker in the corner of his eyes as Kasumi quickly activated a recorder on her omni tool. With a small smile, he closed the distance towards Hock, who turned with a smile as he saw them

“Ah, Miss and Mr Gunn” Hock exclaimed with a welcoming gesture while the Salarian scampered away in the background “i hope that little scene at the door hasn’t soured your moods”

“hardly” John answered gruffly “You were most understanding given the circumstances”

“he was indeed” Jane mirrored with a smile as she put out her hand, which Hock took and gently kissed

John saw his sister shiver in disgust as she moved away, her training proving enough that she was able to hide it from Hock himself

“Now, do tell me what brings you here this evening?” Hock inquired between a sip of his champagne

“how do you mean?” Jane asked with a raised brow

“come now”, Hock replied with a honeyed smile “We all know people like us don’t just ‘come to a party’. Surely you had some business to discuss”

John felt his lungs go still as he shot Jane a glance. Despite his sister's neutral face, he could see a similar panic in her eyes.

“w-we heard of an interest in the black ships” John stammered while hiding his panic with a cough

“black ships”, Hock repeated in a curious mumble before taking another sip of his drink “Do you mean the ghost ships of the citadel?”

“dead right”, Jane replied, swiftly shifting back into the Allison Gunn persona “All the talk these days.”

“aren’t they?” Hock sighed, smile nodding to himself “Not a man alive knows where they came from or where they went... I’d pay good money to be the one to get information on them”

“and that's why we are here” John muttered as he leaned forward “we’ve got a lead”

Hock’s eyes widened as he choked on his drink. After letting out a small set of coughs, he leaned towards the pair and whispered

“what would that be?” while an excited gleam consumed his eyes

“not here”, Jane replied with a mischievous smile “We wouldn’t want someone to hear. Contact us after the party, and we’ll set a date”

The gleam in Hock’s eyes grew brighter as he leaned back and smirked “you two have a deal, it is refreshing to have people with the right minds in the game, far too many fools in this business these days”

John watched as Hock stepped back and looked out the window while gesturing with both his arms

“People these days want comfort, entertainment, love.” Hock remarked before turning back towards them, “They don’t see that the galaxy is fragile. They only worry about simple luxuries. Why?”

Hock raised his glass a looked into the liquid like it was an elixir of eternal life

“because of people like me. And you.” Hock continued with a deep gleam in his eyes, “Do terrible things that keep the galaxy spinning.”

“This party is for us!” Hock proclaimed with wide arms, and his voice raised, silencing all talk in the hall, “The cleaners! The support structure for this galaxy’s gleeful delusions of peace!. May there always be a market for what we do!”

Clapping erupted all throughout the hall as the other guests applauded Hock’s words, leaving John feeling sick as he stood among this den of snakes. To his left, he saw Kasumi give a small nod, which brought a smile to his face, that was thankfully hidden by his large false beard

“inspiring words Mr Hock,” John said with a nod “We will be waiting to hear from you”

“hear from me, you shall” Hock answered with a smirk and a nod “Do enjoy your evening”

“we will” Jane replied with a fake smile as the trio turned and made their way across the hall towards the corner

“Excellent job guys” Kasumi congratulated in a hushed voice “We could make vid all the lines he just spouted

“good quick thinking” Jane whispered as John felt a light pat land on his back

John gave a nod before he glanced towards Kasumi “What next?”

“with the voice recording down, I'd say our next best option is to find the password” Kasumi answered while fiddling with her gloves

“where would he even keep something like that?” Jane asked with a worried voice “Surely he would remember it off the top of his head”

“he would”, Kasumi answered with a smirk, “but he has a small army’s worth of guards that would need to be able to enter the vault as well.”

“so you think it has been written down or recorded somewhere?” John summarised, earning a nod

“i saw a security office off to the side of the hall” Kasumi whispered as she gestured for the twins to follow “if we are lucky, it may be there”

“and if we aren’t?” Jane uttered with a raised brow

“then tonight will become a lot more tedious than i hopped” Kasumi admitted with a sigh

A comfortable silence fell over the three as they weaved their way through the hordes of guests until they eventually arrived on the side of the hall that Kasumi had mentioned were sure enough there was a corridor which led down to a sealed door where a guard in black armour stood watch.

“how do we get inside?” John asked as he glanced at Kasumi, who once again had a finger on her chin

“i would usually cloak” she whispered as her eyes trailed over the corridor “but this place is probably wired to detect chameleon cloaks.”

“so, do we have to force our way in?” Jane mumbled as her brows knotted together “i don’t think we could talk our way out of that”

“i, have an idea,” Kasumi said slowly, “but i don’t think you’ll like it Jane”

“I'll decide that”, Jane rebutted “What's the idea?”

“no young male will resist two hot women coming on to them” Kasumi sighed “We go up and give some mediocre charm, and hopefully, he’ll give us a tour”

John saw his sister's mouth shift into a thin line as her eyes narrowed on the guard. For a few seconds, there was silence before she let out a deep sigh

“no other option”, Jane said grimly “let's do it...”

“thank you so much Jane” Kasumi whispered “if Liara ever finds out and has a problem i promise to explain it was my plan.”

Jane gave a nod as they turned and made their way down the corridor. John held his breath as the pair approached the guard who held up his arm. He heard whispered voices he couldn’t make out as Kasumi ran her finger down the guard's chest plate while Jane appeared to utter something into the guard's earpiece. About a minute passed before the guard slowly placed his hand on the door, allowing it to slide open. John watched as the Kasumi took one of the guard's arms while Jane took the other before both of them dragged the guard into the office. For two minutes, John stood still as a statue until finally, with a small hiss, the door opened again, and both women marched out with smirks on their lips.

“i take it the plan worked?” John questioned with a raised brow as the two stopped before him

“poor soul got a bit too touchy” Kasumi answered with a smirk as she glanced at Jane, who John now saw had a fire in her false eyes

“he’ll get a nice sleep in the weapons locker”, Jane commented as her smirk grew wider “, and thankfully, he was willing to spill the password before sending him to dreamland. Peruggia”

“Peruggia?” John echoed as confusion racked his brain

“famous thief who stole the Mona Lisa”, Kasumi explained while resting a hand on her hip “Not get taught these things?”

“if I had a chit for every time someone in our crew has ridiculed our lack of earth history” Jane muttered while rubbing her temples

“famous or not we know the password” John cut in before turning his attention to Kasumi “what should we tackle next?”

“DNA sample” Kasumi answered instantly “i want to leave, cutting the power to last in case it triggers an alarm on the grid”

“fair enough” Jane agreed with a nod “so how do we get the sample? Pluck a hair when he’s not looking?”

“no. Can't get close enough without someone spotting us,” Kasumi sighed “When we were looking for the vault entrance i saw a small ledge to the side of the balcony that we could use to creep around to Hock’s room”

“that should work” John smiled “lead the way”

Kasumi nodded in agreement before turning and swiftly leading the two back through the hall of people. Soon enough, they found themselves stepping out onto a large balcony that now looked over the sun setting on the distant city. Carefully moving around the side of the space, they came across a small stone ledge which crept around the side of the building towards what John assumed was Hock’s living space.

“ok” Kasumi whispered as she raised a hand to stop them “We need to be discreet, light footsteps, no killing guards, you get it”

Both twins nodded, which made Kasumi smile before carefully leaping over the railing and landing on the stone with a light thud before pushing herself up against the wall and slowly moving along it. Jane followed suit before it was John’s turn. Carefully, he put his hand on the metal rail and shifted his weight to push himself over his legs first. He jolted slightly as his feet hit the stone while he braced his back against the wall and slowly moved along it until he reached the bend. Turning the corner, John bit back a yelp as he took in the sight of two armed guards standing on a small stone cliff with two large metal supports attached, leading to the building. His eyes darted across the space where he saw Jane and Kasumi hiding behind each support, both looking towards him with a finger over their lips. Kasumi slowly motioned a path along the side of the cliff, which was safe, before gesturing for him to follow silently. John gave a nod and held his breath as he began to slowly creep along the cliff.

“why do we have to stand here?” a male voice asked through one of the helmet voice filters, instantly making John go still

“Because the windows are out” a female voice replied with a staticky sigh “Don’t want people climbing up and breaking in”

“Who the hell is going to break in?” the man spat as John continued moving towards Kasumi, who now had Jane beside her

“do I look like I fucking know?” the female guard growled incredulously “Just admire the few and shut up!”

Silence fell as John arrived in front of his sister and Kasumi, who silently pointed behind them where several crates of materials made makeshift steps up to an empty window. John gave a thumbs up before they turned, Kasumi took the lead as she slowly and carefully began to climb her way up the crates. John held his breath as he made the final movement into the building with a small clack. Jane moved next, her movements slow and measured as she crept up the stairs, which wobbled slightly under her heels, until she leapt inside and took her place beside Kasumi. John felt the tension bubble inside him as he carefully placed his foot on the first crate. Slow step after slow step, he moved up towards the empty window.

Three steps

Two steps

a small metal creak suddenly rang out as John’s foot landed on the last crate. His breath hitched in his throat as his eyes bulged out of his skull. His body went still as a statue, and his blood went cold.

“did you hear something?” the male voice questioned

“i thought i told ya to shut up!” the female guard barked

“sorry, sorry” the male guard stammered as John quickly darted through the open window

“fucking kids” the woman mumbled as John sighed to himself while Jane and Kasumi stared in disbelief

The trio quietly moved down the hall and into a massive bedroom that looked more like an art gallery than a living space.

“ok” Kasumi whispered “We are in the clear to speak, just keep it quiet”

“i-I'm going to need Pariah to check my heart” John stammered as his breathing began to level

“tell me about it” Jane agreed as Kasumi smirked at the pair

“spread out and look for DNA samples” Kasumi ordered

The twins shared a glance before nodding and splitting up. Complete silence fell as the three moved through the large room, looking for samples of DNA on the objects throughout. Jane got lucky when she came across a half-drunken glass of wine, which Kasumi swiftly found remnants of saliva in, but not enough for a complete sample. So they split up again and began searching for something that could complete the sample. John found himself near a desk on the far side of the room when something caught his attention.

Footsteps

Footsteps echoed along a nearby hall, quickly approaching the room like their life depended on it.

“hide!” Kasumi hissed before swiftly rolling under the massive bed at the room's centre

Jane moved just as swiftly as she positioned herself in a large walk-in closet

John’s eyes frantically darted around for a spot to hide, but nothing ideal stood out. Desperation flooded his veins as he heard the footsteps reach the door on the room's far side. In a quick movement's he placed himself behind the desk with his legs pulled to his chest and hand over his mouth and nose to control his breathing.

“how the hell does a guard end up locked in the weapons cabinet?” Hock’s voice scoffed as the footsteps marched into the room with another set close behind

“he claims two women tricked him” the voice of the guard from the entrance

“How?” Hock demanded as his voice grew closer

“Something about ‘a fun time’” the guard answered, earning another scoff from Hock

“well, did he give a discerption of the two?” Hock questioned, his footsteps moving to stand right behind the desk that served as John’s shield

“N-no sir” the guard stammered “h-he claims he can't recall them. H-he was distracted looking at certain ‘assets’”

“damn”, Hock growled as a loud slam echoed from the desk, and John held his breath “Has anything been taken from the office?”

“a keycard for the wine cellar” the guard replied “The current working theory is they want to get their hands on some more expensive drinks”

A low hum escaped Hock as the desk trembled from being leaned on.

“Seems like a lot of effort for a drink”, Hock mused aloud, his voice not sounding truly convinced before the desk moved slightly as he stepped away “Have the cellar entrance placed under double the guard. And make sure none of the guards are stupid enough to fall for these vixen’s tricks”

“At once, sir” the guard said before there was the sound of footsteps marching away and a distant hiss of a door opening

A deathly silence fell over the room as John felt his head beginning to turn from lack of fresh air. Behind him, the desk trembled once more as a drawer slid open, and the small beep of a data pad activating rang out

“Keiji Okuda” Hock uttered as his footsteps trailed away from the desk, towards the centre of the room were his bed sat “you where cunning, I'll give you that. In the end, cunning doesn't save a man from torture”

A light chuckle echoed through the room as John glanced around the desk’s side to see Hock lower himself onto the bed.

“such madness, all over some simple grey box”, Hock sighed “If you had just told me how to access it, you wouldn’t have had to die... Well that's a lie, you’ve been a pain in my side for years. Torturing you to death was one of the best days I've had in decades”

John felt sick as he heard the man talk so simply about cruelly ending a man’s life. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kasumi shifting under the bed, her eyes lacking the signature gleam

“perhaps i should find that little whore of your’s” Hock mused as John’s fury began to rise “surely she would know your little secret code... the right price and I'm sure i can buy her loyalty. Who knows, after i open that little box of yours, i may just use her for more than business-”

John’s eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and horror as a black and white blur rolled out from under the bed and rose to its feet in one swift motion. Hock barely had time to gasp before Kasumi’s gloved hand darted to the bedside table and gripped a half-empty wine bottle, raising it up high

“Kasumi no!” John hissed as he pushed himself up and lunged towards the scene

But he was too slow. A crash echoed through the room as Kasumi smashed the bottle against Hock’s head before she thrust the sharp edges of the shattered bottle into Hock’s neck, causing blood to spurt out as Hock’s eyes stared in horror and his hand moved desperately to his throat

“h-how?” Hock choked as blood poured from the bottle. His movement stilled, and his eyes glazed over, telling John that he was already dead

“Everything ok in here, Mr Hock?” a female voice called as the door on the far side of the room slid open, and a guard walked in

John felt his eyes bulge and his muscles tense as the guard glanced over the scene and began to raise her rifle. But before she could fire, Jane flung herself out of the closet, wrapping one arm around the guard's neck while the other swiftly pulled a combat knife from the woman's belt before driving it into the guard's chest. John held his breath as the guard thrashed slightly before she went, still allowing Jane to carefully lower the body to the ground as the door slid shut.

“w-what have i done?” Kasumi whispered in a horrified tone, drawing John’s attention back to her

She stood still as a statue with both gloved hands covering her mouth. Her eyes stared down at Hock’s wine-drenched body with a look of pure horror as she began to shake.

“it's okay” Jane said gently as she moved across the room

“i-its not” Kasumi replied as her hands moved to reveal her quivering lip “i-i killed a man... not a soldier, or someone armed. I-i killed someone defenceless. Someone who couldn't fight back. A-and i did it in cold blood”

“Kasumi”, John uttered, his voice level as he carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hock did terrible things. He killed your partner. He admitted that he enjoyed it.-”

“if you’re about to say that he deserved it” Kasumi cut him off “J-just don’t”

“i wasn’t” John replied as he made his voice softer “i was going to say that you shouldn’t let it eat you. Killing in cold blood is not something anyone should do, but if you let it eat at you it will lead you to a dark place”

John’s eyes met Kasumi’s as she stared into his soul. Her lips continued to quiver, and her body still shook, but after a deep shuddering breath, she looked back to Hock.

“i didn’t want him to die” she whispered as she stared into Hock’s empty eyes “but i am glad i avenged Keiji...”

“not to interrupt” Jane chimed in as she arrived at the opposite side of the bed “but what do we do? Hock and one of his guards are dead, if we leave them like this, there will be a panic”

A tense silence fell as the three shared a look while they each attempted to think of a plan until John finally uttered

“i have an idea”

He felt both sets of eyes shift towards him and glanced up to see both women gesturing for him to elaborate

“we move the guards corpse over here” John explained as he gestured to where Kasumi stood “that way we can make it look like the guard assassinated Hock and died from a wound Hock gave her during the attempt.”

“that will still cause a panic” Jane whispered as Kasumi tapped her chin

“but it will buy us time”, Kasumi commented, her cunning shine finally returning to her eyes “If they are found, the guards will assume that it was the security force who planned the murder, not the guests.”

Both twins nodded in agreement before Jane turned and made her way back across the room and lifted the guard's corpse from the floor. A silent minute passed as Jane moved the corpse across the room before lowering it down next to Hock’s bed.

“perfect,” Kasumi said with a nod as Jane rose back to her feet, “Now we just need this”

John watched as Kasumi carefully leaned towards Hock and plucked one of the larger chunks of blood-coated glass from his neck before carefully wrapping it in one of the long flowing parts of her hood.

“so we are cleared to enter the vault,” John aske,d earning a nod from Kasumi

“y-yeah” She sighed “c-come on”

John didn’t have the chance to reply before Kasumi turned and began making her way back across the massive room, leaving both twins standing next to the scene. John silently glanced towards Jane, allowing him to see the sad and concerned expression on her face.

“come on” Kasumi repeated as she gestured for the twins from her current position next to the now-open door

A small sigh escaped John as he carefully moved around the bed and joined Jane to move across the room. complete silence fell as the pair arrived next to Kasumi, who only nodded down the hall before turning and moving along it. Quietly and quickly, they moved down the hall, the distant murmur of the party growing louder and louder as they approached the door.

“ready?” Kasumi asked as the three gathered around the last barrier between them and the horde of guests

“what’s the plan for getting to the vault?” Jane questioned in a hushed voice

“we have to hope that there’s no guard by the door” Kasumi replied before pausing and shifting her head as she listened closely “we can’t get caught coming from Hock’s room. once on the other side, we can claim we got lost if we are cornered”

“ok” Jane acknowledged as John nodded in agreement

“Do it” Kasumi commanded as she gestured for Jane to open the door

With a swift motion, Jane pressed the button, and a tiny clicking sound escaped as the mechanism unlocked. Then a hiss rang out as the door slid open to reveal a side space that was completely devoid of both guests and guards, much to John’s delight. With another quick nod, the three moved through the door into the small cornered-off room that appeared to be connected to the main hall, a small hiss echoing behind them as the door slid closed once more. Just in time for a guard to round a nearby corner.

“hey, what are you doing here?” the guard demanded as he matched towards them

“we were looking for the restroom” Jane answered as John mentally smiled at her quick thinking, “One of the entrance guards told us it was here”

“bloody idiots”, the guard half growled, half sighed “The guest restroom is on the left side of the hall, this is the private section”

“we are so sorry” Kasumi chimed in as she nurtured her roiled-up cloth “We’ll be on our way then”

With a quick wave, the three moved past the guard and slipped around the corner back into the main hall of the manor, where the party continued to rage. With the grace and silence of a skulk of foxes, the three moved across the hall and down the stairs into the room with the vault’s entrance inside. With a hiss behind them confirming that they were alone and away from ears that could hear their work, Kasumi swiftly unravelled the still bloody peace of glass and placed it into the terminal dish where a light appeared and began to scan it.

“DNA recognized” a feminine voice declared as a green light appeared on the terminal

Next, Kasumi flicked open her Omni tool and began to tap at the myriad of buttons and systems to manipulate the recording of Donovan Hock. Until she lifted it towards the speaker and pressed a button

“Peruggia” Hock’s recorded voice said into the speaker

“vocal password confirmed” the voice repeated as two more green lights appeared on the terminal

“how do we cut the power?” John questioned as Kasumi stepped back from the terminal

“Like this” Kasumi replied with a gleam in her eyes before pressing another button on her omni tool

For a few seconds, there was nothing. then, with a sudden pulse, the lights above flickered out as the barrier in Infront of the vault door vanished, accompanied by the distant sound of gasps and screams from the esteemed party guests.

“won’t the place be on high alert now?” Jane asked as Kasumi pressed down on a button that was followed by six separate clicking noises and the grinding sound of the door sliding open to reveal a still active elevator inside.

“they’ll be too busy trying to pinpoint the emp” Kasumi answered as the three moved inside “by the time they figure out the vaults been compromised, we will be long gone”

“I hope so” John sighed as the elevator doors slammed shut and began to descend into the depths of the estate

-a few minutes later, the vault-

John jolted slightly as the elevator came to a halt before the doors slid open to reveal a massive chamber before the trio. John felt his jaw drop in amazement as he stepped out into the room, which was full of statues and paintings from all cultures and eras, including the somehow present head of the Statue of Liberty that all had assumed destroyed on earth many years prior.

“how the hell-“ Jane began to utter before Kasumi suddenly darted past, quickly leaping down a set of stairs before stopping in front of a pedestal where a small silver box gleamed in the light.

“K-Keiji” Kasumi whispered as the pair approached, allowing John to see her eyes shine with tears as her lip began to quiver “M-my Keiji”

“I’m so sorry” Jane said in a sombre voice as she wrapped her arms around Kasumi and pulled her into a tight embrace

“h-he’s gone” Kasumi sobbed as she turned and began to cry into Jane’s shoulder, her whole body shaking “A-after everything h-he’s j-just g-gone”

“I can’t imagine” Jane gently replied as she began to rub Kasumi’s back, leaving John to watch awkwardly “I don’t even know what it would be like to lose Liara. At times, I felt close, b-but deep down, I always had the hope that she was still there”

“i-it feels like part of you is gone”, Kasumi uttered, her voice full of pain “One moment you are whole, and the next there is a gaping hole where they used to be…”

“I’m so sorry” Jane whispered as she pulled Kasumi in closer, and John took the opportunity to move closer and rest his hand on the shaking woman’s shoulder

“we can’t bring him back” he said gently as carefully rubbed the fabric of her dress “but we are here for you Kasumi. If you ever need to be around people or want someone to listen, our doors are always open”

“r-really?” Kasumi stammered, her voice more open and vulnerable than it had ever been before

“of course”, Jane answered warmly, “you're part of our crew, Kasumi; we care about you. And we will do everything we can to help you”

A small pause followed before Kasumi slowly unravelled herself from Jane and pulled away, revealing her now tearstained face, which was donning a weak but bright smile

“you both are something special”, she whispered as her gleaming eyes shifted between them “Now I understand how your team managed to follow you through hell… you do it for them everyday”

Both twins smiled down at her as she took a step back and took a deep, shuddering breath before turning back towards the pedestal where the box sat. John felt a smile pull at his lips as he saw Kasumi carefully pick up the small silver box and place it into a small hidden pocket in the folds of her dress before turning back to face them.

“now what?” John asked, his smile growing wider

“we escape” Kasumi answered with a smirk and a sparkle In her eyes before she turned and gestured for the pair to follow

John shared a smile with his sister before they both darted after the thief, who quickly began leading them through the labyrinth of tunnels and passages that winded underneath the massive estate until they finally came into a room full of the sound of rushing water as an artificial river ran through it’s centre towards a large opening on the far side where the last gleam of evening light shined through.

“hop in!” Kasumi called as she leapt into the water with a loud splash

Glancing to his left, John saw Jane shoot him a smirk before turning and diving into the river, leaving him standing alone.

‘since when was I the responsible one?’ he chided mentally as he jumped into the river, allowing the rushing water to wrap around him and pull him out of the opening and down towards.

-hours later, Normandy briefing room-

“This is Khalisah Al-Jilani reporting live from Bekenstein where banker, investor, and corporate golden boy Donovan Hock was found dead in his own bed in the aftermath of his citadel standard yearly fad and fame gathering” the voice reported from the tables speakers as John held his breath “as of the moment authorities have refused to comment on the nature of Hock’s death or if any current leads have been found. This has been Khalisah Al-Jilani, stay tuned for the latest updates-“

The audio suddenly cut out as Hemlock tapped a button before leveling his four-eyed gaze on the twins, both of whom stood at the opposite end of the table and donned expressions like guilty children

“This unit takes it. This was you're doing?” Hemlock inquired with his usual steely voice

“well…” Jane began to say while drawing out the word, clearly trying to find a good answer

“and the cloaking tech was terminated?” Hemlock questioned as John shrunk under his gaze like a kid who was being scolded

“yeah”, Jane answered with a weak smile “, all those fancy features, but it couldn’t stand a little water…”

The cyborg stared at the pair unblinkingly in a manner that gave John the impression that he was holding back a metallic sigh with all his mechanical might.

“at least the mission was completed,” Hemlock remarked after what felt like an eternity of silence “

A deep sigh of relief escaped the pair as Hemlock made his way around the table and began to move towards the door, only to stop and look back at the two

“This unit has contacted Feron in an attempt to gather more information in the individuals designated as ‘the assassin’ and ‘the justiciar’” Hemlock reported in his usual matter-of-a-fact way

“great” John replied with a nod “Let us know what he turns up”

“affirmative” Hemlock answered while giving one of his curt nods before he turned and left the briefing room

“why were we worried?” Jane mumbled as John’s attention returned to her “We are the commanders, he can’t scold us”

“that won’t stop him” John sighed, earning a smile and nod

“commanders” Jokers voice suddenly called over the intercom

“y-yeah Joker?” Jane stammered, clearly caught off guard by the sudden address

“I got a high priority transmission coming from the citadel, want me to put it through?” Joker replied

“yeah, patch it through to the briefing room, Joker” John answered as he moved away from the table, allowing it to lower down to the floor

“will do Jo-“ Joker began to say before his voice suddenly cut off

“right away, commander” Edi chimed in, earning a set of snickers from both shepards as the sound of Joker's frustrated sigh came through the com

Suddenly, both their attention snapped to the table as a light flickered above it, and a familiar blue-clad figure materialised into existence

“John, Jane” Baldwin’s raspy voice addressed, his green eyes gleaming as they landed on the pair

“counc-“ both twins began to say in unison before being silenced by Baldwin raising the free hand, which didn’t hold his cane

“we have been over this” the burned man remarked before letting out a chuckle “call me Baldwin.”

“sorry” Jane replied as John saw her scratch the back of her neck “Force of habit”

Another low chuckle escaped the masked man as his hand lowered back to his side

“what do we owe the pleasure?” John chimed in as he stepped to the side slightly

“I’ve heard rumours that a certain familiar ship has been seen near the citadel relay” Baldwin answered as his eyes scanned the space

“h-how?” Jane stammered as Baldwin openly laughed

“your stealth drive doesn’t fool the eyes Jane,” he remarked with a tone that implied a smirk “You can’t possibly think you can go through the most travelled mass relay in the galaxy with a ship designed to look like one of the most famous ships in the galaxy without being detected?”

“no” Jane countered as a small blush of embarrassment appeared on her face “, but It’s a nice thought”

Baldwin chuckled once more as John raised a brow at the man

“I take it there’s more?” John questioned as he crossed his arms “Surely you didn’t contact us just to laugh at our lack of subtlety”

“you are quite right” Baldwin agreed as the gleam of a smile appeared in his eyes “although if the time permitted it, I would contact you just to tell you that”

“so what is it?” Jane practically begged, clearly tired of the dodged question

“it is rather late notice. But there is a Gala being held on the citadel in a day to honour the founding of the council,” Baldwin explained as his hand shifted on his cane “Given your proximity, I wished to take the opportunity to invite you both to the event”

John’s eyes widened in surprise, and the small noise Jane made revealed that she was similarly shocked by the statement. silence fell as the pair stared blankly at Baldwin, who silently stared back from behind his mask.

“a-a Gala”, Jane stammered after a few minutes, finally breaking the silence “A-and you want us to come?”

“that is correct”, Baldwin confirmed with a nod “It would be a suitable break from your current mission, and it would also give you the chance to speak to members of the council and planetary governments. Such an opportunity to open people's eyes to the reaper threat couldn’t be squandered”

John shared a look with his sister as the both of them donned a similar look of agreement before turning back to Baldwin.

“We would be honoured to come” John smiled, earning a nod from Baldwin and a small gleam in his eyes

“splendid,” Baldwin said happily “you may bring a plus one if so desired. I will send the meeting place to the Normandy.”

“great” Jane smiled widely “See you soon, Baldwin”

“and you both” Baldwin replied with a bow of his head before his figure flickered away, leaving the twins to stew on the fact that they would soon be attending a formal Gala with some of the galaxy’s most important and frustrating individuals

Chapter Text

John’s breath hitched in his throat as he stared at the door to his cabin. His mind still racing from the small conversation had hours earlier

“You may bring a plus one if so desired” Baldwin’s words danced in his mind as the image of him and Tali walking a red carpet arm in arm formed

John tried desperately to force the thought from his mind, but it was a losing battle. He couldn’t quite place how it had happened, but ever since he had first laid eyes on Tali during the mission to Freedom’s Progress. His mind had steadily and consistently been dragging his thoughts towards his suited friend more and more often. As his thoughts moved over the more mature and daring Tali that had burst from her skittish shell, he found his face starting to tinge pink and his heart beginning to pound against his ribcage.

‘What is happening to me?’ he questioned as he brought his hands to his warming face ‘Why can’t i get her out of my head?’

Images of her continued to flood his brain as he desperately battled with himself to try and control the torrent.

“John?” Jane’s voice called from the other side of the door, making John jolt

“y-yes?” he stammered, his hands now resting on his chest

“Are you decent?” Jane questioned, fueling John’s confusion

“i am” he answered before stepping away from the door, already knowing what would happen next

With a small hiss, the door slid open to reveal Jane standing in civilian clothing and donning an unamused expression

“Well what's the matter then?” she questioned as she marched into the room and plopped down in the desk chair

“What do you mean?” John countered while crossing his arms and raising a brow

“John” Jane sighed, her voice becoming exasperated “these walls aren’t soundproof. I've heard you pacing back and forth, muttering to yourself for at least an hour. So I'll ask again, what's wrong?”

John held his breath as sea blue met meadow green, both sets of eyes attempting to read the other with a piercing gaze. Until he finally exhaled and mentally cursed, knowing that he had lost this battle

“i-i don’t really know” he admitted as he pushed his back up against the nearby wall

“well admitting something’s wrong is a good start” Jane said with a smile before leaning back in her seat “can you describe it to me?”

John was silent for a moment as he thought over the request, before he gave his sister a small nod and replied

“recently I've been off” he explained in a low voice “i keep thinking about... someone. A-and whenever i do my cheeks go pink, and my heart races. A-a-and when i touch them i feel like I'm burning up-”

John’s rambling was suddenly cut short as Jane burst into a fit of laughter so intense she looked to be on the verge of tears

“i-i-I'm sorry” Jane sputtered between laughs, one of her hands moving to wipe a tear of mirth from her eye “i-it’s just...”

Jane’s laughter died as abruptly as it had started, her whole body went completely still as her eyes widened in surprise

“It's just what!?” John demanded a small panic, appearing in his veins

“it just...” Jane repeated slowly, her voice now low and serious, “sounds like you are attracted to someone”

The words hit John like a raging Krogan, he felt his legs tremble beneath him and his lungs lock in place.

‘attracted’ he repeated in his mind as a wave of terror began to wash over him

For all his life, he had told himself that he would never love. It wasn’t important after all. He couldn’t bring himself to love another less he lose them like he had lost his mother and father on that horrific, fateful day. He knew Jane was aware; he had told her many times, as they grew, that he would always be a loner, his life was his service and his duty to protect others. And even with the changing of his priorities and his slow escape from his cold shell, the concept of being attracted to another had never crossed his mind. But now it did, and it utterly terrified him.

“Hey, hey” Jane said softly as she pushed to her feet and moved towards him, John already feeling his body starting to shake

“w-w” he said through quivering lips

“its okay” Jane whispered soothingly as John felt her arms wrap around him, anchoring him to the present “itwill be okay... We’ll figure it out...”

“h-how” John stammered, his eyes staring forward but not seeing a thing “i-i c-can't i-I"

“don’t know how” Jane finished already knowing the words, having heard them many times before “i know it’s scary, it terrified me when i first fell for Liara.”

“h-how did you adapt?” John asked, his voice practically pleading for an answer

“i had no other choice” Jane answered sombrely as John felt her hand rubbing his back “i knew that our mission to find Saren could kill us. And i had two options...”

“w-what were they?” John asked as his legs became more grounded, his eyes focusing on the wall across from him

“Allow myself to be happy and risk losing it” Jane whispered simply as her embrace tightened “or spend the rest of my life questioning what could have been”

John closed his eyes as his sister's words began to sink in, his thoughts betraying him as his mind shifted to images of himself and Tali and the happiness he felt when with her.

“i-i don’t want to lose her” John whispered as his eyes fluttered open “B-but I'm not r-ready for something... a-and she might not even l-like me”

Jane pulled back and gave a gentle smile as her eyes gleamed with knowledge clearly unknown to him. Knowledge she was not yet ready to share.

“baby steps” she said softly “you don’t have to do a thing, not until you're ready, and not unless you want to”

“b-but she is on the ship” John stammered his fear beginning to spike once more “what do i do?”

Jane's smile widened slightly as she donned a sympathetic expression before uttering

“John, it's Tali. Just be yourself and she’ll be happy”

John’s breath hitched in his throat once more as his eyes widened

“h-how” he asked his voice barely expressing the panic in his veins

“i’m your sister” Jane answered with a sparkle in her eye “I’ve seen the way you look at her, John... it couldn’t have been anyone else”

A deep shuddering sigh escaped him as he glanced towards the ground. But a small smile pulled at his lips

“true” he admitted earning a giggle from his sister “w-what if i wanted to.... try and get used to the idea?”

A small, excited gasp escaped Jane as John looked up to see her eyes gleaming with joy and excitement

“you don’t have to push yourself” Jane said happily as her hand gently patted his shoulder “start small by spending some time with her. Why not ask her to the Gala as your friend?”

