Mass Effect: Cry Out For a Hero

"Commander, wake up!"

I must have been dreaming. Or I was in heaven. Was I in heaven? I wasn't a religious man. Most religions have dwindled since we discovered that we were not alone in the galaxy. But the fact that I could hear voices was one thing. I wriggled my toes and realised that I could feel them. I lifted a hand and felt my face. I then opened my eyes and realised that I wasn't dreaming nor in some sort of afterlife.

I was alive.

What the fuck?

"Commander. You need to get up. This facility is under attack."

"The fuck?"

"There are clothes laid out nearby. There is also a weapon and shield pack. You need to move now."

I lifted my head and noticed that I was naked. Glancing around, I had no idea where the fuck I was though I shook my head and didn't worry about that. I heard alarms blaring. Gunfire. And there was the faint smell of smoke that suggested that something was on fire. I slid off the gurney that I was lying on and checked my body. The one thing that immediately drew my eye was the lack of ink on my arms.

"The fuck?"

"Commander, you need to get dressed and move now."

"You're a bossy one," I muttered to myself.

I quickly dressed in the only clothing available. A short-sleeved shirt. Trousers. Socks and boots. There were symbols on each sleeve that I didn't recognise. Having a quick look around, I saw the same symbol on one wall. It looked like I was in some sort of medical laboratory. Picking up the nearby pistol, I looked it over and was startled to see that it was like no pistol that I'd seen before.

"Technology has changed, Commander. You will need to find a thermal clip for the pistol."

"What? Why? That's just stupid!"

Growling to myself, I made sure to stretch out all my muscles, amazed at how fit and healthy I was immediately feeling. I took a deep breath and made my way forward. The door ahead opened after I pressed the button, and I found a cylinder on the ground which I could only assume was the thermal clip that I needed. It slotted into the pistol just fine, shaking my head at the stupidity.

"Hey, what about armour?"

"Not now, Commander. Mechs are headed your way."

Mechs? Did she mean geth or just those useless Vis that performed menial tasks? Why would they be attacking?

The door ahead opened and a lone mech appeared. Before it could raise its weapon, I aimed mine and shot at it. The pistol kicked in my hand, feeling similar to any pistol that I felt before. Checking over the mech, I didn't have a lot of experience with them. Considering all the issues with the geth, people were wary of any sort of 'smart VI' in the worry that it could one day turn into AI.

"You know this just reminds me of the geth!" I shouted out.

"More mechs incoming, Commander. Take cover."

The feminine voice wasn't wrong as half a dozen of them walked through. They had no tactics and very little thought except to shoot in my direction. I took cover and fired back. To be honest, it was likely shooting fish in a barrel. Even while I was busy doing that, my mind was elsewhere, wondering where the hell I was. How long had it been since I'd been spaced? Where was everyone else? And just who the hell was directing me? I didn't recognise the voice.

Once all the mechs were down, I made sure to check them over for thermal clips, still muttering to myself about the stupidity of changing the design of our weapons. I picked up as many as I could, finding that my trousers came with clips where I could put them. As I moved forward, I heard shouting from the other side of a window. Before I could do anything to help them, a far larger mech appeared and it tore them all to shreds. It then turned towards me and opened fire. Thankfully the glass was bulletproof though I jogged on quickly.

Then I found something else on the floor. What looked like a heavy weapon. "That a fucking grenade launcher?" I asked myself, "Happy fucking days!"

I'd been trained in using heavy weaponry though I'd never been one for using them. They were usually cumbersome and a bitch to carry around. It's why I'd never used them during the chase for Saren. But I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity of using it when that big fucking mech was hanging around and I figured more would be ahead.

More mechs appeared and I test-fired the grenade launcher. Despite the situation, I laughed away as I sent mechs or at least parts of mechs flying every which way.

"Keep going, Commander. Time is of the essence."

"Who are you?"

"Not now. Rest assured, getting you out of here alive is my only priority right now."

"Well, that's something, at least," I muttered to myself.

I boarded an elevator that seemed to go up a level or two. The doors opened and there was a fire ahead. I made my way through that, only left feeling warm instead of burned. I tried contacting the voice again though it started to crackle, and I sighed to myself, figuring that I was just going to have to find my way forward myself.

At least there was still power. Doors still opened. And the walls still glowed with holographic charts. Some laptops were also blinking and I pressed a few buttons. I didn't expect to hear recordings and I think they were explaining the situation regarding myself. It was the same voice that had been helping me so far.

"Progress is slow, but subject shows signs of recovery. Major organs are again functional, and there are signs of rudimentary neurological activity. In an effort to accelerate the process, we've move from simple organic reconstruction of the subject to bio-synthetic fusion. Initial results show promise."

I checked another laptop, and a new voice was giving his report.

"Log update: The cost of this project is astronomical. Over four billion credits so far. But nobody seems to care that we've gone over budget. I don't know where the boss gets all his money. Maybe it's better not to know. I just wish he'd kick a little money in my direction once in a while."

Even with all the chaos, I sat back in a chair and gave what I had just heard some thought. The first voice talked about me like I'd been… dead. Well, I guess that made sense. My last memories were of what happened on the Normandy and being blown clear of the wreckage. Therefore, I must have been this 'project' the male was talking about. But four billion credits? Surely there was something else going on in addition to helping me live.

"Well, whatever the case, these people are not Alliance," I said to nobody, "So where the hell am I? They all seem to be human. And they seem rather capable when it comes to science. Don't think any of them are soldiers though."

I was proven wrong a couple of minutes later when I walked through a doorway to the sound of gunfire. I checked around a corner to see a few mechs across a gap in the floor and a black woman exchanging gunfire with a pack of mechs to the other side. I slid into cover beside her, noticing her glance in my direction and a slightly surprised look on her face.

"Shepard? You're awake?"

Yep, she was definitely from somewhere in North America with that accent. Lovely lilt to her voice though.

 "Yeah, someone woke me up and had been guiding me forward."

"That would have been Miranda Lawson. She wasn't going to let you die now. Not after all the work she's put into bringing you back to life. But shit must be serious if you're awake."

"The hell is going on? And who are you?"

"Tell you what, let's kill these mechs and I'll tell you what I know."

