Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (11/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 15:45:21 UTC
Kelly stood outside the door to Shepard's room. She could not stop the shiver. Not just because of the lack of a heat source, but the sheer terror of what she had heard Dr. Chakwas and Miranda said the day before.
There was also that single line on her console, coming from the Commander's station in her room, in the CIC which almost made Kelly's heart stop.
Report to our quarters at once!
'Our quarters'? Many suspicions floated through Kelly's head as she reached up to tap the door. However, before her hand could touch the cold metal, the door opened, even though the hologram above the lock was inoperative.
Except for the blue glow of the empty fish tank and the light from the stars by the window, everything was covered in a blanket of darkness.
A voice, altered by... something, said ominously, “...enter.”
Kelly gathered what little courage she possessed and walked in. The instant she stepped past the threshold of the cabin, the doors slammed shut.
“C... Commander?”
From the other end of the cabin, a sickly orange hue glowed from where Shepard's bed sat. Kelly's eyes focused to see the Commander, clad only in a hospital gown, completely covered in glowing scars. Shepard's eyes opened and they contained an unearthly green glow. Kelly gasped in horror at the sight.
“Kelly Chambers,” the commander said calmly before she stood up, “I need your expertise. Shepard is broken. She must be restored.”
“But wait,” Kelly said,”How can you say that if you're... oh no.” The yeoman could only think of one possible explanation. The Commander had a separate personality. Commander Shepard was a schizophrenic! How could they have missed this? They took every bit of information on her since the day she entered the Alliance Reserves.
“Do not even pretend to think you understand anything, Kelly Chambers,” the scowl on the Commander's face was different than the one Nora first showed her. The former was condescending and arrogant. The latter was hard and untrusting. The manner of speech. The way Shepard now stood.
It was as if she was someone completely different.
Kelly ventured a question. “What do you mean?”
Shepard's scowl grew. “I'm no mere product of your precious Shepard's mental dysfunction. She is broken enough as it is. No, I'm the culmination of an entire civilization which you revere. I am their legacy. I am also all that is keeping Shepard's body from falling apart.”
Kelly's mind searched for any possible explanation until one possibility remained. “The beacon on Eden Prime... you're... Prothean?”
The one using Shepard's body gave Kelly a cruel smile, “Perhaps there is hope for you yet. Since I prefer not to be referred by this broken woman's name, you may as well refer to me as Echo, since it's the closest approximation of what I am.”
Aware that certain questions could make or break the next few minutes, Kelly asked, “Then what are you?”
Echo's frown grew as though she were insulted with such a question, “If I were to degrade myself in terms for something as simple as you to understand, the closest thing would be akin to your EDI.”
Echo inclined her head to side, which Kelly assumed was an order to sit down. The yeoman complied, her own gaze steady with Echo's.
“Now that your curiosity is sated, we must begin. Once Shepard's mind is returned to a sound state, the body will follow. The head of the Lazarus Project was too sure of herself to realize that all the technology is the galaxy means nothing if the mind and spirit of the user is not in working order.”
Kelly's gaze turned to the side, searching for a question that she had prepared long before she came aboard the Normandy.
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (12/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 15:48:46 UTC
“So, you're saying that Shepard still has some trauma associated with her death?”
“While that is not the only thing, you are correct. She wonders if she is even Shepard anymore. She wonders if she is any different than the husks the Reapers construct out of the remnants of your people.”
Kelly balked at the notion. “What? How can she believe that? She's still alive.”
Echo narrowed her eyes, “Have you ever perished and returned from the dead before, Kelly Chambers?”
“Well, no, but...”
“THEN BE SILENT! In case you have not noticed, she has been less than cordial with those around her. She has had little time to come to terms with the fact that her life has been restored by mortal means and now she is once again pressed into service by an organization she hates. This cannot continue as it is. You, Kelly Chambers, must restore her sanity or else all is lost.”
Something did not add up, “wait, if that's the case, why are you so intent on ensuring Shepard's survival? It's not like you have any stake in this.”