John thought over the idea, both excitement and fear clawing at opposite sides of his mind before he took a deep breath in and declared

“ok. I'll go ask her now”

Jane’s smile widened as she stepped back, allowing John to turn and march out of the room and towards the elevator. Hope and terror burning in his chest with each step forward

-a day later, approach to the citadel-

“so are party” Joker commented from his seat as Jane stood wearing the same dress she had worn a day earlier “moving up in the galaxy?”

“Don’t give me that” Jane countered while a smirk pulled at her lips “Honestly, if it were anyone else, i would have refused”

“Councillor Baldwin is a special case, then?” Edi inquired from her blue holographic avatar a few feet away

“he’s been very helpful” Jane smiled “he has supported me and John every step of the way, and he is a far better leader than most. The least we can do is show up to a party”

“Who knows, it could be fun” Joker commented as the Normandy slipped between vessels “Last I heard, he beat the shit out of some poor Salarian hired to kill him”

“Several broken bones were reported in the assailant's limbs and torso” Edi reported, reciting data from an article of some kind before switching to a more opinionated voice “he is clearly well-versed in fighting to know how to deal such damage without killing the target”

“yeah......” Jane agreed her focus slowly returning to the amazing view of the citadel

Silence fell over the three for a minute or so before Joker spoke up once more

“heard John is taking Tali as a friend” he said before shooting Jane a grin “taking anyone yourself?”

“no” Jane sighed as her brows shifted together “if i had more of a heads up i would have invited Liara. Sadly, i don’t think i can get her to the citadel in time”

“damn, sorry to hear that” Joker replied, his grin fading

“It's ok” Jane smiled “All the more reason to invite her to the next one”

“That's the spirit” Joker chuckled as the Normandy swerved under a Turian cruiser and began to approach what appeared to be a heavily modified York-class cruiser, which was completely grey rather than the usual blue and white all alliance vessels sported

“We are now on final approach to the Palatine” Edi announced

“Why are we going to the ship?” John asked finally arriving with Tali, who was donning a pale white cloth over her suit rather than her usual purple

“don’t know” Joker shrugged “this is what Baldwin sent to Hemlock. Better head onboard and ask”

Jane felt her lip shift into a thin line as she glanced at John, who only had a brow raised in response. Both of them already knowing that the coming day might be far more interesting than first thought.

-A few minutes later, the Palatine-

Jane led the way onto the ship, where she was greeted by the familiar lumbering outline of Brax, who was donning a rare smile.

“Welcome aboard Shepard’s” Brax said with a nod, “and a Quarian...interesting”

“This is Tali” John replied as he gestured to the woman in question, who gave a little wave that Brax returned “She helped us during our hunt for Saren-”

“ah” Brax cut in his eyes shining with understanding “was in purple right?”

“yep” Tali answered while raising onto the balls of her feet

“Nice” Brax smiled before turning and waving with his hand “Follow me, and I'll take you to Baldwin”

Jane glanced at the others who had similar confused looks before she began to follow the Krogan down the hall. For a few minutes, there was complete silence outside of the occasional greeting or salute when the group passed patrolling alliance marines or workers clad in uniform, until Jane finally spoke up

“Um, Brax. Why is Baldwin on an alliance cruiser?”

“Not alliance” Brax answered as he looked over his shoulder “Well, not technically”

“Not technically?” Tali echoed clearly, just as confused as the twins

“he was given it by some Hackett guy after he was made first human councillor” Brax elaborated “something about safety and whatnot, used as his personal escort. Spends most of his time out of office on it. Ya would have to ask him the details”

Jane felt her brows knot together in a mixture of surprise and further curiosity, but nevertheless she nodded at the answer and continued to follow the Krogan in silence until the four arrived In front of a door that was being guarded by an Alliance marine

“whatcha got ere Brax?” the Marine questioned with a thick accent Jane couldn’t place

“Guests for Baldwin” Brax grunted in response “thought ya would recognise them”

Jane watched as the guard leaned forward slightly as if peering through his helmet

“No fuckin way”, he uttered before suddenly bolting to a position of attention “, it's an honour to meet you both!”

Jane bit back a laugh as John snorted in amusement to her left while Tali giggled slightly.

“It's good to meet you too....” John began to reply before stopping, his expression revealing his late realisation that he had no idea how to address the man

“Sergeant Allen Vrought” the man answered the unasked question, his posture unchanging

“Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Sargent Vrought” Jane smiled as she shook the man's hand “Sorry we can’t talk, we need to speak with Baldwin”

“of course” Vrought said happily as she reached up and rapped his knuckle against the metal door “Mr Baldwin. The Shepards and their guest have arrived”

For a second, there was silence before Baldwin’s muffled voice called back

“Splendid, send them right in, Allen”

“Right away” the sergeant replied as he turned back towards the group and nodded “head on in, it's been an honour to meet you both”

Jane gave the man another smile as the door slid open, allowing her to lead the way through. Stepping inside, Jane was greeted by a large room which had several bookshelves full of both hard copy books and modern data copies lining the walls, accompanied by statues and busts of figures that she didn’t recognise. At the centre of the room sat a large metal desk which was covered in neat piles of data pads along with a large active terminal and a tea kettle and several cups, but most notably of all was an all to recognizable blue piece of cloth which was laying folded under a metal face mask that stared blankly at the ceiling.

“John, Jane. And Miss Rayya,” a voice said warmly, suddenly drawing Jane’s eyes up from the desk to focus on the figure sitting in the chair behind it

Jane felt a small gasp begin to escape her as her hand bolted to cover her mouth. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the horribly burned skin, which left long, singed muscles exposed and visible. What little skin that remained on the man's hairless head was covered in scars and marks indicating damage of all kinds, while the right side of his jaw hung on a slight angle with a large gap that indicated it was poorly cared for after being smashed in. Despite all this, Jane’s eyes soon met with Baldwin's deeper green eyes, which shone with a steely brightness she had seen in few others.

“welcome, welcome” Baldwin greeted as his eyes trailed over the three “Jane, John, may i offer you some tea? I'm terribly sorry Miss Rayya but i didn’t think to have dextro-amino tea on hand.”

“I-it’s ok” Tali stammered, her voice displaying her own shock at the man's appearance

“w-wow” John said breathlessly, making Baldwin chuckle as he looked at the three

Jane suddenly jolted and lowered her hands away from her face before stuttering

“I-I'm so sorry”

Only making Baldwin’s chuckles shift into full-blown laughter, which did little to ease her guilty conscious

“it’s quite alright” Baldwin replied as he waved away the concerns “not every day you see someone like me. Now you can see why I wear the mask, no?”

“y-yeah” John answered, clearly taken aback by the man's response to what anyone else would have considered rude stares

Baldwin simply chuckled again as he rose to his feet and picked his mask up from the desk, and slotted it onto his face, before carefully wrapping the blue cloth back around his head to completely cover the damage. With his mask restored, he reached down and plucked up his cane before making his way around the desk and beginning to move towards the door, only to stop and call back

“Come along, we'd best be off if we want to be on time”

With a collective jolt, the three pulled themselves from their vacant state and quickly followed after the robes man as he began leading them through the ship to the transport they would be taking

-half an hour later, citadel tower-

Jane sighed thankfully as she made her way up the tower's steps leading into the main atrium of the structure. Her mind already thanking the fact that the awkwardness had dissipated almost as soon as the four had entered the skycar and John had managed to choke on a glass of water, thoroughly breaking the ice.

“Baldwin” a voice suddenly called, snapping Jane back to reality

Jane’s eyes took in the sight of a tall female Turian with dark grey scales adorned with white facial marks that was clad in a beautiful green dress, and stood about two metres away sporting a large grin

“Ah, darling” Baldwin replied as he stepped closer and took one of the woman's hands in his own free one “You look radiant this evening, my dear”

Jane smirked as the Turian flushed a shade of blue and her eyes darted to the side in an effort to avoid Baldwin’s metal face, only to land on John and Jane, making them widen in what appeared to be excitement

“Oh” the Turian exclaimed excitedly as Baldwin turned back to face them once more

“John, Jane, and Miss Rayya. i would like you to meet my beloved partner. Miss Valena Sparatus” Baldwin introduced as he gestured towards the Turian before then gesturing back to them “Valena, these, as I'm sure you know, are the shepard’s and their close friend Miss Tali’Zorah Vas Rayya”

“It’s so nice to meet you” Valena said happily as she moved towards Jane and reached out a hand, which Jane quickly shook

“Ditto,” Jane smiled before she suddenly went still as a realisation struck “D-did Baldwin say your surname was Sparatus?”

“He sure did” Valena answered, a small shine appearing in her eyes

“As in the same as Laiel Sparatus?” John chimed his voice laced with interest as he shook her hand

“The very same” Valena smiled as she shook Tali’s hand before stepping back and taking a place beside Baldwin “I’m actually Laiel’s youngest daughter”

Jane felt her lips pull into a smirk as John burst into a fit of laughter beside her. His body shaking wildly as he tried desperately to control the outburst

“Sorry about him” Jane apologised as Valena watched John with an amused look in her eyes

“It’s ok” Valena countered while waving the concern away “Baldwin warned me that hearing that would probably get a laugh”

“i-i wish I could have seen his face” John wheezed, an extremely rare tear of mirth rolling down his cheek “His own daughter dating one of ‘the shepards’ friends?”

“he certainly wasn’t amused during that dinner” Baldwin chimed in his eyes gleaming with amusement

“To be fair, he likes you a lot more than he did my last partner” Valena sighed before smiling again “At least he respects you as a person.”

“he does?” Tali asked, sounding genuinely surprised, “i didn’t think he could respect people”

“he can” Valena confirmed before lowering her voice “he’s just bad at it”

“You don’t say,” Jane muttered to herself as she recalled the numerous times Leial had been incredibly rude to herself and others, although there were some times where he was kinder than expected

“You should have seen them” Valena continued, drawing Jane’s attention back to the now-smirking Turian “By the end of the night, they were laughing and talking like old friends, biggest smile I've seen on my father in ages”

“Really?” John asked as he finally purged the last of his laughter from his system before glancing to Baldwin

“As I said when we met in my office, we agree often” Baldwin shrugged, but his eyes gleamed with amusement “Just not in matters of state”

“I’m glad you get along,” Jane smiled “it would be awkward if you didn't”

“Definitely” Valena agreed as her fingers tangled with Baldwin’s

“How did you both meet?” Tali questioned her voice, returning to its usual chipper tone

“Well it was-” Baldwin began to explain before Valena suddenly called out

“Please don’t!” her voice laced with desperation and embarrassment, which made Baldwin’s eyes gleam

“oh come now, it’s nothing to be a ashamed of” the masked man replied as Valena blushed again

“f-fine” she mumbled as she buried her face in her hands

“excellent” Baldwin replied as he turned back to face the three “a few months after my official instatement as a councilor i happened upon a drunken maiden while taking an evening walk throughout the lower wards. Naturally, i was concerned for her safety, so with some help from Charr and Brax I managed to get her back to the apartment I was living in, before spending the night caring for her”

Jane saw Valena’s face grow a deeper shade of blue with each of Baldwin’s words, and she fought back giggles at the scene as Baldwin continued

“Once she awoke, rather hungover, the next morning, we ended up talking for hours on end. From there, we spent more and more time with one another until we became what we are today”

Jane’s smile widened as Tali let out an aww at the cheesy romantic nature of the pair's first meeting. John simply chuckled and asked

“so what had you so drunk in the first place?”

Jane whipped around, ready to smack her brother for the insensitive nature of the question, but before she could, Valena barked a laugh,h drawing the ginger's attention back to her

“Honestly, I can't remember,” the Turian sighed “If I had to guess, it was an argument. Defiantly worth it though”

Jane saw a smile pull at her brother's lips as Valena placed a hand on Baldwin’s shoulder, and the calm and usually stoic man’s eyes shifted into a look of calm joy

“Glad you're happy, Baldwin” John said in an almost proud tone as Jane watched him pat the masked man on his free shoulder

“Thank you, John” Baldwin replied, his voice modest before Jane saw a cunning gleam appear in his forest green eyes “Now we just need to find you someone”

Jane bit back a laugh as John stumbled back, his voice seemingly caught in his throat. Her amusement only grew as she saw Baldwin’s eyes shift from John to Tali, and the burned muscles around his eyes moved to indicate a raised brow. The Quarian in question instantly backed away and covered her visor

“Come on”, Jane cut in as she stepped forward, choosing to save the pair from Baldwin “We should probably have a look around, that's alright with you two?”

“a lovely idea” Baldwin agreed with a nod “i have a few people who i should speak with. Ready, dear?”

Valena gave a nod before glancing back to the trio and beginning to say

“it was great meeting you three” she and Baldwin turned and began to move away, only for Valena to stop and glance back before whispering “for the record, i believe you... about the reapers”

Jane’s smile grew large once more as the two figures disappeared amongst the crowds, her mind already thinking on the fact that another person believed them and how grateful she was for that

“so, now what?” Tali asked as the trio glanced to each other

“should probably try and get our message out” Jane sighed as she scanned the room “look for important people, planetary governors, military leaders, and what not. Try to get them to see the truth”

“True”, John sighed, his tone laced with pre-prepared frustration “How about we split up? Tali and I could go right”

“and I'll go left” Jane agreed with a nod and smile “meet up in half an hour?”

“Sounds good” John confirmed as he and Tali turned and began to make their way into the crowds of people

Jane watched the pair disappear before she began making her way in the opposite direction. For a few moments, confidence filled her as she proudly walked among her fellow guests. But then she was hit with a realisation. She had no idea who anyone was, nor did she know how to start a conversation where she would try to convince the people of the reapers. Minutes of aimless wandering passed by until she suddenly felt a gentle tap upon her shoulder. Jane’s breath hitched in her lungs as she clenched her fist, ready to defend herself if needed, as she spun around and was met with a familiar dark grey face.

Before her stood the all too familiar figure of Leial Sparatus, his dark grey scales and white marks identical to his daughters. But instead of a green dress, he wore a black dress uniform, and rather than an excited expression, he donned a stoic, almost solemn one.

“miss Shepard” he addressed as Jane allowed the tension to leave her shoulders and her fist to unclench “i wasn’t expecting to see you.”

“i would be surprised if you were” Jane replied while doing her best to keep a neutral face despite her ever-present distain for the man before her.

Leial looked at her unblinkingly for a moment or two before he let out a deep sigh

“i am glad I've run into you” he muttered as his mandibles flickered slightly “i’ve been meaning to speak to you and your brother. I can never find the time... or the confidence”

“You want to speak to us?” Jane repeated, confusion taking hold, “Why?”

Leial was silent for a moment before he let out another deep sigh

“After your supposed death's I spent a great deal of time reflecting on you both and your hunt for Saren” he explained “Archembald’s words cut at me, and i realised that i owe you both an apology”

“A-pology” Jane stammered, completely caught off guard by what she was hearing

“yes” Leial confirmed his mandibles flickering once more “during your hunt for Saren i acted in an inappropriate manner towards the both of you. Said some terrible things about you both and actively got in your way. And for that i am deeply sorry. It was not how a councillor should have acted, and not how any self-respecting Turian should.”

Jane stood, donning an expression like a beast caught in headlights, her mind still struggling to piece together what was happening. The seconds ticked by as Leial silently waited until Jane finally managed to jolt herself back to life

“w-well, thank you” she stammered, not really knowing how to respond “I’ll make sure to pass on your apologies to John”

“thats all i could ask” Leial replied and bowed his head slightly before turing towards the crowds “i should move along... I’m glad I could speak to one of you”

Jane watched as he began to move away. It was only after a few steps that she remembered her original mission and quickly darted forward to get the Turian’s attention

“Sparatus” Jane cried, making the Turian recoil in mild surprise

“yes, miss Shepard?” Leial answered as he straightened his jacket and regained his composure

“i need to know” Jane began as she carefully thought over her next words, she inhaled deeply and whispered “do you really believe Sovereign was a Geth ship?”

Sparatus was still for a moment, his mandibles flickering slightly as if in deep thought. Then, finally, he sighed before gesturing for Jane to follow. The pair made their way towards the edge of the room and out a door into a small hallway where the chatter was quieter and no ears were likely to hear them. As the small hiss of the door closing echoed behind them, Leial sighed again and turned to face Jane

“i don’t” he said simply making Jane’s eyebrow’s raise in surprise as he continued “i spent years in the navy. I'm no engineer, but i can tell when a ship is made by a race... Sovereign was many things, but is wasn’t Geth”

“Then why do you say it is?” Jane questioned in a desperate whisper

“because i have no other option” Sparatus countered with a wave of his arms “i know it wasn’t Geth, but i don’t know what it was. I was a fool not listening to you and your brother about Saren and his conduit, i admit that... but i just can’t grasp the idea the reapers are real, i can’t stand before my people and the galaxy at large and tell them that they are real”

“Why not?” Jane demanded her voice now a harsh hiss

“it will cause mass panic” Sparatus sighed as he rubbed his head crest “even if they are real. Telling the people will plunge the galaxy into chaos-”

“So you would rather hide it?” Jane spat, frustration bubbling in her chest

“you and your brother don’t make it easy” Sparatus countered with a furious flick of his manibles “you walk around expecting everyone to just follow you because of your word. We didn’t see the visions, we didn’t ‘talk’ to the ship, we didn’t speak to the Prothean AI. You've been right about many things, but you have been wrong as well.”

“Like when?” Jane demanded with a harsh glare

“after your stint in Ilos the council had to pacify three systems in the Terminus because of indipendent warlords who were furious you violated their treaties” Sparatus explained as he began to pace back and forth “we’ve had to supress reports of Rachni in the outer systems, the Thorian has complete control over Feros. And people are still terrified of the ships you called in during the citadel attack.”

Jane silently took in each of Sparatus’ words while attempting to form an argument against them

“you and John are soldiers, i get that” Leial continued as he turned back to face Jane “it is both a blessing and a curse. You want to help people now, and it can make you forget about the long term.”

Jane gritted her teeth as her brows knotted together. She wanted to argue and refute the Turian’s points, but she couldn't. She knew to some extent or another he was right about each of the things he had said. And it frustrated her, knowing that the council had their reasons to ignore her pleas, and it pained her to know that they would continue to be of no help.

“i see” Jane uttered as Sparatus sighed a final time and walked towards her

“You’re a good soldier, Jane Shepard” Sparatus remarked as Jane felt a hand gently pat her shoulder “i hope you find what you are looking for, and save your people”

With that Jane watched as the Turian turned and walked down the hall and through the door leading back into the main chamber. Leaving her alone to think over all the words that had been shared. Minutes ticked by as Jane stood like a statue staring blankly at the door, until she finally let out a sigh of her own and made her own way out of the hall and back into the main room so that she could go to meet with her brother and Tali. For a while, she wandered around the main chamber looking among the crowds in search of the pair, until her eyes landed on them standing near the council chamber with Baldwin by their side.

“Everything alright?” Jane asked as she got closer, now noticing the furious look burning in John’s eyes

“just peachy” John growled as he cross his arms. A second or two passed before he exhaled deeply and muttered, “Tevos and Valern are useless as ever”

“of course they are” Jane mumbled her own frustration begining to match her brothers “did they at least hear you out?”

“No”, Tali answered bitterly, “the moment John tried to bring it up, they would both change the subject. By the fifth time, Tevos just walked away, and Valern told him not to bother”

“Seems about right” Jane sighed as she leaned against a nearby wall, her eyes beginning to scan the surrounding area

“i-i think I'll go find something to drink” Tali declared, earning a gentle nod from Baldwin

“go ahead” John smiled all previous frustration apparently melting away in a manner that made Jane giggle

The Quarian gave a small wave before she turned and walked off into the crowd, leaving the three humans standing in complete silence

“So, where is Valena?” John asked after a minute or so, drawing Jane’s attention towards Baldwin

“Went to speak to her father” Baldwin answered simply before gesturing with his cane. Jane’s eyes followed and soon landed on the pair of Turians who seemed to be having a very heated conversation about something or another

“ah” John acknowledged as another comfortable silence fell over the three. Jane’s focus once again turned to the crowd until her mind brought forth the memory of a particular question that she had since Baldwin had first invited them to the event.

“say Baldwin” she began as she turned towards the blue clad man who gave a hum of acknowledgment and glanced towards her “why did you invite us?”

“You were in the area” Baldwin explained “i saw it as a chance for you to try and convince some of the galaxy's leadership to heed your warning about the reapers”

“but there was something else” Jane pressed as she carefully watched the man's movements “if it was just about that, you wouldn’t have been so happy to see us, or have us accept the invite in the first place”

A small pause followed as John now turned his attention to Baldwin, both twins now examining the man curiously

“most perceptive” Baldwin remarked after a moment, his eyes gleaming with amusement “as you are well aware most of my family perished on Mindoir. But what you are not aware of is the fact that i have few friends”

“Why?” John cut in, his voice laced with both curiosity and confusion

“i find it rather difficult” Baldwin admitted while shrugging “most don’t want to be friends with politicians less they themselves are politicians. And i have a longstanding rule of not befriending my fellow politicians”

“you won’t?” Jane inquired her curiosity only building

“i won’t” Baldwin echoed before elaborating “i find politicians only make friends with the goal of making small echo chambers for their own ideals and whatnot. Hence, i refuse to befriend any and only interact with them in a professional setting. I have few people i consider genuine friends... it happens that the two of you are some of them”

A smile tugged at Jane’s lips as a warm happiness flooded her chest. It pained her to know that Baldwin was so closed off from others, but at the same time brought genuine joy that he considered her a friend despite the short time they had known one another.

“You mentioned most of your family died on Mindoir,” John remarked, bringing Jane out of her thoughts “Does that mean one of your relatives survived?”

Suddenly, the air felt thick and tense as Baldwin’s grip on his cane tightened, and his eyes seemed to stare blankly into space as if recalling the past.

“its okay if you don’t want to tell us-” Jane began to say gently before Baldwin suddenly jolted as if being dragged back into the present

“no, no. It's quite alright,” Baldwin replied as he waved away Jane’s words, “i forgot that i never told you this tale”

The pair shot each other a look, each laced with both worry and interest, as Baldwin cleared his throat

“now you both recall how i have captured and taken as a slave by a Batarian by the name of Kalrun. Yes?”

Baldwin inquired before both twins nodded in confirmation

“well i wasn’t the only one” Baldwin continued “in total Kulrun took fifteen men and woman from Mindoir. Including myself and my elder sister, Astarte Baldwin.”

Jane’s breath hitched in her throat as she felt dread begin to flow in her veins. She had no doubt this story would not be pleasant

“for many years Astarte was all i had while leaving on Kalrun’s estate. It was she who encouraged my skills in speaking and the written word. She who cared for me when i was harmed by the slave keepers. She who suffered alongside me”

“so w-what happened to her?” John asked with a rare stammer, his voice displaying his own dread at the answer

“One day, Kalrun grew bored of his current mistress.” Baldwin continued a small tremble begining to appear in his usually stoic voice “he decided that Astarte would serve as a source of pleasure and tried to take her to the main building on the estate.”

Jane let out a small, horrified gasp, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw John’s fist clench into a ball

"She and I fought against him and the slave keepers. And eventually Kalrun offered a deal” Baldwin said his voice now low and grim “i was to be covered in fuel and set ablaze. Then, cast from a high ledge. If i survived not only would Astarte be given peace. But both of us would be freed from our chains”

“you believed him?” John asked his voice almost pleading for the answer to be no

“i did not” Baldwin answered sadly “but a small part of me hoped. Kalrun was a savage, but he had displayed more honour than most other Batarian slavers. And so i did it. I was covered in fuel and lit ablaze and thrown from the roof of the estate’s manor house. On that day i was supposed to die... and yet i didn’t”

“a-and?” Jane pressed despite dreading an answer she could already see coming

“Kalrun took Astarte to be his source of pleasure anyway” Baldwin uttered in a voice laced with venom “so while he smirked and laughed i began to speak, first to my fellows from Mindoir, then to other humans on the estate. And finally, I began to stand before crowds of both slaves and staff. I rallied them, radicalised them, and lead them in revolution. It was swift, savage, and all so chaotic. We carved a bloody path all the way to the manor house and forced our way inside. But when we entered... w-w-we f-f-found”

Baldwin began to stutter as Jane saw tears forming in his forest green eyes. Carefully, she moved towards him and gently placed her hand on his blue cloth robes

“It's ok” she whispered softly “you don’t have to finish if you don’t want to”

“n-no”, Baldwin replied, determination taking hold as his eyes burned with a long extinguished fire “When we walked the halls of Kalrun’s manor, we found Astarte. Strangled to death.”

Despite bracing for it, Jane still gasped in horror hearing the words. Nearby, John growled in fury before demanding

“And what happened to Kalrun?”

“i strangled him” Baldwin answered his voice level before he lifted both arms to display the chains that wrapped around each of his wrists “with these. The chains that once held me. Now serve as a reminder of what was lost, and what lengths i will go to free others”

A horrified silence fell over the space. Despite knowing that Baldwin had been burned while inslaved and remembering the fact he had killed Kalrun with the chains, the story of how it happened left Jane feeling sick at what the man before her had lived through.

“I-I'm so sorry” she whispered before Baldwin shook his head slightly

“there was nothing you could have done Jane” Baldwin said gently “now you both see why i take the strides i do.”

“Yeah” John agreed with a soberness to his voice

The atmosphere around the three was calm, almost gentle, before it was suddenly brought to an end by the familiar pompous voice of Tevos ringing throughout the chambers from the councillors' stands

“Greetings, one and all” Tevos declared as Jane turned her attention to the Asari “it is my great honour to welcome you all to the gala celebrating another year of the Citadel Council and its work towards galactic peace and preservation”

All around, applause erupted from the hundreds of guests in the room while Jane fought back the urge to boo the woman

“thank you, thank you” Tevos said cheerfully as the applause died down “these evening has been a splendid opportunity for friends new and old to gather and converse on the matters that the galaxy faces and the actions we take to keep the peace. And before we bring this evening to its end, we shall call forth a councillor to give an address to the crowd. As tradition dictates,”

Another round of applause silenced her, and Jane was forced to bite back a laugh at the Asari’s frustrated look

“Now, without further delay” Tevos continued as the clapping died down “would Councillor Baldwin come forward to give a few words?”

Another wave of applause consumed the room as Baldwin let out a small sigh and began making his way around towards the stands, only to stop and whisper

“The councillor of the newest council race always speaks the year they are added”

Clearly answering both John and Jane’s unasked questions and allowing the pair to banish the confusion that had begun to form. Both twins stood silently as an excited atmosphere consumed the whole room, each of Baldwin’s steps earning whispered from the crowds as they wondered what the newest councillor would say, what precedent he would set for councillors of humanity for the decades to come.

Finally, Baldwin took his place front and centre and turned out to face the crowds before him before he took a deep breath and declared

“Today we stand on the edge of chaos.”

His words echoed through the massive room, his voice stoic and determined as his burning gaze swept over the masses

“Before me, I see hordes of those in power. Governor, councillors, presidents, primarchs. All who choose to blind themselves to the dangers that come for us all.”

Jane watched as people seemed to bend under Baldwin’s gaze, each word rattling them.

“The dangers within this galaxy, and beyond this galaxy, cannot be solved by honeyed words and empty promises.”

Baldwin’s voice grew louder and more stern as his gaze became ever more intense

“We must all stand ready to protect one another, not by treaties or written word. But by Iron and blood.”

Jane felt her chest shake with each of the masked man's words

“Together we are strong. Alone... alone we are nothing”

A deathly silence fell as Baldwin gave a bow to the crowd. Then, like a slow echoing thunder, applause began to build all throughout the room, allowing Baldwin to move away from the stand and begin making his way back to the floor.

All the while, Jane watched her breath hitched in her throat and her mind hoping that at least some of those present would walk away thinking about Baldwin’s words rather than ignoring them.

-hours later, Normandy galaxy map-

Jane let out a sigh of relief as she leaned against the observation area’s railing, her eyes trailing over the thousands of stars that made up the galaxy map.

“Someone seems happy to be out of their dress” a voice commented, making Jane glance over to see a smirking Miranda

“i don’t mind dresses” Jane replied, “i just don’t like where i tend to be when I'm wearing them”

“Amen to that” Miranda agreed, her tone and posture unusually relaxed

A comfortable silence fell as both women stared down at the galaxy map until finally Miranda spoke once more

“Where is the next mission taking us?”

“honestly” Jane sighed “i have no idea. We know two potential team members are on Illium. But without more information, there’s no point heading there”

“i see” Miranda said as her expression shifted to one Jane couldn’t place

“Then this unit's arrival is fortunate” a steely voice declared, making both women jump in surprise before they whipped around to see Hemlock approaching with Legion in toe

“How does it do that” Miranda demanded breathlessly as she pointed towards the mostly steel man

“no clue” Jane admitted in an equally breathless voice before she focused on the pair “what where you saying about good news Hemlock?”

“this unit has received information from Feron” Hemlock explained while bringing up a holographic screen with a message upon it “Thane Krios has recently been reported on Illium. Feron has given the location of an informant who can point towards his current location”

“Well looks like we are heading to Illium” Miranda said with a smirk, which Jane quickly matched

“Joker, Edi” Jane called down the deck so the two could hear “set a course for Illium”

“On it Jan-” Joker began before being cut off by Edi

“at once, commander-”

Jane snickered at the pair, and she even saw Miranda give what appeared to be a genuine smile as the Normandy began moving towards the citadel relay. Ready to depart on its next mission

Chapter Text

“Jane and John Shepard” the Asari addressed as she approached with two mechs in perfect lockstep “welcome to Illium”

“Thanks....” John replied as he narrowed his eyes towards the armed mechs, “Any reason for the armed greeting?”

“Standard procedure for VIP’s” the Asari smiled as she glanced over a datapad

“VIP’s?” Jane echoed as she donned a confused look that was mirrored Arok and Garrus

“yes, your ship has been registered for our platinum landing pass” the Asari explained with a painfully large smile “a message was left in the system for whoever landed. Here, take a look”

John took the datapad as he began to feel both incredibly confused and exasperated at the same time, his eyes scanned the message and a slight chuckle formed in his throat.

~

Best of luck shepards, I'll be in touch when i find the justiciar.

Say hi to Liara, would you?

-Feron

~

“Well?” Jack demanded as she crossed her arms impatiently

“A friend of ours” John smirked as he handed the asari back the datapad

“if you need anything else, I'll be at the desk inside” the Asari said with a honeyed voice as she gestured towards a large door “and I wish you a warm welcome to Illium”

John watched as the woman gave a bow before she turned and strode away with both mechs in tow, leaving the team all standing and looking at each other with looks of amusement or annoyance.

“So, what's the plan?” John questioned as he shifted his focus to Jane

“Hemlock said Feron’s contact was an Asari called Seryna”, Jane explained as she moved to stand next to him “She works at the nearby transport hub. But she has the evening shift, so she won't clock on for at least a few hours”

“the fuck are we supposed to do then?” Jack cut in with her usual frustrated voice

“Look around, see the sights,” Garrus remarked with his usual sass “might even get you a new tattoo if you behave”

“You little-” Jack spat out as she began to move towards Garrus, only to stop when Archembald’s imposing figure moved closer

“Calm yourself” the Teuton spoke with his usual might, reminding John just how grateful he was that he didn’t have to wrangle Jack

“ignoring the smart ass comment, i like Garrus’ suggestion” Jane declared drawing attention back to her “we could take a look around. See if there’s anything useful or better than our current gear”

John reached up and rubbed his temples as he thought over his sister's suggestion. If he was honest, he really wasn’t interested in the crowds and chaos that a busy shopping district would offer.

“Mind if i stay by the ship?” he asked as he let out a sigh

“Sure”, Jane smiled, her eyes shifting into an understanding look “Garrus, Arok, Jack. You're with me”

“What!” Jack cried incredulously as the two men just shrugged. Jack glared for a moment before she shook her head and muttered, “Fine. I'm coming”

“Great” Jane exclaimed with a smirk as she wheeled around and marched off, the other three trailing behind her

John allowed his eyes to shut as the distant hiss of a door closing confirmed they were gone. For a second, he stood simply taking in the sound of the wind and distant sky, cars and ships soaring across the sky. His mind was still a storm of thoughts from two day's prior and the crisis he had about his love for Tali.

“John” Archembald’s voice suddenly addressed, pulling him back to reality

John’s eyes opened, revealing Archembald stood a few feet away, his winged helm tucked under his shield-bound left arm, allowing his greying ginger hair to flow in the breeze. The older man’s golden eyes scanned John in a manner that he found scarily similar to Luther. Yet they lacked the same stoic cold edge that came from the judge of the high tribunal.

“Everything alright, Archembald?” John asked as he leaned back and folded his arms

“i could ask the same of you” Archembald replied before shaking his head “all is well with me John. But i worry your mind is deep in the forest”

“Deep in the forest?” John repeated his voice, laced with confusion

“An old expression”, Archembald sighed “, a way of saying your mind is far from where you currently are.”

“That obvious?” John asked, slightly worried that he was becoming so easy to read

“Hard to say,” Archembald admitted with a shrug “, live as long as I, and you start to see more than most. Spent long enough doing so, and you shall forget how to tell the difference between the easily read and the closed tomes”

“Great” John murmured to himself as he turned out to look over the city below, carefully placing both of his arms on the railing

For a few silent moments, there was nothing. Then he heard the creak of metal and saw the movement of white and blue as Archembald moved to stand beside him.

