Book 2, Chapter 11 - Rescue Me

"Are you both settling in okay?" I asked.

"My quarters meet my requirements, Shepard," Thane replied, "I do not require much comfort otherwise. A soft mat for meditation is all that I need."

"And you still feel fit enough to assist?"

He nodded his head, the flicker of a grin. "Your concern is admirable, Shepard, and I do thank you for it. But I would not have accepted your offer if I did not deem myself capable of performing to how I would expect of myself."

"Great. And you, Samara?"

"While I did not expect to ever fly aboard a vessel bedecked in the colours and symbol of an avowed enemy of the Council, I am pleased to see that many of the humans on board do not match the stereotype of what I had expected of a human centric organisation."

"And do you have everything you require?"

"I am comfortable, Shepard. All I need is a place to lay my head at night and a quiet place to meditate. Thane has already joined me during our brief time together on the ship."

"It brings harmony of mind, body and soul, Justicar."

"Indeed it does." She looked back at me. "Suffice to say, I believe we are both well, Shepard. Thank you for asking."

"Good. Glad to hear. You need anything, just shout and I'll see what I can do." Both looked confused a moment before realising the human idiom.

"Shepard, if I may broach one subject, in private?" Thane took that as a cue to leave, dipping his head in respect towards both of us before leaving the lounge, leaving me across from Samara. I had a feeling I already knew what this would be about, but I let her start. "I do not mean to cause embarrassment, Shepard, but I feel I must say this before we go further."

"Sure, Samara. No problem."

"I will admit I do not know you well. However, suffice to say, I have learned of your reputation as a… I believe the term is ladies' man. Would that be correct?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"I can admit I already understand why many women may flock to your bedside, Shepard. It is not just your deeds. Already I have seen the strength of your character and force of personality, and that's ignoring your physical attributes. However, I am a Justicar and… I cannot be another of your conquests, Shepard, to put it as bluntly as possible. I took a vow of celibacy and no-one, not even you, can make me break that vow."

"I would never expect that, Samara."

"I know that already, but I felt it necessary to vocalise my thoughts, just so we know where we each stand. I will stand by your side until the Collectors are defeated. I will offer you advice whenever you need it. I will protect you with my life as I know you will protect mine with yours. I hope, by the end of this, I can consider you a close friend, forged in the arena of war. But that is all we will ever be."

"Thank you, Samara."

"For what?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"For being honest. I know nothing of your order, and you've just given me a tiny insight. You gave up everything correct? Material possessions but also the idea of… love? Intimacy?"

"In a manner of speaking. I can still feel great love but that is all. I now live by the Code."

"I certainly expect nothing from any woman I meet except friendship. If it develops naturally from there, then I certainly appreciate that fact. But I never expect something to happen. Now that I know where each of us stands, I can only echo your hopes and feelings, Samara. By the end of this, I hope to consider you as close a friend as I consider many others I have fought alongside."

She dipped her head in respect. "Another reason why you have developed such a reputation, Shepard. I am eager to see how we progress in the coming weeks."

"This is still just the beginning. We haven't even really begun yet."

I left Samara to her meditations, heading out into the mess to grab a bottle of water, looking around and walking into the med-bay. Chakwas was pleased to see me, gesturing immediately to her seat. Once I'd sat down, she simply said, "Thank you, Commander."

"Shepard, Doc. I'm no longer of that rank."

"You still command this vessel, Commander. But I understand why."

"Why the thank you?"

"For the bottle of brandy. I know I told you about it but I didn't think you'd actually buy me one."

"Of course I would. I look after my friend's."

"We'll have to have a drink one day."

"Definitely. Once we've recruited Tali, we'll spend a night together drinking."

Something in her eyes sparkled. I remembered her affection for me during Saren, but neither of us had made a move to be anything more than friends. I certainly had affection for her. She was a lovely woman and I enjoyed our constant conversations. But I didn't think she wanted anything more than a friend, so I didn't push it. "Well, that will give me something to look forward to, Shepard. Did you need anything else?"

"No, just wondering if there's anything I need to be concerned about?"

"Your injuries have clearly healed, so you're fine. Our recruits are all fit and healthy. No, I think I can claim that the entire ship is running smoothly in regards to their health."

"Well, who can't help but be pleased by that."

"I'll let you know if anything major does happen, but that will likely only be due to action off the ship."

"I can't help it if bad people want to shoot me constantly," I stated, rising to my feet, "But it seems to be a habit nowadays."

"As long as your visits with wounds doesn't become a habit, Commander."

"What? And miss your bedside manner, Doctor? Almost a good excuse to get shot!"

"Behave, Commander," she retorted with a grin.

"Of course, Doc. I'll talk to you later."

Heading upstairs, I clicked on my terminal and checked for any new messages. Of course, within the couple of hours I'd been away, I'd been inundated like usual. Most of it was junk or things I simply didn't need to know or care about, but there was always news to catch up. Rumours of Collector movements were always something I wanted to know about. Since Freedom's Progress and even Horizon, at least another half a dozen colony's had simply disappeared. It was almost like they were mocking our efforts at times.

As for where we were headed, the only dossier I'd received since leaving Illium was to recruit a quarian. A certain someone by the name of Tali'Zorah vas Neema. I remembered her telling me everything about her society and culture during our time together before, so what her new name told me is that she was now a member of the Neema and was now considered an adult. She'd been an adult, at least in regards to age, when she was on the old Normandy, but due to their own unique rules, she was only considered a contributing adult when she returned from Pilgrimage with a gift. I could only hope the one I gave her had been as good as she'd hoped when leaving.

We were headed to a planet called Haestrom, which was arse deep in the middle of geth space. I didn't like that idea. Hated geth almost as much as I hated batarians. At least the latter were organics. Geth were heartless, emotionless machines, hell bent on doing god knows what to the rest of us. They'd come ever so close to helping Saren achieve his ambitions at letting the Reapers invade, so my only rule regarding the geth nowadays was to shoot every single one I ran into.

I couldn't figure out what Tali was doing there though. I'd been told that the quarians tried to leave the geth alone at the best of times. But considering she had told me about her own mission, I could only assume this was somehow related.