At least half a dozen mechs were firing at us across the gap, and the door opened as even more flooded through. I was left thinking they were specifically after me though they wouldn't hesitate in killing anyone else who got in their way. A woman had an SMG in her hands though she showed off her other talents when she shimmered with biotic energy and made life easier for me, lifting mechs out of cover on the other side of the gap so I could pick them off easily.

When we finished them off, I took a moment to ask a few questions to hopefully ease my confusion. She introduced herself as Georgia Taylor. She was Head of Security for the station though admitted that she had no idea who had hacked the mechs or how. When it came to me being alive, yet I remembered being spaced, the look on her face suggested that it hadn't been pretty, describing me as nothing more than meat and tubes when she first saw me.

"Project Lazarus was different. Cutting-edge technology," she added.

"Lazarus? Like that figure who rose from the dead?"

"You know your stuff, Commander. Because I think that's pretty much what happened here."

"Am I a clone?"

"No, you're you, Commander. But I think those questions are better aimed at the scientists. Or Miranda. But I'm pretty sure that you're not a clone."

"I heard on a recording that this cost billions of credits. How many people did Project Lazarus help?"

"Only you, Commander. This entire project was to simply help you. Even that was a challenge. It's taken two years…"

That's when I knew my face fell. Two years? Fuck… What about my team and even those who had left the ship? Did the Alliance and Council know? I know they had all offered me love and loyalty, but after two years of thinking that I was dead, they would surely have moved on by now. And that meant they could be anywhere across the galaxy. I assumed certain people would be where I'd left them, but others?

"Who's Miranda?" I asked, "I'm guessing she's important or the lead scientist?"

"The station's ranking officer. She led the Lazarus team. It was her job to bring you back, no matter what. I should have guessed that she'd try to save you. Not that she'd give up you now. Not with all the work she's put in. I'd put it as an obsession. I'd see her most nights sitting by your gurney, talking to you."

"She did?"

"Commander, all of us respect you for what you did. You're a bloody hero."

Then someone contacted us. Someone by the name of Wilson. Georgia seemed to know who he was, at least. Wilson gave us a series of directions to get us away from the mechs and hopefully to safety. Something about a network control room. Georgia explained that Wilson was the chief medical technician, answering to Miranda. I guess he was someone who had helped put me back together. His voice did sound familiar. Perhaps one of the network logs that I'd listened to earlier.

It was nice having company and someone capable next to me as we moved our way forward. But Wilson led us into a large group of mechs. Georgia used her biotics while I shot most of the mechs in the head. That put them down quite easily. Georgia complained over the radio though it soon cut out as Wilson cried out about being cornered and then shot.

I found another recording of Miranda making a report.

"Physical reconstruction of the subject is complete, but we still need to evaluate all mental and neurological functions. Our orders were clear. Make Commander Shepard who he was before the explosion. The same mind, the same morals, the same personality."

"That's right, Commander," Georgia stated as she stood next to me, "I know Miranda considered making you a biotic to give you an advantage, but that would have changed how you worked on the battlefield. You were a soldier, and you remain a soldier."

We eventually found Wilson in a room nearby. He had been shot though I could sense Georgia was suspicious. Georgia gave Wilson some Medi-gel that helped patch him up and then Wilson explained what he'd been up to. I had no reason to disbelieve him. Apparently, the mechs had been hacked and gone mad. Whatever had been done to them was irreversible. The pair were about to get into an argument when I whistled loudly.

"Look, I don't know who any of you people are just yet. All I know is that you are helping me so for the moment, we're allies."

Georgia suggested we find Miranda before we leave. I agreed even though Wilson suggested that she was probably dead. Georgia had more confidence in Miranda. Wilson then suggested that she was either dead or a traitor. Even I thought that was quite the accusation, and it pissed off Georgia something fierce. Even I thought she couldn't be a traitor. She'd woken me up and helped until we lost contact.

Whatever the case, I now had two people to assist me going forward. Wilson suggested that we make our way to the shuttle bay and wait for any survivors there. That meant fighting off even more mechs, but they'd proven to not be particularly dangerous.

As we were moving along, Georgia suggested that if she told me who she worked for that I'd trust her. That had me worried about who was responsible. To be honest, although I didn't trust them, I didn't think they'd shoot me in the back. Not if everyone involved in the project had invested all that time and credits just to kill me now.

"It's all been funded and controlled by Cerberus."

"I know the name, but why are you worried?"

"It's just… Well, we know you might have some history with us."

I tapped the side of my head. "My memories are fine, Georgia. The only times that I had anything to do with you was sometimes finding the name in a report. I usually just kicked those upstairs to the Alliance for them to investigate. I was too busy dealing with Saren to be distracted by anything else. If Cerberus was up to no good two years ago, I don't really know anything about it."

"I know the Alliance has us down as a pro-human splinter group."

"Terrorist organisation. But one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."

I think Georgia was impressed. "I'm surprised by that statement, Commander, given that you were a Spectre and a member of the Alliance."

"Not saying that I agree with what Cerberus represents, but I make my own decisions after research. Truth be told, I know very little about Cerberus. But I won't take what I'm told at face value either."

"That's fair enough, Commander."

"Come on. Enough talk. Let's get to the shuttle bay and off this station."

As we made our way forward, Georgia also mentioned someone called the Illusive Man, explaining that he was the head of Cerberus and the main man responsible for bringing me back. He'd brought forward all the experts and provided the credits that had brought me back. Even though I might not agree with anything Cerberus might do, I'd certainly thank him for that. I liked being alive.

There were far too many mechs ahead of us though the three of us made a good team. Georgia with her biotics and Wilson with his tech attacks helped make easy work of them. I was still only armed with a pistol but even that was powerful enough to take down a mech with only a couple of well-placed bullets.

Wilson ran ahead of us and I could sense he was eager to get off the station. I didn't really blame him, to be honest. I had a feeling there were very few people left alive on the station. Alarms continued to blare, and we could hear explosions in the distance. The whole place was likely going to blow up sooner rather than later.

Arriving at the door to the docking bay, it was locked. Wilson worked on opening it and when it finally did, a woman appeared in the doorway. Wilson took a step back in surprise and called her Miranda. She then took out her pistol and shot him in the head.