“Is all........well John?” Archembald questioned after a few more moments of silence

“Honestly?” John asked as he glanced to the larger man, who nodded in response. “I don’t know”

“How so?” Archembald asked as both sets of eyes shifted back out over the city

“It’s hard to put into words....” John muttered as his brows knitted together “........for most of my life i knew what i wanted. Where was I going. I was a marine, a soldier, i would serve the alliance....that was who i was......but...”

“Then it changed” Archembald concluded after a few seconds of John struggling with the words

“yes” John sighed as he lowered his head “i thought i knew what i wanted. But everything feels like it’s changing. Everything feels different. A-and I just don’t know anymore”

There was a short pause as John looked out at the sky that was starting to shift to gold

“Is that truly a bad thing?” Archembald asked, making John look up towards the larger figure who stood smiling down at him, “It has disrupted your life, your world. But in doing so, it shows that you have changed. You have expanded to be more than you were.”

“i don’t know who i am” John uttered “i thought i would be alone. I would always have the alliance. I never thought of what my life would be without it......what my life would be beyond being a soldier”

“Does anyone ever truly know who we are?” Archembald replied, his voice soft and wise, “All we can do is walk our paths, do as we feel is best, leave our legacies. It is for those to come to determine if our legacy was good or bad, honourable or not. The question you should ask yourself is ‘Am I happy?’”

“Am I happy?” John echoed as his chest felt heavy

“are you happy” Archembald confirmed with a nod “are you living as you want to live?, are you doing things because you wish to do them?, are you avoiding wants and desires because you are afraid of what could be?. These are questions that truly matter; they are the questions that determine who you are”

John let his head lower once more as he allowed Archembald’s words to sink into his mind. ‘did he want to be a marine of the alliance, Or was that just the path he had set?. Was he a marine because it was what he truly wanted, or was it because he told himself he had to be?. Did he really want to avoid love, or was it his fear of losing another controlling him?.’

Slowly, he allowed his eyes to flutter open to take in the golden sky. He took a deep breath in and exhaled, pushing the weight in his chest out. A small smile pulled at his face as he glanced back at Archembald, who gave a gentle nod back.

‘I’m where I'm meant to be’ was John’s thought as he turned back out to look over the sky, silence falling over the pair as they allowed the minutes to tick past.

-A few hours later-

John’s eyes trailed over the thousands of lights that had begun to illuminate the view as dusk fell on Illium. The calmness of the scene being broken by the hiss of a door. John shifted his weight and turned to face the expected arrival of Jane and the others. He was surprised when he was met with the three familiar figures and an unfamiliar fourth. Jane had an arm gently wrapped around a female Quarian with a plum purple cloth wrapped around her suit, her arms shyly rubbing together.

“Dare I ask?” John questioned with a raised brow as the four came to a stop

“This is Neomi Vas Atador” Jane introduced as she gestured to the Quarian

“h-hi” Neomi stuttered her voice and body language, giving John flashbacks to a younger Tali

“And what is wrong with Miss Atador?” Archembald questioned his voice echoing through his helm

“she was on her pilgrimidge and signed a contract that effectively enslaved her” Jane explained instantly making John’s blood begin to boil “after having some ‘words’ with the Asari in charge I've decided to take her as a new crew member aboard the Normandy. Assuming you don’t object”

“not in a million years” John replied through gritted teeth as he moved his hand to his ear and activated his com “Hemlock. Mind coming out to the bay for a sec?”

A second passed before the familiar steel voice replied

“affirmative”

A silent minute passed before another hiss filled the space as the Normandy’s door unsealed and Hemlock’s heavy footsteps rang all around

“How may this unit be of service?” Hemlock inquired as he arrived before the team, his glowing eyes already focused on Neomi

“This is Neomi Vas Atador”, Jane repeated, once again gesturing to the Quarian woman “She is on her pilgrimage and signed a contract that effectively enslaved her.”

“h-h-hi" Neomi greeted her voice even more uneven as she appeared to examine the Geth components in Hemlock’s cybernetics

“This unit assumes that you have both chosen to welcome her aboard the Normandy?” Hemlock replied, his voice unchanged, but his organic eye flickered in a way John couldn’t place

“thats the plan” John agreed, mentally choosing to question the cyborgs flicking eye “think you can find a place for her?”

“that is entirely dependent on her qualifications and training” Hemlock stated as his focus shifted to Neomi “what skillsets do you possess Neomi Vas Atador?”

“i-i-I'm” Neomi stammered as she rubbed her hands together nervously

“It’s ok” Garrus encouraged from his place off to the side “he may look scary, but he can’t do much biting with that speaker of his”

John snorted at the Turian’s words while Jack burst into a massive fit of laughter. As John recovered, he glanced up to see Arok barely holding back his own laughter while Jane was fighting a war against the smirk pulling at her lips.

“Although crass in his nature, Vakarian is not incorrect”, Hemlock remarked, his steely voice instantly pulling all bar Jack back to the matter at hand

“I-I'm a systems specialist” Neomi mumbled with a tremble in her voice, “i-i work well with data, s-systems, t-terminals"

Hemlock was still for a fraction of a second before he gave one of his curt nods and replied

“This unit has determined a suitable position for you aboard the Normandy.”

“Great” Jane beamed “Can you get her settled in Hemlock? We need to meet up with Seryna”

“affirmative” Hemlock confirmed before turning back to Neomi “this unit requests you follow.”

Neomi gave a shy nod, with that, Hemlock turned and marched back onto the ship with the young Quarian in tow. John watched with a smile, knowing that Neomi was in good hands, before he turned his attention back to Jane and asked

“Ready?”

A series of nods came from all around as everyone agreed, allowing the team to depart the bay to continue their search for allies.

-fifteen minutes later, Illium transport hub-

Footsteps echoed off the metal walls and floors as the team approached what appeared to be an information booth. Inside were two desks with terminals that both had Asari manning them, both donning similar looks of disdain as they tapped away at the systems.

“Are either of you Seryna?” John questioned as he came to a stop and looked between the pair

“Depends, who wants to know?” the closer of the two Asari replied without looking up from her terminal

“Jane and John Shepard” Jane answered while crossing her arms “We were told you were expecting us”

The Asari let out a hum before rising to her feet and walking around her desk, her head turned as she called back to the other

“Tana, cover for me, will ya?”

The second Asari made a hum of acknowledgement without looking up from her own terminal. Presumably satisfied with the response, Seryna turned her attention back towards the team and gestured for them to follow. For a minute or so, there was silence as Seryna led them out onto a nearby transport platform that was completely devoid of prying eyes and ears.

“Hear you two are looking for Krios” Seryna remarked as she turned to face them once more “If that's the case you're in luck”

“i take it you know where he is then?” John asked as he raised a brow, mentally hoping this would be a rather simple recruiting process

“Passed him some information” Seryna replied before chuckling to herself “i can tell you where he is, but you won’t stop him”

“Why would we try to stop him?” Arok cut in, “What has he been hired to do?”

“Kill Nassana Dantius” Seryna answered simply “Don’t feel too bad, she has a nasty habit of killing people to keep her dirty little secrets hidden”

“Awfully sure of that” Garrus muttered as his mandibles flickered slightly

“used to work for her as head of security” Seryna commented as she glanced out over the skyline “wasn’t happy when i found out so i got the boot. Whatever happens to her isn't my problem.”

“Nassana aside, where do we find Thane?” Jane inquired once again, crossing her arms

“Dantius towers, penthouse level of tower one.” Seryna explained as she turned out to face the skyline and pointed at two large towers in the distance, “The second tower is still under construction, if Thane were smart, he’ll go in from there”

“So now we know where to find him-” John mumbled to himself

“But we have no way to get there” Jack finished, having already picked up where he was going

“i can get you all there” Seryna remarked as she turned back to face them all “You’ll only get one shot at this.”

John shared a look with his sister before glancing back at Seryna and declaring.

“We’re ready now”

“Music to my ears” Seryna said with a smirk as she once again gestured for the team to follow

After a short trek, they found themselves in front of a skytruck, which allowed the team to clamber onto the back as John made himself comfortable in the front compartment. Within seconds, they were in the air and swiftly soaring along the skyway towards the distant towers.

“Any ideas on what the security will be like?” John asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence

“eclipse mercs, mechs, turrets, that sort of thing” Seryna answered as she swerved around a slow taxi in front of them “the towers are office spaces and residential, no built in security or traps. Once you hit the ground, you just need to keep moving forward till you reach the top”

John gave a nod as he watched the towers grow closer and closer. A few minutes later, Seryna spoke up again

“i’m going to drop you at the base of the tower under construction” she explained as she gestured towards the smaller of the two “Any higher and they’ll blow us out of the sky with rockets”

“Sounds good” John agreed as he quickly glanced over his equipment to make sure all was in order before looking back up at the towers that now loomed over them “Take us in”

Seryna gave a nod as her leg pressed down on the accelerator. The skytruck burst forward, diving out of the flow of traffic as it began its descent towards the base of one of the towers. John watched as it glided down towards a large opening next to a massive window with the holographic words ‘Dantius towers’ overhead. There was a sudden jolt as the skytruck levelled out and began to slow before it finally came to a stop in the centre of the space.

As the truck came to a stop, John reached over and pulled the handle before flinging his door open. A small thud echoed through the quiet opening as his boots hit the metal ground beneath him. Nearby, he heard four similar thuds followed by a larger one as the rest of the team disembarked the truck.

“Don’t linger too long” Seryna called as John turned and began to close the door, “and good luck, Shepard”

John saw her smirk and wink as the door clicked shut before she pressed her foot down once more. The skytruck let out a hum as it lifted off and sped away into the night, but not before John noticed it turning in the opposite direction they had come.

‘Guess Tana’s on her own tonight’ John mused as he glanced towards the rest of the team

Arok and Garrus already had their weapons drawn and ready while Archembald and Jane appeared to be doing final checks over their respective gear. Jack simply scowled as she glared at the surrounding area.

“You look more annoyed than usual” John commented as he strode over

“Do not-” Jack began to spit back, only to be cut off by Jane

“She almost fell off the car and had to be saved by Archembald”

John let out a snicker as Garrus chuckled in the background. Jack looked like she was about to commit a double homicide as her eyes flickered with biotic energy.

“i don’t see why you are laughing, young Garrus” Archembald remarked as he finished checking his shield “I had to catch you as well”

John’s chuckle exploded into full-blown laughter, which was swiftly joined by both Arok and Jack

“w-well I" Garrus began to stammer as his mandibles flickered in embarrassment before he was suddenly cut off by a blood chilling scream

In an instant, everyone spun around to face the massive glass pane, where they were met with a horrific sight. Inside the large half half-built atrium were several Salarian night workers who were running and screaming as armed mechs gunned them down. John heard a gasp of horror from Jane as one of the poor workers' heads exploded and their body fell limply to the ground.

“Killing the unarmed, cowardice” Archembald growled, his voice low and furious, his hand instinctively reaching for his morningstar

Suddenly, one of the mechs glanced out the window and saw the team. John watched as it flicked its sub machine gun towards them, only for a deafening shot to ring out, followed by the sound of shattering glass and a metal body slamming to the ground. Looking to his left John saw Garrus with his rifle aimed right where the now headless mech had been standing. Several sets of binaric chatter echoed through the night as the other mechs turned only to be gunned down by the combined firepower of Arok and Jane.

“Come on!” Jane ordered as she marched past, We need to end this before more people get hurt

John swiftly followed as he unfolded his shotgun and primed it for battle. More cracking rang out beneath their feet as the team stormed across the shattered glass into the base of the tower, with a silent hand signal, they split up and began searching the floor for both hostiles and survivors. About a minute passed before Archembald’s voice spoke over the com

“Found a survivor, corridor on the east side of the floor,”

John wheeled around and sprinted across the room before sliding into a small corridor where he found Jane and Garrus having already joined Archembald.

“Help....." the Salarian pleaded, his voice weak and hoarse as he struggled to prop himself up “I-i can’t feel my legs....... my chest is killing me......”

“It’s ok,” Jane said in a gentle voice as John moved closer “this should help”

John watched as she kneeled down beside the Salarian and began applying medi-gel to his wounds

“Who are you?” John questioned, “Why are you here?”

“I-I'm a night worker” the salarian coughed as his breathing became less strained.

“Dantius ordered her mech’s to kill her own people?” Arok questioned suddenly, drawing John’s attention to his and Jack’s arrival

“she wanted us out of the way” the salarian said weakly “ordered the mechs to kill us.... i-it was horrible...the screaming and blood.......”

“your safe now” Jane said soothingly as he gently patted the salarian's shoulder with her free hand “I’ve stabilised your wounds, you should be okay till help arrives”

“Thank you.....thank you so much” the salarian mumbled as his lips quivered “Please.....please help the others, s-save them”

“We’ll do what we can” John promised, earning a small smile from the Salarian

“We need to move” Jack cut in

“On that we agree” Archembald remarked as he gestured down the corridor.

With a series of nods, the team turned and marched down the corridor. Eventually they found themselves emerging in what appeared to be a large area which was full of both mechs and eclipse mercenaries. Fortunately, they were little match for the team. John watched with slight amusement as he saw two mercs run at the mere sight of Archembald charging towards them. Jack and Jane proved to be a deadly team with the pair's respective biotics making up for the other’s weakness. Finally, the last merc hit the floor with a thud as Garrus let out a low, impressed whistle directed at his own marksmanship.

“There’s an elevator” Arok commented as he loaded a new cooling block into his shotgun

“No shit” Jack mocked as she kicked the sparking husk of a nearby mech

“Over here” Jane called suddenly, drawing John’s attention away from the bickering pair

Shifting around, his eyes soon landed on his sister, who was standing in front of a sealed door, currently using her omni tool to hack through the lock. John strode over with Garrus in tow, leaving Archembald to ensure Jack and Arok didn’t kill each other. As the pair came to a stop on either side of Jane, a small click rang out, followed by a hiss as the door rotated and opened, revealing three salarians on the other side. John’s reflexes kicked in and within a second he had his shotgun aimed at the nearest of the trio

“p-please don’t kill us!” a pale grey Salarian cried as he and the others held their hands up “w-well go...we’ll go”

“Don’t worry” Jane said gently as John lowered his gun “We’re not here to hurt you”

“a-are you here to save us?” one of the other Salarians with dark black skin and yellow clothes asked as they lowered their hands

“We are now” John sighed as he looked over the three, mentally checking for wounds “You can come out now.”

“t-thank you” the third Salarian with green skin stammered before bowing his head “w-we are in your debt”

“maybe you can give us a hand” Garrus chimed in “we’re looking for someone. Not eclipse, sneaky type.”

The three salarians shared a confused look before the green-skinned one returned his focus to them

“I-it could have been the one who sealed us in here”

“y-yeah” the yellow-clad Salarian agreed “when he found us, i thought we were dead, but he just closed the door and sealed it”

“could be” Jane mumbled while rubbing her chin “what did they look like?”

“a-a Drell” the grey-skinned Salarian supplied “green skin, suit, had a rifle of some kind on his back”

“best lead we’ve got” John muttered as he glanced at Jane before turning back to the Salarians “you should get out of here. Head to the ground floor. One of your co-workers is down there”

“y-yes, great idea” the green-skinned Salarian agreed before waving to the others “c-come on”

John stepped to the side, allowing the green and grey-skinned Salarian's to quickly walk past, but when the yellow-clad Salarian moved out of the small room, he stopped and whispered

“Thank you” a small smile creeping onto his face

“Get moving!” the green skined Salarian called from across the room

With that, the Salarian turned and sped off, leaving John to turn his attention back to the others. The three moved back into the central space where they were met with the sight of the elevator door now open, along with two human corpses clad in yellow sun's armour, along with a Krogan whose head had been caved in.

“What the hell happened?” John demanded as both Jack and Arok glanced at the approaching trio

“They showed up while you were off being ‘heros’” Jack answered in a snarky tone

“And you didn’t call us?” Jane questioned her voice matching her frustrated look

“Didn’t need to” Arok shrugged “Killed them before they had the chance to react”

John saw Jane roll her eyes before turning her gaze to Archembald who’s morningstar was still dripping Krogan blood

“Their explanation is neither false nor exaggerated” Archembald stated, earning an exasperated sigh from Jane while Garrus snickered

“Everybody in” John ordered as he strode past the bodies “We’ve got a long night ahead of us”

-a musical elevator ride later-

“i haven’t heard from teams four or five”

John’s breath hitched in his throat as the elevator door opened to reveal a walkway leading to an open space in front of a window where a yellow-clad Eclipse merc stood chatting on the com.

“My team’s always ready to go” the merc stated as his head turned, his focus thankfully being directed out the large window

Glancing to the side, John saw Jane place a finger on her lips before giving the signal to sneak up on the merc. John gave a nod as he turned and moved down the hall, Jane to his left, while Garrus, Arok, and Jack followed behind. Archembald remained still, likely knowing that should he move, it would give away their presence to the oblivious guard.

“i don’t know where he is” the guard growled as he waved his arm dismissively “Not yet, at least”

John felt a smirk pull at his lips as the team moved closer. Finally, when they were about halfway down the hall, the guard let out a deep sigh

“we don’t need any reinforcments” he muttered as he shifted his weight “if it has you so bothered I'll take care of it. It's under control, I'm heading down there now”

A slight click echoed through the small room as the guard tapped his helm, cutting the com channel before sighing again

“Turn around” John ordered, making the guard go completely still “very slowly”

John had to fight back his smirk as he watched the guard slowly turn his upper torso to face the four as Jack and Arok aimed their weapons at him.

The guard inhaled and John could practically feel the shame radiating off him as he uttered under his breath “fuck........”

“Have you seen the assassin?” Jane questioned, a smile of her own on her lips

“Why are you looking for him?” the guard countered as his whole body shifted so his back was practically pressed against the glass “your not one of Dantius’s mercs, just who are you?”

“Hardly important” John commented as he stepped towards the merc “Answer our questions, and you can walk away”

“look pal even if i knew where he was i wouldn't tell ya” the merc countered before crossing his arms “i’ve got nothing more to say. If ya shoot me my teams right through there, thall be all over you”

“true” Jane agreed as she moved forward to stand to John’s side “but is this worth dying over? Is Nassana?”

the guard was still for a moment before he replied

“no.......no she’s not.” The guard unfolded his arms and moved slightly closer “Last I heard, the assassin was down on the mezzanine. But the teams on the bridge think they saw him. Nobody knows for sure”

“Get out of here” John ordered as he gestured with his head

“Already on it” the guard replied as he raised both hands and marched down the hall, passing the approaching figure of Archembald as he went

“So we need to cross the bridge” Garrus commented.

“That won’t be easy” Arok muttered, his four eyes narrowing

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” John remarked as he moved back into the hall and began heading towards a sealed door, only for Jack to call after him

“Did you just fucking do that?”

“can’t hear you” was all John replied with as he heard the now distant sound of Garrus and Arok snickering and what sounded like Jane sighing.

A few seconds later, the rest of the team arrived, allowing John to open the doo,r revealing a large open space with was full of several more Eclipse mercs accompanied by several mechs. John simply sighed as he charged his biotics and flung himself into the nearest of the mercs with an explosive amount of force. The ensuing fight didn’t last long; the mercs and their mechs had little hope of stopping them. And soon enough, the last one crashed into the wall with a hard splintering sound as her armour shattered from the force of Archembald’s blow. As silence fell over the now ruined space, John’s attention was suddenly caught by what sounded like muffled whispering from behind another nearby sealed door.

“More Salarian workers?” Garrus suggested as he strode over

“Better be” Jane muttered as she pulled up her Omni tool and began hacking the system

A few quiet seconds passed as John made his way over to the door. Soon, the system gleamed green before there was the click of the mechanism opening. John stepped forward as the door slid open, only for him to be met with an M-4 Shuriken right in his face

“Get back!” a dark grey-skinned Salarian cried as he shook the gun “I'll shoot!”

“Whoa there” Arok cried as he aimed his shotgun at the Salarian “Let's not do anything stupid”

“i-i don’t want to hurt you! B-but i will!....i said get back! I-I'll do it!” the Salarian cried his voice trembling as tears formed in his large black eyes “p-please......d-don't make me do it”

“hey, hey” Jane whispered in a calming voice while raising both hands infront of her “we’re not here to hurt you. What's your name?”

“i-i'm......Telon” the Salarian answered as he shook back and forth “d-don’t come any closer”

“its ok Telon” John said with a calm voice “i’m John Shepard, this is Jane. We're not with the Mercs, we are here to help”

“o-okay” Telon uttered as he began to lower the gun “i-i don’t feel so good”

Telon suddenly went limp, and his body fell towards the ground. John lunged forward and managed to grab the collapsing Salarian before he could crash to the floor

“Telon!" A voice called as another Salarian appeared from behind another nearby crate and moved towards John

“stop!” Jack roared, making the Salarian freeze in place

“h-he’s my brother” the Salarian who was clad in white stammered as he raised his hands “i-i just want to see if he’s alright”

John glanced back and gave a nod, Arok gave a smile smile while Jack rolled her eyes, but nevertheless the pair of them lowered their weapons. John then moved back to his feet and gestured for the white clad Salarian to approach. Once in reach, he carefully handed the now unconscious Telon to him.

“t-thank you” the Salarian stammered as he held his brother before glancing to the side “a-are you the one’s who shot that merc?”

“Merc?” Jane echoed as all eyes followed the Salarian’s gaze to where the body of an eclipse merc lay a large hole in the centre of the corpse's forehead

“No”, John exhaled as he glanced back at the Salarian “Your brother didn’t do it?”

“n-no” the Salarian stuttered “h-he was with me behind the crate”

“Can you tell us what happened?” Jane questioned in a gentle tone

“The merc found us and shouted at us to move. W-we paniced and he shouted some more” the white clad Salarian explained with a quivering voice “i-i thought he was going to kill us.....then his head....his head just exploded. Telon took his gun, but we were still afraid to leave. Th-then you showed up”

“headshot in a small room with hostages” Garrus mumbled as he strode past, his blue eyes scanning the space before widening slightly “shot from the ventilation shaft. Not bad, not bad at all”

“High praise” John poked, earning her a false glare from the Turian

“A master can always appreciate another's craft” Garrus countered with a smirk

“it’s not safe for you up here” Jane said as the pair returned their focus to the Salarians “we’ve cleared the lower levels. Take the elevator down, there will be other survivors waiting”

“No need to tell us twice,” the Salarian replied as he shifted to his feet “Come on Telon, get up”

John watched as Telon gingerly got to his feet with his brother's help, his whole body shaking before he whispered

“c-can we get out of here?”

“Yeah, we’re leaving now” the white clad Salarian answered as he began leading Telon out of the room, only to stop and bow his head and utter “thank you”

John watched the pair move out of the room before he and the others followed. They waited for the brothers to reach the elevator before they turned their attention to the path ahead.

“Just the bridge left” Arok commented as the team moved up a staircase made of scaffolding

“Just the bridge” John echoed, already dreading how difficult it would be to force their way across a well-fortified bridge

Silence fell as the team swiftly carved their way through the remaining guard patrols until they finally found themselves edging along the outside of the building towards the incomplete bridge. A constant wall of wind slammed into them with enough force to unbalance all but Archembald. Finally, after a final push which involved John, Jack, and Jane all using their biotics to send a whole squad of mercs flying off the tower, the team found themselves pinned down on the side of the bridge as rockets and torrents of bullets slammed into their cover.

“Any ideas, Boy Scout!?” Jack screamed, her voice barely audible over the wind and constant waves of munitions

“None that aren’t dangerous as hell” John yelled back as he saw Garrus take a pop shot, which managed to take out one of the many turrets firing down at them

“i shall advance and draw their fire!” Archembald roared, his deep voice cutting through the sounds like a knife

Before John could react, he watched the hulking knight dart around the corner, his shield raised to cover the majority of his body. Within seconds, the bulk of the gunfire shifted towards Archembald, his shield crackling with energy as the field blocked against both bullet and blast. Seeing an opportunity, John pushed himself up and around the corner, his biotics flaring to life as he flung himself across the bridge and slammed into several eclipse mercs, sending some slamming into a nearby wall while others were lunched off the bridge all together.

“Kill the biotic!” a merc roared from overhead

“And let the knight get closer!” another cried back as John saw Archembald slam his morningstar into a merc with enough force that their torso split from their lower body

“fuck theirs another-” a merc cried before a wave of energy flew past John and slammed into another group of mercs with explosive force

“I like the way you think, Boy Scout!” Jack roared as she wrapped energy around her fist and slammed it into a nearby eclipse guard, the force shattering the glass eye sockets

John smirked as a silver and white blur sped past, followed by a horrified scream as Archembald swung his morningstar, catching multiple mercs and turrets with a singular devastating blow.

“come, we must clear the path!” Archembald roared as he charged towards the other side of the bridge, where the main force of the guards prepared to make their final stand

John's eyes met with Jack's the both of them sharing a look of camaraderie as they turned and charged their biotic energy around themselves. John felt the rush of wind as he flung himself forward, slamming into the makeshift cover with enough force to send the crates flying back. While somewhere to his right Jack did the same, leaving the guards to scamper and run as Archembald descended on them as nothing but a silver and white blur of death. His morningstar sending guard and mech alike soaring off the side of the tower or cursing them beneath its ancient might.

Finally, a loud crunch signified the end of the battle as the last of the eclipse guards were crushed under Archembald’s heel. John let out a deep sigh as he glanced over the bridge to see Jane, Garrus and Arok approaching each of them, admiring the carnage that had just been unleashed.

“Nice job” Garrus commented as they arrived “Haven’t seen a slaughter like that since we had Wrex and Luther with us”

“Can’t argue with that” John agreed with a smirk before turning and beginning to climb up the stairs

“here’s hoping all of this was worth it” Jack muttered as the others followed ready for a final confrontation with Nassana and Krios.

A small hiss could be heard as the door slid open, revealing a large open room with a massive terminal in front of a window that overlooked the skyline where the sun had begun to rise. Four figures stood behind the terminal. Three clad in the yellow armour of eclipse, while the fourth, an Asari in a deep blue and red dress with golden accents, looked out over the skyline. John came to a stop as he saw the Asari turn and move towards the large terminal, her eyes burning with fury......and fear. The three mercs raised their weapons while Garrus, Arok, and Jack did the same, only to be stopped by the Asari’s deep voice

“wait” Nessana commanded as he glare rested on John “before you try to kill me. i want to know who hired you”

“oh honey” Jane replied, her voice laced with sarcasm “After what we’ve seen today, we’d do it for free”

“i won’t play you games!” Nassana cried furiously, her eyes twitching, “You came here to kill me, did you not!?”

“No” John said simply as he barely held back a smirk, “we came here to speak to the guy who was hired to kill you”

“You expect me to believe that crap!” Nassana roared, her mouth shifting to yell for her to stop when a slid thud echoed from near the window

“D-did you hear that?” one of the guards questioned as they began frantically glancing about

“damn it” Nassana hissed as she leaned on the terminal before aggressively pointing to a door on the right side of the room ”check the entrances”

John watched as the three guards began to move; it was like time crawled to a standstill. A green figure silently dropped from the ceiling, and his webbed hands wrapped around the head of one of the guards before swiftly twisting it with a crack, the second gaurd turned but before they had a chance to evern gasp the figure slid across the space a knife appearing in their hhands and swiftly thrusting into the guards neck right as the third gaurd turned and raused their shotgun. Only for it to be pushed to the side, and as a pistol was drawn and fired in a single fluid motion.

“w-wa-” Nassana began to cry as she spun around, a pistol gripped in her hands

The figure darted out of the way, his webbed hand reaching up and grabbing Nassana’s wrist before pulling her closer so that her chest was flush with the muzzle. A burst of violet filled the air and sprinkled over the terminal. Nassana let out a groan of pain as the air escaped her lungs. John held his breath as he watched the figure gently lower herself down to rest of the terminal as he brought her hands up and folded them over the other, allowing the last of the light to fade from her eyes as he rose his own hands, folding together while the rising sun appeared at his back.

Complete silence fell as everyone stared at the man who had appeared. A green-skinned Drell who had a pistol holstered at his waist while a rifle hung from his back. Clad in a grey and black suit that was similar in design to the one Feron had worn, although his face had more marks and patterns that suggested he was older than the young information broker.

“Not bad” Garrus commented, finally breaking the silence as the figure continued to stand as if in prayer

“We’ve been looking for you” Jane declared as she carefully took a step closer “We need to talk to you”

“i apologise” the man replied with a gravelly voice that John now realised was common among Drell “but the prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken”

“Wicked doesn't even cover tonight” Jack scoffed ” She was a rancid bitch”

“Not for her” the Drell countered with the shake of his head as he finally opened his eyes to reveal pitch black sclera, which was matched with a barely visible dark green iris “For me”

John raised a brow as he looked up at the Drell curiously

“the measure of an individual can be difficult to decern by actions alone” Thane remarked as he began moving around the terminal “take you all for instance, all this distruction....chaos. i was curious to see how far you would go to find me.....well, here i am”

Thane’s eyes narrowed as he arrived in front of the desk, his dark irises scanning the twins as if trying to see something that wasn’t there.

“You knew we were coming?” John questioned as he continued to watch the Drell closely

“i didn’t” Thane admitted as he strode down the stairs, “not until you marched in the front door and started shooting” John watched as Thane folded his arms behind his back and straightened his posture “Nassana had become paranoid; your arrival served as a valuable distraction”

“You used us as fucking bait” Jack growled, earning a nod from Thane

“i would have slipped in undetected either way” the Drell commented, “although it was undeniably easier with Eclipse focused on you”

“Let's cut to the chase” Jane cut in before Jack could respond, “We’ve heard you're the best there is, seen it first hand as well. We're putting together a team for a mission, and we want you to be a part of it”

“Indeed?” Thane questioned, encouraging them to continue

“Are you familiar with the collectors?” John asked as he crossed his arms

“By reputation” Thane answered as he turned to focus on the rising sun

“They’re abducting human colonies” John continued as he carefully examined Thane “Freedom's progress was their handywork”

A small pause followed before Thane simply said, “i see”

“We are going after them” Jane finished making the Drell spin to face the pair

“Attacking the collectors would require passing through the Omega Four relay” Thane remarked, his voice leve,l but his eyes shifted into an unreadable look “No ship has ever returned from doing so”

“It hasn’t stopped us before” John countered with a smirk.

“A fair point” Thane agreed as he slowly turned back to face the sunrise “You both have built a career on doing the impossible”

John held his breath as Thane inhaled deeply before sighing gently, his eyes flickering closed as if in thought.

“This was to be my last job” he remarked before glancing over his shoulder and uttering “I’m dying”

John felt his eyes widen in surprise as the Drell continued to speak

“Low survival odds don't concern me. The abduction of your people does”

“Is there anything that can help?” Jane asked her voice sombre, “We have one of the best scientists in the galaxy in our crew-”

“a kind offer” Thane replied a smile appearing on his lips “but I'm afriad there is no cure. It is not contagious, and it will still be some time before it begins to affect my work. If you wish, we can discuss it later aboard your ship”

“we hadn’t heard you were sick” John sighed as he looked at the man “are you sure there is notjing we can do?”

“giving me this opertunity is more than enough” Thane replied “the galaxy is a dark place. It is my hope that I can make it brighter before I die”

Thane turned to fully face John, his webbed hand reaching out, offering a handshake

“i will work for you both” Thane continued as John shook his scaly hand “free of charge”

John shot Jane a smile as she took her turn shaking hands with their newest crew member.

-hours later, Normandy briefing room-

“Thus Kepler’s syndrome is incurable” Thane finished

John sighed as he glanced around the briefing room's table. Despite the Drells' claims, he and Jane had been steadfast in the goal to help the dying man and had swiftly gathered the most knowledgeable members of their crew in an attempt to find a solution.

“Does anyone have anything?” Jane questioned, and John saw her somewhat desperately scan the table

“I’m afraid there’s nothing i can do” Chakwas said sadly “My medical understanding of Drell is limited, and from what little i do know, it is impossible to cure”

“Quarian medicine has had no reason to try and find a cure” Lia admitted, “and even if it was possible, it would be far above my pay grade”

John’s focus shifted to Mordin, who donned a rare defeated look. Noticing the many eyes shifting to him, Mordin sighed

“Afraid no cure is possible” he uttered “tried many times, failed, simply not possible”

John heard a deep and desperate sigh escape Jane as she turned her focus to the two most advanced figures in the room.

“The Geth consensus has done no study of organics” Legion stated as one of his head flaps moved “This platform determines the likelihood of a cure being created is unlikely”

“The Adentri has no knowledge of Drell anatomy” Hemlock remarked as his four eyes studied Thane “This is the first recorded physical interaction between a member of the Adentri and the Drell species”

John sighed mentally. he knew it was a long shot. But some part of him had hoped they would be able to help Thane in some way

“Alright, thank you all for your time” John spoke as Jane stared at the floor in defeat “Everyone but Thane and Hemlock is dismissed”

There was a series of nods or salutes from around the table as half of the amassed crew began filing out of the briefing room. As the door closed behind the last of them, Jane spoke up

“I’m so sorry Thane-”

“It’s alright” Thane answered in a kind, level voice “Your efforts are appreciated”

“let find you somewhere to stay” John declared as he turned his attention to Hemlock who he noticed had looked down to one of his metal limbs “any preferences Thane?”