"Joker, how long until we're in orbit of Haestrom?"

"Well, considering we'll need to stay cloaked the entire time we're in geth space, we're going to be at least another couple of days, Commander." Joker was another that refused to call me Shepard. I'd given up asking him as well.

"Okay. Do what you can to shave off an hour here or there if you can. But I'd rather not be chased out of the system by geth if possible."

"Sure thing, Commander. With any luck, they won't know we've been and gone."

Thankfully, everyone had their role on the ship, or at least those wearing Cerberus colours, so while the ship was flying anywhere, no-one could complain of being bored. Of those who were not Cerberus, Garrus worked the main batteries, so kept himself amused. Kasumi liked to read. Thane and Samara meditated. Jack did… whatever Jack did downstairs. Grunt found joy in assembling weapons. Zaeed drank and smoked in his quarters.

As for Kelly, I'd kept my word. The first night after we'd left Illium, we had dinner together in my cabin and she stayed the night, where we made love and then we simply cuddled together. And I knew she was happy in the thought that, for the time being, she'd be my sole focus. I didn't think anything would happen with Jack again anytime soon, and I wasn't going to go looking for it. Miranda… I wasn't sure about. I was left thinking there was a slight attraction, despite the way our relationship had started, but I wasn't going to pursue it. Kasumi didn't seem interested, which I didn't mind at all. Just like I'd told Samara, I accepted friendship above all else first. But I could sit and chat with her for a couple of hours and just listen to her talk about her life. At least she was interesting and had no problem sharing her opinions about numerous topics.

The next morning, I was downstairs with Jacob, both of us having just finished working out, when Kelly wandered in with a couple of bottles of water, handing one off to Jacob before giving one to me. "Good workout?" she asked.

"Certainly got the old heartrate going, that's for sure."

"I can't keep up with him," Jacob said, "I think we rebuilt him a little too good!"

"I'm not going to complain," I said, "Though the muscles still burn just like that used to."

"But could you bench press that sort of weight before?"

"Not a chance. But I don't do too much of that. I don't want to get too big, otherwise I lose some of my athleticism."

"So you're just showing off?"

"Just want to see if I can do it. One of those test yourself moments." I offered my hand, which he took. "Nice workout, Jacob. Same again tomorrow?"

"You know it, Shepard. I'll catch you later."

Kelly waited until he'd stepped onto the elevator before she said, "You're certainly getting on with him."

I took a sip of my bottle, nodding at her statement. "Good man. Explained his history. I can almost understand why he left the Alliance. Hell, I'm here now because the Council and Alliance are not taking the Collector threat seriously." I took another sip as I gathered my thoughts. "Actually, I've come to a realisation," I added, taking a seat on the crate, Kelly sitting beside me.

"What are you thinking?"

"What I'm doing now… no, what we are doing now, as everyone is involved, it's given the Alliance an excuse to barely lift a finger. Leave it all to us to solve. If it goes wrong, we get the blame. If we manage to achieve victory, they can applaud but still call Cerberus terrorists, me a traitor, and still come out smelling of roses."

"So the chances of you going back to the Alliance?"

"I'm not so sure now. I'm almost tempted to become something like an 'independent military contractor'. A fancy name for a mercenary, I guess."

"Heard from anyone in the Alliance?"

"Anderson sends the occasional message, but they are only brief. Ashley sent one after Horizon, which I appreciated, but nothing since. Hackett sends the occasional one too, generally asking for small favours, which we have done from time to time. Other than that, the messages are not worth repeating."

"That bad?"

"Honestly, I sometimes hate politicians more than batarians and geth." I turned towards her. "What brought you down here anyway?"

"No reason. Just wondering where you were." I gave her a look, as I suspected there might have been another motive, which made her giggle and lean in. "No, Shepard, not that. I'm actually a little sore after last night."

"You're the one who said their pussy needed a pounding, Kelly."

"I'm not complaining, Shepard. I loved it. But I am feeling a little delicate right now." She cuddled into me, despite the fact I was still sweating. "Maybe a bit gentler tonight. Maybe just your tongue."

"That I can quite happily do. Or we could, you know, not do anything. We don't always have to have sex, Kelly. I just like your company too." I think what I'd just said was quite unexpected as she seemed to get a little emotional. No tears or anything but it was definitely a surprise, so I turned my body towards her. "Kelly, you don't think this is just about sex, do you?"

"Well… I…"

I grabbed both her hands once she turned towards me. "Kelly, if you ever thought that, I must apologise. I thought my intentions were clear. You are more than that to me." I pulled her into a hug, which she definitely liked, running a hand through her hair. "So much more than that," I added quietly.

"Just surprised, Shepard," she eventually whispered.

"Well, a good surprise, I hope?"

"Oh, the best. Just what I wanted to hear."

"You're very special to me, Kelly. Dear to my heart." I lifted her chin with a finger. "And I trust you completely."

That made her lower lip tremble as she knew what that meant. Despite the fact she worked for them. Despite the fact she wore that symbol. Despite the fact I knew she sent reports to the Illusive Man, I trusted her. She leaned forward to kiss me, and the depth of feeling in that one kiss told me what her true feelings were for me in return. Leaning back, she met my eyes and smiled as I caressed her cheek, running my fingers through her hair as always, watching her eyes close at the feeling.

Taking her by the hand, I led her towards the elevator, pushing the buttons for the CIC and cabin. She didn't get off at the former, so we travelled together to the latter, where I headed straight for the shower. She didn't join me there, but when I walked out a few minutes later, I was given a surprise of my own as she was lying naked on the bed. I quickly dried myself off and joined her, simply lying next to her as I took her in my arms. Running fingers up and down her back, we lay like that for what felt like a long time, barely swapping a word, kissing occasionally, but otherwise just enjoying each other.

We couldn't stay there all day. She certainly had work to do, and I couldn't not make a regular appearance in the CIC during the day. She finally got up first and I lay back and watched her dress. She somehow managed to make getting dressed rather erotic, and only when she was putting on her shoes did I finally get up. After I'd slid on some trousers, a shirt and my boots, I took her by the hand and led her back out to the elevator. We walked out hand in hand into the CIC before I let her go, walking to our own terminals.