"Traitorous bastard," she stated. The accent suggested a similar part of the world to myself. I wasn't expecting that. The accent hadn't come across over the radio. What I didn't expect next was her to look at me and smile. "I'm glad to see you up and about, Commander. I'm Miranda Lawson. I've spent two years putting you back together."

"Guess I should say thank you then."

She looked genuinely surprised yet pleased with those words. "We should really get out of here and I know the boss would want to speak to you."

"The Illusive Man."

Miranda looked at Georgia. Thankfully, Miranda was smirking as Georgia couldn't help smiling. "Should have known that your conscience wouldn't allow you to keep quiet about that," she said.

"He deserved to know, Miranda. He's just woken up after two years and was probably wondering what the hell is going on."

"Should we go, Commander? You can ask all the questions you want on the shuttle ride. We'll head to another facility, and you can speak to the Illusive Man there. He'll no doubt tell you more."

"Should we wait for anyone else?"

"I'll be blunt with you, Commander. Everyone knew the deal when they signed up. The only important figure here on this station is you. Everyone else is expendable."

"It's just the way it is, Commander. If they're not here, they're probably already dead anyway," Georgia added.

"Okay, I understand. Let's go."

Thankfully there was someone in the cockpit to fly the shuttle and we were soon up and away from the station. I found myself just staring out the window for a couple of minutes, alone with my thoughts before I was joined by Miranda and Georgia. I was mostly thinking about what happened to everyone else from the Normandy. I was hopeful that Liara, Joker, Chakwas, Garrus and all the others made it out alive.

"I know this might be difficult at the moment, Commander," Miranda started to say.

"Please call me Shepard. I only insisted on being called Commander when I was on the job. And considering it's been two years, I doubt that I'm even that ranking anymore anyway."

I took a moment to look both of them over. There was no missing that Miranda was attractive. Steel blue eyes. Gorgeous dark brown hair past her shoulders. The one-piece lycra suit showed off all her feminine curves. Great tits. I'm a man, sue me. Yet there was also something about her that suggested she was not someone to fuck with. She was obviously intelligent, so it left me wondering what other talents she had.

As for Georgia, she had gorgeous chocolate brown skin, and when she noticed my eyes glancing her over, she gave me that sort of smile that would make most ordinary men blush or look away. Lovely brown eyes and vibrant raven-black hair that was cut to what looked like a bob, curling around her ears. I'd already seen her fighting so knew she was skilled and no doubt tough. But I sensed a softer side to her character.

"Anyone would think the Illusive Man knew my reputation by ensuring that I was with two women right now," I joked.

Miranda chuckled. It was a delightful sound. Georgia glanced at Miranda in genuine surprise at hearing her laugh. "Jesus, Miranda, I don't think anyone would believe that you actually laughed," she said.

"I'll admit that part of your reputation has become well known," Miranda admitted, "Some of the eulogies given during the service by those gathered. A lot of asari…" She cleared her throat before asking, "Do you mind if we ask you a few questions before you meet with the Illusive Man?"

"Is that really necessary?" Georgia asked, "I can attest to the fact that Shepard is just fine. As are his memories."

"I understand that, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Is that okay, Shepard?"

"Ask away. Just one of my own. It's been two years?" They both nodded. "I'm guessing a lot has changed since then."

We went through the most basic history of my life. Where I was born. When I enlisted. What happened during my time to find Saren. Georgia then smiled at me and asked, "Think you can provide the list of lovers you had. Test that memory of yours."

"Hmmm… Jane Shepard. Not my sister or cousin so don't worry. Kira Tevos. Sha'ira. Naira. Lady Benezia. Lady Tessia. Helena Blake. Gianna Parasini. Kate Bowman. Shiala. Ashley Williams. Liara T'Soni. Emily Wong."

The two women shared a glance. "Wow," Miranda finally said, "We didn't have that entire list."

"Like to fuck, Shepard?" Georgia asked bluntly.

"I enjoy sex quite a lot. I've never been shy about that fact."

"Ever had fun with a black girl?"

"The opportunity hasn't presented itself."

"Later, Georgia. We have work to do," Miranda stated though I didn't miss how her eyes looked me up and down. The shirt I was wearing felt tight and my physique felt just the same.

"I notice my ink is gone. Are my arms, um, new?"

"Most of you is new, Shepard. When you arrived on our table, it… Well, it wasn't pretty," Miranda explained, "We've had to rebuild most of you from scratch. That explains why it cost so much money. You do have some cybernetics, but you are still human. Still flesh and bone. Still capable of bleeding and, well, dying. Again…"

"I did mean it when I said thank you, Miranda. Putting two years of work into me must not have been easy."

"It wasn't. I'll admit that at first it was just the job I was given, but as I rebuilt you and continued to read your files, well, it became a bit of an obsession. I knew we needed you back."

"And now that you're back, I must say that you are just delicious, Shepard," Georgia added with a light chuckle, "Your pictures never did you justice."

Miranda chuckled again. "Shepard, I'll be honest. You probably won't be short of company going forward. I don't know what the boss has planned for you, but he's aware of your tastes, so to speak."

"You mean I enjoy the company of humans but have a taste for asari?"

"For a pro-human organisation, none of us care that you like asari," Miranda assured me.

"Hell, I've had fun with more than one in my time," Georgia added, "A lot of fun and so sexually liberated. Humans are still prudes in comparison."

We chatted about nothing of any consequences, the two women just showing a broad interest in any subject that I wanted to touch. The one they wouldn't talk about was what happened to my team. They said that they didn't know but that the Illusive Man would probably be able to tell me. Otherwise, it was a relaxing shuttle ride. Miranda eventually left and talked to the pilot as Georgia moved to sit next to me.

"She's got a massive crush on you, Shepard, but doesn't know how to deal with it now," she whispered, "I won't say that she's fallen in love, but… She was right. She was obsessed. It was frankly adorable watching her when she'd sit by you at night and tell you everything that was going on."

"I vaguely remember waking once and seeing her. I noticed the concern…"

"She'd have sacrificed everything to bring you back, Shepard." She rested a hand on my chest as I met her eyes. "I just wanted you to wake up so I could talk to you. Get to know the real you. I was worried about the Cerberus thing. Does… Does that worry you?"

"Not at the moment. As I said, I don't really know anything about you. I can only imagine it's bad if you're that worried."