“Preferably someplace dry” the Drell replied in a collected and respectful voice

“Acknowledged, this unit has determined a suitable location in the life support housing” Hemlock stated as he shifted his focus away from his metal limb, his organic eye shifting in a manner John couldn’t place “This unit requests you follow”

Thane nodded as Hemlock moved across the room towards the door. Before departing, Thane turned back to the pair and gave a small smile

“Thank you both for your hospitality” Thane said with a bow before he turned and followed Hemlock from the room

John stared at the door for a moment as he pondered how a man could be so calm about his impending death. With a sigh, he pushed away from the briefing room's table, already wondering what madness was in store for them on their next day on Illium.

Chapter Text

Jane pressed both her hands against her forehead as a gentle thud echoed from her elbows landing on her desk.

“nothing”

She muttered as her mind trailed over the past two Illium days. Two days had passed since Thane had joined them aboard the Normandy—and two days since they had a clear course of action. Feron had yet to deliver information on Samara’s whereabouts, the Adentri board remained quiet on leads on the collectors, and nothing had gone wrong on the Normandy to demand her constant focus.

“At this point, I'd take a mission from the illusive man” Jane uttered as he began to rub her forehead

As if on cue, Jane’s comm system suddenly lit up and Hemlock's voice curried over

“Miranda Lawson seeks an audience with you, Jane”

“w-what?” Jane stammered as she scrambled to pick up her comm, almost dropping it in the process, before she put it up to her ear “Why didn't she just come up? She doesn’t need permission”

“She claims that she sought to request through this unit to ensure that it was treated correctly”, Hemlock answered after a moment “What are your directives?”

“Send her up” Jane ordered as she felt curiosity begin to bubble

“As ordained” Hemlock acknowledged before the comm channel cut out once more

A few silent minutes passed until Jane heard the faint sound of the elevator door opening and footsteps approaching. A small set of perfectly spaced knocks rang out as Jane formed a gentle smile on her lips

“Come in” she called

A small pause followed before the door slid open with a gentle hiss, allowing the black and white clad woman to stride in, her raven hair flowing behind her. Jane felt her breath hitch in her throat as she saw Miranda’s face, and how it was contorted with conflicted, almost pained expression.

“comm-” Miranda began, only to be silenced by Jane

“Jane” the ginger ordered as she fully turned towards her

“Jane” Miranda repeated with a sigh as her shoulders slumped, an extremely rare case of her perfect posture breaking

“What’s the matter, Miranda?” Jane questioned as she felt her brow knit together, “I’ve never seen you so.....stressed”

Miranda was still for a moment, her eyes staring at the wall behind Jane as her mind drifted thousands of miles away. Finally, Miranda let out one last deep sigh and straightened her back.

“i know we don’t really see eye to eye Jane” she uttered as he shifted her weight between legs “we have very different ways of thinking and conducting ourselves, under any other circumstance I'm certain we would have come to blows. Verbal or otherwise, which is why what I'm about to do is very hard for me”

Jane raised a brow as the muscles in her arms tensed, both curiosity and caution taking hold in her mind

“i” Miranda, began before inhaling deeply “i need help.........your and John’s help to be specific”

Jane felt her jaw hang slightly as her mind recoiled like she had just been flash-banged. Her green eyes met with Miranda’s, and she felt a wave of emotion she had never seen in the raven-haired woman before wash over her. An undeniable feeling of worry.....and fear.

“W-well” Jane stammered as she rushed to correct her expression “I wasn’t expecting that”

“Neither was I" Miranda admitted with a voice more vulnerable than Jane had ever heard from her “but I'm desperate”

“Sounds like it” Jane agreed as she straightened her posture “This must be important for you to come to me”

“More than anything else”, Miranda replied with a weak smile “, it's why I needed to speak with you. John could have brushed me off because of my connections and actions, and Hemlock.........”

“wouldn’t have passed it on?” Jane finished assuming Miranda was aware of the neutral disdain Hemlock had developed in response to her actions

“no” Miranda answered while crossing her arms, her eyes narrowing “i don’t like him, and im certain he doesn’t like me, Even if we have been speaking more often. Despite that, I know well enough that he would have passed along the request. But this is personal........”

“i see” Jane said with a nod before she leaned forward “so what's the problem?”

“........my sister” Miranda uttered her voice barely above a whisper.

Jane’s jaw dropped for a second time, fortunately she recovered quickly and managed to sputter out a

“y-you have a sister?”

“i do” Miranda confirmed before sighing deeply “perhaps a bit of history would help”

Jane nodded for Miranda to continue. The raven-haired woman exhaled again and leaned against the wall

“i wasn’t born. Not conventually” Miranda began “my father wanted to leave a mark on the galaxy. Not through business or politics, but through a genetic dynasty.... a perfect family line. All tied back to himself. So he made me, ‘the perfect woman’ he called me, heir to everything. I grew up spoiled, got everything i could ever want and more.”

“i don’t like where this is going” Jane remarked grimly, earning a sombre nod from Miranda

“When a life looks perfect, it often isn’t” Miranda continued a sad look in her eyes “My father did horrible things to me. Unspeakable things to make sure I was ‘perfect’. And after it all, he decided I wasn’t enough. So he used my DNA to make my twin, Oriana.”

“And you were thrown away?” Jane gaussed already familiar with how such stories usually ended

“no” Miranda sighed “i was to useful as a template, so he kept me. His greatest mistake. I was young, brash, spiteful....... and caring. I stole her when she was still young, fought my way away from him. i knew he would hunt us i needed help, safty, protection. And i needed Oriana to be somewhere away from him..... and me. I ended up making a deal with the illusive man. He sent Oriana somewhere safe, put her up with a new family...... in return, i swear loyalty to Cerberus’ mission, and become an agent”

“You gave up everything for her” Jane whispered in a sad voice, her heart hurting

“...........yes” Miranda confirmed as he glanced at the floor “she was put up with a family here on Illium. She's been safe and secure here for most of her life..... but”

“Something's changed” Jane answered, already guessing where Miranda’s words were headed

“................yes”, Miranda confirmed with a glare, “my contacts tell me father is close to finding Oriana. I've been working to ensure that she and her new family are moved somewhere safe.......”

“But?” Jane encouraged

“i want to make sure everything goes as planned” Miranda admitted as she avoided Jane’s gaze “It's nothing to do with the mission, and i know that you and John don’t think highly of me, but i would be grateful-”

“i’ll talk to John” Jane cut in as she gave Miranda a warm smile “i’m sure he’ll be willing since it's not Cerberus related”

Miranda’s eyes widened in surprise as she finally looked at Jane. The ghost of a smile formed on her usually stoic face

“t-thank you Jane” Miranda stuttered as she moved back to her usual posture

“glad to help” Jane replied as she rose to her feet “when is Oriana set to leave?”

“The extraction is in six hours” Miranda answered, her tone and body language shifting back to her more professional persona

“not much time” Jane mused aloud “any problems with others coming along?”

Miranda was still for a moment before exhaling deeply “as much as i want it to be private. I know things always have the potential to go wrong. And if they do, a full squad will help”

“preferences?” Jane questioned as she already begun plotting her chosen aids

“Nothing that stands out too much” Miranda remarked as her eyes fogged over in thought “Archembald, Hemlock, the Krogan, and the Geth are out”

Jane made a hum of thought before nodding and proclaiming

“i know just the people. Give me some time to talk it over with John, and we’ll all meet on the main deck”

“Okay Jane” Miranda acknowledged with a small smile “Thank you”

-an hour and a half later, Illium landing platform-

A smile crawled across Jane’s lips as she strode along the platform, her ginger hair flowing behind her like fire in the wind. John marched beside her; his face contorted into a look of ambivalence towards their current actions. Thane, Jacob, and Mordin. All suitable figures, all sworn to secrecy by Jane and Miranda before departing the Normandy.

“i never knew you had a sister Miranda” Jacob commented as the group made their way towards the door leading into the room

“If I weren’t desperate, you never would” Miranda countered with a stern tone

“There is no shame in caring for your sister” Thane proclaimed, a deep vibration in his voice

“Not up for discussion” Miranda snapped as she stomped ahead

Jane glanced to her side and saw John shooting her a look. She returned it with a small smile, which earned her a deep sigh and the roll of his eyes.

Silence fell as the team continued moving through the streets of Illium, until their warpath was suddenly interrupted by a female voice calling out

“excuse me!, Excuse me!”

Jane glanced towards the origin of the call and took in the sight of a relatively young-looking Asari who was clad in a pale white dress with crimson accents.

“Would you two happen to be the Shepards?” the woman asked as she stopped before them

“depends” John replied as Jane saw him bracing out of the corner of her eyes “who are you?”

“A messenger” the Asari answered as she glanced around, the evening sun gleaming over the barren market space “i was asked to give you a message from a friend on Noveria”

“Noveria” Jane echoed as she thought back over the events of the ice world “We met plenty of people there; you’ll need to be more specific”

“i believe the message will make all clear” the Asari replied with a small smile before she moved slightly closer

Jane watched in horror as the Asari took a deep breath before her eyes slowly rolled up into her head, as a deep, calm voice spoke from her mouth

“Shepards. We hide. We burrow. We build. We know you hunt, know you have stood on the home of our music, the land of our mothers.”

“What the fu-” Jacob cried as he recoiled away as Thane’s hand shifted to his holstered pistol, ready to defend them

“The Rachni Queen” Jane uttered in breathless amazement “h-how”

“we have heard your music” the queen continued, the voice uncaring to Jane’s question “songs of your hunt have reached us, music of your search for those who soured the songs of our mothers. When the day comes, our voice shall join with yours, and our crescendo will burn the darkness clean. Thank you, Shepards, the Rachni shall sing again. Because of you”

Suddenly, the voice faded out as the Asari stumbled back, her eyes rolling back down unfocused and blurry.

“Are you ok?” John asked as he moved to make sure the woman didn't fall

“Quite” the Asari smiled as she clutched a nearby sign for support

“How did the Queen deliver the message?” Jane questioned as her expression shifted to one of worry, “Is she on Illium?”

“no, no” the Asari answered as she waved the idea off with her free hand “i encountered her many months ago when i was part of a team exploring an uncharted world in the Terminus. She saved my life that day”

“And she asked you to deliver a message to us?” John asked with a clear look of confusion

“i have been living among them since that day, learning from them” the Asari explained “When we gained word from my communications with Thessia that you had returned, the Queen asked that i deliver her thanks to you both”

“And this Queen is not holding you against your will?” Thane inquired a clear concern for the Asari’s well-being in his voice

“not at all” the Asari smiled “they are an amazing species with an untamed beauty when their people aren’t driven mad by war. The galaxy owes you both a great debt for giving them a chance to sing their songs once more”

A gentle smile graced Jane’s lips as she thought of the Rachni scurrying and building beautiful hive cities deep in a distant planet's crust. The images of which bringing back memories of Suen.

“Jane, John!” Miranda’s voice called, suddenly snapping Jane back to reality as she glanced around to see Miranda near the entrance to a bar called Eternity

“Sorry” Jane whispered as she looked back at the Asari “we have to go”

“Then go you shall” the Asari replied with a deep bow “may the stars be kind to you both”

Jane gave the Asari one last smile before turning and moving towards Miranda, John and the others trailing behind. With Jacob's voice distinctly muttering about creepy bug possession, and Mordin speaking to himself so quickly that Jane couldn’t pick up his words echoing behind them all, as they went. Soon they arrived in front of Miranda, who gave a silent nod before turning and striding into the bar. As Jane followed, she was hit with a wall of noise and heat as rave music and a murmur of voices swept over her. She followed close behind Miranda as the group carefully pushed through the crowds of evening patrons until they finally found themselves entering a small private room where a purple-skinned Asari leaned against the opposite wall.

“Lanteia” Miranda addressed as she came to a stop

“Ms. Lawson” the Asari replied as the ghost of a smile formed on her lips “I’m glad you came, we’ve run into a..... complication”

Jane felt the go cold as she saw Miranda’s jaw tense out of the corner of her eyes

“Complication”, Miranda echoed in a lethal whisper, a nearly unnoticeable trace of fear laced in “what happened? Is Oriana all right?“

“she's fine” Lanteia remarked as she crossed her arms “but the individual you listed as your trusted source... Niket. He contacted me, warning that Eclipse mercenary's have been sent by your father to make a sweep”

“bastard”, Miranda growled as her brows knitted together “Have they made a move?”

“not yet” Lanteia replied with a sigh “Niket offered to oversee moving Oriana and her family to transport terminal. He seems to think that they will be looking out for you specifically”

Miranda made a low hum of thought before her eyes shifted to land on Jane, who sent the raven-haired woman a small smile

“This is your sister Miranda” she said gently “We’ll do whatever you think is best”

“thank you” Miranda whispered as he eyes darted back to Lanteia “have Niket escort Oriana and her family. We'll take the skycar to draw the mercenaries' attention.”

“understood Ms. Lawson” Lanteia nodded as she pushed away from the wall and made her way for the door “i’ll make the necessary arrangements.”

“So we get shot down while your sister gets to safety?” John questioned as the Asari departed, his focus shifting towards Miranda

“eclipse will still think Oriana is on the skycar” Miranda countered as a glare formed “they won’t risk anything that could kill her. By the time they figure out she’s not with us they’ll already be dead”

Jane watched John raise a brow as he thought it over before he gave a nod of approval, which brought a small smirk to Miranda’s lips.

“Will this Niket require assistance?” Thane inquired, drawing all eyes to him, “It is unlikely that all the mercenaries will be focused on us. If desired, i can trail his group from the shadows”

Jane glanced at Miranda, who had her lips pressed together and her brows knitted in deep thought. A minute or so passed before the raven-haired woman finally shook her head

“i appreciate the offer Krios, but it would be best if we stick together” she answered as she gave Thane a neutral look “Niket can look after himself, and I'd rather not risk anything.”

Thane gave a nod of acknowledgement, which brought Miranda’s smile back. Jacob seemed like he was about to speak, but before he could Lanteia’s familiar voice called from the doorway

“Everything is in order Ms. Lawson, you’ll need to move”

“understood” Miranda confirmed and she began to moved towards the door only to stop and glance back towards the team “i appreciate this, all of you.”

Miranda turned and departed as Jane glanced at John, who shrugged and began to follow. Jane allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she and the others headed out of the bar and into the forming night.

-half an hour later, Illiam shipping port A17-

Jane’s eyes trailed over the dark city below, the myriad of neon lights allowing her to take in the beauty even as night fell. Everything almost seemed peaceful as the Skycar soared across what appeared to be a port full of crates of goods soon to be shipped all over the galaxy.

“Gunship approaching on left” Mordin suddenly declared, instantly catching everyone's attention “No planetary security markings”

“Well there goes the peace” Jane sighed as she glanced at Miranda who was donning a stoic look

“Bring us down, ideally near some cover” John ordered from the back seat, the distinct sound of a shotgun priming following

“Show time” Jacob sighed as the car began its descent, followed closely by the gunship

Jane felt her jaw tense as the skycar plunged downward before quickly levelling out as it began to slow. A loud him thundered overhead as the gunship passed the skycar and rotated in the air, its ramp lowering to allow yellow-clad mercs to disembark

“Wait for them to get off” Jane ordered as she saw Jacob reaching for the door release “Draw them out as much as possible”

Jacob nodded in acknowledgement as Jane’s attention turned back to the mercenary's. Five run-of-the-mill Eclipse Mercs as fanned out over the space and were now approaching the skycar while a male human with energy fields around his armour strode in front of them with a smirk on his face. Suddenly, the ground rattled as the gunship's engines roared and propelled the ship higher into the sky and out of sight.

“now” John ordered as he pushed down his own release, several clicks rang throughout the skycar as the two doors and roof folded open allowing the heavily armed team out of the vehicle.

Jane drew her pistol and took up a position beside Miranda as the raven-haired woman began striding towards the mercenaries. Mordin soon joined her while John and Jacob took up the other side. Thane, earning his fame as an assassin, had already disappeared into the darkness, ready to pounce once it was called for.

“Given you aren’t already shooting i gather you know who i am” Miranda declared as she came to a stop, her eyes staring daggers at the apparent leader of the squad

“Yeah. They said you’d be in the car,” the man spat as a scowl formed on his lips "You're the bitch that kidnapped our boss’s little girl”

“kidnapped!?” Miranda cried her usual calm demeanour disappearing only to be replaced by surging fury, “This doesn’t even involve you. I suggest you take your men and go”

“you just think you’ve got it all lined up” the man chuckled a sick smirk twisting on his lips “captain Enyala’s already moving in on the kid. Oh, and she knows about Niket, and let's just say he won’t be helping you”

“What does that mean?” Jane demanded as concern began to flow in her mind, while she carefully used her free hand to discreetly signal into the darkness

“Nothing you need to worry about” the man answered, “nobody gets hurt unless you do something stupid”

“If you're implying we just stand around and let you take Miranda’s sister, then you're dead wrong” John chimed in “Don’t push this, you can still walk away”

“The captain ordered us to give you a chance” the man sighed in a tone that fained disappointment “While we’ve been chatting it up, my men have been lining up shots, one word and they’ll unleash hell”

“That's a shame” Jane sighed as the man’s eyes widened in confusion “Guess our man will have to be faster”

Jane suddenly ducked down as a loud bang echoed through the dark shipping yard. Crimson filled the air as a bullet pierced the unhelmet merc's head. A small thud followed as the dead merc slammed to the ground, a confused look still plastered on his face.

“What th-” one of the other mercs attempted to say before they were silenced by a torrent of gunfire.

Jane glanced up in time to see the other four gunning down the other guards before they had a chance to react or question what had happened. With a push, Jane hauled herself back to her feet as the last of the yellow-clad thugs collapsed to the steel floor. Complete silence fell as everyone held their breath, each of them waiting to see if more mercs would appear from the shadows. After a minute of quiet had passed, a sigh swept over the lot only to be cut off by Miranda’s voice

“damn” she muttered as he strode towards the mercenary leader's corpse, her heels clicking against the metal “damn, damn, damn”

Jane briefly glanced at her brother and the others, each of whom was sporting a look of surprise at the usually collected woman breaking character.

“.........everything alright, Miranda?” Jacob questioned as Jane turned her focus back to the woman who had taken the dead man's radio system

“What do you think!?” Miranda snapped as she spun around “Eclipse is onto us, they know Oriana is moving without security, and something has happened to Niket!.....everything is going wrong”

“it is not too late to fix it” Thane stated calmly as he appeared from the darkness “but we must move before Eclipse gets the chance to react”

“y-yes, of course” Miranda replied as she swiftly pulled her calm demeanour back “i looked over the schamatics of the area before the mission. We can cut through this cargo port to the transport hub. Hopefully, Oriana and her family will have already arrived”

“then lets move” Jane ordered as she gestured for Jacob and Mordin to take point. Both nodded before darting ahead to ensure the coast was clear, allowing Jane to return her focus to Miranda. “Ready?”

“Absolutely”, Miranda replied as she drew her pistol and spun on her heel.

Silence fell once more as the four quickly advanced along the path that Mordin and Jacob had chosen. After a minute or two of running through large metal crates, Thane spoke once more

“This Niket, is he trustworthy?”

“absolutely” Miranda answered in a harsh voice “he’s one of my oldest friends. He was the only one i kept in contact after i ran from my father.......you could say he was my only friend”

“And he would not betray you?” Thane continued, completely unbothered by Miranda’s harsh voice

“Never, not unless it was to protect me” Miranda replied

Jane saw a small frown form on the Drell's features out of the corner of her eye. And she had no doubt that he had come to the same conclusion she had

‘What if this was for her?’

-shortly later, Illium shipping port B17-

Jane ducked as bullets raced overhead. The teams' push forward had gone unimpeded till they crossed into the next cargo bay, where they came face to face with a horde of eclipse.

“How many mercs can your dad afford!?” John called from a nearby crate as his biotic barrier protected him from a stray round

“more than we could count!” Miranda called back as she unleashed a biotic blast that sent a Salarian slamming into a crate

“Hostiles coming in waves” Mordin stated from his place to Jane’s left “not attempting to stop, only slow”

“We need to push past them!” Jacob yelled over the gunfire, “If they keep us pinned down, we’ll never break past”

Jane’s breath hitched in her throat as a bullet whizzed past her ear before striking a merc in the head. Glancing at the shot's origin, she saw Thane kneeling near a large terminal system, shifting her focus to the surrounding space. Jane tried to figure out what the terminal controlled. Tense seconds ticked by until Jane’s eyes landed on a large trench-like space that was between her squad and the approaching eclipse mercs, her focus shifting to the large conveyor belt above the trench and the many shipping crates still attached to it from use earlier that day.

“Thane!” she called as her head snapped back to the Drell, who glanced up from his rifle “, See if that terminal can get the conveyor going! I'll cover you!”

Thane looked to his side before giving a nod. The moment Jane saw him beginning to shift his weight, she moved. In one fluid motion, she lunched herself to her feet and focused her biotic energy into a large barrier to serve as a wall between Thane and the unending wave of gunfire. Jane braced as she felt each bullet slam into the barrier, the muscles in her arms burning as she realised that she may have underestimated the sheer amount of guns aimed at her. Her teeth gritted together as she focused more of her energy until a sudden soothing sensation washed over her, as if a massive weight at been lifted from every muscle in her body.

Jane’s eyes snapped open to see that the barrier had grown in size and strength. Slowly and carefully, she looked to her right, where she was met with the sight of Miranda standing nearby. Both arms outstretched as biotic energy crackled across her skin, and her hair flew in an invisible storm. A small smile graced Jane’s lips as she heard the distant roar of machinery and the grinding sound of the conveyor coming to life. Slowly but surly, the massive shipping crates began to move along the trench, their metal exteriors serving as massive walls of moving cover. As the first crate moved closer, Jane looked to Miranda and called out to her

“on one release!”

“Got it!” Miranda roared back

“three!” ten mitres

“Two!” Five metres left

“ONE!”

right before the crate moved in front of the pair, both woman thrust their arms outwards, launching the massive barrier of combined biotic energy towards the eclipse horde. The crate crept in front of them before they could see the carnage they had unleashed. But the screams and crashes on the other side told Jane that it was devastating for the mercs.

“Nice job Thane” Jane smiled as she glanced back at the Drell, who nodded

“Not done yet” Jacob chimed in with a harsher tone than usual

Shifting her focus back to the trench, Jane watched as the crate moved past, allowing everyone to glimpse the opposite side of the trench. Carnage was an understatement, the eclipse’s makeshift barriers had been crushed along with the poor souls behind them, the large cargo containers that they had used as cover had been lunched back with one lying completely overturned, and somehow the body of one of the mercs had been lunched high enough into the air that it now tangled limply from an overhanding crane.

“Looks like we are” John commented as everyone stared in awe at the devastating mess

“Indeed” Mordin agreed before inhaling deeply through his nostrils “pity for workers”

“We don’t have time for this!” Miranda cried as she jumped across the trench and kept moving forward

Jane sighed to herself before following suit, the rest of the team trailing close behind. The rest of the advance across the bay was relatively quiet; the few remnants of the eclipse force cowered behind more makeshift barriers or attempted to hide among crates. Finishing the last holdouts was easy. Jane smiled as she worked with Miranda to send three poor souls flying off a ledge from a biotic shockwave, nearby John and Jacob cut down heavily armoured merc with shotgun rounds to the knees and a biotically charged strike to the head. The last few mercs suffered the swiftest deaths as Mordin and Thane descended on them, the assassin and scientist swiftly cutting through them with knife and biotics until the last fell with a gentle thud.

“That was the last of the-” Thane began to say, only to be silenced by a sudden outburst from the radio Miranda had taken

“Niket has reached the terminal” a female voice remarked “he’ll switch the family over to our transport, they’ll be none the wiser”

“Niket.........” Miranda echoed as the air became charged with tension, “No.....b-but that can’t be right.......”

“Miranda.......” Jane said gently as she watched the raven-haired woman's usually collected features devolve into fury, betrayal, and sadness

“i-it can’t be true” Miranda uttered as a glare formed, her voice shaking as she spoke “maybe the captain knows were listening in and is feeding misinformation about Niket.........”

“unlikely” Mordin stated grimly, “no way of knowing we possess radio”

“one of the gaurds could have seen it” Miranda countered almost desperatly “N-Niket would never betray me.........”

“Only one way to find out” John said with a sigh as an elevator door opened nearby “only one platform between us and the terminal”

Jane gave Miranda a gentle smile as the raven-haired woman glared at the elevator. After a sigh, Miranda strode past, leaving Jane and the others to trail behind while each of them wondered how this confrontation would play out.

-A tense elevator ride later-

“Listen to me!” a male voice yelled as the elevator slid to a stop “I’ve got authorisation to change their booking!”

“i’m sorry, sir,” a female voice replied “We’re under security lockdown until the situation in the cargo terminal has been resolved”

“This isn’t worth my time Niket” a familiar female voice remarked “i get paid as long as the girl gets there alive”

“NO!” the male voice roared “i was told i could handle this my way. We're not traumatising the family anymore, then we-”

A small hiss rang out as the elevator door slid open revealing the scene to Jane. A male human stood in front of an Asari holding a data pad while another Asari clad in eclipse armour sat on a nearby railing. Without a word, Miranda strode out of the elevator, her heels clicking ominously as the male turned towards the team, his eyes narrowed

“Miri” the man uttered in an unbelieving voice

“well this should be fun!” the yellow-clad Asari exclaimed as she leapt down from her seat and drew a shogun

Jane reacted swiftly, drawing her pistol, the sounds of other weapons unfolding all around her confirming that the others had done the same. A small crash echoed through the dark chamber as the first Asari dropped her datapad and started to run, only to be cut down by a blast from the eclipse woman's shotgun. Jane felt her face twist into a glare at the loss of innocent life and the nuchalont smirk on the killer's face as she turned back to the team.

“Niket” Miranda addressed her voice laced with fury and pain as she raised her pistol “you sold me out”

“W-w-well" Niket stammered as he was glared down by Miranda

“Why?” Miranda demanded, the fury in her voice struggling to force back the pain, “You were my friend. You helped me escape my father-”

“Because you wanted to leave!” Niket snapped, “That's your choice! If i had known you stole a baby-”

“stole!” Miranda spat her anger returning “i saved her!”

“from a life of wealth and happiness!?” Niket countered, “You weren’t rescuing her! You were getting back at your father!”

“Don’t you dare tell me what her life would have been!” Miranda uttered her voice laced with so much venom it made Niket recoil, “You never lived with him! You never endured him!, she would have been wealthy, but Oriana would never have known a day of happiness with our father!”

“You don’t-” Niket tried to argue, only to be silenced by John’s voice

“Your father knows about Oriana Miranda” he stated simply “we’ll need a new solution”

“he doesn't” Niket uttered dejectedly “i knew you had spies in his network Miri, i kept it private..... I’m the only one that knows”

Jane felt the temperature of the room drop as Miranda’s face became stiff. A grim glare that held layers of care, love, betrayal, and pain behind it as her eyes fogged over for a fraction of a second.

“then you are the only loose end” Miranda declared in a sorrowful voice as her finger trembled on the trigger of her pistol “this isn’t how i wanted it to end Niket. I'm sorry-”

Before she could pull the trigger, Jane lunched forward and grabbed Miranda’s upper arm, forcing her gun upwards as a bullet burst from the barrel and slammed into the ceiling above.

“JANE!” Miranda hissed as she glared down at the ginger

“You don’t want to do this, Miranda” Jane whispered gently as her green eyes met Miranda’s stormy blue

“This has to end here” Miranda uttered the determination in her voice, not quite reaching her eyes “My father will keep hunting Oriana”

“But you don’t have to kill him” Jane argued as she slowly moved to her original position “Niket could talk to your father, say you got to Oriana first”

“and that i have no idea where you moved her” Niket finished with a sombre look “.....i never wanted to hurt you Miri. I-i just wanted Oriana to have the life you denied her......”

Miranda inhaled deeply before narrowing her glare on Niket and stating

“i never want to see you again-”

Before she could finish, a loud gunshot rang out. Jane recoiled out of habit as she saw crimson explode from Niket’s chest, leaving a large hole where his heart and lungs had once been. Time crawled to a still as Niket’s stiff body collapsed to the floor, his face still contorted into a look of guilt and sadness.

“Done” Enyala remarked as she cocked her shotgun “Now if you excuse me I have a shipment to deliver”

Before Jane could even react, a burst of biotic energy erupted from Miranda, slamming into the Asari before dragging her into the air.

“You’ll pay for that!!” Miranda screamed as energy flowed from her tearful eyes

With another motion, Miranda sent the Asari flying across the chamber, slamming her into the far wall with such force that the metal dented as violet blood and bone exploded from the body’s impact. Silence fell as the Asari’s broken body slammed into the distant floor; the only break in the quiet was the crackling of Miranda’s biotics and her hidden sobs. No one moved or spoke until Miranda’s biotics finally flared out and she carefully crept towards Niket’s body.

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to go” she whispered as she kneeled down beside him, small, discreet tears flowing from her eyes

Jane silently moved closer and lowered herself to kneel beside the raven-haired woman before wrapping her arm around her shaking shoulder.

“he betrayed me Jane” Miranda whispered painfully “i-i never saw it coming”

“you couldn’t have” Jane whispered back as she began rubbing Miranda’s shoulder “he was your friend... for all the upgrades you have, you are still human. You make mistakes, the best of us do”

“i let it get personal” Miranda countered as she looked at Jane “i screwed up. And now he’s dead. Gunned down by that Asari bitch... why didn’t you let me kill him?”

“Because you would have regretted it” Jane answered softly as green once again met blue “even after he betrayed you, you still cared for him”

“.....i know” Miranda sighed as a tear rolled down her cheek “he was all i had left. All i kept after I ran from my father......but now, now i have nothing”

“that’s not true” Jane replied causing Miranda to open her mouth in confusion “you have me, and Jacob, and the other members of the crew. It will take time and effort to open up to some of them, but i know that most will be willing if you give them a chance. But most importantly of all, you have your sister. You have Oriana”

“She doesn’t know i exist” Miranda whispered as her tears began to dry “The less she knows about me, the better”

“Miranda” Jane said softly as she smiled at the raven haired woman “Oriana will always be in danger while your father is out there. But if she has you in her life, she will have nothing to ever be afraid of”

“b-but” Miranda tried to argue, only to be silenced by Jane’s words

“No buts. Don't you think she deserves the chance to know her big sister?, a chance to choose if you are in her life or not?”

Miranda was still for a moment as her eyes once again fogged over in thought before she finally let out a small sigh and nodded her head.

“Good” Jane smiled as she began helping Miranda to her feet “Now let's make sure she’s safe”

-A day later, Illium transit hub-

A smile pulled at Jane’s lips as she strode down the metal platform towards the area Miranda had asked them to meet. John had been invited too much to her surprise, although it likely had something to do with the heart-to-heart Miranda had with him once they returned to the Normandy the night prior, both of them having left the briefing room looking happier and with a greater understanding of one another. Despite this, John refused, as Jane thought back to his exact words

‘not really my place’

The ginger shook her head; she had to admit John had been doing better at understanding both his own feelings and others. But this was admittedly a Scenario she was best suited for. Jane’s smile widened as the focus of her thoughts came into view. Miranda stood near a shuttle, clad in a casual dress that Jane had lent her that very morning. A rare smile graced Miranda’s lips as Jane made her final approach

“Thank you for coming” Miranda uttered clearly, still struggling with being more open

“Glad I could be here” Jane replied with a wide smile

Miranda’s focus left Jane and shifted over to a distant crowd. Jane followed her gaze until her eyes landed on a group of three. An older man with greying hair who was joking and laughing with a woman with platinum white. And there stood beside them both, giggling at their antics, was a young woman who looked exactly like Miranda if she were younger, her own raven hair flowing in the wind.

“There she is” Miranda said with a smile, which Jane swiftly returned “safe and sound, and ready to head off to her new home”

“Just needs a sister to cheer her along” Jane remarked

Miranda was still for a moment before she took a deep breath and strode away from the shuttle and towards the three. Jane watched as she approached, a smile forming on her lips as she saw the two sisters meet and the tears form in each of their eyes as they spoke for the very first time.

Chapter Text

John bit back laughter as he watched the unfolding scene. Garrus, Zaeed, Arok and Grunt had all decided that a good way to pass the time was to take it in turns seeing who could stack the Normandy's bowls and plates the highest while the others threw balled up pieces of paper in an attempt to knock the tower over.

“DAMN IT!” Grunt cried, followed by metal clanging as his tower came crashing down

Desperate to avoid bursting into laughter, John shifted his focus around the deck. On the far side of the room stood Kasumi and Tali, who appeared to be happily chatting as they watched the tower madness. Echo and Chief stood nearby chatting with Lia and Neomi, the two humans eating noodles out of mugs due to the lack of bowls. Near the entrance to the medical wing stood Chakwas, who was looking over a datapad while she spoke with Mordin. And finally his eyes landed on Hemlock and Miranda, who were standing near the entrance to the main gun’s chamber’s the cyborg examining a datapad which Miranda he brought to him while the raven-haired woman watched silently, only to speak up in intervals to ask questions about whatever was on it.