The work never seemed to end.

With still at least two days of travelling, we enjoyed a night in the bar lounge that evening. Everyone joined in, including Jack and Miranda, and the new recruits were more than happy to stay, though neither of them consumed alcohol. I was pleased to see the Cerberus crew further prove they didn't fit the stereotype Samara had expected, as they quite happily spoke to a drell, asari or even Garrus without a problem. I was left thinking they were not a true reflection of Cerberus, but were chosen as they were not the anti-alien fanatics that probably fit the bill for most members of their organisation. I drank enough to get a slight buzz going, eventually finding myself between Miranda and Jack, surprised they were even sitting that close together.

"So, when are you going to come down and fuck me again?" Jack wondered, not being quiet nor subtle. Miranda simply scoffed which earned a comment from Jack. "You're just jealous you haven't got your claws into him yet, cheerleader. He's already come down and fucked me good and hard a couple of times."

"I want nothing from Shepard except the guarantee we'll defeat the Collectors, Jack. He can find his sexual gratification with others if he needs to."

"Oh, but I bet you'd love nothing more than to slide down his cock, cheerleader. You've obviously seen it, considering you rebuilt him. I bet it pisses you off that he's fucking Kelly instead. Yeah, she's getting the good stuff nearly every night. The smile on her face each morning lets everyone know she got some deep dicking the night before."

"Sometimes in the morning too," Kelly added cheerfully.

"Jack," I said, a warning tone in just the use of her name.

"Just being honest, Shepard. I know Kelly would admit you're a great fuck. I can admit you were pretty damned good. Who else has fucked him on this ship?"

"No-one else yet," Garrus stated, "I use the term yet loosely, of course."

"He's obviously fucked some others too, off the ship. Damn, cheerleader, it must just piss you off at the fact you haven't been one of them."

"You'd be surprised how much I'm not, actually."

"Tell yourself that all you want, cheerleader. I know for a fact you want Shepard in your bed, or you want to be in his bed, your head buried in a pillow as he just pounds you from behind. Maybe a bit of hair pulling? Or maybe one of his firm hands slapping your arse?"

"Okay, Jack, that's enough," I said, "Teasing is fine but…"

"I'm a big girl, Shepard. I can handle it myself," Miranda stated.

Jack got to her feet. "I think you're full of shit, cheerleader. About what you think in regards to Shepard and a lot of other things. But it's clear you're not any fun, so fuck it… Shepard, you're not going to come join me?"

"Not tonight, Jack."

"Suit yourself." She looked around at the available males, no doubt assessing who might would suit her needs. "You're fun, Zaeed, but too old. Garrus… no, turian dicks are too weird, even for me. Thane? Never fucked a drell before."

"While I appreciate the offer, I feel I must decline."

"Suit yourself." She looked around and groaned. "Fuck. I'm going to have to take care of myself then." I did glance at Jacob, but all he did was meet my eyes and return a subtle shake of the head. I didn't blame the man, to be honest. Looking back, Jack had already disappeared, hearing her mutter all the way towards the elevator.

Once the doors shut, I turned to Miranda. "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve any of that."

She looked at me and grinned. "Not your fault, Shepard, so thank you, but not necessary. You asked her to stop twice, but she was clearly looking for a reaction. I wasn't going to give her the pleasure of one. It was obvious she was pressing your buttons, hoping you'll follow her down there later." I looked away, giving it some thought. There must have been a light bulb moment as she chuckled. "Exactly. She's down there now, waiting for you."

"Well, she's not getting what she wants then. All she's done is piss me off."

"Seems to be a habit of hers."

"I think she needs to get off the ship. Though she had plenty of chances while on Illium, but from what I've been told, she rarely left." I shrugged. "Her problem, not mine. I'm not here to coddle people."

The night ended a couple of hours later, and I headed upstairs with Kelly that evening, where we simply undressed and lay together before going to sleep. The next morning, I woke early, leaving Kelly to sleep as I dressed and headed to the elevator. I hadn't slept well, left angrier than I thought about the confrontation in the lounge. Exiting at the engineering level, there was no-one around that early in the morning, heading down underneath to find Jack fast asleep on her cot. I ripped her blanket off her and yanked her out of bed. "On your feet," I ordered.

"What the fuck?"

"I said on your feet," I barked. She snarled and summoned her biotics. I moved fast, grabbing her by the throat and spinning her towards the bench nearby. "Disrespect my crew in such a manner again and I will make your life a world of pain."

I released my grip enough to let her reply. "You're siding with the cheerleader?"

"No, I'm not. But you were out of line, Jack. I know you hate her. So what? Suck it up, princess. We're all dealing with shit we're not enjoying."

"You're a real cunt, Shepard."

I let go of her throat and simply smiled at her. "And you're nothing but a pathetic little girl, lashing out at everyone because boo-hoo, my life has been hard. Newsflash, princess, you're not the only one who's had a hard life. I'll give you a bit of advice. Maybe if you weren't such a fucking cunt yourself, people wouldn't just use and abuse you before discarding you like yesterday's trash. Maybe give that some thought."

I turned and walked away. I heard her growl before I heard footsteps, turning to see her charging towards me. No thought of biotics this time. She wanted to get purely physical. All I needed to do was swerve, hold and pin her to the ground on her back. That's when she summoned her biotics to fling me off her, landing on my own back as she was on me quicker than I imagined. I managed to grab her wrists, easily fending her off before rolling her onto her back. "Is that all you got?" I asked.

She had no reply to that for a moment before she said, "Wanna fuck now?"

"God yes," I replied. She had me where she wanted me, and I'd come down with half the intention anyway.

I had her naked within seconds, me naked seconds later, and my cock buried inside her after that. It was pure, unadulterated fucking. She simply held on and begged for it harder, faster, deeper. I pounded her as hard and as relentlessly as possible until I just came inside her. "Fuck, your cock is the best," she moaned.

I surprised her by kissing her for a moment before she kissed me back. "Your cunt is fantastic too," I replied.

"Want my arse next?"

"Now?"

"I thought you would have come down last night." She actually sounded disappointed, but then she shrugged. "Now is fine though. Cum in me first though."