"Just judge us for who we are as individuals and that we have given so much to help you."

"Never judge a book by its cover… Though your cover is very nice, Georgia."

"I like to keep fit. I know that I need my stamina. I think you'll find some subtle changes to you at the same time, Shepard."

"Is my dick bigger?"

That made her laugh out loud, Miranda walking back in and sitting opposite. "What's so funny?" she wondered.

"Shepard being a typical man, asking about his dick size."

"Wasn't it big enough before, Shepard?" Miranda teased.

"Well, I never heard any complaints."

"It's pretty much the same, Shepard. I wouldn't want to disappoint all the women that you've been with before or might be with in the future."

"Get it out," Georgia whispered, "Get it out and hard for us."

"Actually, not a bad idea. Go on, Shepard. Get it out."

Georgia then helped me by undoing the top of her armour to reveal that she was only wearing a bra. She undid that to show off a pair of lovely breasts, dark chocolate nipples and a toned torso that suggested she put in a lot of gym work. She smiled at me as I unzipped and pulled out my cock. It didn't take long until I was hard, Georgia not hesitating and taking it in hand and giving it a few gentle squeezes.

"Oh honey, that is nice. So very nice," she whispered.

"Fuck, I did good work," Miranda murmured, glancing to see her eyes were glued to my cock, "Perhaps slightly longer and thicker at full mast, but I wasn't going to go stupid and make it a foot long or something."

Georgia seemed quite content in playing with my cock. When I glanced at her again, she did that adorable thing of biting her bottom lip as it was obvious that she was aroused. "You have great tits, Georgia," I said softly.

"Thank you, honey. That's your name from now on, by the way. It was that or sugar."

Miranda laughed again. "Think you can hold off until later? I hate the idea of giving you blue balls, Shepard…"

"It's fine. I'm not sure if Georgia wants to let me go though."

"I would suggest that I test you until orgasm and see how much you cum." Miranda laughed again before Georgia let go of my cock. "But I guess that can wait until later."

We landed at the next facility around half an hour later, the sexual tension somewhat remaining with Georgia. I would have chuckled to myself until I remembered that I'd had women in bed with me within an hour or two of meeting them. Walking off the shuttle together, I followed Miranda and couldn't help noticing how fine her arse was nor the sway in her hips. I was amused by the heels that gave her height, clicking in the near silence. It felt like the facility was mostly deserted.

"Head down the stairs, Shepard. The Illusive Man will meet you there."

"He's not here, is he?" Miranda looked at me. "Come on, Miranda. I'm not stupid. There's no way that he would be on some simple space station that you could stumble upon rather easily. It's obvious this place isn't cloaked in any way, and I know that the Alliance have been searching for him for years now."

"No, he's not here. Purely for his safety. He wasn't sure how you would react to the whole Cerberus thing anyway. I mean, we did believe that you would have an entirely negative reaction. I've been pleasantly surprised so far."

I walked towards where she'd taken position near a laptop. She glanced my way as I met her eyes. "Do you know his plans going forward? Will you be involved?"

She actually looked away and I'm confident that she was doing her best not to blush. "You should speak to him, Shepard," she finally said, "I now understand what I read though. I mean… Just being near you is…"

"Yeah, I didn't realise myself until someone pointed it out to me."

Georgia led me downstairs and pointed to a spot on the floor where I should stand. The Illusive Man would be able to see and hear me from there and I would see and hear him. When he appeared, he was sitting back in a chair, smoking a cigarette. I could see he had a mix of silver and dark hair. Blue eyes. He was relaxed though I could read enough. A man in charge. A man used to getting his own way.

"Commander Shepard. It's good to see that you're up and about."

"I've been told that you're the man that I should be thanking for bringing me back."

"There is a reason for bringing you back, Shepard. One very specific man who might be all that stands between humanity and the greatest threat to our existence."

I felt myself straighten though wasn't surprised to hear that he knew the truth. The real truth had been suppressed after the attack on the Citadel. Very few people knew what loomed in dark space, now looking for a different path to attack us.

"The Reapers," I stated bluntly.

"Good to see that your memory is intact, Shepard. How are you feeling?"

I could have been a dick about it, but I had an inkling that although he didn't really care, he was trying to be genuine. Maybe to win me over to the cause. Or at least prove that he did have my and humanity's interests at heart. As I told Georgia, don't judge a book on its cover.

"To be honest, pretty good. I haven't had a chance to really test me out, but I'm thinking that you authorised Miranda to make a few subtle changes. Maybe things like strength and endurance."

"Exactly. Anything different is subtle. We tried to keep you as intact as possible. I wanted the version of Shepard that defeated Saren and Sovereign."

"Okay, fair enough. I'm still confused as to why you spent all this money on one man…"

"You are a leader, Shepard. You lead, others will follow. All of humanity if necessary. You are an icon. People will listen to you. They'll march into the fires of hell if you lead the charge. That's why you're back. It's why I spent the money, hired the best. You might not believe me, but I know you are what we need to defeat the threat. But right now, we are at war. No one is willing to admit it, but humanity is under attack."

"You have my interest now. Is it the Reapers?"

"We're not sure. If not the Reapers, then their agents. Entire colonies have been disappearing. Human colonies."

"What makes you think it's them? A few colonies aren't all that much. Not to sound dismissive, but could it be something else?"

"We're talking hundreds of thousands of colonists over the past few months, Shepard. All of them vanished without a trace. Nobody is paying attention as the attacks are random and in remote locations. The Council and Alliance can write it off as anything other than an attack by the Reapers or their agents."

"Why just humans?"

"I believe that you earned their interest when you put a stop to Sovereign. You're a threat, especially after you put one of them down and stopped their invasion."

I gave it some thought as everything he was saying would ring true. "Look, I don't know much about Cerberus. You could spend time bullshitting me now, but from the little I do know, you're not a military organisation. What's your interest?"

"We are committed to the advancement and preservation of humanity, Shepard. If the Reapers are targeting us, trying to wipe us out, then Cerberus will stop them. If we wait for the Council or the Alliance to act, there will be no more human colonies left."

"If we're under attack and the Reapers are behind it, then I'm your man. Just give me the intelligence and I'll get this done."