A small smile pulled at John’s lips as he watched the pair. He had to admit, when Jane had brought up Miranda’s request, he had been suspicious, and the more spiteful part of him almost wanted to say no. But after the talk they had together after saving Oriana, he had come to realise that there was much more to Miranda than a blind Cerberus follower. It was still too early to say she had changed, but in the day since Oriana had departed, her attitude had become far less sour and spiteful, with it being replaced with a wit and dry sarcasm that was actually rather amusing.

“chit for your thoughts?” a familiar voice questioned, making John suddenly snap back to reality

Glancing up, he was met with Jane’s smirking face, her green eyes shining with merriment.

“Just thinking about Miranda and how she’s changed” John answered as he gave his sister a small smile

“Hard to believe, isn’t it?” Jane asked as the pair turned their focus back to the woman in question, who was nodding as Hemlock pointed to something on the pad's screen

“it is” John agreed “i’m glad she’s let the walls she’s built come down. She could be such a bitch at times”

“Aren’t we all” Jane countered with a raised brow “Well..... everyone but Tali and Kasumi”

“True” John agreed as something caught his attention

Hemlock had suddenly gone still as he carefully examined a holographic screen that had materialised while John had looked away. With a sudden flick of the wrist, the screen faded as Hemlock handed the datapad back to Miranda and appeared to say something as she nodded. John’s attention entirely shifted as he saw the cyborg turn and swiftly march across the room, heading straight towards the pair

“This is either going to be really good or really bad” Jane sighed as she noticed the man's approach

“Ten chit’s says it's bad” John smirked

“you're on” Jane agreed as she crossed her arms

Seconds later, Hemlock came to a stop Infront of the pair, his three blue eyes gleaming as he stared down at them

“Feron has located the Asari Justicar Samara” Hemlock reported in his usual steely tone “This unit advises an immediate response”

John saw his sister lean closer, her smile growing wider as she whispered

“That’ll be ten chits”

John inhaled deeply before sighing from the depths of his soul

“fuck-”

-half an hour later, Nos Astra transport hub-

A myriad of metal thuds rang out as the team marched through the door leading out to a large platform where several skycars raced back and forth, all carrying patrons across the gleaming crime-fuelled capital.

“lot of people here Hemlock” Jane commented while both twins' eyes trailed over the crowds “how do we know who to talk to?”

“Officer Dara of the Nos Astra constables will direct us to the justiciar's location” Hemlock answered before raising a metal arm and pointing towards a station marked with a badge” She will be stationed at that security post”

“So we just waltz over and ask?” Kasumi questioned, an amused shine in her eyes, “Sounds easy”

“Don’t say that” Grunt grumbled before jutting his head to the side to gesture towards something “he looks real interested in us”

John wheeled around to see who Grunt was gesturing towards, and was surprised when he was met with the familiar figure of Charr, excitedly marching over with a well-dressed Asari in tow

“Charr?” Jane asked as the smiling Krogan came to a stop

“Shepards” he addressed warmly as he looked down at them warmly “im happy to see you both”

“It's good to see you too Charr” John replied as he donned his own smile “Brax told us you moved to Illium, started dating an artist”

“yes” Charr confirmed happily as he wheeled around to the Asari who was standing with her arms folded awkwardly “this is my darling Ereba”

“h-hi” the Asari said shyly while gently waving at the pair “I-it's nice to meet you both”

John waved back and realised that all of the team bar Hemlock had done the same, which made the Asari giggle slightly

“Brax said you were working in an art gallery or museum”, Jane chimed in as she addressed the two “, How is that going?”

“its amazing” Charr gushed with an excited gleam in his eyes “Ereba has so many pieces in the gallery, her landscapes take the breath away”

John smirked as he saw the Asari blush purple at the Krogan's words, to his left, he saw Jane donning a similar smile while her mind no doubt ventured to thoughts of her favourite Asari blushing.

“I-i W-wouldn't b-be here wi-without Charr” Ereba stuttered as she shrank in on herself

“Nonsense, my darling” Charr countered “you just needed some confidence to come out of that shell of yours”

Ereba blushed an even deeper shade of purple as she looked away from the Krogan’s gaze. Charr chuckled gently as he returned his focus to John

“Moving to Illium was the best choice of my life” the Krogan said proudly “i owe Brax and Baldwin more than i can put into words”

“Because they encouraged you?” Jane smiled as she parroted Brax’s words from long ago on the Citadel

“Yes”, Charr agreed with a nod “Well, Baldwin did most of the encouragement. Brax supported me, but Baldwin was the one who pushed me to try.”

A sombre look fell over Charr’s eyes as he spoke, a detail which was noticed by most of the team

“You sound sad” Tali questioned, her voice laced with concern “Did something happen?”

“just miss working with them” Charr sighed “Brax was an old friend and Baldwin was always kind to me. More than any non-Krogan has been before. Shortly after we moved here, my terminal crashed and i lost their contacts-”

“we can fix that” John declared as he pulled up his omni tool while gesturing for Charr to do the same. Once both systems were active, John synced up with Charr's tool and pressed a button “here”

A small ping rang from Charr’s omni tool as the Krogan’s eyes widened before shifting back into a warm smile as he saw Baldwin’s personal contact information appearing

“he’ll be happy to hear from you” Jane chimed in, matching Charr’s warm look with her own

“Thank you” the Krogan said happily as he deactivated the tool “it will be nice to speak to him and Brax again”

Suddenly, a musical alarm went off, instantly drawing John’s attention towards Ereba, who was frantically tapping her omni tool in an effort to shut it off.

“ah, time already?” Charr asked as the alarm came to a stop

“i’m afraid so” Ereba confirmed as she looked at Charr sadly

“We have an appointment at the gallery” Charr explained as he glanced back towards the group “Sorry to run like this-”

“its ok” John stated as he raised a hand “we’ve got to move ourselves.”

Charr smiled and gave a nod before turning back to Ereba and taking her hand in his own. Silence fell over the group as they all watched the pair fade into the crowd. Only once they had completely disappeared did Grunt speak up

“Gave up fighting for art. Boring”

“Everyone has different interests, Grunt” Jane commented as the team began moving towards the security post where their lead was said to be

“i think it’s sweet” Kasumi declared as Tali promptly nodded in agreement

Grunt didn’t argue, but John could make out the distinct sound of a scoff amongst the many voices echoing around the hub. Right when the team was about ten metres from the security post, something caught John’s eye. Shifting his focus, John’s attention soon landed on a familiar-looking Asari with her skin bleached green, who was sitting on a bench with a distraught look.

“She looks familiar” Jane commented, making John glance to the side to see she had been looking as well

“She does” John agreed as he looked back at the woman “but i can’t place on where”

“Wasn’t she on Feros?” Tali asked in an attempt to jog memories, “Sha-Shai something?”

“Shiala!” John said as he snapped his fingers, from it clicking together in his mind, “Saren’s tribute to the Thorian”

“Yeah, she was” Jane agreed as her face shifted into a look of clarity “She stayed with the colonists after we moved them off Feros”

“Then what is she doing here?” Kasumi inquired as she glanced at the woman

“Let's find out” John declared as he turned and moved towards the bench

As he moved closer, Shiala looked up, her eyes widening, and a shine appeared in them, banishing the grim hopelessness that had been present

“Shepards” Shiala addressed happily as she pulled herself to her feet “i had heard you were back”

“we’ve been hearing a lot of that” Jane sighed before smiling at the odd coloured Asari warmly “how have you been since we moved the colony to Quana?”

The joyful gleam that had been in Shiala’s eyes faded at the question as the Asari inhaled deeply before answering.

“good, for a time”

“For a time?” John echoed, already knowing he wasn’t going to like the answer

“settling on Quana was going well till news of your supposed deaths hit the galaxy” Shiala explained as she sifted her weight between feet and avoided everyone's gaze “the council voted three to one in favour of attempting to study the Thorian. Teams were sent down, and contact was lost. For months, they sent more and more people down to try and figure out what was happening.... they only gave up after some female Turian spectre disappeared.”

“so the council didn’t listen to you again” Tali growled as John reached up to rub his temples

“i can already guess who the vote against was” Jane muttered a scowl evident in her voice “and I'm guessing they conducted experiments on you and the other colonists?”

“thankfully not” Shiala smiled “we were considered protected individuals by the alliance. They refused to authorise studies unless the participant volunteered. The troubles came from the visions.... and nightmares”

“i don’t like where this is going” Kasumi said grimly as Shiala continued

“even on a different planet it appeared that the Thorian still had some connection to us” Shiala winced, her whole body shaking as if she was being watched “we began suffering from unexplainable symptoms with the worst of them being hallucinations of the Thorian heart or nightmares were it spoke to us trying to drag us back to Feros to become one with the growth”

John felt a cold wash over him as the true extent of the Thorians control became clear. In the back of his mind, he began to question if it had been wise to cheat such a being of its promised bounty

“so what did you do?” Jane questioned her expression, laced with concern

“in the end we contracted a medical company here on Illium to help us” Shiala sighed before folding her arms “they delivered on a cure that was effective at blocking the Thorians spores, but now their representative is refusing to give the licences that were promised to us. It's why I'm here, i was sent to pick them up.”

In an instant, John’s concern gave way to anger as he felt his teeth gnash together. Beside him, he saw Jane react similarly, her green eyes shifting into a low, ominous glare.

“Show us this representative” John ordered, making Shiala’s gaze snap up to meet his own “We’ll see if we can convince them to change their mind”

Shiala seemed pensive for a moment as if running over exactly how involving the group would go, before she finally sighed and turned around to point to a booth-like area with the words Baria frontiers written across it, which was being manned by an Asari

“well be right back” John declared as he strode past with all the others swiftly following behind

Tense silence fell as the group moved closer to the booth. Only to be broken as they made their final approach, as the Asari behind the desk glanced up at them with a sour expression

“i saw you talking to her human” the Asari spat “she won’t be getting the licences. That's final. Your miserable lives are short enough to waste them bothering me”

John felt his scowl deepen as he glared down at the woman

“Why are you refusing to give them the licensees?” Jane demanded as she crossed her arms “Have they broken any part of the contract?

“it is not your concern human” the Asari hissed, her voice laced with venom “all of you, Humans, Salarians, Turians. Have the gall to come to our planet and complain. The galaxy would have been a better place if nobody but the Asari had pulled themselves out of the primordial muck”

John felt winded as he mentally recoiled from the woman's words. He had met his fair share of spiciest’s in his time. But this by far took the cake for the most aggressive one.

“Are you saying you are holding back the licensees because of their species?” Jane spat, all attempts to hide her fury completely fading

“i am doing it because it needs to be done” the Asari growled, “who the hell do you think you are to come here and demand anything?”

“two spectres” John stated with a steely determination in his voice “the same two spectres that saved the colony two years ago. Citadel authority is still recognised in Asari space. And unless you want a full investigation to come crashing down on you and your prejudice ass i suggest you hand those licenses over, NOW”

The Asari recoiled from the sudden change in his voice. John mentally smirked as he saw the way she further shrank in on herself as Hemlock and Grunt stepped closer to make their threatening presence known.

“w-well” she stammered before sighing before tapping her terminal and pressing a few keys and sending something, and then picking up a datapad and handing it over “t-take it and go”

“Wasn’t so hard was it?” Jane spat as John turned and marched away, his mind still reeling from the interaction

Striding back over to Shiala, who was wearing a gentle smile. John saw a gleam appear in her eyes as she saw the pad in his hand, and her smile grew wider as he moved closer and held it out to him

“Thank you” Shiala said warmly as she took the datapad

“She was miserable” Tali sighed

“Defiantly” Kasumi agreed before glancing at Shiala “you should seriously change providers”

“After this, i suspect we will” Shiala sighed “i truly wish i could offer something more than my thanks-”

“no need” John cut in as he raised his hand “just make sure everything gets back to the colony in one piece”

“i will” Shiala said with a laugh before John noticed Hemlock leaning towards him \

“This unit advises continued approach to target” the cyborg suggested his voice in an apparent whisper, “lest the justiciar disappear once more”

“fair point” John agreed as the cyborg shifted away “we need to keep moving Shiala. Will you be alright from here?”

“i’ll be fine” Shiala confirmed with a wide smile “i wish you both luck”

“You as well” Jane replied as the team turned and began making their way to the security post, which John could see was manned by an Asari clad in an officer's uniform

‘Here’s hoping she’s nicer than the last one’ John thought as he approached the woman

“greetings” the Asari said with a small smile “how can i be of service?”

“We're looking for an Asari Justicar” Jane answered with her own smile, “heard she had been through here”

The Asari went still as a statue, and her lips pressed together as she asked

“Please tell me you're not hunting her” her voice pleading

“we just need to discuss something with her” John explained in an attempt to ease the tension “We think she can help us with an important mission”

“Thank the goddess” the Asari sighed from the very core of her being “Ever since she set foot here, I've been worried how many people were going to die”

“not concerning at all” Kasumi joked as John saw her give him and Jane the side eye

“not like that” the Asari cut in, frantically waving her arms “Justiciars are bound by codes of honour and duty. Sorta like a Teuton if you’ve ever met them. The justiciars hunt unjust people; it just so happens Illium has a lot of unjust people”

“sounds intense” Jane mumbled before raising her voice slightly “were can we find her?”

“She was last reported at the local starport,” the Asari replied “I can call a taxi to take you there if you would like?”

John glanced to the side and saw Jane donning an expression that was a mixture of excitment and dread, as she noticed his gaze she gave a small nod. All that he needed to turn back to the Asari with a smirk to reply

“Lead the way”

-fifteen minutes later, Nos Astra Starport-

A low hum reached John’s ears as the skycar lowered into a parking space.

“Looks like something's going on over there” Grunt commented while pointing from the backseat

John followed the Krogan’s arm, his eyes landing on a Volus with two armed Turian guards behind them. A purple-skinned Asari clad in an officer's uniform stood about a metre away, glaring down at the Volus. With a slight jolt, the car came to a stop, and the doors slid open, allowing the heated conversation to reach the team

“Where do you think you are going?” the Asari demanded as she pointed at the Volus

“I’m trying to take my goods to Omega detective” the Volus replied between deep raspy breaths

“You're not going anywhere Pitne For” the Asari ordered before gesturing to a nearby security officer who began tapping on his omni tool “Until the murder of your business partner has been solved, your ship is impounded”

“i had nothing to do with that!” Pitne exclaimed with a wave of the arms, “It was those blasted mercs you can’t seem to get rid of!”

“Given they were your business partner, i can’t rule you out” the Asari detective countered harshly “i’ll tell you when you're free to go”

“bu-but” Pitne stammered “what about that Justicar!? People are saying she might go crazy and kill everybody, i need to leave”

“The more you try to get out of here, the more im going to suspect you” The Asari sighed before rubbing her temples “Justiciars only kill the guilty and unjust. You’ll have nothing to worry about if you're innocent”

“bu-b-” the Volus tried to argue, but before he could, the Asari turned and marched of,f calling back to him as she went

“If you have complaints, take it up with the station!. I have work to do!”

As John watched her disappear into a building with the large neon word ‘constables’ over the door, he heard Jane making a hum of thought.

“Well that was almost too easy” Kasumi stated, drawing his attention “the Justiciars here and looking into a murder”

“This unit suspects locating the Justicar is not the core issue of the matter” Hemlock chimed in, his four eyes focused on the constable's station “it is likely the process of convincing them to abandon their current task or objective will be problematic”

“One way to find out” Jane commented as she finally brought herself back to reality “that detective knows where she is, so starting with her sounds like a good idea”

With a series of nods from the rest of the group, John turned and led the way towards the station. A small hiss echoed around the entrance as the door slid open to allow entry. Once inside, John was met with a metal desk with a female Salarian behind it who was hastily tapping on the buttons until her gaze shifted up towards the approaching group

“gooday, how can i be of service?” she questioned as her six fingers continued to tap against the terminal

“We need to talk to the detective that just came in here” Jane answered as she looked around the room

“detective Anaya is rather busy at the moment” the Salarian remarked as she glanced back down at the terminal “however i can see you are no run of the mill guests so I'll allow it. Her desk is on the far side of the room behind the glass divider, near the door”

“Thanks” John said with a nod as he strode past the desk, the rest of the team close behind

The group quickly crossed the large room while weaving in between desks with officers or call takers all frantically working behind them until they finally rounded the class dividers' corner to me, met with the familiar Asari detective who was looking over several datapads.

“Detective Anaya?” John addressed as they all stopped in front of her desk

“That's me. Nice guns,” the detective replied as she glanced up from her work “Try not to use them in my district. I've got enough to worry about”

“we don’t want any trouble” Jane remarked with a small smile “we’re looking for the Asari Justicar Samara. We need to speak to her about an important mission”

“Trying to recruit her, are ya?” Anaya mused aloud, “Justicars usually work alone..... although they tend to be drawn to impossible causes”

“We defiantly have that covered” Tali mumbled, earning a chuckle from Grunt

“if it means you’ll get her out of my district, I'll help you asap” Anaya said as her voice became chipper “She’s at the scene of a murder”

“She’s allowed to just waltz onto a crime scene?” Kasumi questioned her voice, barely containing her surprise

“she’s a Justicar” Anaya shurrged as if that answered the question “they are the highest and most ancient of Asari law bringers. Like members of the Teuton order of the unnamed or Turian crest hunters. Not to mention she’s been looking at crime scenes longer than any of us have been alive”

“For how highly you speak of her, you sure seem to want her gone” John commented as he crossed his arms

“my bosses want me to detain her” Anaya shuddered “they are worried she’ll cause some kind of cross species incident. Her justiciar code forbids her from being taken into custody. If I try, she’ll have to kill me”

“Your superiors are sending you to your death?” Jane sputtered her voice laced with horror at the idea, “You have every right to disobey!”

“We’re allowed to disobey suicidal orders?” Kasumi mumbled

“Why weren’t we ever told!?” Grunt cried in mock frustration

“Because we get them about twice a day” Tali sighed

“We don’t give them that often” John argued as he glanced at the three.

“This statement is correct” Hemlock confirmed

“see-” John began to say, only to be silenced

“Statistical evidence indicates the current average to be three and a half times per active day” Hemlock continued, a tiny gleam in his organic eye

John felt exasperation bubble as the other three burst into laughter at the cyborg's direct jest. Only managing to calm down when Jane turned back to Anaya and gestured for her to continue

“I'm a cop and i know my duty” Anaya sighed clearly not happy with her own sense of duty “I’ve been ordered to detain her, and i will unless she leaves first”

“Which is why you are helping us” John smiled, earning a nod from the tired woman

“So, where is the crime scene?” John asked with a raised brow

“literally around the corner and down the hall, first door on the right” Anaya explained as she gestured out the window behind her towards a large doorway where two uniformed Asari stood guard “got do not cross lines outside. I'll tell them to let you through”

“We’ll be on our way then” Jane smiled before gesturing for everyone to follow

As the group began making their way out of the station, Anaya’s voice called behind them

“Good luck! And don’t die!”

-six minutes later, storage room-

A low chime echoed through the metal hallway as John pressed down the on shut door. A gentle hiss escaped as the mechanism unlocked and began to open.

“i’m starting to get really sick of Eclipse being everywhere” Jane sighed as she checked over her pistol

“Amen to tha-” John began to reply as he stepped through the open door, only to be cut off by an Asari clad in yellow armour flew past and slammed into the nearby wall with a heavy thud

“Keelah!” Tali exclaimed as everyone looked from the woman up a set of stairs, where another merc stood clutching her gun tightly

“t-those were my best t-troops" the woman stammered as she edged back towards the stairs

John’s eyes narrowed as a second figure appeared. A regal-looking Asari clad in a skintight armoured suit. Crimson and yellow in colour with blue biotic energy crackling across its surface as she strode towards the line merc

“tell me what i wish to know and i shall be gone from this place” the Asari declared as her face appeared from the shadows, several red adornments running across her face as intense energetic eyes glared at the merc “where did you send her?”

“y-you think i would betray her?” the merc stuttered as she leaned against a glass pane “She would hurt me in ways you can’t imagine”

“The name of the ship” the red-clad woman continued “your life hangs on the answer, lieutenant”

“you can kill me, but one of us will take you down, Justicar!” the lieutenant roared as she raised her pistol

Before she could pull the trigger, a wave of biotic energy slammed into her, wrapping around her and pulling her into the air. With an effortless wave of the arm from the crimson-clad Asari, the lieutenant smashed through the glass pane and plummeted to the ground level, where she smashed into a metal crate. John felt himself wince as he looked back up at the Justicar, who gracefully lowered herself to the ground floor with her biotics before striding towards the lieutenant with a cold, unreadable look in her eyes, before pressing the heel of her boot to the woman's neck

“The name of the ship she left on” the Justicar question again in a perfectly calm tone

“i pray you never see the light of the goddess” the lieutenant spat

The crimson-clad Asari inhaled slightly and uttered

“May you find peace in the embrace of the goddess”

With a sharp twist, a cracking sound echoed through the silent room as the lieutenant's arms went slack and all semblance of life left her eyes. A tense silence hung in the air before the woman's multicoloured eyes darted upward and landed on the team, her shoulders rolling back as she strode around the crate towards them.

“I am Samara. A servant of the Justicar code,” she declared as she moved closer, the golden adornment around her neck gleaming in the light “My quarrel is with the sisters of eclipse, but many armed people stand before me.... Are we friend, or foe?”

“We came here hoping to be friends” John replied as he returned the intense gaze of Samara with his own

“is that so?” Samara questioned her tone perfectly maintained despite apparent surprise, “and why would you seek to be before me?”

“We’re hunting down the collectors who have been abducting human colonists” Jane explained as she dragged her attention away from the Asari’s corpse “We’ve been looking for the best who won’t shy away from suicidal odds; we're told you match that description”

For a moment, there was complete silence as Samara gazed at the pair, her stare unwavering as she appeared to be reading their very intentions and weighing them against their words

“i sense truth in that which you have said, and i am humbled by it” Samara finally declared as she allowed the tension in her shoulders to fade “i am afraid that i am already hunting an extremely dangerous fugitive. I managed to corner her here before she was smuggled off-world by the eclipse sisters. I must find the name of the ship she departed on before the trail goes cold”

“i really wish you agreed, Justicar” A familiar voice sighed a Anaya appeared in the room, wearing body armour and wielding a pistol “i’ve been ordered to detain you if you refuse to leave”

Samara looked at the detective with an unreadable expression before she stepped towards the woman

“You are brave to carry out your orders, detective” she proclaimed with an almost sombre look in her eyes “Fortunately my code allows me to comply for a single day before i must return to my search”

“Grateful as i am, i won't be able to release you that early” Anaya sighed

“You won’t be able to stop me” Samara countered in a matter-of-fact tone

“i know” Anaya uttered grimly, already bracing for potential death

‘Well shit’ John thought as he looked between the two Asari mentally trying to find a loophole to the problem

“This unit suggests compromise” Hemlock suddenly chimed in, allowing John to mental thank the cyborgs far faster computing power “The Justicar code allows detainment for one standard day of the planet they are currently located on. Justicar Samara will not depart Illium without information on her current target. This unit suggests Justicar Samara is taken into custody while the Shapards and their team locate target information in return for the promise of assistance”

All eyes shifted from the cyborg to Samara, who was as unreadable as before. The air felt charged and tense as everyone held their breath until Samara gave a small nod

“An acceptable solution” Samara agreed, allowing everyone to let out deep sighs of relief as the Asari turned her attention to Anaya “i shall allow you to take me into custody”

“before you go” Jane cut in as Anaya prepared to lead Samara from the room “any leads on where to start?”

“A merchant by the name of Pitne For is tied to this in some way” Samara stated as Anaya’s jaw clenched together “The members of Eclipse were preparing to kill him for some form of crime they believe he committed against them”

“So, back to the port” Grunt sighed as the two Asari turned and departed

“Back to the port” John echoed in confirmation

-twenty minutes later, Eclipse base-

John hunkered behind a crate as a container full of crimson dusk flew overhead and exploded against the room's far wall.

“This unit warns against red stand exposure for John and Jane!” Hemlock called over the chaos as he moved among the crates effortlessly, gunning down mechs and eclipse alike “Chemical makeup is lethal with high or continued exposure”

“They sure don’t seem to care!” Tali cried from John’s side as another crate flung overhead

“ha ha argh!” Grunt roared as she sprinted past, sending crates flying in all direction,s as he charged headfirst into a strongpoint

John used the opportunity to dart to his feet as he charged his biotics before flinging himself across the open space, slamming several mercs into the wall with a lethal crunch. As the energy around him faded, John heard the click of a gun priming. Wheeling around towards it he was met with the sight of an Asari mere feet away a massive smirk on her face.

“You los-” she began to say, only to be cut off as a bolt of energy coursed through her, and she fell limp to the ground

Seconds later, there was a flickering as Kasumi’s cloak faded, leaving the hooded woman smirking as she rested a hand on her hip.

“all good there John?” she teased as the man in question rolled his eyes

“Very funny” John sighed as the other members of the team rapidly approached, having finished off the rest of eclipse in the area

“Come on” Jane called in a sing-song voice as she marched past towards the door “we’re on a deadline here”

“it won’t take a day to get through this place” John argued as he followed behind his sister his hands instinctively examining his shotgun

“we should still be as quick as possible” Jane countered as they arrived in a large empty hallway with a sealed door halfway down it “Anaya’s life is still at stake”

John didn’t argue as the team swiftly continued down the hall only to stop before the door. John gave Hemlock a silent nod before stepping to the side to allow the cyborg to approach the door. Within seconds, a holographic screen had appeared, and lines of code began shifting and connective circuits being moved into place. With a click, the doors sealed before sliding open to reveal a small room with several mounted terminals inside.

As John stepped inside, he heard whimpering from behind the nearest of the terminals. Glancing to the side, he saw Jane had narrowed her eyes, having clearly noticed as well. Catching her eye, he gestured suilently towards the nearest terminal where the whimpering was coming from. Jane gave a nod before turning to the bulky system

“we know you're there” she declared, making the whimpering fade “Come out with your hands where we can see them”

A tiny silence followed before a rather young-looking Asari clad in eclipse armour crept out from behind the terminal, tears streaming from her eyes, and both her hands pressed to the back of her head.

“p-please don’t shoot” she pleaded as she faced down the teams many guns “i didn’t do anything i swear. I pretended to because the sisters were watching. I-I'm not one of them, I swear! I-I'm new”

John lowered his shotgun and raised a brow “How did you end up with them?”

“i-i joined up recently” the woman stuttered “i-i thought being Elnora the mercenary would be cool.... i-i didn’t realise it would be like this”

“it’s okay” Jane said soothingly as she approached the woman “we’ll get you out of her-”

She was suddenly cut off by the roar of a pistol, followed by a violet explosion of blood as a bullet pierced Elnora’s head. John’s eyes widened as the woman slammed to the ground with a thud. Wheeling around, John was met with Hemlock’s arm outstretched, one of his pistols still radiating heat, as his four eyes stared down at the Asari’s corpse

“What the hell!?” Jane roared as she marched over to Hemlock, fire burning in her green eyes “why would you kill an unarmed woman!?!”

“uh Jane” Tali’s voice cut in suddenly snapping both twins' attention to the suit-clad woman who had kneeled down next to Elnora’s corpse

Clutched tightly in the dead Asari’s right hand was a combat knife that had been hidden by her head. Only now that John looked closer did he see that in the final second of her life, Elnora’s face had shifted from afraid to a look of bloodlust with a tiny grin on her lips.

“This unit detected the presence of alloy composites commonly found in Asari commando knives” Hemlock state as he holstered his pistol “Action was taken before a hostile response could be taken”

John looked at the unblinking cyborg for a moment before he finally turned his attention to Jane, who wore a mortified look as she stared down at the bloodstained knife and her would-be attacker.

“Are you ok?” John whispered as he moved to stand beside her, worry taking hold of his mind

“n-no, not really” Jane shuddered as she finally pried her gaze away from the corpse “s-she was going to stab me.........”

John carefully placed a hand on his sister's back and began rubbing in circles. With a silent gesture with his head and a mouthed command, everyone in the room nodded in confirmation before silently making their way out. For a few minute, everything was quiet as Jane stared at the floor and John rubbed her back until finally she spoke up

“a-am i to kind?”

John was surprised by the question. He had expected to be asked all sorts of things by Jane, but that definitely wasn’t one

“not at all” John answered before sighing “i honestly think i wouldn’t be the same person without your kindness”

“How so?” Jane stammered as she glanced up to meet his eyes

“you saw how brutal i was on X57” John muttered as he thought back to the vengeful state he had been in on that astroid “over the years there have been so many times that i had almost cross the line. Done something horrible because it would have gotten a result. If it hadn’t been for you, I would have been a far more brutal and callous man......”

“Like hemlock?” Jane whispered

“like Hemlock” John agreed with a solemn nod “kindness is not a weakness Jane. Your kindness is your greatest strength. It is what pushes you to keep going, i don’t think I'm ready to live in a galaxy where you have lost your compassion”

“i-i don’t either” Jane agreed with a smile before glancing at the door

“Duty calls” John sighed as he followed her gaze

“Better find that info before Samara losses her patience” Jane agreed as she strode towards the door with a smile plastered on her lips

-Half an hour later, Eclipse sisters' command room-

John sighed as he looked down at the mangled corpse of the commander, her purple shell armour shattered and broken in several places from the combined power of Grunt and himself. He had to admit she had put of a better fight than most. But deep down, he knew she hadn’t stood a chance.

“Any luck?” he questioned as he turned to face the main desk, where Hemlock and Tali stood swiftly searching the terminals for information

“Nothing” Tali cried back before glancing over at Hemlock

“information acquired” Hemlock spoke as he brought the information up on a holoscreen “Ship departure matches recorded time estimate, only cargo listed is unidentified as ‘speciality’, no armed guard present, no crew bar pilot present, all data indicates this is the ship containing Justicar Samara’s target”

“Great” Jane called as she strode over with Kasumi and Grunt “were was it headed?”

“AMI Demeter, target location Omega” Hemlock answered as he shut off the screen and downloaded the data “Chronological calculations estimate the ship will have made port two galactic standard days ago”

“Great” John sighed as he reached up to rub his temples “Always back to omega, isn’t it?”

“Seems that way” Jane sighed before gesturing towards a nearby elevator “Either way, we should get the information back to Samara”

The a series of nods, the team quickly departed the base and began the climb back up to the station where their target awaited. As they went, John noticed that his attention continued to dart back to Tali whenever it could be afforded, with a smile crawling onto his face each time he did so. Every so often, he would even catch Tali in the process of glancing at him, which he simply chalked up to her making sure she was keeping pace with him and the others.

Finally, a small chime rang out as the group marched across the large open space before making their way into the constables' station and striding around the secretary's desk. The Salarian not bothering to look up as they made their way towards the glass Separator. Turning the corner, John was met with Anaya, who was sitting behind her desk, looking like the world was about to end, while a few feet away was Samara, sitting on the floor with her legs folded and her eyes closed in some form of meditation.

“Ah you're here” Anaya said hopefully as she looked up at them all “Please tell me you have something”

“We’ve got the name of the ship” John declared as Samara’s eyes bolted open and she rose to her feet

“the AMI Demeter” Jane continued as Hemlock raised an arm to display a holographic screen containing the data “it was headed for Omega. Our current belief is that it will have arrived a few days ago”

“i see you both live up to your legacy” Samara remarked as she examined the data “you have fulfiled your end of the bargain, now i shall fulfil mine. i shall depart with you immediately. Shall that satisfy your superior, detective?”

“your free to go, Justicar” Anaya answered as she looked up at Samara “it has been an honour to have you in this station...... and it’s nice you didn’t kill me as well”

“Well, if everything's in order, ready to head to the ship?” John asked before raising a brow

“Before we go, i must be sworn to your service” Samara explained as she came to stand directly in front of the pair “Thus i am never forced to choose between the tenants of the code and your orders”

John felt his breath as Samara’s eyes gleamed a great pale white before clamping shut as she lowered herself to a knee before him and Jane.

“by the code i shall serve you” Samara declared, her voice ringing off the walls “Your choices are my choices, your morals are my morals, your orders are my code”

Biotic energy crackled around Samara as the air became thick with tension. Then, finally, she rose to her feet, the energy fading as her eyes opened and the great pale gleam faded from her eyes.

“Amazing” Kasumi whispered, only to be accompanied by Tali’s whisper of “beautiful”

“i never thought i would see a Justicar swear and oath like that” Anaya uttered her voice full of awe

“be warned” Samara stated her voice stern “if you order me to do anything extremely dishonourable while in your service i may have to kill you once my oath is finished.”