That's what I did a couple of minutes later, groaning loudly as I unloaded inside her. Then I surprised her by lifting myself up enough so that I could keep going and play with her clit. She was soon making the sort of noises that suggested she was rather turned on, and within a couple of minutes, I'd made her cum too. When she finally relaxed, she looked as calm as I'd ever seen her.

I pulled out of her as all she did was roll over, reaching into a bag she'd obviously bought for herself, retrieving a bottle of lube, handing it to me as she got on all fours. I gave her arse a good slap as I poured lube and proceeded to lower my tongue. She was definitely surprised by me doing that, reaching back to grab my head. "Yeah, eat that arse, you fucker."

I did that for a while before introducing my fingers, quickly getting three inside her, really giving it to her quickly, as I started to lube up my cock at the same time. Once I figured she was capable of taking me, I positioned myself behind her as she looked very eager for what was to happen next. Holding her in place with my left hand, I guided my cock to her tight little arsehole, sliding the head of my cock in quickly. I was kind enough to get at least somewhat comfortable before sliding more in.

"Fuck me," she groaned.

So that's what Jack got. Nothing gentle nor intimate about Jack getting her arse fucked that morning. It was hard, fast and she… loved it. I was left rather staggered when I lifted myself up, adjusting the angle as my hands were placed to either side of her body, really driving my cock down into her. She just lifted her arse up higher, urging me on even more. After a good ten minutes, I was dripping with sweat and knew I could keep going. I had no idea how she was putting up with it.

Then she asked to change. So I pulled out and wondered what she wanted. She pushed me onto my back, falling with me as she immediately slid down my cock and wasted no time bouncing up and down. "Best cock ever," she grunted, "So fucking thick, Shepard. Really stretching out my arse."

"Glad you like it."

She started to fondle herself at the same time, little wonder that she came again shortly after, but she kept on going, now sweating heavily herself, looking rather tired after our exertions. Not that it mattered, Haestrom was still another day away. She came a third time and that's when she called it quits, sitting down on my cock and simply breathing deeply, occasionally shaking to my amusement.

She got off me and back on all fours, glancing back. "Cum in my arse, then you can fuck off."

I wasn't gentle and she'd done it on purpose. I fucked her as hard as possible, and still she would turn and grin, urging me on even more. I think she was actually incredibly sore but didn't want to show weakness. Plus, she liked pissing me off and getting this reaction from me. I guess we were both winners? No idea, but once I finally came inside her, I collapsed forward, both of us falling to the ground, Jack trapped beneath me until I finally rolled off her, and I eventually chuckled to myself.

"What?" she asked.

"So much for 'Yeah, I won't fuck Jack again'. God, I'm so weak willed sometimes."

She scoffed. "It was all my plan, Shepard. As I said, I was hoping you'd come down last night, throw me around a little, enjoy a fight, then we'd fuck. Better late than never."

I eventually got to my feet and found something I could least clean myself up a bit with before I got dressed. Jack just turned around and lay back on her elbows with a care in the world. Naked beneath me like that, I got a good look at her tattoos. And there's no doubting she had a good body on her. Tits were bigger than you thought as she'd kept them strapped down.

"Yeah, I know you like my tits, Shepard. I don't have to strap them down any longer so now you can perv on me even more."

"I'm a simple man."

"Bet you love my bald cunt even better."

"You seem to know me well, Jack."

"Well, next time, don't take a night to think about it. Just come down and fuck me when given the chance."

"But making you wait is fun."

"Fucker."

"I'll see you later, Jack."

Heading back up to my cabin, the first thing I needed to do was shower. Kelly was awake when I returned, so she stood in the doorway watching me. "Jack?"

"Fuck," I shouted, "I should have known. But it's my fault too."

"You wanted it?"

"Part of me, I guess. I was thinking about it last night, then again this morning. Not sex, the argument. I didn't appreciate her attitude towards Miranda. But I should have seen it coming."

"Admit it though, Shepard. Part of you must enjoy it."

"Of course. I'm not going to lie about that. I wouldn't do it if I didn't. But… she just knows how to push the right buttons. Don't get me wrong. Absolutely nothing loving about what happens down there." I turned the shower off and dried myself off before wandering out into the bedroom to grab a change of clothes. Kelly watched me before I sat down on the couch with her next to me. "I should really just avoid going down there. I say some pretty brutal things to her as well. As I've said, I'm not here to coddle anyone, and I'm not going to indulge her. I like to believe I'm just giving her some home truths. She's not the only one who has had a tough life, yet you don't see the rest of us acting like her. She's almost like a poorly designed caricature of someone suffering psychosis."

"But she's part of your team now, Shepard. You can't ignore her. And if you both enjoy it, why deny it?"

"And you?"

"I sleep with you at night, Shepard. I get you for hours, and you've made it clear that Jack is… well, she isn't me."

"She certainly isn't. I enjoy it at the time, I won't deny it. But afterwards, nothing but regret."

"Well, go down there but just control yourself. Don't let her push your buttons, Shepard." She paused before adding, "It is nice to see you getting along with Miranda though."

"She didn't deserve that sort of teasing. Whether she likes me or not is no-one else's business."

"What if she did? Would you do anything about it?"

"I honestly have no idea." I turned to meet her eyes. "Why would I when I have you?"

That earned me one hell of a kiss before I took her by the hand and led her down to the CIC so we could get to work.

Life calmed down somewhat between that morning and our arrival in the orbit of Haestrom. When I read the profile of the planet, it was rather horrifying to read and was going to make our journey planetside difficult. We attempted communication with the quarians on the ground but heard nothing back. If they already figured out that it was a Cerberus vessel in orbit, little wonder they ignored our hails.

Thinking about the team I would take, I would certainly bring Thane and Samara, as I had only just recruited them. Thane obviously had talent, considering he made it through Dantius Towers alone and alive, while I was sure Samara would be just as if not more powerful than Jack. And as we were deep in geth space, I would need tech experts. Mordin fit the bill easily. He admitted his run ins with actual geth were few and far between, but he would certainly know what to do when facing them. I would also take Garrus and Miranda, as both had experience with tech, and Miranda could also link up her biotic talents with Samara.