Echo's eyes narrowed again, “That is no concern of yours. All that you need to know is that Shepard will be waking up soon. By all means, tell her about me. It will bring a bit of amusement to this poorly written tragedy.”
Kelly was about to ask again when Echo twitched noticeably and muttered, “We will speak again, Kelly Chambers.” It grew to an all out shiver before she tumbled backward onto the bed. Only the sound of Shepard's breathing could be heard in the room as Kelly cautiously moved over to the bed.
“Commander?” she asked quietly, tapping Nora's knee.
“Commander?” she asked again.
This time, Shepard's eyes, this time discolored red by the implants, fluttered open. Her right hand reached up to fight back the painful throbbing in her head as she slowly sat up. Nora blinked twice at the presence of the yeoman in her room and the darkness.
She looked around wildly, before turning to Kelly and asked in a near panic, “Chambers... what... how did you get in here? How did I get in here? What happened?”
Kelly kept her hands clenched when she realized just how bad things had progressed. “If I tell you, will you believe me?”
Nora looked into Kelly's eyes for a long moment. Kelly knew Shepard did not have much reason to trust her, however, current circumstances were... unique.
The Commander nodded as Kelly took a seat on the couch.
With as much detail as she could recall, Kelly recited everything Echo had told her.
Shepard, her mouth agape, stared back at Kelly in shock for a whole minute.
The commander then looked down to the floor, her mind reeled at what she had just been told.
Kelly knew it was her time to go. She turned around and padded towards the door as the lights started to come back on.
“Chambers...” Shepard said quietly, but loud enough for Kelly to hear.
The yeoman turned around to see her Commander look to her, this time without the hardened expression. “Do you think you have time for a session? I... I think I need one.”
Kelly gave her the most reassuring smile she could and said, “Of course, Commander.” She was about to open the door, when she turned back to Nora and stated, “And please, call me Kelly.”
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (13/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 15:51:07 UTC
Kelly stood beside the door to the hallway as Shepard completed her plans for the next few weeks. While it had been difficult to convince Miranda for Nora to step down temporarily for sick leave, they assuaged her fears by the plan to accumulate the needed materials to upgrade the Normandy. Every member of the recruits had plans, contacts, and schematics they could be used to give the frigate additional protection, armaments, and countermeasures the next time they would meet the Collectors.
“While I agree with the plan, Shepard, I still have my doubts,” the Cerberus agent noted. Not just with the acquisition of the materials, but the idea that Kelly would be their only chance at helping Shepard’s problems when they already had an asari justicar on board.
Nora nodded and asked, “I know, but I am putting my trust in you, because at the moment... I don't want to risk this ship and crew anymore than I have to, just because I got some mental problems at the moment. And besides, you'll have Garrus at your side, you'll be fine,” she ended with a cheeky grin.
Miranda's lips thinned and her eyebrows lowered, “That's what I'm afraid of.” She start a reading off the pad Shepard had given her and started walking back to her office before turning to Garrus and requesting his presence within the hour. He nodded his assent and turned to Shepard with Tali right behind him.
From Kelly's viewpoint, as the rest of the crew filtered out, she was unable to hear the conversation between the Commander, the Quarian, and the Turian. However, she could see several indications that the mechanic was worried sick about Shepard to the point where she embraced Nora and muttered something about assistance. Vakarian placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder, said something, to which Nora nodded, and left the conference room.
“Take good care of her,” Garrus said as he passed by the counselor.
She nodded. “I will.”
While the glowing scars had yet to fade, Shepard’s demeanor had improved dramatically. Kelly had noted, even though Shepard still did not trust Cerberus in the least, she had gained Jacob’s and Miranda’s loyalty not long before, which had made this transition a lot smoother.
“You ready?” Shepard asked Kelly once the rest of the crew had vacated the room.
“Yes, Commander,” she replied professionally.
*
As enthusiastic as Shepard was to start sessions with Kelly, the yeoman could not help but notice how awkward the Commander seemed as she paced the room, unsure where to begin.
For ten minutes, they had experienced a series of failed starts and verbal stumbles. The long and awkward pauses got to them both.