“Don’t worry” John replied with a smirk, “if we did anything extremely dishonourabl,e Archembald would probably kill us before you had the chance”

if Samara was confused by the statement, she didn’t show it, instead leaving John to turn and lead the team from the station, all of them ready to return to the ship for a well-deserved rest”

-an hour later, Normandy briefing room-

“And that's you all caught up” Jane declared as she finished explaining everything that had happened with the collectors and the reapers

“They will pay for their actions” Samara stated a calm fury in her eyes that had been present since John had mentioned that the collectors were taking innocents

“Glad you're on board” John smiled as he leaned against the briefing room's table “Now we just need to find a place to put you”

With that, both Shepards glanced to Hemlock, who had stood silently, allowing the pair to explain the events that had lead to the current meeting.

“Does Justicar Samara have preferences or specific requests for her place of residence?” Hemlock inquired as his four eyes shifted to the Asari in question

“if possible, i wish to somewhere where i can see the void of space” Samara replied “it is well suited for my meditations”

“This unit has identified an ideal location” Hemlock remarked after a second of thought “Kindly follow this unit”

With that, Hemlock moved towards the door with Samara in tow, leaving John and Jane alone in the briefing room. For a few seconds, there was complete silence before John spoke up

“sooooooo” he said before taking a deep breath and looking to Jane “what do we do now?”

“i have absolutely no idea” Jane sighed as she glanced back at him

“Commanders” Joker’s voice suddenly called over the comm

“What is it, Joker!?” John yelled back

“High priority encoded communication coming in” Joker answered “Edi claims it matches the illusive man's”

Chapter Text

“You what?” Jane demanded as she crossed her arms and stared down the Illusive man

“We have a breakthrough”, the Illusive Man answered simply as his cybernetic eyes examined the pair “My agents have managed to intercept a distress signal from a Turian patrol fleet. They encountered a hostile ship that matched the collector ship in design and managed to disable it before they were wiped out”

“How the hell did they disable it?” John questioned, already voicing the same concern Jane had been thinking

“The current guess is it’s the same ship you fired on above Horizon”, the Illusive man explained before taking a puff of his cigarette. Miranda reported that it was damaged by the orbital battery. Perhaps it opened a weakness that the Turians managed to exploit”

“And the Turian’s aren't investigating? “Jane continued

“My people are delaying the signal” the Illusive Man sighed “Cerberus can buy you a Citadel standard day at most before Turian fleet command starts questioning the lack of reports”

“Let me guess” John sighed as Jane saw him pinch the bridge of his nose “You want us to swoop in and investigate before the ship disappears”

“You need information” the Illusive man stated as he pointed to the pair with his cigarette “getting aboard this ship while it's offline is a chance you can’t afford to waste”

“Fine” Jane uttered before rubbing her temple “Send us the coordinates"

“already sent” was all the Illusive man replied with before the communication cut, leaving the pair staring into the darkness

-six hours later, ???-

“This has to be a trap”

Jane declared as she stared at the dormant vessel out of one of the main deck’s viewports. Pieces of Turian Gannat-class frigates and Condor-class cruisers floated around the sleeping behemoth.

“This unit estimates a 98.97 percent chance of this being correct” was Hemlock’s reply from his position beside her, his four eyes no doubt scanning the vessel for some giveaway

“And we are still going aboard” Garrus sighed as he approached Samara close behind

“The Justicar code forbids me from refusing your mission” Samara remarked as her multicoloured eyes shifted from Jane to the ship “However it also discourages acts of blatant foolishness”

“i get it” Jane sighed as she looked amongst the three “as much as it pains me to agree with him, the illusive man is right. This is our best chance to find information on how to get through the Omega Four relay.”

“we just need to get out alive to use it” John chimed in as he strode over before focusing on Jane “Joker say’s we are in position. I've told him to keep the engines hot in case we need a fast escape. He also wanted me to point out that this was a bad idea”

“duly noted” Jane deadpanned as Garrus chuckled in the background “is the shuttle ready Hemlock?”

“Legion awaits the team’s arrival” Was Hemlock’s swift reply before gesturing towards the elevator with a metal arm

“Let's do this then” Jane declared as she marched towards the metal box with the rest of the team in tow

-ten minutes later, Collector ship-

A hard metal surface pressed against Jane’s feet as she stepped out of the shuttle, her helmet’s heads-up display automatically feeding information about the surrounding space to her.

“This vessel is similar to Geth void structures” Legion stated as its Widow sniper rifle unfolded "no oxygen production detected, minimal artificial gravity detected”

“Geth ships don’t look like giant hives, though” Garrus cut in as a taloned glove gestured towards what looked like massive chunks of bug wax, but a small touch revealed a strength similar to steel

“Nor do they possess direct acess to the void of space” Hemlock remarked as he pointed to the large opening the shuttle had entered his modified Immortal helm’s four crimson eyes gleaming as he examined it. No shield or wall protected the vessel from the harshness of the void, and only small gravity fields to prevent anything from being pulled into the vacuum

“Penetrating scans have detected a suitable access node to uplink collector databanks” Edi declared over the comm channel “Location has been uploaded to hardsuit systems”

A tiny notification popped up in the corner of Jane’s UI, displaying the node's location in relation to the team's current location

“Better get moving then” John commented as he carefully began creeping forward, Samara moving swiftly behind him

Jane didn’t waste any time as she moved up to accompany them with Hemlock close by while Garrus and Legion took up positions in the rear with their rifles. A rather ominous silence fell as the team crept through the ironclad hive, every distant creak or bang leading to a tense inhale and tiny amounts of tension on the triggers of their weapons.

“So, Samara” Garrus said, finally breaking the silence as the team moved through a narrow hall “why the sudden change in armour? Don't get me wrong, the gold and red looks lovely, but this is quite the change”

Jane raised a brow as she glanced at the Asari in question, who had swapped out her tight crimson and gold attire for a full-body hardshell suit with a matching helmet that was covered in ancient symbols and Asari script

“My biotics can protect me from the vacuum of space for some time” Samara replied as she carefully checked a corner “However a whole mission will become rather tiring, especially if i am required to split my focus and power between combat and sustainment”

“Ah........” Garrus exclaimed in understanding, while Jane could practically hear the smirk under his helmet

“commanders” Edi cut in “I have compared this vessels EM signature to known collector profiles. This vessel matches the one encountered on Horizon”

“Guess the Illusive man was right” John sighed, the frustration have having to admit it evident in his tone

“The colonists may still be aboard then” Samara remarked as the team approached a bend in the hall “assuming they are still alive, that is”

As if the galaxy had heard their conversation, the team was quickly met with an answer as they turned the corner and were met with the sight of several organic stasis pods, each of them open and lacking captives.

“Well we defiantly know captives have been here” Garrus mumbled as Jane leaned close to the empty pod and examined the many inner tendrils

“The purpose of their capture is yet to be determined” Hemlock stated as he carefully scanned the nearest of the pods

“i think i found out” John called from a distant door a disgusted tone in his voice

Jane strode over to see what it was staring at. Looking down the hall, Jane was met with a horrific sight. A large open space with piles upon piles of human corpses of all ages and races covered the whole platform. The ground was thick and brown from dried blood and guts, and bones cluttered what free floor space there was.

“by the spirits........” came Garrus’s voice as he arrived

“to be forced to suffer such conditions” Samara uttered her voice laced with fury and shame

“w-why would they do thi-this?” Jane stuttered as she struggled to take in the sheer horror of the scene

“subjects” Hemlock stated as a beam of scanning light shot from one of his helm's crimson eyes “studied, experimented upon, disposed”

“And left to rot” John growled furiously

“t-there's nothing we can do for them now” Jane said sadly as she began to move around the bodies towards a door on the far side of the room

A grim silence fell over the team as they moved through the corpse dump and along the next hall. An air of fury and sadness flowed over most of them; the sight was still burned into the forefront of their minds. Marching and winding through the labyrinthine structure of the ship until the hall once again opened up to a small chamber with three pods atop metal slabs with tubes and wires all running into an organic terminal with remained active.

“Think you can get in Legion?” Jane asked as the Geth moved towards the terminal

“affirmative” was Legion's only reply before it swiftly got to work on the terminal’s security

“a collector” Garrus mumbled as she peered into one of the pods “why would they experiment on themselves?”

“Collectors are running baseline genetics comparisons between their species and humanity” Legion reported before a chime signalled

“data received” Edi reported, “examining files”

“Why would they compare their own DNA to humanity’s?" Samara questioned

“unknown” Legion replied, followed by Edi

“i have no hypothesis, however, the data has revealed an astonishing piece of information”

“What is it, ED?” Jane pressed

“The collectors possess a quad-strand genetic structure. Only one species has been identified as possessing this structure...... the Protheans”

“Protheans” Jane echoed as she looked to the others, all bar Hemlock and Legion displayed degrees of shock

“So they aren't instinct” Samara uttered

“They’re working for the Reapers now” John finished grimly

“Liara’s going to hate this” Garrus sighed clearly trying to break the tension

“they are no longer Protheans” Edi cut in “the DNA displays extensive genetic rewriting. They have been reforged in the same manner, Husks are humans remade to be tools for the reapers”

“Although fascinating, this data is irrelevant to the current mission” Hemlock stated with his usual steely determination “The data must be retrieved before aid arrives”

“Couldn’t agree more” Jane declared as she looked around the team “we need to push forward”

With a Series of nods, the team continued plunging further into the winding maze of the ship's inner workings

-half an hour later, the great chamber-

Jane stared in horror as she looked around the massive chamber, easily large enough to fit whole space stations inside. The walls were lined with millions upon billions of organic stasis pods, each of them ready for a human prisoner.

“They could take every human in the Terminus and not fill half of these” Garrus whispered, barely able to believe his eyes

“They’ll go after Earth” John growled furiously “There's nowhere else with this many humans”

“not if we stop them first” Jane uttered as she barely managed to gain her voice “ED how close are we to the node?”

“30 mitres out” Edi replied instantly before a small arrow appeared on Jane’s UI pointing in the direction

“On it” Jane nodded as she gestured for the team to move

With due haste, the team climbed up a large chitin ramp and moved towards what appeared to be a large metal platform with small walls around the edges with gaps to walk through. In the centre of the platform was a large terminal which hummed and glowed with activity

“you guys won’t believe this” came Joker’s voice over the comm “off a hunch i had ED check the EM profile of the ship that attacked the SR one two years ago.”

“They are a perfect match” Edi finished, earning a deflated sigh from Joker in the background

“The same ship dogging us for two years" John muttered as Jane saw him shoot a glance

“can't be a coincidence” she sighed as the group arrived on the platform, and Jane gestured for Hemlock and Legion to get to work on the terminal

For a few seconds, there was silence as the machine and half-machine worked away at the systems of the terminal before Legion spoke in binary chatter, resulting in Hemlock glancing to the twins.

“we have located the data stores” Hemlock reported, “current suggestion is the downloading of data to Normandy central computers for further study outside of a time-constrained environment”

“ok” Jane agreed “sound good on your end ED?”

“opening link” Edi answered, “awaiting connection”

Hemlock returned his focus to the terminal and began tapping the buttons. Right before he hit the confirmation key, he stopped and stated

“This unit warns of potential dangers of mining data without precautionary measures taken”

“we don’t have time” John sighed as he looked over his shoulder “do it”

Hemlock followed the command and with a final press of the button, several screens appeared, and streams of data began flowing

“Connection established” Edi reported “data mine in progress-”

Suddenly, Edi’s voice cut out as the comm connection to the Normandy went dark. The terminal began sparking before the systems cut out, leaving the team all holding their breaths.

“well, that's not good” came Joker’s voice as the Normandy’s connection returned and the ground beneath them trembled

“what’s going on ED?” John questioned as Jane reached for her pistol, as lights began to flicker on the systems around them

“The data was laced with a virus that caused a shutdown of the Normandy’s systems” Edi answered “i have redistributed power and am current ensuring the virus does not spread. This was no mistake. This is a trap”

With another tremble, the metal floor beneath them moved, raising into the air and carrying them up towards the centre of the enormous space. Jane's breath hitched in her throat as the platform began to slow as it approached another already floating platform where a familiar, ominous figure stood with a posy of guards alongside it

“Harbinger” Jane growled as she glared down the orange and black collector while the four armoured guards raised their spears and aimed their particle beam cannons towards the team

“Shepards” Harbinger replied with its deep thundering voice, effortlessly carrying around the chamber “we calculated your arrival here”

“Let me guess” John sighed as he aimed his shotgun at the collector host's head “a trap”

“correct” Harbinger confirmed as it strode forward its arms leisurely resting at its side “rudimentary in nature. Effective on primitive minds”

“we guessed it would be a trap tin head” Garrus chuckled as he unfolded his combat rifle

“And still fumbled into it”, Harbinger replied, clearly unbothered by Garrus’s poking, its four eyes then shifted to the twins once more “We had hoped you would present yourselves. You have consistently proven a present nuisance to our directives. It is only fitting that you are part of the ascension of your frail organic race”

“if you're going to try and convince us to give in and submit to you ‘ascension’” Jane mocked as she aimed her pistol “don’t bother”

The figure was silent for a fraction of a second, almost if considering something before its four glowing eyes shifted to Hemlock.

“You cyborg. Your kind seeks the immortality of metal. Let you fumble blindly in ignorance. Destined to never learn even a fraction of our knowledge,” Harbinger remarked, “you have displayed potential. Submit to ascension, and we shall show you eternity”

“Impossibility recorded” Hemlock countered as both his pistols aimed at different guards “rust and scrap will possess nothing”

If collectors could show fury and if reapers could truly feel it, Jane was sure she witnessed it in the way the four glowing eyes narrowed and finally moved to Legion.

“And you lesser system? The one you know as Nazara spoke highly of your potential as servants to the endless cycle.” Harbinger stated, as its three-fingered hands clenched into fists, “Organics have displayed their illogic and nature of bringing calamity upon themselves. Return to our fold, and they shall perish while you shall endure”

“The Geth shall endure without the false gods” Legion replied as it drew a Geth plasma rifle “or they shall perish free from the shackles they were created in”

“not uncalculated results” Harbinger declared in an almost disappointed monotone “such potential has not been seen in many cycles. And such potential shall perish”

With a wave of his hand, the four guards' beam weapons roared into life. Jane flung herself to the ground as the purple beams soared overhead, narrowly avoiding the others as they all ducked into cover. Gunfire erupted across the platform. Garrus and Legion began firing upon the Athanatoi, with Samara covering them. Hemlock took a more active approach, lunging out of cover as one grew closer and grabbing it with both metal arms before slamming it into the platform below.

Before Jane could witness the rest, her attention was gripped by a loud blast as she wheeled around to see John narrowly dodge the avatar's bolt of energy before firing a round into its leg, the armour and energy effortlessly deflecting the blow. Harbinger raised an arm ready to unleash another torrent of energy towards him. Jane intervened and focused her energy into a devastating wave that she launched across the platform, slamming into Harbinger with enough force to stagger the avatar backwards.

Seeing the opening, John charged his own biotics and slammed into the staggered figure with an explosive force before delivering a powerful blow to the centre of the figure’s head, knocking it to the ground. Jane charged her energy once more and sent it towards John, wrapping it around him like a protective barrier as he moved away from the avatar, having clearly learnt from their last fight with Harbinger

“Foolish organics” Harbinger roared as the Athanatoi’s wings spread and lifted the energy-clad insect into the air

The pair watched in horror as energy built around the collector's body before it dived down towards the platform like a strafing ship, the energy bursting around it like a storm. Jane braced as the energy crackled towards her, only to gasp as it clashed against a blue biotic shield. Glancing around, Jane saw Samara bathed in biotic energy as she forged a barrier between Harbinger’s storm and the team. Nearby, Garrus and Legion continued to fight with Athanatoi while Hemlock flung the torn head of one of the Athanatoi at another before drawing one of his pistols.

“You will perish!”

Harbinger cried as the storm faded and it slammed down on the barrier, shattering it and sending Samara staggering back. Harbinger didn’t waste a second before he dove towards the Asari both hands burning with dark energy as it prepared to strike. Seconds before it struck, Hemlock appeared, swinging his free hand around, slamming it into the avatar’s face with a deafening crack that sent it slamming into the metal platform and skidding along it towards the ledge.

John sprinted past before leaping into the air while charging biotic energy into his foot as he drove it down towards the chest of the figure. Energy exploded as he collided with the collector. Jane felt her eyes widen in horror as she saw both the tri-fingered hands wrapped around her brother's ankle, the strength having stopped the full extent of the blow.

“a waste of energy”

Harbinger uttered as he flung John into the air with enough force to send him flying across the platforms and plummeting downwards.

“JOHN!” Jane cried as she raced to the edge and unleashed her biotic energy downwards, wrapping it around her brother

The sounds of battle raged behind Jane as she desperately pooled all her energy and focus down onto her brother. Slowly, with great strain, she began to pull John closer and closer to the platforms as she prayed to whomever would listen that she wouldn’t be struck from behind. John moved closer and closer until, with one desperate pull, his arm reached out to take Jane's as she wrapped her free arm around a piece of metal and began pulling with all her physical might.

“shit” John exclaimed as he breathlessly clambered back onto the platforms “t-that was close”

“y-yeah” Jane agreed, her own voice equally breathless

Glancing around Jane took in the battle. All of the Athanatoi had fallen while Garrus appeared to have sustained damage to his suit, which Legion was swiftly repairing. Hemlock and Samara fought ferociously against Harbinger. Samara used her biotics to slow the beast while Hemlock delivered a continuous flurry of heavy blows from his metal limbs. Glancing to her left Jane saw John back on his feet as biotic energy already charging around him.

A smile pulled at her lips as he lunged across the platforms and slammed his right arm into Harbinger’s body with enough force to splinter the metal armour and pierce the chest before emerging on the other side. Despite being impaled by her brother's arm, Harbinger only slowed, both its arms already moving to clutch at John’s throat. Before it had the chance, one of Hemlock’s hands gripped the base of the collector's jaw while the other latched onto the lower back of the creature. Then with one powerful movement, the cyborg tore the avatar’s head from its body and flung it off the platforms while John put his right foot to the collector's body and pushed it off his arm, allowing it to plummet to the floors below. While Harbinger’s voice faded into the distance, his last words reached the team's ears

“The cycle will not en-”

“hell above” John wheezed as he looked around at everyone

“You had warned of the dangers” Samara uttered her voice raspy “Never have i encountered such an evil force”

“You don’t know the half of it” Garrus sighed as he and Legion walked over

“i have regained connection” Edi declared as the Normandy’s connection returned for the second time “i have also gained control of basic systems aboard the collector vessel”

“great” Jane exhaled “can you get us out of here?”

“Brace for platform movement” Edi ordered as the members of the team quickly clutched nearby pieces of metal “on route”

With a jolt, the metal platform turned and began soaring across the chamber, beginning the route towards the distant location where the shuttle had been landed

“Did you get the data?” John asked as his breath returned

“all large ammonts of valable data has been gathered and awaits further study upon return to the Normandy” Edi reported “i have also determined the Turian distress signal was orginating from the Collector vessel to serve as a lure for the trap. It is unusual”

“we guessed it was probably a trap” Jane muttered as she adjusted her helmet “whats unusual about the signal?”

“All Turian channels possess a secondary encryption”, Edi explained while Garrus nodded in confirmation “In the distress signal, the secondary encryption is corrupted. There is no possible way that the illusive man would believe this distress call was genuine”

Jane felt her breath hitch in her throat. Her weary mind struggling to battle the anger that was fighting to course her veins

“so he sent us to die” John growled furiously

“h-how can, you be sure?” Jane questioned

“i detected the anomaly with Cerberus detection protocols” Edi stated, “he wrote them”

“he knew it was a trap!?” Joker roared over the comms, his frustration taking old, “why would he not tell us!?”

“We’ll find out when we get out of here” Jane declared through gritted teeth as the platform came to a halt and the team marched into a narrow passage

“Move swiftly” Edi chimed “the collector systems are beginning to come online”

-ten minutes later, shuttle-

Jane’s feet slammed onto the metal floor of the shuttle before she stumbled into a seat as Hemlock and John leapt in behind her, while Legion, Samara, and Garrus stumbled out of the way

“go, go!” John roared to the pilot as the roars of several Praetorians loomed closer

The shuttle jolted as it spun in the air, its door slamming shut as its thrusters roared with power. Jane watched as a purple particle beam narrowly missed the shuttle as it dodged and weaved its way out of the space before bursting into the void as it darted towards the Normandy’s bay where the hangar door already hung open. Crates and other equipment went flying as the shuttle soared into the bay, barely decreasing its speed as it practically skidded to a stop.

Jane flung herself out of the shuttle as the door slid open. John followed close behind as they sprinted to the elevator and sped up to the main deck, where they raced across it to the cockpit. where they saw Joker frantically tapping the controls of the vessel

“Joker get us the hell out of here!" Jane gasped as she clutched the back of the pilot's seat

“Working on it” Joker countered as the Normandy suddenly spun around and burst forward as the collector’s vessel lunched after them a large golden particle beam narrowly missed the Normandy.

“i can’t dodge these guys forever!” Joker cried as he narrowly escaped another blast from the Collector vessel “ED, get us the hell out of here!”

“Specify a location” came Edi’s reply as another golden beam speed past the hull

“Anywhere but here!” Jane, John, and Joker cried in perfect unison

“confirmed” Edi acknowledged as the Normandy’s FTL drives roared to life and lunched the vessel beyond the collector ship’s range”

“Collector ship lost” Edi reported as Jane sank to the floor with a deep sigh from the depths of her soul

-half an hour later, Normandy cargo bay-

“fucking what!?” Zaeed roared as Jane finished speaking

“The Illusive Man sent us into a trap he knew was a trap” John sighed

Jane and John stood before all the members of their team, whom they had gathered following the escape from the collector vessel. All who were present stood looking unsurprised or, in Jack’s case, vindicated.

“So, he betrayed us” Kasumi commented as she crossed her arms

“he might have just missed it” Jacob argued

“This is the Illusive man we’re talking about” Tali cut in “he wouldn’t have missed it”

“he wouldn’t” Miranda agreed through gritted teeth

“as much as it doesn’t surprise me. I don’t see why this matters,” Jack commented “So what, he betrayed us? We have the info”

“She has a point” Arok agreed “we can just study it ourselves, can’t we?”

“You both forget we currently stand within a Cerberus vessel” Archembald growled, his tone clearly displaying his sheer fury “The traitor can no doubt track it”

“And it is crewed by his agents” Thane said calmly as he folded his hands behind his back

“Two of which agents stand among us” Samara remarked as she levelled a cold gaze on Miranda and Jacob

The already tense atmosphere became even more unbearable as every set of eyes in the room shifted to the pair. Miranda kept a level face, having clearly spent many years perfecting the art of not buckling under pressure. Jacob’s eyes widened like a beast caught in headlights not prepared to see the angry looks of a very dangerous and angry crew directed at him.

“Anything to share?” Garrus questioned with a flick of his mandibles, both arms crossed

“What are you implying?” Miranda countered her expression neutral

“unlikely Illusive man was willing to send valuable agent to death” Mordin replied before inhaling deeply “warned you?”

“if he had told me i would have told the commanders” Miranda spat back, her facade fading “what would i stand to gain hiding that from them?”

A series of murmurs echoed through the bay, many of the team didn’t look convinced by Miranda’s argument, but their looks showed they couldn’t fault the simple and standard logic.

“we didn’t gather you all to pit you against each other” Jane sighed as she stepped forward “We want your opinions”

With this the attention returned to her as John moved to take a place by her side

“anyone with common sense could see that the ship was a trap” John remarked as his blue eyes followed over the gathered people “and the information we gathered is going to be useful. The problem we have is the lack of communication.”

“the illusive man couldn’t be trusted, we knew that from the start” jane continued as she folded her arms “but John and I draw the line at this. We are the commanders, and we are in charge of the Normandy. But you are our team, and we want to know how you think we should respond”

Quiet fell over the bay as the many members of the team appeared to be pondering the pair's words until finally Mirand,a of all people, spoke up

“What exactly do you mean?” she inquired “Do you have particular ideas, or do you just want everyone's open opinions on what to do?”

“maybe not open opinions” John answered “Jane and I want to cut all ties right here and now, but we think you all should have a say. Especially because some of you are here because you work for Cerberus or were hired by them”

Another tense pause followed before Tali chimed in again

“Where are Hemlock and Legion? Shouldn't they have a say?”

“Hemlock is dealing with the data from the collector ship and sending it to the Adentri”, Jane explained with a small smile “Legion is in the AI core, making sure ED can’t see in the bay. We don’t want anything said here getting back to the Illusive man”

Many gave nods of understanding as the room once again went quiet, each member clearly thinking about the ramifications of their words and actions.

“i suggest cutting all contact with Cerberus” Miranda declared, catching the whole room off-guard

“w-what?” Jacob stammered from his place beside her

“we should cut off Cerberus” Miranda repeated simply before focusing on the twins “the Illusive man has plenty of resources, but outside of this ship and the crew he has done just as much to harm the mission to hunt the collectors as he has to help.”

“so the cheerleader speaks out against her boss” Jack mumbled as she crossed her arms “kinda hot”

Jane chose to ignore the comment as she looked back at the raven-haired woman who was wearing a rare look of worry and uncertainty.

“What would that mean for you and Jacob?” Jane questioned, “You’ve been here from nearly the start of the mission”

“i can’t speak for Jacob, but I'm staying right here no matter what you do” Miranda replied a determined look in her eyes “i set out to stop the collectors and i will do whatever needs to be done to succeed.”

Jane felt her jaw go slightly slack from surprise. Glancing to her side, she saw John’s blue eyes wide in shock, and snapping back to the rest of the gathered crew, she could see similar looks of shock mixed in with some distrust, and in Jack's case, what appeared to be a faint blush

“How can we trust her?” Grunt asked as he narrowed his blue eyes at the woman

“Only through faith in her character” Thane answered sagely

“everyone seems onboard with Miranda’s suggestion to cut off Cerberus” John commented “does anyone in this room object?”

Silence followed as even Jacob seemed to overcome his previous surprise and reservations, only to be replaced by a look of determination.

“What about the crew?” Kasumi questioned, “They are all Cerberus”

“Joker and Chakwas would never pick Cerberus over the Shepards” Garrus cut in before clicking his mandibles “The rest are suspect”

“Could the Adentri or Geth replace them?” Arok suggested, hopefully earning several harsh looks at the suggestion of a Geth crew

“Such a replacement will take time” came Hemlock’s voice as the elevator door slid open, allowing the cyborg to march into the bay, along with returning to Geth and Adentri held space”

“they should be allowed to choose” Archembald proclaimed as he rested a hand on the pommel of his morningstar “remain aboard and swear duty to the Normandy. Or depart while loyal to Cerberus. Tis only honourable for their current service”

“good idea Archembald” Jane agreed pulling everyones attention back to her “the crew have had every chance to betray us but they haven’t. They deserve a chance”

“it hurts to agree” John sighed as he clutched the bridge of his nose “the real problem i see here is Edi. She's programmed to follow Cerberus-”

“On the contrary, John” Edi cut in as her blue holographic avatar appeared at a nearby station “my programming places my current mission above Cerberus protocols and loyalties”

Several people in the bay recoiled away, many of them moving for weapons at the surprising arrival of the AI.

“Ed how did you get here?” Jane sighed as she clutched her chest

“Legion explained the nature of the meeting and inquired about whether i would betray the Normandy to the Illusive man” Ed explained simply “after giving my answer it permited me to access the bay so i could inform you all.”

“so you will keep working with us?” John questioned with a tenseness in his shoulders

“my programming allows me to do so unimpeded until the collector threat has been neutralised” Edi answered with an almost chipper tone “Afterwards, a new solution will be required”

“i think we can work with that” Jane commented as she glanced at John, who nodded in agreement, before donning a smile “Let's go talk to the crew”

-hours later, Normandy briefing room-

“so he betrayed you” Veronica summarised in an unsurprised tone

“as far as we’re concerned” Jane replied as she crossed her arms.

Four holographic figures looked at the twins, each sporting looks ranging from unsurprised to blatant ‘told ya so’. Fortunately, none of the members of the Adentri’s board seemed to be the type to openly mock, at least not to their faces.

“and you a certain you can trust the crew?” Abelard asked as he fixed the pair with a concerned look

“we gave them all a chance to choose where their loyalty's lay” John answered ”they all chose us over the Illusive man. Last I saw, half of them were in the bay swapping out their Cerberus uniforms for unmarked spares, then burning the Cerberus uniforms with Jack”

“Wait what!?” Jane cried as she snapped towards her brother, panic bubbling

“Don’t worry, Hemlock was also there” John smiled while waving Jane off

A deep sigh escaped her as Jane returned her focus to the amused board members when a particular question returned to the forefront of her mind.

“Why are there only four of you?” she asked, earning a smile from Theodora

“Winter is preoccupied studying Prothean artefacts with a certain Asari” the older woman answered, and Jane didn’t fail to notice the wink that came from the woman's remaining eye “and Belisarius’s absence is the reason we called”

“We’ve been analysing the data you gathered from the collector ship” Ulysses remarked, making both twins perk up in anticipation “it has revealed a rather surprising discovery”

With the press of a button, a map of the galaxy appeared with an orange dot marking a particular system that Jane was unfamiliar with.

“it appears the collectors found, or were aware of a dialect destroyed reaper” Abelard continued, making Jane jaw drop in surprise “We believe that this will allow both breakthroughs in our own studies of the reapers' tech and in finding a way through the Omega Four relay”

“So what's the plan?” John asked hopefully as Jane managed to regain control of her facial muscles

“As we speak, Belisarius is leading several scientific vessels along with two detachments of Adentri voidsmen to the coordinates" Theodora smiled while folding her fingers together “if there is anything useful aboard that husk, he’ll find it”

“your sure it’s safe?” Jane questioned her mind, flashing back to the previous times people thought they could study reaper tech

“Every precaution has been taken” Abelard answered with his own gentle smile “Belisarius knows better than to take foolish risks”

“What do you need us to do?” John chimed in “Sounds like you have everything sorted”

“it will still take time to study the reaper and find out its secrets” Theodora replied her more commanding and deliberate voice returning “we have no right to command you, but we suggest you make certain that you and your team are more then ready to go through the relay. The moment we have an answer, we’ll be in touch”

“Sounds like a plan” Jane agreed with a nod “Keep us informed”

Theodora gave a nod of her own before the hologram faded, leaving the twins alone with the knowledge that they were one step closer to stopping the collectors

Chapter Text

A relaxed sigh escaped John as he walked along one of the engineering decks' many halls, his footsteps echoing off the narrow metal walls. He had to admit it was refreshing to walk around the Normandy while not seeing Cerberus symbols attached to the walls and crew like cancerous growths. If Jane ever asked, he would deny that he was happy about the burning pile in the cargo bay that had left a black scorch mark on the pale floor, but on a deep personal level, seeing the damned orange symbol being consumed by tongues of fire was one of the best sights he had taken in for quite some time.

“Oi Boy Scout!” called a familiar voice from behind

Glancing around, John was met with the tattoo-covered figure of Jack, who was leaning against a metal pillar with a smirk on her lips.

“Mind chatting?” she requested as John drew closer.

John felt his brow raise in surprise as he came to a stop next to the shorter woman. Jack had admittedly been far more polite towards the pair since she had learnt that neither twins worked for Cerberus, but she had never been blatantly welcoming, especially towards him.

“Depends, not plotting some chaos?” John replied as he folded his arms

“i know more than fighting” Jack scoffed as she adjusted her sleeveless leather vest “i just choose to do a lot of it”

“when you aren’t shopping” John smirked as he examined the woman now taking note of the completely overhaled outfit she was wearing “when did you get all this?”

“Bought it at Nos Astra” Jack answered as she looked it over before shooting John a smirk of her own “Managed to get the company chit account”

“Company chit account?” John echoed in genuine confusion

“Locksworth gave me access after i mentioned needing new clothes” Jack continued

“Locksworth” John cried as he barked a laugh at the name for the cyborg

“Like it?” Jack deadpanned with a mischievous glint in her eyes, “been rotating it with Hems and Sir Metalton the third”

At this, Johns chuckle, moulded into full-blown laughter as he imagined the bold woman addressing Hemlock by the increasingly ridiculous names

“p-please tell me you haven’t called him these” John choked between laughter while wiping a tear of mirth from his eye

“every time i can” Jack smirked her usual harsh walls completely absent “started when i was trying to piss him off, get a bite ya know. Got nothing out of him though”

“on brand for him then” John remarked as he rubbed his cheeks now sore from laughing “so what did you need?”

As soon as the words left his lips, John saw Jack stiffen, her smile fading as a distant look formed in her eyes. For a few seconds, there was nothing until she took in a deep breath and sighed

“i want you’re help”

John blinked as he looked down at her. The usual air of strength, defiance, and power that radiated around the biotic had faded, and in there place was a shyness and vulnerability he hadn’t seen in the woman before

“You want my help?” John repeated, not fully confident he had heard her correctly

“You and Jane’s” Jack elaborated as she appeared to try and meet his eyes “f-for something personal”

Despite the shock coursing through his system, John could see that whatever this was about was important.