Before we left, Mordin and Jacob did pull me into the armoury and showed me the weapons laying on the bench. I'll admit to getting rather excited. "Obviously we have experienced a lack of heavy weapons, Shepard, so I've managed to snag us some," Jacob explained, "And Mordin has also added one of his own, plus some modifications to the base models I'd managed to get my hands on."

Mordin took hold of a weapon I'd never seen. "I'm calling this the Arc Projector, Shepard. Putting the finishing touches to it recently. Will now be dealing with geth. Perfect opportunity for some field testing."

"Okay, you have my interest, Mordin. What does it do?"

"Basically, it fires a high voltage electric shot. Perfect to disable shields. Overload weapons. Destroy synthetic machines like the geth. I've performed some test fires. Best training ground is live exercises." He handed it over and I felt the weight. It wasn't as heavy as feared, and he quickly showed me how I would be able to store it on my armour. It would fit next to my assault rifle, and wouldn't be too awkward when wanting to switch between all three weapons. "When fired, the electric current should leap from enemy to enemy if they are close enough. One shot could possibly take out up to three or four."

"Damn, that's some good stuff, Mordin. What else have we got?"

"Just your standard launchers, Shepard," Jacob replied, before he pointed to something underneath a sheet, "But this is something we've been working on. It's not finished yet but it's a prototype weapon I've never seen. Thank Mordin here as it could one day come in useful." Taking away the sheet, I could only whistle at what lay underneath it. "We've called it the M-920 Cain. I'll put it in easily understandable terms, Shepard. For all intents and purposes, it's a mini nuclear weapon launcher though the 25 gram slug isn't radioactive. Walk into a room with this and fire, you'll kill everyone in it with one shot. Best thing. Next to no radiation. All the positives, none of the negatives."

"And it's safe to use?"

"Foresee no issues, Shepard. But due to power, would suggest use only in extreme circumstances."

"I'll definitely take the Arc Projector for now. Thanks, guys. This is fantastic."

Heading down to the hangar bay, we loaded up into the shuttle and began our descent onto Haestrom. On our way, EDI filled all of us in with the conditions expected on the ground. The atmosphere of the planet was weak which meant solar radiation would be a problem. The sun was so strong, we would need to stay in shade, otherwise our shields would fail and we'd practically cook inside our armour. Thankfully we all had helmets on though apparently the air was breathable.

"Great, that's all we need, an unstable sun. Are you going to take us anywhere nice, Shepard?" Garrus complained.

"I just took you to Ilium, Garrus. Did you not have fun there?"

"Well, yes, I guess getting off the ship was nice and all, but I couldn't trust a damn thing anyone told me, just in case I ended up in a verbal contract that made me a slave."

"I think you are exaggerating, Garrus," Samara stated.

Thankfully the shuttle didn't seem to be effected by radiation, so it could drop us on the surface, thankfully in a good deal of shade, but it was from there that things would occasionally get dicey. Being a former quarian homeworld, I was surprised that so many structures remained standing. It was almost like a mausoleum, despite it having been abandoned for three hundred years. Once everyone was set, I led them forward, moving from cover to cover, each of us ever so watching for approaching geth.

It took us at least all of five minutes before we ran into the first geth, and as I remembered how they were all networked, once one group found us, any geth in the region would know, and we were soon in a firefight. Samara and Miranda quickly linked up biotics while Mordin proved his weight in gold by launching all manner of tech attacks. I did my usual thing, charging forward, laughing away as I slammed into more than one geth unit, almost causing them to disintegrate into pieces, finishing the job with a well-placed shotgun blast.

We did end up finding quarians in the middle of a firefight with geth. We tried to get their attention but, as focused on the geth as they were, we could only watch helplessly as they were killed, though we helped kill the geth at the same time. I did hurry over to check for any sign of Tali. I breathed a sigh of relief when I didn't recognise any of them.

After finding a way past a blockage, Garrus suggesting we find dynamite while I said why don't we just climb over the bloody thing, which we did, and we found more geth waiting for us on the other side. Smart geth, who used tactics such as covering fire, ensuring that we had to be just as smart when moving forward, and it was probably the first time I realised how they'd managed to exile the quarians, as it was not easy at all.

"Networked intelligence," Garrus muttered, "Space stations all around the planet. Smarter than any organic, that's for sure."

So, to get around that problem, I used my new toy, whooping with delight whenever I saw the electric current surge from my weapon into the geth I aimed at, only to see it jump from one geth to the next. That allowed my colleagues to wipe out the rest and we could finally move forward. As we moved, we searched rooms and bunkers for information, and I did find a journal entry on an ancient terminal, surprised to hear Tali's voice as she explained the reason for their mission. She sounded as hopeful and enthusiastic as ever, though when she added she wished Ashley was there, I glanced at Garrus in surprise. "Guess the feelings linger despite everything," I said.

"They adored each other, Shepard." He paused. "No, by the end, it was nothing but love. After you died, they had each other and I think parting was the hardest thing they ever had to do. Both have moved on but the bond they created while we were all together…"

"Are human-quarian relations unusual?" Samara wondered.

"Yeah, I guess so," I replied, "Mostly because of their suits and immune systems. It makes intimacy difficult. Humans crave that."

"But I do remember what they look like without their masks, Shepard. I remember when Rannoch was a world filled with quarians. They rivalled salarians for their ingenuity."

"Created geth. Intelligent, yes, but no foresight. Failed to consider ramifications of building geth. Revolt of A.I expected." Mordin paused. "Their destruction not deserved. Quarians, I mean. Not geth."

"What do you think of the geth, Mordin?"

"Incredible technology. Worth of study. But menace to galaxy. Need eradicating or at least similar destruction. Return to pre-exodus level of numbers. Ensure hivemind is eliminated."

"In other words, fuck the geth," I stated, before gesturing to move out.

Of course, as we'd wiped plenty of numbers, we now had the full attention of the geth, so the arrival of one of their dropships wasn't a real surprise, watching unit after unit drop from the ship. I immediately charged forward to catch them by surprise, slamming into geth after geth, my fire never wild, every blast hitting its intended target. My colleagues closed ranks in support, moving cover to cover, never offering a target for more than a second or two. We pushed the geth back, as although they were intelligent, they also knew how to retreat. We may have had them on the backfoot, but we didn't rush, knowing they might be laying a trap.