“Don’t worry.” Kelly said to ease Nora’s discomfort, “there’s no real established method at where to begin.”
“You sure? I’m always used to standard operating procedure. I’ve never been good at doing something new,” Nora said despondently.
“The reason why is because everyone is different. Your problems are unique to you. It makes you human,” Kelly offered with an encouraging smile.
Tired of pacing, Nora then took another seat at the opposing edge of the couch, which sat right below her desk.
“I know I asked this earlier, but why not start at the beginning?” Kelly offered, “I promised you that this was confidential and no one, I repeat no one, is going to hear this.”
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (14/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 15:53:18 UTC
Nora scuffed her shoulder length dark red hair in frustration, “I know! I know... it’s not you I’m worried about.” She paused for a moment and continued, “it’s the Illusive Man. And not just him. I can’t help but feel that both the Alliance and the Council are keeping tabs on me, somehow.“
Kelly tipped her head. “What makes you feel that?”
Nora’s head drooped, “Horizon. Ash is Alliance all the way and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to find she’s working for both. Just like I did. Makes me scared that they’ll screw her the way they did me. They put me up on a pedestal and look how well it worked out?”
The counselor was confused. “You saved us all? True, the council never believed you, despite all evidence to the contrary, but there are people that still believe you. You still have people that trust you.”
Nora snorted cynically as she glared at the other end of the room, “Yeah, but the malcontents and the misfits are not going to save the galaxy when you’re the only ones that know the dangers are coming first hand.”
Kelly closed her eyes for a moment, gathered her thoughts and said, “For what it’s worth, Commander. I believe you. I always believed you. You’ve beaten the odds before and believe you’ll do it again.”
The hardness of Nora’s eyes broke as she turned to the yeoman. “Even after how horribly I treated you?”
The younger woman nodded and answered, “It’s part of the job. You’ll often meet people that are hard, confrontational, bellicose, and more. And their reasons are valid to a degree. However, more often than not, people that seek help on their own have a better chance at recovery. They’re proactive instead of reactive. That’s always good sign.”
There was a pregnant pause in the room as Commander Shepard considered her words. From what Kelly could deduce, Shepard could have been repeatedly praised for her skills as a soldier. However, commentary about her as a person seemed far more sparse.
Nora shrugged, “If it can help deal with Echo, then I’m all for it. I doubt a scalpel will fix this, since my brain has progressively become more prothean than human in the past few years.”
Kelly giggled, “I wouldn’t worry too much. We’ll get through this and then you can become the same Commander Shepard that saved us all a few years ago once more.”
Nora joined her laughter for a moment before an epiphany stopped the chuckle.
“I think I know where to start now.”
Kelly’s face lit up with relief, “Wonderful.”
With a sigh, Shepard stood up and walked to the window on the other side of the cabin. She placed her hand against the glass and began,
“What I am about to say, I have not told anyone. It shows how much trust I’m putting in you, Kelly.”
Aware of the gravity of the situation, Kelly placed her data pad on her side and leaned forward to listen intently as Shepard turned back to her.
The Commander seemed scared as she stated in a low voice, “I’m not Nora Shepard. The real Nora Shepard died fifteen years ago.”
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (15/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 15:56:43 UTC
Kelly’s mouth hung open in shock. Which caused ‘Nora’ to smirk as she continued, “Surprised? My real name is Ann. Never found out my family name. Didn’t care to find out, either. Just a source of bad memories and disappointments.”
The yeoman struggled to regain her composure as she asked, “Who... who was the real Nora Shepard then? What happened to her?”
The smile vanished from Nora’s face as she answered sadly. “Nora Shepard was the only friend I ever had, growing up in the slums of Old Los Angeles. She was like me; a sand dropping: kids born from crack whores, addicted to Red Sand.” She took a deep breath before she continued, “Unlike me, she was disfigured and crippled when she was born. Almost didn’t make it. Never could figure out how I made it to term perfectly healthy while she ended up looking like... the way she did. Either her mom was beaten or, I’m guessing, she had Proteus Syndrome. Either way, she wasn’t going to last long and both of us knew it. ”
Kelly hung on every word the older woman spoke as she tried to fight back the imagery of the individuals they were and the hardships they no doubt faced.