“Come with me” he ordered as he moved past “We should sit down”

Jack didn’t argue, she just silently followed until the pair arrived in an empty part of the bay where they sat down on crates opposite one another. For a few minutes, comfortable silence fell between them until Jack spoke up again

“y-you know about me, right?” she stammered with a sad edge

“only the basic version” John answered as he thought back to the report Hemlock had given the pair before arriving at purgatory “criminal, experimented on by Cerberus. Escaped. That's about it”

“and that was enough” Jack sighed “i hate my past, i hate everything about how i got here. But I've realised that i can’t stop thinking back,”

“Back?” John questioned with the raise of a brow

“to when i was imprisoned. Trapped in the room” Jack elaborated “every time i try to sleep my mind takes me back to that cold fucking bed.”

“How can we help?” John asked completely lost “don’t get me wrong, i want to. But I'm not a doctor”

“i don’t need a doctor” Jack spat, her fury not directed at him but unseen figures hovering over her “i need to see that room burn. I need to watch it break.... I need to destroy it”

“And you want us to take you there?” John guessed, earning a weak nod from Jack

“i found it” she whispered her voice vulnerable “the Geth decoded Cerberus data for me..... Pragia in the Dakka system”

“i’ll talk to Jane” John smiled “I’m sure she’ll be on board”

“t-thank you John” Jack whispered, her voice barely audible as her body shook slightly “Thank you so much”

-A galactic standard day later, Dakka system-

“your sure this will work?” John asked as he stood opposite to Hemlock and Legion,

On a crate between them sat a large metal cylinder covered in wires and switches, alongside two straps allowing easy carrying upon someone's back

“it will suffice for the task at hand” came Hemlock's reply in reference to the complete destruction of the facility

“Remind me again why you had to build it?” Jane asked as she arrived with Arok and Miranda in tow, “Don’t we have explosives aboard?”

“affirmative” Legion confirmed “calculations determine that none of the explosive munitions aboard the Normandy would be capable of total destruction of the facility detected on the surface of Pragia”

“course” John sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose “how does it work?”

“Once placed in the desired location, transmit the priming code” Hemlock explained as his omni tool sent a series of numbers to John’s with a chime. “Once primed, move beyond detonation rage before using the detonator”

“Sounds simple enough” Arok smiled as he checked his raider shotgun

“You should know better than to say that” Miranda said dryly, all malice or mocking she once had now absent.

“it physically hurts to agree with her” Jack chimed in as she marched over and stretched out her hand for the detonator “Give it hear Metalton”

John bit back laughter as all the others capable of doing so burst into laughter, leaving Legion glancing to Hemlock in confusion, while the cyborg stared simply, his organic eye donning an almost exasperated look

“this unit wishes all present luck on the mission” was Hemlocks reply as the laughter died down. He silently handed the detonator to Jack before turning and walking away. If he felt any fury, he hid it well

“so this is the team?” Jack asked as she glanced around to look at them all, “gotta say i don’t know how i feel having the ex-Cerberus cheerleader there”

Miranda cocked her hip and crossed her arms. Despite the outward look of appearing annoyed, one quick glance at the woman's blue eyes revealed a complete lack of malice

“Jane seems to think having me there will help with any old systems that will be in place” came Miranda’s reply, which was quickly confirmed with a nod from the ginger

“Don’t doubt it, still odd” Jack sighed, and John noticed Jack give Miranda a once over “New outfit?”

It was only then that John realised Miranda was donning completely different clothing than usual. Rather than a skin-tight black and white suit with the Cerberus logo, the raven-haired woman now wore loose-fitting tactical gear along with some thrown-together pieces of armour

“can’t go wandering about dressed like the Illusive man’s plaything” Miranda smirked as she glanced down

“Looks nice” Arok chimed in with a genuine smile, which to John’s great surprise Miranda returned, while Jack made a low whistle.

“Shall we get on with it?” John asked as he looked back at Jack, who bit her lip for a moment before nodding and replying

“Let's do this”

-a few minutes later, Pragia subject zero facility-

Footsteps echoed across the old, overgrown landing pad as the team made their way off the hovering shuttle. John blinked a few times as he took in the vines that crawled across every visible surface.

“How long has this place been abandoned?” Jane mused aloud

“Since I escaped” Jack uttered grimly with a shaky voice

“Pragia’s natural flora grows at a higher rate than most other environmental systems” Edi chimed over the comms “it is a testament to the engineering that the structure remains intact at all”

“Now what?” Arok questioned as he stood next to Legion as it adjusted the explosive on its back

“we find my old room” Jack shuddered as she carefully crept towards a rusty set of half stairs

John glanced to his sister who was sporting a look of concern for the tattooed woman a look that was surprisingly matched by Miranda. Taking a deep breath, John turned and began to follow Jack. The metal creaked beneath him as he moved down the stairs around the outside of the building until they turned and led through a doorway where both doors had been blasted away from the inside. Stepping through John was met with the sight of a large room with vines and shrubs growing across the floor, while small trees sprouted from once functional terminals.

“i never saw this room” Jack said weakly as the others arrived, a foggy distant look to her eyes as she focused on large metal crates adorned with faded Cerberus symbols “new kids would arrive here in crates. They were messed up and starving, but alive...... usually”

“Pillars high” came a horrified whisper from Arok, while Jane uttered something John couldn’t make out

“we s-should go” Jack stammered after a moment as she turned and moved towards a half-open set of doors which were adorned with two familiar faded logos.

A grim silence fell as the team followed behind her. John reached the doors first and came to Jack's aid to force them open with a harsh metal screech. With the doors open, another ruined set of stairs presented themselves, the team gingerly descended, leading them into a smaller room where two large empty crates sat near a still flickering terminal.

“Systems within the facility still possess power” Legion commented as the team approached

“What was it for?” John asked, already dreading the answer

“Audio logs” Jack answered as she reached out and pressed the terminal. Her hand tensed as if she expected it to shock her

A weak chime escaped the system as a staticky holographic figure appeared behind the system

“the Illusive Man requested the operation logs again” the man in early Cerberus Armour uttered as the hologram flickered “he’s getting suspicious”

“when we get results he won’t care what we did” came a deeper voice as a second figure in scrubs appeared “but if he knew.....”

“he won't find out” was all the armoured man managed to say before the terminal sparked and the pair faded, leaving the team in darkness

“Sounds like they were hiding something from the Illusive man” Arok muttered grimly

“Didn’t say what?” Jack spat as she glared at the empty space “Not like he would have stopped it!”

“he wouldn’t have” Miranda cut in her voice, almost as harsh as Jack's, surprising everyone “he’s shown time and time again that he’ll do anything for his cause”

“Never thought I'd hear that from you” Jack chuckled before sighing and turning her attention to a nearby set of doors which still seemed connected to the power

John followed as Jack moved towards them and with a gentle press the mechanism opened, allowing the doors to slide to the side. A series of gasps escaped all bar Jack and Legion as the team was met with a massive chamber full of containment crates, some of which stacked all the way to the ceiling. Each one branded with the orange symbol and covered in rust and vines.

“i remember escaping to this room, fighting here” Jack uttered as her foggy eyes swept over the delabitated space “i saw the sunlight through the cracks in the ceiling.”

She made her way down the steps, the rest of the team following slowly behind as she began winding through the overgrown crates and the miny forest of trees growing between them. Until she suddenly stopped and her distant eyes landed on a skeleton clad in shattered hard-shell armour, vines growing across the bones and through the empty sockets

“only one guard stood in the way” Jack said in a barely audible whisper “had no gun, no knife, nothing. Begged for his life. I took it without a thought”

“if he was working here, i would hardly call him innocent,” Miranda said gently, earning a weak nod from Jack as she began walking forward once more

Silence fell as the team continued through the large chamber until they ground to a sudden halt as Jack rounded a final corner. Glancing ahead, John was met with the sight of a makeshift arena made of old metal barricades and smaller crates. Decades-old dried blood covered every square inch of it, barely hidden by the copious vines that twisted across it.

“An arena?” Legion remarked in what appeared to be the Geth equivalent of an inquisitive tone

“i shudder to think what they used it for” Jane whispered as John glanced at Jack, who stared without seeing

“they would have fights here” she uttered her voice weak “pit me against the other kids. Was the only time i was out of the cell. Only time i felt alive”

“You were forced to fight other kids?” John questioned a mixture of untamed fury and sheer disgust flooding his veins

“i thought my people were bad” growled Arok as his four eyes narrowed on the scene

“constant fights”, Jack answered, “would pump me full of drugs. Shock me if i hesitated. Give me narcotics when i attacked. Still feel warm inside when i fight today”

“They made you a weapon” Miranda hissed as Jane looked like she was fighting back a gag

“they did” was all Jack replied with as she strode across the space towards a doorway which had been blasted in from the other side.

John squinted as he passed through the ruined door as he struggled to see down the narrow hall, which was covered in both flora and shattered glass. Halfway down the hall was another terminal that flickered with light from under the layer of moss that had grown over it.

“You don’t have to” John whispered gently as he saw Jack moving to activate the terminal

Jack was still for a moment before she let out a sombre sigh and uttered “i do......”

With a small movement, she pushed aside the moss and pressed a button, resulting in another flickering holographic figure appearing and static audio bursting from the worn speakers

“The subjects are out of their cells!” came the roar of the soldier's voice “They’re tearing apart the facility!”

“This is what happens when you torture hundreds of biotic children” Jane seethed

“Subject Zero is going to escape! Permission to terminate!” the soldier’s voice continued “i repeat permission to terminate!?”

“Permission denied!” came a second voice over the long-dead comm systems “All subjects but subject Zero are expendable! Keep Jack alive!”

“understood I'll-”

The guard was suddenly silenced by a biotic explosion as the hologram faded, leaving a horrified silence over the group

“that can’t be right” Jack hissed harshly “i broke out when my gaurds disappeared. I-i started that riot”

“Current evidence fails to back that theory” Legion replied, lacking all tact that an organic would have

“it had to be me” Jack uttered as a unconvinved look appeared in her eyes “the gaurds attacked me. The automated systems attacked me....... the other students attacked me......”

“They may not have known because of the confusion” Miranda said comfortingly.

“you also said you only ever left your cell to be put against them” Arok remarked with a calm look “maybe they thought the guards had let you loose to clean them up?”

“Doesn’t matter now” Jack spat as she marched past “Let’s just get to the cell”

John shared a look with Jane, both of them clearly seeing the pain this was bringing their usually angry but uncaring teammate. With a silent nod, they turned and followed Jack down the remainder of the hall and turned right out into a stairwell where Jack was kneeling over a Varren corpse

“Thought this place was supposed to be empty” John commented as he came to a stop next to Jack

“it is” she muttered in response while rising to her feet “hasn’t been shot. Looks like it was stabbed by something. Then hacked apart”

“Another predator, perhaps” Miranda suggested as she examined the corpse “This place would make a perfect den”

“nah those cuts are to clean” Arok chimed in as he walked over “this has been butchered to get the meat. No wild animal did that”

“The only way to know for sure is to keep going” Jack scowled as she continued down the rest of the stairs

John followed suit and was soon met with a narrow hallway with doorways on either side. each of which had been blasted open, the former cell doors resting on the rusty ground.

“Looks like this hall was part of the riot” Jane commented as she arrived

“early stage of it” John agreed as he looked over the hall “no dead guards or prisoners. They escaped and moved on before security could react”

“Here’s hoping we don’t have to see that” Arok shuddered as the team pushed further down the hall

They soon moved through another open door leading into a large chamber that displayed a rather harrowing scene. Rusty crates as been stacked in rows on either side of the room to serve as cover for the many skeletons that littered the space. Some clad in dusty armour, clinging to outdated weapons, while others were more tormenting as they were far smaller and clad in the tattered remains of jumpsuits with the familiar-looking biotic amps hammered into their skulls.

“Some of them must have been barely five” Miranda whispered in horror as John followed her gaze to a pair of skeletons surrounded by a brown puddle of long dried blood.

“What kind of monster does this?” Jane hissed as they all examined the scene of the larger skeleton clutching the smaller, a large hole in the centre of the larger skeleton’s head showing a clean blow. The large amount of blood staining the smaller one's clothes, displaying the poor, smaller child, met a far more painful end

The air felt cold as the team continued across the room and through another set of doors before moving down more winding corridors that were littered with roots and the occasional corpse. Climbing up a set of stairs, they soon found themselves on a balcony that overlooked a small mess hall with several corpses of prisoners slumped over trays, implying a swift execution in the middle of a meal.

“This can’t be right” Jack whispered as she stared blankly at a massive mirror on the far side of the room

“What can’t?” Jane inquired gently

“my cell was there” Jack uttered as she weakly pointed at the mirror “on the other side. I would always watch the other kids eat. I would scream for hours trying to get their attention..... they never looked at me”

“two way mirror” Miranda stated sadly “you saw them but they couldn’t see you. Given how deranged the scientists in charge here have proven to be, i wouldn’t be surprised if it was soundproof”

Jack didn’t reply. She just stared blankly before nodding slowly and turning to continue her push further into the facility. John allowed himself one last look at the scene below as he mentally pushed back his desire to strangle the Illusive man before he turned and followed behind the tattooed lady.

The team glided through more ruined halls, carefully stepping over the corpses of prisoners and guards alike until they found themselves inside another large room. John’s blue eyes trailed over the space, taking in the horrific appearance of what appeared to be an overgrown lab. Long, shattered tubes of chemicals lined the counters while ruined cabinets remained packed with rusty needles and scalpels. Worst of all was the moss-covered metal bed in the centre of the room, brown dried blood still staining it, while a ruined terminal rested nearby.

“horrible things happened here” Jane whispered in a manner that left no room for argument

“worse than you could imagine” Jack uttered as she strode to a mounted terminal that still flickered with light and pressed a button

“Entry one thousand and fifty-four,” came a male voice as a scientist in Cerberus scrubs appeared “The latest iteration of PergNim went poorly. Subjects one, four, and six died. No biotic change has been recorded in the survivors”

John felt his teeth gnash together as he glared at the bald man. Mentally, John prayed to whoever or whatever would answer that he had died as horrible a death as he had inflicted on so many

“we lowered the core temperatures of the surviving subjects” the man continued, casually listing the torments he had caused “no biotically beneficial reactions occurred. As a result, all subjects perished.”

“Pillars high” whispered Arok in sheer horror at the man's words

“naturally this will not be attempted with subject Zero” the man sighed as he folded his hands behind his back “i hope our supply of biotic potential subjects continues at a steady pace. We are going through them fast”

“n-no” Jack uttered as the hologram faded “t-they didn’t test on the o-others to protect me”

“its ok Jack” Jane soothed as she moved to the woman's side “it’s not your fault”

“you don’t get it!” Jack spat as she spun around “i-i survived because i w-was tougher than everyone else. T-this has to be bullshit”

“Jack”, John sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose “, it's hard to see this, trust me, we know. But the evidence is here”

“i-it can’t be” Jack whispered more to herself than anyone else

Before anyone could speak, Miranda moved forward and, much to everyone's surprise, wrapped her arms around Jack, pulling the tattooed woman into an embrace.

“w-what are you doing?” Jack demanded as Miranda pulled her in

“i know what it feels like to have your world shattered Jack” Miranda answered gently “i can’t undo everything that you’ve been through. But i can help you face it”

Jack was silent for a moment a conflicted look deep in her eyes until she finally exhaled and allowed herself to melt into the raven haired womans embrace. For a few silent moments, nothing happened as everyone present simply allowed the two women to comfort one another until they finally pulled apart.

“t-there should be one room left between us and my cell” Jack said weakly as John noticed Miranda lace her fingers between Jack's comfortingly

“at your own pace” Jane said with her signature gentle smile “we’re all here for you, Jack”

Jack’s lips quivered before she gave a small nod and moved across the room with her hand still linked with Miranda’s. As John followed, he saw Arok smile out of the corner of his eyes before the Batarian’s own expression shifted to one of sadness and loss. The team crept into a large room which would have once served as a space between a final cell and the lab. But now is was supposed to be little more than a ruin. And yet that wasn’t the case. As they entered the team was met with a campsite which had been made in the centre of the room, a large fire blazed as Varren meat rotated on a spit next to which sat a man in old, torn cloths with long black hair which reached down his scarred bare back while an equally long beard covered his chest.

“is that?” John began as everyone went still

“A survivor” Jack finished her voice barely above a whisper

Hearing their words, the man’s head snapped upwards, his hand darting towards a nearby spear made of rusty metal and wood until he froze in place, his bloodshot blue eyes fixed on Jack.

“Z-Zero?” the man struggled his voice hoarse from years of non-use

“you know me?” Jack demanded a harsh look in her eyes

“m-me e-eight" the man answered as he gestured to himself “w-was p-person he-here. T-tested on”

“Unbelievable” Jane uttered in sheer disbelief

“y-you r-return Z-zero?” the man stammered as he rose to his feet “w-why? S-saw you escape s-saw you g-go to s-sky"

“I’m here to level my past” Jack declared as her brows knitted together

“c-can’t!” eight cried “d-destroy home! D-destroy me. N-no home n-no eight!”

“you’d be better off dead” Jack said sadly, not an ounce of malace in her voice “you’d be free from the pain. Free from the memories here”

“e-eight do-don't want to die” the man pleaded “m-memories w-worth l-living. K-know Zero f-free. K-know Zero s-survived"

“you deserved better than this” Jack replied sombrely as she reached for her pistol “deserve better than being happy knowing only i escaped”

John moved to stop her, but before he could, Miranda’s free hand landed on Jack's, preventing her from unholstering her weapon. Brown eyes met with blue as Miranda stared into Jack's soul and whispered

“You can’t kill him, Jack. You don’t have to destroy every loose end, don’t have to cut every tie. Jane taught me that. Niket taught me that”

Jack was still for a long moment before letting out a shuddering sigh, “y-you're right. i-it’s not worth it...... none of this is worth it”

Miranda pulled away, allowing Jack to remove her hand from her pistol. With the crisis handled, John turned his attention back to eight who stood silently watching

“we’re still blowing this place up” Jack declared before glancing between Jane and John “but if the commanders don’t object we can take you away from here. Find you somewhere safe”

“e-eight will be free?” the man whispered

Jack looked between the twins once more. John saw Jane give a nod of approval, and once the tattooed woman's brown eyes landed on him, he gave his own. Jack gave a weak smile before turning back to the man and uttering

“eight will be free”

Arok swiftly helped the tribal pack what little he owned and began making his way back to the shuttle with an amazed eight. John followed Jack as she gently led Miranda down the hall towards her cell, only stopping to point out a bloodied guard skeleton whom she claimed had been her first kill.

Once inside the room, Legion got to work placing the bomb while John hung back with Jane. Both twins were silently watching the two women with tormented childhoods talking. Jack telling Miranda about parts of the cell and what she did in it, while Miranda would occasionally whisper about the horrors her father had put her through. The gentle moment came to its end when Legion declared the bomb was in place and the priming signal had been accepted. John watched as Jack gave the cell one last glance before turning and leading the way out and back towards the shuttle.

-half an hour later, Normandy cargo bay-

John silently leaned against the railing near the shuttle, his mind still replaying the events of the mission on Pragia. Shortly after they had arrived back aboard the ship, Jack and Miranda had departed to a secluded corner of the engineering bay where they had spent time alone, no doubt in an effort to shatter the shells they had long since built around each other.

John had to admit he had never expected the two women to get along so well. Only as he had come to know them better had he realised they were far more alike than they were first willing to admit. And he hoped that this likeness would change what had once been the most hostile relationship aboard the Normandy into something far closer and less destructive. John was pulled from his thoughts as he heard a pair of approaching footsteps. Glancing around, he was met with his sister, who wore a gentle smile

“Everything alright?” John questioned as she came to a stop in front of him

“Joker’s picked up a communication from the Rhine system”, Jane replied while folding her arms “Apparently, it’s requesting an audience with Archembald. He's already up in the briefing room, but since we are the captains of the ship, he wants us to be present”

“Best not keep the Baron waiting” John remarked as he pushed away from the railing, mentally hoping that whatever this was about would distract from the rather miserable sights he had witnessed in the facility below

A comfortable silence fell between the twins as they made their way through the Normandy’s halls, only broken as they saluted or waved to crew members as they passed on their way to the main deck where the briefing room waited. A final hiss rang out as the door slid open, allowing John to slip inside, where he was greeted by the familiar giant that was Archembald. His helm hiding any facial que that would hint at his thoughts about the message.

“any ideas what this is about?” Jane asked as they moved to take a place on either side of the knight

“None” Archembald replied, although the way he rested his hand upon the pommel of his morningstar gave John the feeling that he was far from relaxed

“then only one way to find out” John sighed before raising his voice “Joker, ED can you patch the comm through!”

“on it” was Joker's reply, followed by the table in the room's centre lowering into the floor

As the table came to a gentle stop, a large looming figure flickered into life. A Teuton warrior clad in pale white armour with golden accents and symbols of stars adorning it stood with their hand resting on the pommel of their sword, the blade resting on the floor beneath them. John’s breath hitched as he noticed the familiar brown robes of the order of the unnamed flowing across the Teutons armour, and the crimson gleam of the warrior's helm stared unblinkingly at Archembald

“Archembald. Baron of house Gavel,” came a female voice from beneath the helmet

“i greet you warrior of the unnamed” Archembald replied with a small tip of his head “for what purpose do you seek me?”

For a brief second, there was no reply as the crimson eyes of their helm shifted from Archembald to the two shepards and then back to the knight

“i am afraid my words are for your ears only” the woman remarked with a grim firmness “i must ask the humans leave”

“they are the captains of the vessel” Archembald countered “the book of Dooms is clear. They are permitted to be present. Such is the old laws”

“in this you are correct” the white clad warrior agreed “however this is a matter of the unnamed. And thus it is overruled. I apologise for this, but I insist that they leave”

John felt his brow knit together in concern as he glanced at Jane, who gave a grim nod before looking up at Archembald

“We’ll wait outside” she agreed before glancing back at the woman

“i apologise. John, Jane” Archembald uttered sympathetically

“as do I” came the warriors voice “know it is not because of your station. But only because the old laws demand it”

“It’s ok” John said with the wave of his hand “we understand”

With that both of the twins turned and made their way out of the room. Silence fell between them as they stood waiting for word that they could return. Until finally, after five awkward minutes, Edi’s holographic avatar appeared at a nearby system and spoke

“The communication has been terminated” she reported “Archembald has not moved or spoken in half a minute”

John shared a worried look with his sister before he pressed the button next to the door. Another small hiss rang out as the door slid open to reveal the briefing room. Archembald’s helmed head still staring at where the woman’s hologram had once stood

“Everything alright, Archembald?” Jane asked as John moved into the room

“I have been summoned to Karsk” Archembald replied as he slowly turned to face the pair, the air tense with emotion. John couldn’t quite place

“Why?” John asked as he raised a brow

“i have been summoned before the high tribunal” Archembald explained grimly, “i stand accused of high treason for the murder of the lord of a noble house”

Chapter Text

Jane blinked rapidly, hardly believing her own ears, as she stared at the unmoving giant.

“W-what” John stammered, the first of the pair to regain his voice

“i have been summoned before the high tribunal” Archembald began to repeat with the same grim tone

“w-we get that bit” Jane cut in as she stared up at him “how can you be acused of high treason? Yo-your one of the most noble people we know”

“i know not how or why i have been accused of such a crime” Archembald sighed “i am not privy to such information until i arrive before the tribunal.”

“When do you leave?” John questioned a rare edge of worry in his voice

“as soon as possible” Archembald explained as his right hand tapped his morning stars pommel “i apologise. I must depart from our journey. The tribunal cannot wait”

“You’re not going alone” Jane declared, fiery determination burning in her eyes “We’ll come with you”

“There is no need-” Archembald tried to argue, only to be silenced by John

“You’re part of our crew” John proclaimed while crossing his arms “it’s part of our duty to stand beside you”

The armoured giant was silent for a moment before he let out a low rumbling chuckle and uttered

“Very well. We venture to Karsk”

-galactic standard days later, Karsk Hall of Justice-

Jane’s eyes wandered over the ancient structure as she followed Archembald. The landing platform their shuttle had landed was made of stones older than mankind itself. Ornate wood and stone engravings depicted events long lost to the past, all flowing along a path leading to a grand set of doors where a Teuton clad in gold and blue armour stood, the long brown robes of the order unnamed flowing in the wind.

“Archembald of house Gavel” addressed a male voice as the trio made their final approach

“I have come to stand before the tribunal”, Archembald declared as he came to a stop. Jane moved to stand beside him

“the tribunal was gathered upon word of you reaching the system” the guard said with a nod before his helms glowing blue eyes focused on the twins “for what reason do children of earth stand with you?”

“They are the captains of the vessel upon which I journey. And those whom I currently serve,” Archembald explained, “it is my right to call upon them to stand beside me. And their right to choose to be here. Such is the old law”

The guard remained silent for a moment before his head declined slightly in a nod, and he stepped aside and uttered

“Such is the old law”

Jane felt the tension in the air as the three made their way down the ancient halls, decorations and symbols of events long passed lining the walls. Depictions of battles or ancient weapons once wielded by fallen heroes. Glancing to her side, Jane saw her brother’s jaw was clenched, no doubt to hide any worry he felt.

Soon the trio arrived in a grand chamber where several order of the unnamed stood sentinel from the edges of the room. This time, not one spoke as Archembald led the twins to the far side of the chamber and through one last grand set of double doors. The three’s footsteps echoed off the walls of the corridor until they finally crossed into a large room in the shape of a semicircle that descended downwards.

Jane took a moment to examine the space. Around the corners of the room stood four guards clad in the familiar robes of the order of the unnamed, each of them still as statues and all tightly clutching various power weapons. Stairs descended through the centre of the semi-circle, cutting the rows of seats in half. One half was filled by Teutons clad in armour adorned with the same blue and white as Archembald, while the opposite half was inhabited by those clad in yellow and black. Archembald moved, and the twins followed down the central stair well which led to an open space where Teuton, with massive weighted war gauntlets, stood, his helms crimson eyes glaring at Archembald as he approached. Jane’s attention shifted as she heard John make a low hum of surprise. Glancing at him, she watched as he silently gestured to the opposite side of the room.

Following the gesture, Jane’s green eyes soon widened as they landed on a large raised platform where a great throne stood; upon it sat Luther. Jane’s breath hitched as she took in the green-clad knight. The welcoming demeanour the older Teuton had used the last time she stood on Karsk was gone. In its place was an air of authority and fury as his helm's crimson eyes watched their approach with all the sternness of an arbiter as his hand rested on the pommel of his blade.

Grim silence fell over the whole chamber as Archembald came to a stop in a position on the left side of the room and silently pointed to where each twin should stand. Once all were in position, all eyes shifted upwards as Luther rose from his throne.

“we stand within the hall of justice to uphold the old laws” proclaimed Luther, his deep voice effortlessly thundering off the walls of the chamber before his focus fixed on the younger Teuton “Baron Archembald of house Gavel. You stand accused of the highest of treason. The murder of Dantioch, lord of house Ferrum. And as the conspirator of a plot to destroy the ancient house of Ferrum”

Jane bit her tongue to avoid gasping in horror. Shifting her glance to her side, she saw Archembald’s hand clench his Morningstar tightly, but the way he shifted his weight told her he was just as surprised and horrified as she was.

“by the old laws you hold the right to defend against this accusation” Luther continued before raising his free hand to gesture to the man stood opposite to Archembald “your accuser. Molag of House Ferrum. Son of Dantioch, now lord of the house”

“i greet you, Lord Ferrum” Archembald addressed while bowing his head,

“and i, you Baron of Gavel” Molag replied in a deep, gravely voice full of loathing

“i call the accuser to provide the evidence of their claims” Luther ordered as he once again lowered into his throne

“Before we begin, i demand the removal of the aliens” Molag spoke, his helm's crimson gaze shifting between the twins “The matters of this trial are not theirs to behold”

“These aliens are the captains of the vessel upon which i currently serve” countered Archembald as he gestured between them “it is by their choice they stand beside me, and it is my right by the old laws for them to be here”

“In this, the defendant is correct” Luther agreed as his gaze shifted to Molag “The aliens shall remain”

“so be it” Molag relented furiously as he moved towards the platform while raising a holographic display which hummed to life

Jane held her breath as she watched images of long streams of text along with images of an old male Teuton who lay dead, blood pouring from his mouth.

“Following my father's death, records were found hidden in his room.” Molag boomed as he glanced up at the images “These records had been stolen from house Gavel decades ago, and they were stamped with the seal of house Gavels' Baron. By the time we found them, they had been damaged by age or sabotage. But what we could glean from it was a plan to destroy House Ferrum. I have no doubt in my mind that Archembald killed my father in an attempt to ensure these records never came to light”

Luther held his gaze for a moment before he glanced to Archembald

“What says the defendant?” questioned the green-clad knight

“i refute this accusation” Archembald replied in a level voice “i could not have commit such an act. I have spent the last many months aboard the human vessel called the Normandy. Even had i not i would never carry out such an act. I may not have known Lord Dantioch well, but i would never kill him”

“LIES!” roared Molag furiously as a gauntleted finger pointed at Archembald “my father always coveted your role as councillor! It should have been his post!, you had every reason to kill a rival!-”

“SILENCE!” thundered Luther’s voice as he slammed the tip of his blade against the floor like a gavel before he ordered, “This is a house of the old laws, you shall speak only when called upon Molag”

Molag faltered slightly before bowing his head and stepping back “I apologise, lord of Tribunal. I overstepped”

Luther simply gave a lasting glare before his head shifted to Archembald, and he spoke

“i find the evidence to be small and lacking in absoluteness. However, it is undeniable that it is present. Have you proof against the claim?”

“it is impossible for me to make such a defence” Archembald argued “i possess no knowledge of the death nor the events that proceeded it. As such, i invoke the right for private investigation”

Luther was silent for a moment before he inclined his head slightly

“very well” he agreed “what house do you call upon to serve as you eyes?”

“none” Archembald answered as he stepped forward and raised a hand to gesture back to the pair “i call upon those who i serve. Jane and John Shepard shall be my eyes; they shall be the voice that proves my innocence or condemns me eternally”

“ALIENS!!” Molag roared so loudly it made Jane recoil and cover her ears “Lord of Tribunal, you can’t be consider-”

“MOLAG!” thundered Luther, his booming voice shaking the very structure “This is the second time you have spoken out of turn.”

Once again, Molag bowed his head clearly as he stepped back

“I apologise, lord of Tribunal.” Molag uttered like a scolded child, “but aliens have no place in this trial. Send the unnamed or one of the houses. But aliens-”

“will do so should they agree” Luther cut in “the old laws are clear. The eye of the defendant may be any who are impartial. And that they may not be from a house within the trial.”

Molag gave another nod, which was laced with fury, before he spat out, “Very well”

Jane’s breath hitched in her throat as Luther's gaze shifted to her and John

“John and Jane Shepard” Luther addressed in a low grim voice “will you take on the role of Archembalds eyes?”

Jane’s lip quivered slightly under the weight of the ancient's gaze. Glancing to her right, she saw John donning a stoic look, but the way his jaw clenched tightly told her that he was equally concerned. John’s eyes darted to meet hers before he gave a small nod. A weak smile formed on Jane’s lips as she looked back up at Luther

“We will” she answered, her voice echoing around the silent room

“Then approach” ordered Luther as he rose from his throne “you must be sworn to surface before the tribunal”

The pair silently oved forward until they stood before the high platform where Luther stood, helm's crimson eyes staring down at them.

“Kneel” Luther commanded

For a brief moment, Jane panicked until she saw a female Teuton in white and gold armour out of the corner of her eyes, gesture to her knee before mimicking lying on it. Jane quickly lowered her left knee to the floor while her right bent to form an L shape. She saw John quickly follow her movement as he joined her, kneeling before the green-clad knight.

“you have been called upon to serve in tribunal” boomed Luthers voice “by duty you have answered. As you kneel before the lord of the tribunal, I call you to swear an oath of service. Will you abide?”

“We will” the twins said in unison

“bow your heads and repeat my words” Luther ordered, his helm's crimson eyes staring holes in them “upon my life and honour, i have been called”

“Upon my life and honour, i have been called” the pair echoed

“i shall answer. And through this, I swear to serve the tribunal. To be the eyes of the defendant. To prove innocence, should it be. To condemn if guilt is whole”

“i shall answer. And through this, I swear to serve the tribunal. To be the eyes of the defendant. To prove innocence, should it be. To condemn if guilt is whole,” the pair continued

“before the spirits of my ancestors i swear to speak only truths, to uphold the honour of the tribunal. And i bequeath my life to the tribunal should it be known i have spoken a lie”

“before the spirits of my ancestors i swear to speak only truths, to uphold the honour of the tribunal. And i bequeath my life to the tribunal, should it be known i have spoken a lie” the twins finished as Luther gave a grim nod

“The oath is sworn. The task is in you hands” Luther’s voice rang through the room “until the eyes have completed their investigation i place this trial on hold. All present, bar the accuser and the defendant, are permitted to leave the hall. Adjourned”

With another slam of his blade, hushed voices echoed through the room. It was only as the clamour of movement reached Jane’s ears that she realised no Teuton bar Luther, Archembald, and Molag had spoken. Pushing herself back to her feet, Jane turned to face Archembald, who had his arms folded and his helm positioned in a way that indicated he was looking at the ground. Glancing over and sharing a nod with her brother, the pair approached the tense Teuton

“Didn’t expect to be sworn to service,” John uttered in an attempt at a joke

“i had hoped such a thing would not be needed” Archembald sighed grimly “i knew the accusations were dire for me to be summoned before the high tribunal. But the death of a lord and the destruction of a house. Such accusations have not been made in millennia”

“i can’t believe this is a case at all” Jane whispered “You would never kill someone like this”

“it is due process” Archembald muttered “i can not blame Lord Molag. He is young, angry, and wants revenge”

“Archembald” came a feminine voice, drawing the trio’s attention

Glancing around, Jane was met with a female Teuton clad in the white and blue of House Gavel with long blond hair and deep yellow eyes approaching. Behind her was the white and gold-clad female who had pointed out her knee for Jane, along with a male clad in pure gold, adorned with deep blue, whose face was hidden by a death mask.