Bigger geth units started to show up, which meant I just used my new weapon more often. They proved just as susceptible to its fire as the smaller units, though it did take more than one shot to take down the even bigger units, thankfully not meeting more than one or two of those.

Aside from geth, we did find more dead quarians, but they hadn't gone down without a fight, as they were surrounded by the bodies of geth. We checked them again, still no sign of Tali, so I was confident that she would have found a way to survive all the carnage. She certainly had plenty of experience in that from serving on the Normandy.

Entering another bunker, I was surprised when I heard her voice, walking over to a terminal and suddenly a hologram of her appeared in front of me. "Hello? Is anyone there? Is there anyone alive?"

"Tali, it's Shepard."

"Shepard? What are you doing here?"

"Long story, but it looks like you're in trouble. Need some help?"

"Yes. I can explain the details of why we're here later. High-risk strategy but the information we needed was urgent. Keep heading the way you're going. You'll eventually like up with someone called Kal'Reegar. He led the marine detachment that's helped keep me alive so far."

"Keep going, find Kal'Reegar. Are you safe for now?"

"I should be. All I want is this data, Shepard. I haven't come all this way, seen all my people killed, just to leave empty handed."

"No worries, Tali. We'll be there shortly. Keep your head down for now."

"I will. See you soon."

Knowing she was alive was a relief, and without wasting any more time, we continued the way we'd been going. Despite that fact, of course, we didn't rush forward blindly, remaining methodical as we slowly pushed back and wiped out the geth. The more we killed, the more desperate they fought. And the more desperate they fought, the more dropships would appear, dropping even more geth for us to kill.

Charging as often as I was, muscles were starting to feel the strain, but the mental exhaustion was the worse. After one particular charge, wiping out at least four geth in as many seconds, I practically dropped to the ground, Miranda rushing over to grab hold off me, heaving me behind cover. "Cool down, Shepard," she ordered, "Your body can't cope with constant biotic use."

"I keep forgetting that little bit."

She took my shotgun away. I was going to complain, but it was a sensible move. "Use your rifle or your heavy weapon. No more shotguns until later."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Just looking after you, Shepard. Can't afford to lose you now."

She helped me up, taking the rifle from my back. Giving it a once over, I reverted immediately to my old fighting style, and I ended up working in tandem with Thane. Watching his graceful movement around the battlefield was something else. As I think I stated before, he made killing look like art. Me, I was brute force, overpowering the enemy. He definitely preferred stealth.

Leaving a trail of destruction and dead geth behind us, I was fairly sure we were closing on Tali's position, as the number of geth we were fighting dropped to zero, but we could hear gunfire ahead. Coming to a giant steel door, I put my ear close to it and heard what sounded like rockets firing. Sliding it open, the first thing I saw was the geth colossus, thankfully not firing at us, unfortunately firing at a nearby quarian squad. Our group immediately sprinted for cover, which did attract its attention. We joined a lone quarian armed with a rocket launcher, who was yelling at us to get into cover.

As I ducked a shot from the colossus, I asked, "Who are you?"

"Squad Leader Kal'Reeger, Migrant Fleet Marines. We talked on the radio before that dropship arrived. Still got no idea why you're here, but this ain't the time to be picky. Who are you?"

"Shepard. This is my team. We're from the Normandy."

"Commander Shepard? Should have known you'd arrive. Heard all about you from Miss Zorah."

"Okay, what's the situation? I assume Tali is in that building over yonder?"

"Correct. And this colossus is a bitch to take down. It's got some sort of repair protocol. Hunches down and fixes itself before I can destroy the bloody thing." The colossus fired at us again, though it harmlessly sailed over our head.

"And the rest of the geth?"

"Platoon strength at least. And they just keep coming."

"What's the plan?"

"Keep firing until I run out of ammo. I've tried to get in closer to the colossus, but one of those bastards got a shot at me. Went clean through my suit. But I'll keep fighting until that thing is dead."

I glanced at my team. "Right, this is what we do. You split up into two groups, keep it distracted, kill the geth. Once it's done its repair thing, I'll hit it with my heavy weapon."

"Full charge, Shepard. Should destroy it," Mordin suggested, "Hold down trigger. Three seconds."

"Will do." I turned back to Reegar. "Keep firing but stay in cover. We've got this."

"As I said, heard about you from Miss Zorah, Shepard. I know when to keep my head down. Long as you kill the fucking thing. Bastard killed all my men."

The rather simple plan worked. Samara and Miranda went left, Thane, Mordin and Garrus right, peppering the colossus with gunfire and tech attacks, while keeping the geth troops distracted. The colossus sunk down for a moment, repairing itself. Once it stood back up, I rose from cover nearby, finger already pressing on the trigger. The colossus looked straight at me as I moved my weapon towards it, releasing the trigger and ducked immediately. All I heard was what sounded like a power station overloading before there was an almighty explosion, feeling heat and flames over my head, glancing over to see the colossus had blown up.

Taking out the few remaining geth troops, we moved towards the door, surprised it opened immediately, to find Tali calmly at a terminal, typing away, though she glanced back when we walked in. "Hello, Shepard. I'll be done here shortly."

"How the hell are you so calm?"

"Because I knew you were here. If there's one thing I know you can do, it's kill a lot of geth and cause random destruction. Am I wrong?"

"There are a lot of geth parts out there right now, Tali," Garrus stated.

"So, the question is, was it worth it?" I wondered.

"Maybe, I'm not sure. There's plenty of data in the archives about what is happening with the sun, so at least it's not a recent phenomenon, so at least we can't blame the geth this time. I still don't fully understand it."

"May I take a copy?" Mordin asked.

"You are?"

"Professor Mordin Solus. Ex-STG. Is the matter dark energy related?"

"Well, yes, I believe it might be a cause."

"I can research back on Normandy. Hand to colleagues in STG for further analysis."

Tali looked at me. All I could do was shrug. "Look, I don't have a clue, but Mordin has brains galore. Either he or someone just like him will figure it all out."