I think he actually smiled. "I received more than one report that suggested you might be hesitant. I'm glad they're wrong."

"I don't know you, but at the moment, we're on the same page. If we're under attack, my job has always been to protect humanity and wipe out any threat. But I'm going to need a ship. A team. And a hell of a lot more if the threat is as large as it seems."

"I'll give you all of that and more, Shepard. For now, I need you to investigate something. I would like you to go to a colony by the name of Freedom's Progress. It's the latest colony to have had its entire population abducted. We're on the front foot with this one. The intelligence is fresh. Find what clues you can. Who's doing this? Do they have a connection to the Reapers? I'm sure you're more than capable of doing that."

"And when I come back?"

"I'll give you all that you need and more, Shepard. We're at war and we're going to need the best. And you will need to lead them."

He cut the connection, turning to see that Georgia had been watching the conversation with interest. She smiled as she approached me. The Illusive Man had selected the right people if he was trying to win me over to the cause, at least about whatever this was. She was rather tall for a woman, coming up to my chin. I had a feeling that without her heels Miranda would have been shorter.

"He was right, you know? About you agreeing to help us already. I know Miranda and I had our reservations simply because we believed that you had discovered things about us that might cause you to hate us without knowing us."

"Yet you still spend two years bringing me back?"

"We've always believed in you, Shepard."

"So Freedom's Progress. Ready to go?"

"I'll show you where your armour is and also where you can grab a new weapon and anything else you need."

Georgia led me past Miranda towards another door. It wasn't a large room but there were a few lockers. One had my name on it. When I opened it, I couldn't help smiling. It was a copy of my N7 uniform. I'd worn it during my chase for Saren. Black. N7 emblem on the upper left chest. Red and white stripe down the right arm. Strong enough to withstand small arms fire. When my shields were at their best, I was almost a walking tank.

I started undressing without thinking about it. Down to my underwear, I heard Georgia whistle behind me. I turned around and met her eyes and smiled.

"I wouldn't mind working out once this is done, seeing what I'm now capable of."

"You can work something else out too," she whispered.

"I'm guessing Miranda isn't the only one who built up a crush then?"

"And I've spent nearly two years on that station surrounded by scientists. Not the sort of men I'm used to."

"Georgia… You know my past… And I'm still me in the end."

That made her snort. "Think I care? Miranda certainly doesn't. Miranda is committed to Cerberus, I don't doubt that. But I know how she feels. As for me… I've spent nearly two years pleasuring myself either with fingers or toys. I wasn't going to let any of the eggheads around me get a chance at this pussy."

"But I'm thinking an exception…"

"Shepard, you are far from an exception." She glanced down at the bulge in my underwear. "And considering what I saw in the shuttle, I know that we're going to have some fun in the future. But you should also have a chat with Miranda before we leave. She's dedicated so much to you."

"I'll gear up and do just that."

She ran her hand down my chest and the look in her eyes… I'd seen it before more times than I could probably remember. But she left me alone to get my armour on. I picked up an assault rifle and a shotgun. I didn't need a new pistol as I liked the one that I already had. I thought about taking a sniper rifle, but I didn't usually work from distance. A few grenades and I was happy.

Miranda was still working away when I walked out of the changing room. I stopped and checked her over. Liara had a fantastic arse. Almost a bubble butt. Ashley's hadn't been as thick… Kira and Benezia… Now if you loved a thick arse…

Miranda probably had them all beat. It was near enough to perfection. I walked towards her as she sensed my presence and glanced in my direction.

"He has faith in you, Shepard."

"Hope I can live up to it considering how much he's spent on me. Miranda… Thank you." She seemed taken aback by how genuine I sounded. "I mean it. Thank you. When I was blown clear of the Normandy, I knew I was fucked. It's been two years since and I'm guessing that most of that time, you've spent putting me back together."

"I just hope it's worth it," she murmured, glancing away.

I took a chance and stood behind her. In her heels, the top of her head was at my chin. I knew without her heels that she'd be shorter. I rested my hands at her hips as I heard her sigh and step back. "I never presume anything… But I'm guessing that you might be working with me regarding all of this?"

"That's what the boss wants."

"If that's how it works then we need to trust each other, Miranda. We need to talk properly." I ran my hands to rest just underneath her breasts. That's when she moved back further, her back against my chest. "But I have a feeling…"

"I respect the hell out of you, Shepard. I mean that. The only thing that concerns me is… Well, it was about working with us though now I'm not so sure."

"All you need to do is work with me, Miranda. All that matters is the mission. I'll sort everything out otherwise."

I was going to move my hands further up, but I moved them back down to her hips instead. "I've already figured out Georgia. She's quite blunt in what I think she wants. I'm going to admit straight away that you're attractive, Miranda. I'm figuring that you're bloody good at everything you do…"

She turned around and met my eyes. I could see that my words already meant something. "Biotics. Tech. Shooting. And organisation," she stated, "But most important is that we work together, Shepard."

I moved my hands to her back to rest just above her arse. Her eyes changed and Georgia was proven right. This woman had an enormous crush on me already though it was tinged with a sense of being completely unsure how to deal with it. "You're thinking that you didn't expect this at all…"

"I thought you'd hate us… Hate me… Despite everything that I did…"

"Miranda…" I waited until she met my eyes. "Thank you."

Then I hugged her, and I felt her hug me back. "You're welcome," she whispered, "I prefer this to what I expected. Lots of harsh words and shouting."

"Things might change later. I don't know. But at the moment, I have a mission. That's what matters. I think we should head out and figure out what's going on. Sounds like a good idea, right?"

"Good idea."

I leaned back and met her eyes. "Are you a believer? I mean in Cerberus…"

"I am, Shepard. I've been loyal for years. The Illusive Man… Many will criticise him for his beliefs, but he has our best interests at heart."

"Fair enough. Can we talk later?"

She met my eyes, and no doubt didn't miss the sincerity. It made her smile. I have a feeling she didn't smile a lot, but hers was genuine when aimed at me. "I'd like that… I don't have many friends. They think I didn't know, but they called me the Ice Queen."

"Why's that?"