“Nora... she... you couldn’t find a nicer girl in the whole damn galaxy. She couldn’t feel malice or hate against anyone, even against the Reds.”
“Don’t you dare!” Ann snarled, her teeth bared, ready to bite if needed as Finch and Crumb closed in, being the only thing standing between them and Nora with a stash of food left over from an annexed section the Reds had taken over from the Twelfth Street Blues after a turf war.
“Piss off, Ann!” Finch, despite being smaller and a year younger than the fourteen year old Ann, threatened as he and his toadie closed in.
“If you want to wake up wondering where your balls went, Finch, you’ll clear out! We found this first!” Ann growled, brandishing a broken pipe. She would have swung the bar at Finch’s head had a bloated hand not gently grasped her elbow.
Ann kept her gaze on their assailants, but switched it to Nora, who limped forward with an armful of the food they had found, much to the confusion of all involved.
“Here,” Nora said in a hoarse voice and placed a bag of unspoiled bread and candy in Finch’s hand. Nora tried to smile, but the various tumors that encompassed part of her head, covered by a hood, made it difficult. Regardless, she nodded and walked back behind Ann.
Finch and Crumb looked between the bag and to Nora before the former mumbled, “You got lucky this time, Ann.” With that, they left.
Ann wasn’t sure whether she was merely hungry, frustrated, or angry, but she was ready to scream at Nora for what she did. However, Nora had interrupted her and said gently, “They were hungry, like we were. There’s more than enough.” Once again, Nora Shepard, had lived up to her name. She had diffused the justified anger between two parties and had enabled both of them to avert a potentially violent scuffle.
“I’m sorry, Nora,” Ann mumbled, ashamed as the iron pipe slipped from her grasp to land unceremoniously on the floor.
There was no reproach as the disfigured girl wrapped her only good arm around Ann’s shoulders warmly.
“She sounded very kind,” Kelly said as she fought back the tears that clouded the corners of her eyes.
The older woman nodded as she too fought back the anguish in her eyes. “She was everything I wanted to be in a person. She always saw the big picture and wanted to make sure that things would work out in the long term. She was smart. Made me realize that I had to be smart too, if I wanted to survive. She kept me alive all those years.”
They both knew the inevitable question that would come next. “What happened to her?”
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (16/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:04:08 UTC
She closed her eyes and held a hand to her face. “In OLA, there was a small church that saddled several of the gang turfs at one time. The church was practically the only truly neutral place in the city as far as the gangs were concerned, since the workers there didn’t discriminate.” Shepard’s face grew heated as she snarled, “Then some nameless asshole comes along and burns it down for kicks! Nora... Nora was there at the time.”
The yeoman closed her eyes and allowed the Commander a moment to collect herself. For all she knew, they just scratched the surface. Kasumi’s warning came back as she figured it would be best to let this subject go for now.
“How’d you escape from the Reds?”
Shepard took another breath, aware that they had to continue, “Well, once the church got torched, the Reds blamed the Fourteenth Street Bones for it. It was a stupid move, since you need nothing less than Riot Cops to deal with those guys. It turned out to be a mistake, since the resulting turf war made the top Reds realize they needed to expand in other ways if they wanted to survive.”
She shrugged and said, “So, they wanted to use me as a honey trap to blackmail an up and coming senator so they could get the resources they needed to take down the Bones.”
Kelly blinked, “Wow, really?”
‘Shepard’ chuckled bitterly, “Yeah. I think one of the heads of the gang saw it some movie. Must have been one of those pre-holo vid black and white ones. Because it was a stupid plan from the start.”
“I assume it didn’t go well?”
Nora shook her head and snickered darkly, “Me and two other guys were going to set it all up. Too bad they didn’t think I’d gotten tired of their stupid gang wars and would use that chance to get out. And as luck would have it, the Reds that were supposed to keep me in line ended up dying in a car crash. I would have died too had my biotics not manifested. So, I took their credit chits, bribed the cops to say I died, hitch hiked up to Alaska and once I turned eighteen... well, you can figure out the rest.”