Tali nodded. "Okay, I'll download it and…" She paused, looking over my team. "Where's Reegar?"

"I'm here, Miss Zorah," he stated from the doorway, turning to see him stagger in, nursing a wound to his side. What surprised me next was that Tali rushed towards him, nothing but concern in her voice and body language.

"Are you okay, Kal? Have you flushed your system yet?"

"Of course, Tali. Don't worry about me."

"Who else is going to worry about you, Kal?"

"Well, he was taking on a colossus practically alone for you, Tali," I said.

"You were?" she asked him softly.

"Of course. You were mission priority. Your safety was paramount. I was warned by your father, of course."

"And are those the only reasons?" she asked playfully.

He glanced our way and cleared his throat. "Maybe they don't know, Tali?"

"Oh… right…" She turned around and headed back towards the terminal. "Anyway, as I was saying, Shepard."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. No you don't, Tali'Zorah. What is going on here?"

"Let me just download the data first. I'll send a copy to Mordin, then I'll send one to Kal. I know why you're here, Shepard. And yes, I'm coming along this time. If you've come all this way just to get me, I now realise how important it is."

"I'll make sure the information gets back to the Fleet, Tali."

"Thank you, Kal."

Miranda called in a shuttle, which landed outside within a couple of minutes. Heading back outside, Tali had a laugh at the obvious destruction that had taken place, suggesting that I hadn't really changed. We then watched as Tali and Reegar shared the sort of hug that suggested they were rather close, Reegar once again assuring her he was fine to return to their shuttle and then the safety of their fleet. We boarded our shuttle and immediately took off, returning to the Normandy within a matter of minutes, and I ordered Joker to get us the hell out of the system and out of geth space entirely.

After her usual check up with Chakwas, who was overjoyed at seeing Tali back on our ship again, and an introduction with Kelly, she then had a mini-freak out in regards to the presence of EDI, though the AI assured her that it was shackled, so she was nothing like the geth. I don't think that made her feel particularly safe, but she trusted me, and I had learned to trust EDI, so she let the matter go.

Showing her down to engineering, I introduced her to Gabby and Ken, and told her about Jack downstairs. She actually popped up to say hello, called her a buckethead, then disappeared back downstairs. I thought Tali would take offence, but she admitted it wasn't so bad, that she'd been called far worse things in her life.

Immediately getting to work, I leaned back against the console as she checked the systems. I could see she was still flowing with adrenaline, as no doubt she'd been rather concerned. "Want to talk about it?"

"Later, Shepard. It's still fresh in the memory. I lost a lot of good people. Some of them friends." She paused before adding, rather bitterly, "Fucking geth."

"Can't disagree with that. I was also asking about someone else, though."

"Kal?" I nodded. "Well, I thought it was obvious. We are together, Shepard. Have been for around eighteen months."

"That's good, Tali. Glad you're happy."

She sighed. "Thank you. And I really am. Kal is a good man. Brave. Noble. Some reminders of you, to be honest, though that is not the reason we are together. We're a good match. Brains and brawn."

"And Ashley?"

"I still love her though the feelings have faded gradually. I'm devoted to Kal now." She did look up and added, "We have been intimate, Shepard. And that's a big thing for two quarians. Generally, we just link suits to show trust and devotion. I wasn't having that. When I told Kal about some of the things that happened, he leapt at the chance to be with me intimately."

"You've said devoted twice. Do you love him?"

She slapped my arm playfully. "Of course I do, Shepard. More than anything. I just wanted to put it in a way to show… Well, how much I do. I think I worry about him more than he worries about me at times. He's always in the thick of the action."

"Work with you often?"

"No, otherwise it would cause a conflict of interest. He'd focus too much protecting me instead of ensuring the success of the mission. Haestrom was the first time we'd worked together in months, but it was two teams. I led the scientists, he led the marines. It went belly up in minutes, of course. Any mission into geth space ends up a disaster, but we simply have to do it to learn."

"Have you sent a message to the Fleet?"

"I did while I was downloading the data, letting them know I was going with you. I'm sure my father will send you a reply within a solar day. It will be formal with a subtle underlying tone of threat to it."

"I'd expect nothing less. Now, before I leave you to it, do you want anything?"

"Where are your quarters?"

"At the top of the ship. Get in elevator, press one. That's my cabin."

"I might pop up later so we can catch up. Unless you're busy doing something or someone else." I gave her a look and she simply met my eyes. "I know you, Shepard. Remember?" I nodded. "So, I also know you're going to have company up there. I'm just wondering…"

"Kelly."

"Ah, the redhead I met briefly. She seemed cheerful and rather friendly." She nodded. "Yes, she'd be a good match for you."

"She is."

She looked at me again. "Oh, it sounds as if you do really like her?"

"I do."

"Well, I want to hear more about it when I come visit then. For now, let me have a look at your systems, see if I can do anything to help." She glanced past, adding, "And I guess I should introduce myself to my new colleagues."

"Gabby and Ken, this is Tali. Tali, Gabby and Ken. And on that note, I'll leave you to it, as I'm sure you're going to discuss things I don't understand. Tali, I'll have Miranda send you details of how the ship works. You won't be put on the rota. Work as you please, but I know you like to keep busy."

"See you later, Shepard."

Heading upstairs, I dumped my armour and weapons with Jacob, who was already stripping and cleaning the weapons we'd taken with us. Surprisingly, he never showed disappointment when not taken on a mission, perfectly happy in the armoury to work on the guns, making modifications to them or our armour, or he'd simply keep himself fit down in the gym. I'd wander in most days to shoot the shit with him a for a little while too.

Checking my terminal, there wasn't a message from the Migrant Fleet yet, though I expected one, walking over to give Kelly a soft kiss on the cheek, which made her giggle, before letting her know we would have company that evening, at least for a little while. She asked if we wanted privacy but I assured her Tali would have no problem talking in front of her. After a chat with Mordin, asking questions about the data and receiving answers that went well over my head, my last stop was Miranda, asking if she had any more dossiers. When she said no, I told her we'd simply head to safe space and go from there.

"Shepard," she called, when I just about to walk out. I turned back and walked towards her. "About the other night. Thank you."