"The last two years have all been about you. Making sure you lived. Getting results. The only time I allowed…" She stopped herself and I noticed the rise of colour in her pale cheeks. She took a deep breath and met my eyes again. "I talked to you nearly every night, Shepard. I was hoping that whatever I was telling you…"

"I remember waking up once and I saw you. I thought I was dreaming. I heard the concern in your voice. And when you looked at me…"

"I didn't want you to die again," she said softly.

"And Georgia?"

That made her laugh. "Just treat her nice, Shepard. She's got a heart of gold. She's lovely. I really like her. And she adores you already. She's also a realist. She knows once others hear about your return…"

"Yeah… You already know about them…"

"There won't be any jealousy from anyone if it happens. We're more concerned about figuring out what's going on."

We boarded a shuttle minutes later. The journey took a couple of hours, filling the silence with general conversation. I was left thinking that they were impressed that I hadn't dismissed all of them immediately. Miranda seemed genuinely happy that I was working with them. Georgia… I think Georgia wanted to finish the mission then drag me into a room and be very naughty with me. I was surprised that they were honest about their reasons for joining Cerberus. Miranda wasn't ex-Alliance. Perhaps explained her loyalty. Georgia was ex-Alliance though she thought Cerberus was the better bet when it came to the dangers of the galaxy.

As we entered orbit, Miranda did ask about my orders. I met her eyes and saw that she was simply curious as to what I wanted.

"I've been given a mission. I just want to find out what's happened. As long as you follow my lead, everything will come naturally otherwise. Have you found anything at other colonies?"

"Absolutely nothing," Georgia replied with sincerity, "Not a trace of anything that might suggest who abducted everyone."

"No corpses either," Miranda added, "Everyone was taken. Absolutely everyone."

We remained seated until we entered the atmosphere of Freedom's Progress, the thrusters taking control as we came into land. "No matter what, Shepard, you're in command," Georgia stated as if to reassure me, "The Illusive Man brought you back to lead this thing. You give us orders, we'll follow them."

"Just try and keep us alive," Miranda added with a hint of humour.

It was deserted. There wasn't a sign of any sort of attack or invasion having taken place. There were no bodies. Nothing had been blown up or destroyed. Absolutely no sign that anything had befallen the colony except that it was absolutely deserted. It was almost like it was the Mary Celeste, the abandoned ship found hundreds of years ago, still seaworthy yet with not a soul on board. It was enough to send a shiver down your spine.

The only thing we found was mechs and they attacked us immediately. Miranda proved her skills by either lifting them out of cover or overloading their weapons. Hell, she damn near blew a couple of them up just from her tech attacks. I had no doubt she would be an effective member of my team should it come to pass. As for Georgia, she just confirmed what I already knew about her. Strong biotics, fantastic aim.

Great arse and tits. Same with Miranda.

Miranda then suggested that just like Lazarus station, someone must have hacked the mechs to attack us. She suggested that perhaps it meant that we were not alone, that we might find a survivor. If there was someone still alive, perhaps they would answer the questions we would not doubt have for them…

What none of us expected was to enter one of the many prefab constructions to be greeted by a group of quarians wielding weapons. I counted ten of them and they were ready to shoot us immediately. The only reason they didn't was that I guess they wouldn't shoot first and ask questions later.

"Shepard?" a voice asked.

I moved my eyes and there she was. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. What the hell was she doing here? I immediately took note of a few things. Her new suit. The covering of her head was different. And she spoke with authority. "Weapons down," she ordered, "This is Commander Shepard. Or… I think it is." She stepped forward nervously. "Is it really you, Shepard?"

"Weapons down," I told Miranda and Georgia, "She's a friend."

"Keelah, I don't believe it. I heard the news and… I was at the service… Is it really you?"

She approached me cautiously as I offered my hand. She took it and I wasn't surprised she immediately hugged me tightly. "It's me, Tali. It's me," I assured her, "I can tell you anything you want to reassure you about that."

"Can you list all your lovers?"

"I could but that means I wouldn't list you, and that would make me sad."

I heard the choked sob. "You mean that, Shepard?"

"I adored you, Tali. We all did. You were the heart of our ship the entire time."

She leaned back and I met her glowing eyes behind the mask. "The others… Do they know you're back?"

"Not yet. It's a long story. I'd tell you now, but I have a mission to complete. Why are you here?"

"We're looking for a quarian. His name is Veetor. He came here because he wanted a small settlement that was rather quiet and isolated."

"Then let's work together on finding him if we can."

"I'm not working with Cerberus," a quarian stated behind Tali.

"We're not working with Cerberus. We'll be working with Shepard."

"Want to clue me in here?" I wondered.

"Later." She realised I was still holding her, and the eyes changed again. She was loving the fact that I was holding her. "Shepard…. There are ten quarians here. Seven of them are females. I made sure of that."

"Ah… You like that?"

"I'll tell you all about it later. Ignore Prazza behind me. He's an idiot. I trust you."

"We could work together. You know that."

"Agreed. Let's split up, cover more ground. We're looking for someone named Veetor. He might have information…"

"The lack of humans suggests something went on here." What made her almost squeal was when I pulled her closer. I didn't miss how her hands rested on my body. "Tali, keep your people safe. I can sense hesitancy from some of them… I'm not Cerberus, and the women behind me…"

"A lot has happened while you were gone, Shepard."

"Figured that already. A few of your people look ready to shoot me now. Do you trust me?"

"Always," she whispered, "I missed you."

I hugged her tightly. "Awww. That's sweet. I remember Tali in the reports. We'll be cooperative, Tali," Georgia stated, "We're not here to hurt anyone."

"We're here for clues and information as to why everyone has gone," Miranda added, "If you know someone might be here, all we want is to ask a few questions. You don't have to trust us, but Shepard… You can trust him."

We split up and worked our way through the deserted colony. There were endless mechs to deal with. Tali and her squad didn't have to deal with as many though I heard comments about working with and trusting us. Something definitely happened while I was gone. I didn't wear anything with a Cerberus symbol. Miranda and Georgia did, and her people recognised it. They were ready to shoot us when they spotted us.

There were drones, mechs and even a couple of heavy mechs that we had to deal with. I could hear Tali having to deal with her own people. Most seemed to be happy to trust her and me, but Prazza and a couple of others eventually disobeyed her orders and took off. It was bad enough that Tali had to open a door that would allow us through to save the day. When it did open, a heavy mech was sending gunfire and rockets firing towards anyone it could see.