The yeoman nodded and said, “You used Nora’s name to register yourself in the Alliance military. Since you had no birth certificate or holo print, they couldn’t verify that were not Nora Shepard.”
Nora sniffed once and leaned against the head of her couch. “Yeah. Turns out that while you can only fake your way through so many of their assessment tests, being a biotic gives you certain advantages.”
The smirk on the older woman’s face faded as she finished, “I wanted to honor Nora. Be the person she never got a chance to be. Granted, I haven’t always succeeded. I still lose my temper every once in a while.”
Kelly gave her an encouraging smile, “I’d say averting a galaxy wide genocide counts for something.”
Nora laughed. “If it stopped them dead in their tracks, then I’d feel better about myself.” Her smile faded ass she shook her head, “The Reapers are still out there. The Council and Alliance still don’t believe me. No one’s getting ready for the invasion and we’re chasing the Collectors.”
Kelly looked to her omni-tool’s time display, noting that time had gone faster than she realized.
“Time’s up?” Nora asked, the exhaustion in her eyes evident.
The yeoman shook her head, “We can keep going if you’d like. Otherwise, we can stop here for today. I got a feeling that this may take a while, so, I believe it’d be best if we took it slow. Give yourself a chance to rest.”
Nora contemplated Kelly’s offer for a moment before she nodded. “Probably would be a good idea if we continued tomorrow. I’ll keep in touch with Miranda and Garrus to make sure the material acquisition goes on as scheduled.”
Kelly stood up slow and offered, “I can get the reports from them if you’d like?”
The commander nodded once. With their time done, Kelly walked up the steps to the door before Nora said, “Kelly?”
“Yes, Commander?”
Shepard’s mouth was open, with the desire to say something in particular. However, she changed her mind and said, “See you at breakfast tomorrow.”
The counselor’s smile returned as the door opened. “Yes, Commander.”
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (17/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:12:26 UTC
*
Back at her console, Kelly filled out her reports and kept the details of her sessions with Nora private. Despite the pride she felt at her recommendation by the Illusive Man, their recent escapade with the ‘disabled’ Collector vessel had brought doubts into her mind as to whether or not he would respect the privacy of Shepard’s condition.
How is Shepard?
The chatbox appeared at the upper left corner of her screen again. Her benefactor had contacted her at intermittent intervals, possibly to ensure that their system was not compromised.
Time was short, so, Kelly kept her response to the point, which would keep the confidence Shepard put in her.
Kellygirl: She’s not healed, but she’s getting there.
There was a slight pause before her benefactor answered.
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (18/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:17:52 UTC
“This isn’t the best of time for you to come out, Echo,” Kelly admonished the woman in front of her.
As the rest of the Normandy’s squad was out, the Prothean had summoned Kelly to Shepard’s room. At the moment, Shepard was supposed to be asleep, however, Echo had other ideas.
“That is not for you to decide, Kelly Chambers,” the woman who took Shepard’s body in thrall, said, “I have observed your progress, or lack thereof, and I have to say how rather displeased I am with you.”
Now it was Kelly’s turn to frown, “I’m sorry, but the human mind is a far more delicate thing than you realize. You can’t just expect some instant treatment to suddenly change behavior ingrained in someone’s mind after years of first hand experience.” The Prothean had shown to be impatient and condescending, which did little to improve Kelly’s opinion of her.
Echo scoffed, “Of course. You humans and your insistence to coddle will keep you from reaching the same greatness the Protean Empire did.”
Kelly anger reached a threshold as she noted curtly, “And look what happened. The last of your people; twisted and mutated to become nothing more than slaves to the Reapers.”
The yeoman stood her ground as Echo ignited Shepard’s biotics, as though she were to use them to harm Kelly. However, the Prothean, her eyes still locked in anger with Kelly’s, sat down on Shepard’s bed and muttered, “Perhaps you’re not as spineless as I thought you were. However, it’s a good thing that my people are dead, or else your race would have been wiped off the face of the galaxy long ago.”