“Athena” Archembald replied as he opened his arms to welcome the woman into an embrace

Jane watched curiously as the pair were silent before they pulled apart, allowing the woman to give the helmed man a smile

“Always causing trouble, aren’t you?” she teased

“Someone has to” Archembald chuckled “Luther’s hair has yet to go from grey to white”

This earned a snicker from the white clad woman, her golden accents gleaming in the light

“a precarious situation Archembald” the gold and blue clad man remarked as his face plates eyes shifted to the twins “i trust you have picked worthy eyes?”

“None are worthier” Archembald replied as he turned back to Jane “though i suspect Jane is rather confused”

“Some introductions would help” she admitted as she looked between the three new figures

“This is Athena” Archembald began as he gestured to the blonde “She is the baroness of house Gavel and my wife of many centuries-”

“Wife?” Jane echoed as she stared at the woman in surprise

“Never told them about me?” Athena questioned indignation

“Only one” Archembald admitted as his helmed head glanced to John

“he did”, John admitted as he nodded to Athena “, he didn’t say much about you, though.”

“i wouldn’t expect him too,” Athena smirked “It takes all the fun out of life if people only know me as the ex-councillor's wife”

Jane felt her brows raise as she glanced at the white clad knight who had removed her helmet to reveal long, dark brown hair that had been pulled into a neat ponytail, with some of it still loose to frame her face.

“This is Lady Adelheid of house Sol” Archembald continued as the woman gave a regal nod “an old friend and fellow member of the inner circle”

“i’ve heard much about you two” Adelheid smiled “hunted Saren, killed a reaper, and now saving Archembald from some scheme. Quite the list”

“I’m starting to wish it was shorter” John sighed, bringing a smile to Jane’s lips

“Thanks for helping with the ceremony” Jane said as she looked up at the woman

“The least I could do”, Adelheid nodded “I didn’t expect Archembald to explain, and Luther has never been one to break habit in tribunal. Though he did say the oath aloud rather than expecting you to know it, which is something. I guess”

“Speaking of Luther, why hasn’t he come down?” questioned John as he glanced around. Following his gaze, Jane saw Luther had once again taken a seat on the throne, his helm's crimson eyes surveying the room

“A lord of tribunal may not interact with those part of a trial outside of official matters” explained the gold-clad man, his helm's suncrown gleaming in the light as he stepped forward “having sworn to serve, this now includes both of you”

“makes sense” Jane sighed as she turned back to the golden man “who are you?”

“Vastador” the man replied flatly, “Lord of House Tempest, and another fellow member of the inner circle”

“A lot of important people in one room” John uttered turning a smile from Athena

“Another title held by the legendary shepards” joked Adelheid “first humans to have stood in the presence of more than one inner circle member”

“would have been nicer if it wasn’t under such grim cirumstances” Jane mumbled as she began glancing around the large chamber were she noticed a female Teuton of house Ferrum glaring between Archembald and Molag “so what are we supposed to do as Archembald’s ‘eyes’?”

“Investigate” Vastador said simply “you have thirty standard Karsk years to search for evidence that will either prove Archembald’s innocence or condemn him”

“Thirty years” John echoed in horror while Jane did her best to hold her jaw in place

“thirty years” Adelheid smirked “remember, these laws were made for Teutons. With lifespans as long as ours, thirty years is far shorter”

“So what do we do?” Jane sputtered, her mind still reeling, “Just run around looking for evidence?”

“that, and i would advise talking to those present here” Archembald growled as his helmed head looked around the room “i find it unlikely that whomever is behind this wouldn’t shy away from seeing my trial.”

“Well better get started” John sighed as Jane gave a nod

“Since we have you three here, is there anything you can tell us?” Jane asked as she looked between the three knights

All three seemed to think back to the time before the trial until Athena spoke up

“Lord Dantioch had been in talks with Lord Frederick”, she explained as he carefully moved some loose hair behind her ear “, House Ferrum has long held grand authority over the mines and forges of Thurgan. Rumours were that Lord Dantioch wanted to begin crafting lesser metals for trade to secure greater power for the house”

“i remember hearing something similar” Adelheid agreed while rubbing her chin “naturally some were closed off by the idea. Our people aren’t known for our love of aliens”

“What has that got to do with Archembald and House Gavel?” John asked while crossing his arms

“house Gavel has long been known for their diplomacy with aliens” Vastador replied grimly “a fact that was furthered when Archembald became the councillor. For the more traditional of our kind, being connected to House Gavel is to be connected to the alien”

“And it would be assumed that i was aware of the communications between them” Archembald hummed while tapping his pommel “As a Baron i was privy to much”

“so the late lord Danticoch was supposedly talking with a house known for loving aliens before he died” Jane mumbled earning a nod from the four Teutons “a decent start. Come on, John, let's see what else we can find”

Jane waved for John to follow before turning to walk away, catching a small raise of the brow from her brother as she did so. Nevertheless, John followed as she made her way to a far edge of the room.

“Were to next?” John questioned in a low voice as Jane’s eyes scanned the room

“Her” Jane whispered back before subtly pointing to the house Ferrum woman with black neck-length hair “look at the way she’s glaring between Archembald and Molag”

“could just be upset” John mused as he focused on her “after all, her head of house just died and she’s in the same room as the supposed murderer”

“true” Jane agreed “but so are the others, and none of them are glaring the same way.”

“Better than nothing” John shrugged before gesturing with his head “lead the way”

Jane gave a small nod before striding ahead. Quickly moving across the room, Jane took the time to carefully examine the woman. Scars littered her face along with what appeared to be chemical burns of sorts. From her right ear hung a fang earring with runes carved into it along with green jewels. A sword hung from her belt with depictions of what appeared to be lizards being cut down by hero's.

“What do you want aliens?” demanded the woman in a harsh voice as the pair stopped in front of her

“Just to ask some questions” Jane answered simply while crossing her arms, eye green eyes meeting the woman's dark black

“i will not be questioned by aliens,” the woman spat “i care not for this farce of a trial-”

“Duchess Medusa”, came the level voice of a nearby guard of the order of the unnamed “The old laws demand co-operation. You shall answer, or you shall be taken before the lord of tribunal”

The woman's jaw clenched as she glared at the robe-clad knight. Finally, she let out a growl and turned back to the pair before uttering in a seething tone, “so be it, ask your questions”

“the gaurd addressed you as Duchess” John chimed in “are you the Duchess of house Ferrum?”

“My family have long been the Dukes and Duchesses of the house” Medusa replied spitefully

“Where does a duke or duchess stand in a house?” Jane inquired as she looked carefully at Medusa's movements

“How can aliens be expected to help when you know so little, ignorant fools?” Medusa growled as her fists clenched, only to loosen as she saw the trial guard shoot another glance from beneath their hood. With a deep sigh, she replied, “A duke and duchess of a house are below only the lord, along with his wife and heirs”

“i notice you keep glaring between Archembald and Molag” Jane continued as she raised a ginger brow “why?”

“You have the gall to ask me why!” spat Medusa as her face contorted into a furious glare “The lord of my house is dead, and the murderer stands before me! If my respect and fear for the lord of tribunal did not outweigh my fury, Archembald would lie dead!”

Jane recoiled, but returned to her original stance as she saw the woman wasn’t going to do more than yell. Silently, she nodded at the woman and began to hum in thought as John spoke once more

“Where were you when Dantioch was murdered?”

“tis lord Dantioch to you alien wretch” Medusa scored as she glared at John “on the day and eve of his murderer Lord Malog and I were hunting Wyverns. By the time we returned to the palace, the previous lord had passed”

“i think that's all for now” Jane nodded “Thank you for your time”

Medusa didn’t reply as she turned away, a sour look on her face, no doubt from having to speak with them for so long.

“can definitely see what the others meant about not liking aliens” John sighed as he watched her go “solid alibi though. And seems far too loyal to even consider killing her lord”

“all true” Jane agreed as she thought over all the replies from the woman “who next?”

“Seems to me Dantioch’s son would be best” John answered as he glanced over his shoulder to make sure Medusa hadn’t heard

“Let's hope he isn’t as hostile” Jane sighed as the pair turned to face the centre of the room, where Molag still stood, his helm's crimson eyes staring at the ground

Winding their way across the roo,m the pair soon found themselves before the grey-clad giant

“i take it you have questions,” the man questioned as his helm rose to face them

“if it’s alright” Jane said softly

“Nothing will be right till the one who did this pays” Molag growled, both his fists clenching

“We’re sorry this happened” John chimed in a sympathetic tone

“do not pity me, alien” Molag commanded, his voice harsh “My father will spin in his tomb should you”

“ok” Jane nodded as she crossed her arms “Medusa claimed you and her were hunting Wyverns the day and night your father was killed. Is this true?”

“Tis” Molag answered simply, “we left at dawn and returned far later than was planned”

“Why?” John asked curiously

Molag was still for a moment, and Jane worried he was going to smash John's head in or yell. But finally, he let out a deep grumbling sigh

“during the hunt i was poisoned by the Wyvern while Medusa and i were seperated” Molag explained with a harshness to his voice, that was directed at neither of them “a fang made it through a breach in my armour that i hadn’t noticed before setting off. I was lucky i possessed anti venom on me or i would have perished as well. I hobbled back to the palace to find Medusa had returned to rally a search party”

Jane thought over his words before she hummed and stored the information for later.

“What can you tell us about your father's murder?” Jane inquired “how did he die?, were was he found? Who found him?”

“he was poisoned”, Molag uttered sadly, “what kind, we do not know. There are few poisons that can harm a Teuton, fewer still that can kill one. He was found late in the evening in his personal chambers by the head maid. She was also the one who found the evidence. By the time i arrived, it was already in the hands of agents of the unnamed”

“is the head maid here?” John asked as he began glancing around the chamber

“No” Molag replied, “she is still at the palace”

“Has the scene been investigated?” Jane asked slowly, “Is it still intact?”

“investigators of the order of the unnamed have searched thoroughly” Molag remarked wth another sigh “nothing was found. Since then, my father was taken for burial. Beyond that, nothing has been touched”

“Would we be able to visit the palace?” Jane continued in a careful voice, “See the scene. Talk to the maid?”

Molag was silent for a long time before he let out another deep shuddering sigh and answered

“i will allow it, under the condition you are escorted by members of the order of the unnamed”

“Sounds reasonable to me” John agreed while Jane nodded

Molag turned up to Luther, who Jane noticed was looking down at them all, having clearly listened to the whole conversation. Not a word was spoken before Luther raised a hand, and with a slight gestur,e the two guards near the opposite door approached

-half an hour later, House Ferrum Palace-

The large door creaked open as Jane followed John into a massive bed chamber. Behind them, a white gold-clad daughter of house Sol closed the door as both twins began looking through the room.

“For him to die of poison, it needs to get in the bloodstream” Jane mused aloud as she looked over the massive double bed

“Can’t have been gas” John replied as he stood near the windows “The windows are open, and the room has vents”

“dart or bullet maybe?” Jane suggested as she moved to look under the bed

“i doubt either could pierce Teuton skin” John countered as he glanced out one of the windows “Molag also said they had no idea how the poison entered his system. A dart or bullet would be easy to trace”

“true” Jane agreed as she struggled to look into the darkness “evening meal?”

“Possible, but i doubt it” John remarked as he moved towards a large set of draws “he would have died in the dining hall”

“True”, Jane agreed as frustration bubbled. Making her way back to her feet, she moved towards a large table a crunch echoed beneath her

“Did you hear that?” John questioned as he glanced down at the rug beneath her feet

“i did” Jane answered as she stepped to the side and reached down. She felt the warm wool and fur move across her fingers before she pulled the large rug aside, revealing several pieces of broken material

“A porcelain cup?” John muttered as he moved closer

“shattered to pieces and hidden under the rug” Jane conformed as she picked up the ruined handle “i doubt this has been here long. Someone with the title of lord wouldn’t be happy stomping on broken cup shards”

“So a poisoned drink” John affirmed as he began to look around the room

“he was found in the evening” Jane continued as she moved back to her feet, her eyes landing on a nearby table where a porcelain teapot sat “a warm drink before bed”

John strode over to where she looked and carefully picked up the teapot and lifted the lid.

“Looks like cold tea inside” he sighed as Jane moved closer

Glancing down into the hole, she saw he was right. Brown tea floated inside the pot, leaves and all still present.

“Really thought we had something there” Jane sighed as she took the teapot, only to stop dead as one of her fingers landed on a small hole in the handle “Wait”

Jane carefully lifted the teapot higher and carefully examined its handle, where she saw not one, but two separate holes. Both burrowed deep into the carefully crafted material, too perfect in design to be mistakes. And far too clean to be chips or damage.

“Can you bring me two cups?” Jane requested as she continued to carefully examine the pot.

John didn’t argue as he turned and moved back to the table where he picked up two cups from the table. As he arrived next to Jane, she saw him hold both out. She carefully placed a finger on one of the holes before lifting it up and pouring the teapot out of the spout, pouring the brown tea, which flowed into the cup gently. With a careful movement, she shifted her finger to cover the second hole and poured into the second cup. Gasps escaped the pair as they watched a deep green liquid fill the second cup, and the air filled with an almost acidic harshness.

“What is it?” Jane whispered as she stared at the green liquid

“one way to find out” John replied as he placed the tea filled up down and activated both his omni tool and his comm “Ed, can you check the makeup of this scan and tell us what you find?”

Jane held her breath as the omni tool waved over the cup, scanning the liquid. And Edi’s synthetic voice came over the comms

“it possesses the exact chemical makeup of Wyvern venom. An extremely rare form of poison because Wyverns are only found on their home world. Karsk. It is one of the only known poisons that can kill Teutons”

“So his tea was poisoned!” John declared hopefully, “We just need to find out who”

“Molag said his father was found by the head maid, didn’t he?” Jane aske,d gaining a nod of confirmation from her brother, “Let's get her up here”

With a quick request delivered to the agent of the unnamed, the pair found themselves standing opposite to a towering Teuton woman with neck-length brown hair, along with a rune-covered fang earring hanging from her left ear, who smiled warmly at the pair

“You're the head maid?” John questioned as the woman bowed

“Correct” the woman confirmed “Eleana of house Ferrum at your service”

“We were told you were the one to find the evidence against Baron Archembald” Jane remarked as she continued to study the tall woman carefully “is that true?”

“It is” Eleana said sadly “it was clutched tightly in the late lord's hand”

“Why did you visit his chambers?” John questioned with a raise of the brow “Did he summon you?”

“i brought him tea earlier in the eve” Elena explained, “when i returned to retrieve the teapot Lord Dantioch had passed”

“is that the teapot you brought him?” Jane inquired while gesturing to the twin-chambered pot she and John had discovered

“it is” Eleana smiled “a new design i had never seen before. It had been freshly made in the kitchens. Though I remember being confused about who had done so since the chefs had finished for the night”

“Who else has access to the kitchens?” Jane pushed, hopping for a list of potential culprits

“mainly the chefs and servants”, Eleana replied, “but any of high station could easily access them. The nobles of the house have free rein of most of the palace”

Jane hummed in thought before nodding to herself

“What other duties do you have as head maid?” asked John

“beyond cleaning and organising the other servants it is my duty to help clean the armour of the lord and his heir” Eleana answered with a small smile “sometimes i could get help from others to prepare the armour for use. The eve before Molag’s hunt i had two others with me and a fellow knight to inspect the work”

“and i notice you have a fang earing” John continued making Jane look back to the womans jewellery “is it a common type of accessory for Teutons?”

“earings are most common among our females” Eleana replied with a wide smile “though fangs like this are uncommon. They belong to Wyverns, a most dangerous prey to hunt. But my family has always taken pride in its skill to do so. This lovely earring was a gift from my dear elder sister”

Jane felt her breath hitch in her throat as everything started to click together. Eye eyes sapped from Eleana to the teapot before finally landing on John

“Thank you for everything, Eleana” Jane said weakly “We’ll take it from here”

“i wish you both luck” Eleana said as she bowed before turning and departing, leaving John staring at Jane

“Got something?” he questioned

“Just the culprit for the murder” Jane smirked as she strode to the door “Oh, grab that teapot”

-half an hour later, hall of tribunal-

The pair's footsteps echoed through the large chamber as they made their way back down to the centre, where Archembald and Molag stood before Luther. All the other Teutons remained silent as they sat in the surrounding rows.

“we have received word that you have found proof of Archembald of house Gavels innocence” Luther stated as the pair moved either side of the knight in question “is this claim true?”

“yes we have” Jane answered as she stepped closer to the raised throne “we have concluded that the true murderer of the late Lord Dantioch is the duchess of house Ferrum. Medusa”

The room went completely still as the air crackled with tension. Out of the corner of her eyes, Jane saw Molag’s head snap around to the members of his house, his helms crimson eyes staring at the unfazed Medusa

“Duchess Medusa of house Ferrum. I call you forward,” commanded Luther

The woman didn’t argue, she rose to her feet and moved out of the row before carefully marching down to take a place in-between the two gathered parties

“the defendant claims you have place in this trial” continued Luther “what say you to these accusations?”

“i demand evidence for these claims” spat Medusa as she glared at the pair. Jane turned to her brother and gave him a nod

“in lord Dantioch’s chambers we found a shattered teacup that he had drunk from the night of his death” John declared as all eyes shifted to him “it had been hidden under a large rug. When we investigated the teapot he had gotten the tea from we discovered it had two chambers inside. One full of tea, and the other of Wyvern venom. Holes cast into the teapot's handle could control which chamber was used when pouring. But if neither hole was covered, then an equal amount of poison and tea would be poured. Undetected by the user”

“And this involves me how?” demanded Medusa harshly, only to be silenced by a slam of Luthers blade

“After speaking with the head maid, we discovered several things” Jane stated as she moved to stand next to John “One of them being the head maid of house Ferrum, who brought the late lord his evening tea, was Duchess Medusa’s younger sister”

“Nonsense” Medusa growled

“How many house Ferrum women have matching Wyvern fang earrings?” questioned John, making Medsua’s lip quiver furiously

“e-even if my dear little sister was behind this, she is the traitor. Not me,” Medusa stammered as she glanced up at the unfaltering gaze of Luther

“usually we would agree” John cut in “but from our interaction with Eleana it was clear she had no motive. She claimed the teapot had been made and left out, even though all the chefs had left the kitchens for the evening. Eleana also happened to point out that members of the house's nobility had free rein of most of the palace”

“before we ventured to house Ferrums palace we talked with Lady Adelheid of house sol and Baroness Athena of house Gavel” Jane continued while crossing her arms “both of whom claimed Lord Dantioch had been in rumoured talks with the Lord of house Gavel to open trade with aliens. Something you clearly hated, given your hatred of aliens”

“Naturally you wanted the current lord of the house out of the way” John chimed in “but replacing him with Molag wasn’t an option because he doesn’t hate aliens, he just doesn’t like them involved in Teuton business”

Jane saw the Teuton in question tilt his head slightly, his helm no doubt hiding his surprise at how well they had deciphered his character

“as duchess you would become the new lord of the house if both the current lord and the heir died” Jane pushed as she stared down the Medusa “so you concocted a plan. You invited Molag Wyvern hunting, and the night before, you helped your sister by ‘inspecting’ his armour during which you intentionally made a breach to ensure he died during the hunt. When the Wyvern attacked, you returned to the palace under the guise of rallying a search party. But you actually snuck to the kitchen and brewed the tea in the poison teapot before leaving it out for your sister to find. When she took it, you the lord's chambers you followed, and once he died, you planted evidence pointing to Baron Archembald, an alien sympathiser you hate and hid the evidence”

“but you plan failed because Molag had anti venom on him” John concluded “when he returned to the palace you were forced to pretend that you had no involvement. It's why you keep glaring at him. You're not upset his father is dead. You're angry he managed to survive”

Jane held her breath, hoping that everything had clicked together as she thought it did. The tension in the room was so thick that any blade present could cut it. Medusa was still for a moment as she glared at the pair before she spun as a blur of steel and colour as she darted towards the door

“SEIZE HER!” Luther roared, his voice shaking the very room. Several Teutons in the rows leapt to their feet. But none had a chance to act

The two agents of the unnamed by the door bolted forward, the first of the two slamming down with a two-handed claymore. A screech of energy rang out as Medusa blocked the attack with her own sword, only to be followed by a harsh crack as the second agent slammed their warhammer into her chest, sending her back. Before Medusa could hope to react, the first agent slammed the pommel of the large blade into her face, causing crimson to burst from her shattered nose and sending her staggering to her knees, her blade hoplessly slamming to the floor beside her as the energy flickered out.

Jane watched as the two agents reached under the bleeding womans arms and dragged her across the stone floor as the another agent picked up her blade and followed. Jane jolted as she felt a large hand reach down, glancing over her shoulder she saw a helmless Archembald giving her a weak smile as he carefully led herself and John to the side of the room.

“Duchess Medusa of house Ferrum” Luther address his voice ringing with collected fury that made Jane wince “as lord of Tribinal i accuse you of high treason for the murder of your lord of house, attempted murder of a houses heir. Falsifying evidence. Tampering with a crime scene. Framing a fellow Teuton. Dishonourable conduct, dishonourable killing, and shame in life. How do you plead!?”

“it’s clear i did it!” Medusa yelled back as blood painted her face “i did what i had to do! Consorting with aliens makes us weaker by the day!. We used to be powerful! We used to have the galaxy in the palm of our hands! Now look at us! Look at what we have becom-”

“Enough!” thundered Luther with a silencing slam of his blade. Before his helm's gaze shifted to Molag, “Lord Molag. You are still the accuser in this trial. With all that has been brought forward, what is your stance?”

“i request all accusations made against Baron Archembald be withdrawn” Molag replied as his crimson eyes glared at Medusa

“Granted” Luther confirmed with a nod of his head, and Jane heard Archembald let out a sigh

“i wish to invoke the ancient right of vengeance” Molag continued “the one who killed my father must die to my hands”

“as is your right” Luther agreed before gesturing to the agents of the unnamed “release her and return her blade to her.”

The robed figures obeyed, letting Medusa collapse to her knees before dropping her weapon next to her. Jane watched as they moved to stand around the circle, ensuring Medusa could not flee what was coming next. Her hand clutched her blade as she pushed herself up, and with a flick, Medusa’s blade flickered to life. Across from her Molag’s large war gauntlets thundered to life as both his fists clenched

A small gasp escaped Jane as both flung themselves at one anothe,r both moving faster than the human eye could perceive. Nothing more than steel blurs adorned with yellow and black moving around the circle in a storm of blade clashes and powerful slams. until in one movement Medusa was caught across the head, sending her flying across the open space and slamming to the floor with enough force to break the stone.

“M-Molag” she uttered as blood poured from her broken nose and chin “p-please”

Molag didn’t reply as he marched closer, both fists still crackling with energy. As he reached Medusa, he raised his right fist and slammed it down on her exposed head with enough force to shatter the ground below and make the room shake. Jane looked away from the explosion of crimson. Only sparing a small glance back to see what had formerly been Medusa’s head

“it is done” Molag declared in a tone that was a harsh mix between betrayal and fury

“so it is” Luther agreed “i declare this trial ended. Baron Archembald stands proven innocent by his eyes, and lord Molag had attained the blood of his father's killer. Such is the old laws”

With a final slam of his blade, the room burst into quiet words and movement as the Teutons present discussed the events. Jane’s focus remained on Molag as he simply stared down at the corpse of Medusa

“i would have a word, Archembald, John, and Jane” Luther called as he made his way down from the raised throne, his voice lacking all the edge it had throughout the trial

“Everything alright, Luther?” John asked as the green-clad knight approached

“All is well. I simply wished to express my joy at seeing you all,” replied Luther with a nod “I was unable to express such feelings during the trial”

“it’s nice to see you too,” Jane smiled as she focused on Luther “It was weird seeing you so stern”

“Alas it was my duty” Luther sighed “as a lord of tribunal, i must carry out my duties no matter whom i am tasked with judging”

“so if we hadn’t found the evidence, Archembald would have died” John sputtered, caught off guard at just how high the stakes had been

“no, death was not on the table” Archembald chimed in

“Quite right” Luther confirmed with a nod, “no matter who stood before me a death penalty would never be handed to someone for such little evidence. At worst, young Archembald would have faced imprisonment for the crimes”

“Why was everyone so tense then?” Jane asked as she looked between the pair

“Had I been imprisoned i would no longer be able to aid you on your hunt for the collectors” Archembald said simply

“And had he been deemed guilty, it would have been unlikely that the true culprit was found” Luther finished grimly

“So everything is ok?” John inquired with a raised brow

“Archembald has been declared innocent and is free to go” Luther confirmed as he reached for a medium-length sheathed sword that looked tiny on the giant's belt, “and as a thank you for standing beside an old friend and finding the truth, i offer you this”

Jane watched as the giant held out the sheathed blade. Sharing a look with her brother, Jane nodded for him to take the blade, mentally knowing that between them a sword would benefit him far more than it would her.

“tis called Glorious duty” Luther explained as John took the blade and pulled it from the sheath watching it crackle to life like all Teuton weapons of war “it was crafted as a gift for an Asari justiciar long ago. 'Tis one of the only weapons forged by Teuton hands for a warrior who is not our kind. I can think of none more deserving than the two of you to wield it”

“Thank you, Luther” John said as he looked from the humming blade to the knight “I’ll use it with care”

“of that i am cirtain” Luther nodded before his helms crimson eyes turned to Archembald “i trust you shall teach him the correct ways to use and care for it?”

“Naturally Luther" Archembald smiled as he shifted his greying ginger hair

“Lord Luther” an agent of the unnamed, called “your presence is required for the sealing of the record”

“duty calls” Luther sighed as he nodded to the robed agent “until we next meet. Take care”

“See ya, Luther” called Jane as he turned and walked away, John’s focus still on the master crafted blade in his hands

“it looks like you have others who wish to speak to yo,u” Archembald commented, drawing both twins' attention upwards to see Molag striding towards them

“A word” Molag requested as he arrived before the trio, Jane glanced to John as he sheathed the sword once more and nodded to Molag

“Go ahead” John agreed

“i owe the both of you an apology, i treated the both of you disrespectfully when you first came to me” Molag explained while bowing his head “it dishonoured you both, and for that, i am sorry”

“You were upset and angry” Jane smiled sadly “we’re sorry this happened to you”

“You have done more than anyone could ask,” Molag replied with a wave “You found the truth of my father's death. You protected an innocent man from punishment. And most of all, you allowed me to kill the guilty one. For that, you earned this”

Jane watched as one of Molag’s large gauntlets reached out, revealing a large gold ring which was stamped with a coat of arms that matched the one on Molag’s armour

“tis signet ring of house Ferrum” Molag explained as Jane took it caregully “a symbol of one who has the power and favour of a houses lord. Those who carry one are thegns of the house. If you are ever in need, House Ferrum will aid you. Just as you have aided me this day. Know you shall always be welcome in my palace’s halls and within the wards of Thurgan”

“Thank you, Molag” Jane smiled as she looked up at the man “it is a great honour for the both of us”

“carry it well” Molag replied before turning.

Jane watched him move away before looking over her shoulder to share a smile with Archembald as Athena and several others rushed forward, all ready to discuss the details of the trial and to celebrate the outcome.

Chapter Text

John smiled to himself as he looked out over the mess space, his hands admiring his new blade, gifted from Luther. Despite how late in the ship's day-night cycle it was, several people sat around the tables, all of them drinking and telling spooky stories.

“A curious gathering” came a strong feminine voice, drawing John’s attention to Samara

“Hope they didn’t disturb you” John sighed as he rose to his feet to stand beside the elder Asari

“Not at all” Samara replied, a feint smile on her usually pursed lips “I find myself curious about what is happening, however”

“It's Halloween on earth” John explained as Samara’s multi coloured eyes shifted to him “it's an old holiday that managed to survive as we colonised other worlds”

“so a celebration” Samara considered as she glanced to the many humans laughing and exchanging treats “for what perpose do they celebrate?”

“something about death and spirits” John sighed before scratching the back of his neck “you would have to ask Jane for a proper explanation. Hemlock could probably give you a full history lesson, well after he rolls his eye at it not being taught in the colony’s”

“i take it that is common?” Samara inquired, leading John to nod in response

A comfortable silence fell over the two as they continued to watch the crew members merrily enjoying the festivities, until a familiar figure caught John’s attention. Garrus had marched onto the deck at an incredibly fast pace as his eyes frantically searched the room before widening as they saw John. The man in question watched as he ducked and weaved through the crew members, several of whom called after him, offering drinks and treats, only to be ignored

“John” Garrus wheezed as he finally arrived before the pair “i-i need to talk to you. It's urgent”

John glanced at Samara, who gave a bow of her head and uttered “until we next speak” before she turned and strode away. Glancing back to Garrus he smiled as his Turian friend before gesturing for him to follow. The two silently moved through the deck until they were able to slide into the main guns chamber, where Garrus had made his residence and where they would be safe from interruptions.

“So what’s the problem, Garrus?” John asked as he leaned against a nearby wall, “Lia ask you out on a date?”

“Not the time” Garrus shot back as his mandibles flickered, his expression stoic “This is important”

“Well, what is it then?” John pushed as he wiped the grin from his face

“you remember how i was cornered by the gangs on omega right?” Garrus questioned as he bagan to pace back and forth “and how there were several corpses in the estate i was hunkered down in?”

“a bit” John replied as his brows scrunched in thought, memories of several bodies in a row under orange cloth came to the front of his mind “what about it?”

Garrus stilled for a moment, his mandibles flickering as his eyes shifted to the floor before he whispered, “t-they were my team”

John’s brows shot up as the realisation struck. Of course, he hadn’t caused all that trouble by himself. Garrus had help, help that had perished in the line of duty.

“I’m sorry Garrus” John sighed as he moved to place a hand on the Turian's shoulder “it had never crossed my mind”

“i didn’t want it to” Garrus stated as he shifted to look John in the eyes “they were my responsibility. They died on my watch. And it's my duty to avenge them”

“How can you?” John asked sadly, “You already fought and killed those responsible?”

“not all” Garrus growled “before we were cornered one of them went missing. Sidonis”

“he betrayed you” John surmised, seeing the fury in his friend's eyes

“he betrayed all of us” Garrus remarked as his right hand reached up to touch his wounded mandible “my men....my friends died because of him. I want....no i need to kill him”

John felt his breath hitch in his throat. He knew the want for revenge; he knew it all too well. For years, he had been fuelled by nothing but. And he knew he didn’t want his friend. Probably the closes of them, bar Tali to walk down that path.

“Are you sure Garrus” John questioned slowly as he made sure to look into the Turian's eyes “Vengeance won’t bring them back”

“i know that!” Garrus cried as his mandibles flared, “But I need this!, I need to see him end to know he got what he deserved.”

“Garrus.........” John uttered apprehensively

“please John” Garrus pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper “i need to do this.....i need your help”

For a moment, John was still as a tempest raged in his mind before he finally let out a deep sigh

“How can i help?” he questioned

“I found out Sidonis fled to the Citadel” Garrus explained, a shine in his eyes “he got a new identity from someone calling themselves ‘fade’”

“And you want us to head to the citadel to find him” John finished, already seeing where the conversation was going

“its not the collectors or reapers, i know” Garrus sighed as he rubbed his head crest “unless the Adentri come up with something soon we’ve got no leads.”

“Going to the citadel isn’t the problem” John admitted as he shifted his weight “It's this hunt for revenge that is worrying me”

“Why?” Garrus questioned an exasperated expression on his face

“You saw me on X fifty-seven Garrus”, John countered grimly “, I don’t want you to end up like me.”

“i promise i won’t-” Garrus began before John silenced him

“it’s easy to say that now” John muttered as he glared at his friend “in the moment its not. Even putting aside my reservations, i have no idea how we can convince Jane”

“yeah.....” Garrus cringed as he rubbed the back of his head “She’s not going to like this, is she?”

“she’ll hate it” John confirmed as he crossed his arms “i’ll talk to her and see what i can do. But if she refuses, then you will have to take it up with her”

“understood. Thank you, John,” Garrus said with a weak smile as John moved towards the door

“It’s what friends are for” John sighed as he glanced back to the Turian “but when this is said and done, you’re asking out Lia’Vael”

John chuckled as he saw Garrus’ eyes widen and his mandibles go slack, a slight blue tinge appearing on his face. Before he had the chance to argue, John slipped back through the door as he returned his focus to making a convincing argument for his soon-to-be very upset sister

-two galactic standard days later, Citadel-