"Keep your people in safety, Tali. We'll deal with that fucker."

"That's the Shepard I remember. Keep your heads down, girls, and see a master at work."

I hadn't brought along a heavy weapon. Tali helped out by taking down the shields of the mech before nearly everyone started firing at it. The heavy mech didn't know where to aim considering the gunfire, and when it finally exploded, even I couldn't hold back a sigh of relief when it simply blew up where it stood. I wandered over to Tali where she was already looking after a couple of her people.

"Tali… Seven females?"

'Absolutely. I could tell you stories, Shepard, but then I think I'll distract you. Can you find Veetor for me?"

"Sure thing. Just a few questions for him then you can take him home."

Prazza and a couple of the other quarians had been killed during the exchange, Tali walking over to check on the rest of her team. There was no missing they were all females due to, well, the bumps on their chests. I didn't miss how they all watched me stride on by as I approached a nearby door. It was the only possible location that Veetor could be.

I opened the door to be greeted by banks of screens with a figure sitting in front of them, talking to himself about monsters. And swarms. I walked up carefully as I didn't want to spook someone clearly agitated and afraid.

"Veetor?"

"No. No Veetor. Not here. Swarms can't find. Monsters coming. Have to hide."

"There are no monsters here now, Veetor. You're safe."

He didn't respond. I glanced at Miranda and gestured to the screens. She keyed her Omni-tool and the screens went dark. I slowly turned Veetor's chair around and took a knee before him. I didn't want to intimidate him. He was clearly terrified, and I knew he might not exactly be great to ask a load of questions, but if he could give us something, it would be mission complete.

He was surprised to see humans. He kept mentioning monsters and swarms. I shared more than one glance with my companions. When I told him that I didn't understand, that I didn't really know what he meant by monsters and swarms, he turned his chair back to his screens and keyed a few commands. Security footage started to play, and it showed us exactly what he was talking about. A swarm of something and…

"My God. I think that's a Collector!" Miranda exclaimed.

"Okay, you're going to have clue me in here. Dead for two years," I stated.

"They're a species from somewhere beyond the Omega Four relay," Georgia explained, "Only a few people have ever seen one in person."

My companions seemed to be rather clued up about the Collectors. How they operated though not exactly sure as to their motives. But they were both convinced that they were now working with the Reapers if they were kidnapping humans.

Veeter explained the 'seeker swarms'. The footage clearly showed that the swarms were freezing people in place. All the Collectors needed to do was turn up and load the bodies into their transports to be taken away. He'd also collected plenty of data while he'd been hiding away, mentioning 'dark energy', whatever that was.

"Can you send that data to me, Veetor?" I asked, "And also my companions. That will be useful for us, to find these monsters and hopefully stop them." He did that before I gently grasped his forearm and led him outside. I could feel he was still terrified, Tali walking over to meet us.

"He's traumatised, Tali," I explained, "Probably a mild case of PTSD and plenty of other problems. But I think he's physically fine at least."

"Thank you, Shepard. I'll make sure he gets home to the flotilla, and he'll be cared for."

"I'm guessing that you're on your own mission at the moment?"

She glanced away for a moment. "I know what you're going to ask, Shepard. And you know that I'd be with you again in a heartbeat. But so much has changed and I'm now responsible for my own team. I can't join you right now."

"Team full of females, eh?"

"I'll send you a message and tell you all about it!"

"And Cerberus? You'll tell me about that too?"

"I will. Just be careful, Shepard. Though the two you are with… Well, I'm not surprised they're women."

"I have a reputation to maintain, Tali."

That made her giggle before we shared a hug. "I'm glad you're back, Shepard. So many have missed you."

I made sure that she was back on their ship with all her companions and into the air before we returned to our shuttle. "That girl loves you, Shepard," Georgia stated once we were in the air and returning to the station, "Even with that mask on, I could see how she was looking at you. And that body language. It's love and one hell of a crush."

"I know. But before, you know, she was on her Pilgrimage and I'm not sure how it could have worked anyway."

Georgia was sitting next to me, and I glanced to see her smiling. "Having now seen you at work, Shepard…" Miranda chuckled across from us as Georgia leaned up to my ear, "I'm quite turned on now. I think what we should do is end each mission with a solid fuck. How does that sound?"

"Are you always this blunt?"

"Not always though as you said to Tali, you have a reputation. I know you love to fuck. Maybe you are selective, but I'm just letting you know right now that I'm interested."

I glanced at Miranda who immediately smiled. "Don't mind me, Shepard. I know what she's like. Maybe you should wait until after you speak to the Illusive Man again."

"I'm nice and smooth downstairs, honey," Georgia whispered, "And from what I've learned, you love going down on a woman."

I chuckled to myself. "I still think there are men out there who won't eat pussy. Human or asari, I'm going down on you."

"Miranda, I think we might have to redesign his armour so that we can get his cock out easily after each mission as I'm sure that I won't be the only one who'll want to fuck when we complete a mission."

Miranda snorted before she laughed again. "And I'm guessing you need a redesign…"

"Fuck that. I'll just strip naked before I get on his cock."

"Miranda… Did you change how much I would, you know…"

"Cum?" she asked, immediately amused by my curiosity.

"Well, yeah. I mean, my cock looked about the same, but I was wondering if you might have changed that."

"I'm not sure, Shepard. I didn't change anything. I reckon you'll cum the same amount."

"Supplements," Georgia stated immediately, "I know that men can take certain things that'll increase the amount they'll cum, the thickness, and definitely the taste." She leaned in and kissed my cheek. "You can leave your load whenever you want on my body, honey. My face. My tits. My arse. My tummy. Though I'd rather you leave your load inside me. Can't wait to feel your big cock throbbing inside me as you fill my womb."

"Jesus, Georgia…"

"I'm so fucking horny, Miranda. You know it's been months since I was fucked. And I know you haven't fucked anyone either."

"That's what toys are for. Lots of toys."

"Toys don't cum in me." Georgia paused before she asked, "How big are they?"

Miranda glanced at me before she said, "Big enough. And I know what you mean, but when they vibrate and do other things…"

"You ever wear a plug?"

That made Miranda snort. "Please, I love the feeling of something in my arse."