"Um, for what?"

"For standing up for me. I can do that myself, but you at least tried to defuse the situation. I knew I couldn't react as she was clearly trying to provoke."

"Um, you do realise the next morning…"

"I know, but I don't care. That's between you two. But when it came to the personal attacks on myself, you did what was right. So, thank you."

"I've told her to lay off but we both know what she is like."

"Which is why I won't rise to it. Turn the other cheek as they say."

"If it happens again when we're all together, I'll make sure I'm more forceful and stamp it out quickly."

"Shepard, I do have one question I'm slightly afraid to ask…"

"I think I know, but just bite the bullet."

"Do you not wonder if she was telling the truth?"

"It doesn't matter if she was or not. I like to believe we have a good working relationship now, Miranda. We're both professionals, are we not?"

"We are."

"And do you think we work together well?"

"Better than ever, in all honesty."

"Then that is the most important thing. Ignore what Jack had to say. She was teasing and looking for a reaction. You're feelings are your own. Don't let anyone tell you anything different."

She smiled, a genuine one, the sort that lit up her face. It happened so rarely, I couldn't help grin at her in return. "Thank you, Shepard."

"Not a problem, Miranda. Do you need anything else?"

"No, not at the moment." I turned and was ready to head back out when she asked, "One more question, Shepard?"

I turned back again. "Shoot."

"Do you find me attractive?"

"Absofuckinglutely, Miranda. You're fucking gorgeous."

She didn't just smile. She blushed as well. All she could do was nod and I headed out the door. To be honest, while I would have happily enjoyed sexual relations with her, I enjoyed the fact I could be friends with an attractive woman and for sex not to be involved. Keeping it professional was probably the best thing we could do.

Dinner that night was a good laugh as Tali was introduced to everyone. Garrus seemed pleased that another old crew member of the Normandy was now on board, seeming to be more relaxed than before. She didn't get too personal though did tell us about a few of the missions she'd been up to recently. There was a common denominator, and that was she had been specifically targeting anything to do with the geth. I had the feeling there was a lot of hate stored up behind that suit and mask. I didn't blame her one little bit.

Tali did join Kelly and I in our cabin that night for a drink or two, and she was delighted by the fact I had turian brandy for her. She went into more detail about her life since the day the old Normandy blew up, including her parting of ways with Ashley. Even two years later, her voice quivered when telling me. There was her triumphant return to the fleet, then joining the Neema, the missions she'd been on, and her private war against the geth, as until she met me on Freedom's Progress, she'd blamed them for my death.

She also told me about the romance with Kal'Reegar. He'd always been friendly, but friends turned into something more quite quickly as the attraction was immediate. As she was the daughter of an admiral, the relationship did need his blessing, and although he may have wished privately for someone else, he eventually gave in and allowed it. "The first time we made love was wonderful," she said, "Which is why I certainly won't be considering returning to your bed, Shepard. We had a lot of fun, but I'm faithful to Kal."

"I'd expect nothing less, Tali."

"So, since we last met, you've obviously met up with Garrus. Who else have you seen?"

"Emily on the Citadel. The reporter." She nodded, obviously remembering. "Been to Illium. Liara is there, though I think you're aware."

"We've kept in contact."

"Shiala was with Liara, though Shiala lives on Feros now. I also met Gianna there too."

"Who did you sleep with while there?"

"She knows you well, Shepard," Kelly said with a giggle.

"Well, Gianna. Spent at least two nights and a whole day with her. Then a night with Liara and Shiala."

Tali giggled. "Nothing has changed then."

"I also ran into Ashley on Horizon. That reunion didn't go so well. We've messaged since but… it's not the same as before."

"And it's obvious why, Shepard. No offence, Kelly, but what we discovered before Shepard died lingers in the memory."

"I've been told, Tali. I know."

"Let's just say my life is markedly different since before," I added, "I'm a Council Spectre, but the only reason I am is because they threatened me with treason otherwise, and I don't think they wanted to go down that road. And the Alliance… well, no idea what their intentions are. I daren't go to Arcturus in case I find myself arrested. Earth is simply out of the question."

"So after all this?"

"I really don't know. Won't be joining Cerberus though."

Tali enjoyed around three drinks with us before calling it a night, enjoying a hug with Kelly before giving me a long, tight embrace. "Glad you're back, Shepard. And thanks for coming to get me," she whispered.

"Glad to help out. And good to have another familiar face around. So to speak."

Once we were alone, I really needed a shower after the exertions of the day, Kelly joining me as we enjoyed some cuddle time alone under the hot water. After drying off, we headed to bed where she spooned her body into mine and relaxed, running my fingers up and down her chest. She seemed rather content with life as I softly kissed her cheek, her neck, her collarbone, earning a giggle her and there.

"Shepard," she whispered, "I love you."

"I know, Kelly. I've known for quite a while."

"Do you love me?"

"Absolutely. Enough to promise the following. On this ship, no-one else from this moment. I don't care who it is, or what they offer."

"You don't have to."

"But I want to. Maybe prove to myself I don't need to stick my cock into anything with tits and a vagina. I'm not saying I won't…"

"God no, Shepard. Do not do that to Gianna. Or Liara and Shiala. Or any of the others." She turned over to kiss me on the lips. "I'm not asking for anything at all, Shepard. I just had to give in finally and admit how I feel." She rested a hand on my chest. "You do whatever you want to do, Shepard. I am not one of those women who expects their man to change into something I want them to be. I've fallen in love with who you are, not some idea of what I expect you to be."

"Okay. Then I'll do my best with what I want to do then."

Having told each other our feelings, we then showed each other with intimacy. And the sex we shared over the next hour or so was the best yet, our bodies, hearts and minds almost merging into one as her body wrapped around mine, my cock gently buried inside her, our mouths rarely apart, our eyes only for each other. I drank in her body, fingers finding all the right spots, my tongue finding zones that brought her nothing but pleasure. We rode the crest until our appetite for each other was sated once again, at least for a little while, Kelly curling into me as I continued to caress her back.

I kissed her cheek as I felt her start to drift off, lowering my mouth to her ear. "I love you," I whispered before I closed my eyes and allowed sleep to overcome me as well.