"Me too. Feels so good when…"

I had to clear my throat. "Okay, girls, you are seriously turning me the fuck on right now."

"That's the whole point, honey. I want you all pent-up and eager to fuck. I'm so wet and ready that you can eat my pussy if you want, but what I'm going to want is for your big dick inside me."

Thankfully, I had calmed down by the time we'd docked back at the facility. I allowed the two women off first. They were both rather distracting as I followed them. Miranda suggested that I go and speak to the Illusive Man immediately. He wasn't upset that I'd given Veetor straight to the quarians given that fact he would have been left traumatised by it. He'd already received the data and his people were analysing it.

When it came to the Collectors, he wasn't surprised by that either. He didn't seem to know much more about them than Miranda and Georgia, just that they travelled the Terminus Systems and had advanced technology. I asked about the Omega Four relay as I didn't know anything about it. He didn't either except the fact that any ship that had attempted to use it had never returned.

We discussed ideas about what the Collectors were after, their potential connection to the Reapers and then why they were targeting humans. He wondered why they were kidnapping humans and not just killing them. We had all the evidence to suggest that is what the Reapers did. Wiped out entire species before they disappeared.

"Shepard, there is one thing. The Council and the Alliance want to believe that the Reaper threat died with Sovereign. You and I know better. I won't wait until the Reapers are on the march. We need to take the fight to them."

"On that we can definitely agree. But I know one thing is that we can't do it alone. I mean that in two ways. Cerberus can't fight the Reapers alone. We will need to work with others. And I don't work alone either. I'm going to need a team."

"I'm ahead of you there, Shepard. I've compiled a list of the very best. I'll send the dossiers to you and it's up to you to recruit them. Some might need a little more convincing than others. While you're hard at work doing that, we will continue to track the activities of the Collectors. Hopefully next time, we'll learn where they are so you can head there and stop them."

"What about my old team? Any of them on those dossiers?"

"To be honest with you, Shepard, no. I know of your relationship with Liara T'Soni. She's not returned to archaeology."

"She hasn't? What's she doing?"

"She's on Illium. From the reports I have, she's working for the Shadow Broker."

"The fuck? What? Why?"

"I'm not sure, Shepard, but if that's the case, then I can't trust her. And I would be wary of her if she's working for the Broker. I know you'll ask about the others so I'll tell you what I know. The turian, Garrus Vakarian, disappeared a few months after you were declared dead. Even we haven't been able to find him. Urdnot Wrex has remained on Tuchanka in his attempt to unite the clans. He's had some minor successes. And Ashley Williams is now an officer in the Alliance. Currently holds the rank of Lieutenant. She's done well for herself."

"And I'd guess that you know I met Tali'Zorah on Freedom's Progress?"

"I do. It was unexpected though even the quarians are capable of more than one surprise."

"What about the Council? I was a Spectre. If I return alive, maybe I can get that status back and they'd be willing to help? I mean, I think even you would know what the asari think of me…"

"I'm aware, Shepard. But things have changed, it's been two years… And although I won't notify the galaxy that you're working with us just yet, I think it won't take long until people hear about it. And their reaction might be negative."

"I understand. Look, you clearly know a lot more about me than I know about you. Guess that's an advantage, but on the face of it, we're after the same thing."

"Commendable attitude, Shepard. I don't exactly expect you to trust me or join us, but I know that you'll do the job. Two things. First, the best person to recruit first will be Mordin Solus. You'll find him on Omega. He's a brilliant salarian scientist. If anyone will be able to figure out how to counteract the seeker swarms, it'll be him."

"I'll head there first though I might just pop to the Citadel quickly, see if the Council will meet. What's the second thing?"

"I've found a pilot that I think you might like. I hear he's one of the best."

He disappeared as I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around to see another familiar face. He grinned up seeing me. "Hey, Commander. Just like old times, huh?"

"Joker!" I strode forward and carefully shook his hand. "Look at you, up and walking about. How the hell…?"

"Follow me, Commander. We can walk and talk. And me walking is nothing like you being alive, Commander. I saw you get spaced."

"You okay with that?"

"Carried some guilt for a while. Hit the bottle. Liara and Ashley eventually visited me, told me to pull my head out of my arse. They didn't blame me. I was doing what any good pilot was trying to do. Save his ship."

"So what are you doing with Cerberus? You were Alliance through and through. Bled blue. That sort of thing."

"To be honest, it all fell apart once you were gone. Everything you stirred up, the Council just wanted gone. Councillor Tevos… There was word that she nearly quit her posting because of what happened. She felt guilt too, responsible for sending you out to chase geth when you should have been focusing elsewhere."

"It was that bad?"

"They ensured the crew was split up. All records have been sealed. And they grounded me in the end. Can't have a drunk in charge of a ship."

We stopped by a window though it was dark and we couldn't see what was there. "I wouldn't have expected you to join Cerberus. You trust the Illusive Man?"

That made him snort. "I don't trust anyone that makes more than me. But they aren't all bad. Georgia is lovely. Miranda can actually be kind when she wants. And they brought you back. And they let me fly again." He paused and gestured. "Then there's this. They only told me about it last night." He glanced to someone in uniform standing nearby. "Show him."

It was… It was beautiful. Sleek. Modern. It was as if she'd been reborn. Larger. Stronger. Faster. Hell, I almost had a tear in my eye as she finally came into full view. I leaned against the window and stared.

"Yeah, I felt the same way when I first saw it, Commander. She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Guess she's going to need a name."

"And I bet we're thinking the same thing, right, Commander?"

"Right you are, Joker. Right you are. It's good to be home."

I wasn't sure about working for Cerberus though they'd given me no reason to distrust them. Miranda was obviously talented as was Georgia. I now had Joker as my pilot, someone that I could definitely trust. And the Illusive Man had kept his word. I was going to build a team. I now had a ship. I knew that I was going to be funded, well-equipped, and although the ship would mostly be staffed by Cerberus, I had a feeling that they might not be a bad sort to work with.

But I also knew that I needed to reach out to people. The Council. The Alliance. And Liara…

What the hell was Liara up to? I knew that I would need to find her, no matter what the Illusive Man had to say. And then there were all my other lovers. Let them know that I was back.

I just didn't know how they would all respond.

Whatever the case, it was good to be back home on the Normandy.