Kelly’s gaze was broken as she asked, “What do you mean?”
Echo’s scowl returned in force, “How do you think the Prothean Empire was able to grow the way it did? By the Mass Relays and the Citadel alone? You naive, simpleton! We took over the entire mass relay system and ground anything that would offer a hint of resistance into dust!”
The yeoman’s face turned from anger to disgust as Echo continued to rave, “I’ve seen the people of this cycle argue and discuss about how the once great Prothean Empire had vanished, but never once did they ever think to how we came to prominence. How else are empires established? On the bodies of democracies, republics, and more! Imagine the relentless slaughter of every lesser species that dared to tread upon the galaxy the Prothean Empire claimed as their own!”
The redhead kept her anger in check as Echo could feel her discomfort and smirked, “Disappointed? It’s the way things are, little one. The strong crushes and consumes the weak. And the Protheans were strong, thanks to the technology we gained.” The smile vanished and she leaned against the coach and looked to the side in reminiscence. “To think we were once a very spiritual people.”
The Prothean stood up and walked to the wall. “All life is governed by The Law. All civilization is sustained by the letter of The Law. All joy is found in the spirit of The Law. All truth is at the heart of The Law. And only by the spirit of The Law, can we abide by the heart and letter of The Law.”
Kelly was no longer angry, but confused as Echo turned to her, the belligerence gone and replaced with sorrow as she took a glass filled with water and took a drink. “That was the wisdom the gods granted unto the Protheans before they reached the stars. It saved a race, ready to die by its own hand. It was a blessing which brought untold prosperity to our people.”
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (19/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:22:28 UTC
Slowly, the anger returned to Echo’s face as her grip on the glass tightened, “Then, we discovered the Mass Relays...”
Kelly could guess where this conversation headed. “The Protheans forgot their gods, I take it?”
Cracks started to appear on the glass in Echo’s grip as the Prothean nodded. “Yes. At first, the advances we discovered from their technology catapulted our own ahead nearly a millennium. Then the Citadel came along and soon, our leaders became convinced that the gods favored us to the point where we spread throughout all the galaxy. They wished to spread ‘The Law’ to the lawless sectors of the galaxy and they did, in rivers overflowing with the blood of lesser species.”
In spite of Echo’s anger, she noticed the glass about to break and placed it on the table. “When the spiritual leaders cried for forbearance, our leaders’ lust for power and dominion had overtaken them and every image and aspect of the The Law was removed. It did not take long for us to completely forget our origins and the gods which spared us from our own foolishness.”
“Then the Reapers came.”
The Prothean nodded, “Then, the Reapers came. We had been played for fools. As the slaughter of our people continued, we cursed the gods and wished to die as our empire crumbled about us. Perhaps it was the last thing they could grant us, as our day of grace had long since passed.”
While Kelly was no active subscriber to any particular belief, she had seen faith assist in the recovery of a few of her patients and was certainly not one to disparage anyone in it.
“So, what was the point of placing yourself in the beacon?” Kelly asked.
Echo slammed her fist on the table, “Revenge! Whatever your precious Shepard was informed of by Vigil on Ilos is only part of the truth. We held no moral imperative to save you petulant children, as you go about throwing fits as to whom has the most money, political influence, or largest military. Your annihilation draws closer and those in power would toss aside the warnings of the only ones that know, simply because she exterminated a nest of festering insects!”
It didn’t take Kelly long to understand what Echo referred to.
“Torfan,” she whispered in understanding.
The order from command had come in. The very same raiders that had attacked Mindoir all those years ago had been repulsed at Elysium two years prior by some unknown lieutenant. Now, they called in Shepard and her group to finish them off.
All her men had known what they faced, however, they felt more apprehension after they had seen Shepard with a particular look in her eye. Every piece of information on Torfan was downloaded to her console and she had become obsessive to ensure that everything was current.
The rumors began to circulate. All they heard was that she was from Alaska. Her biotics, while not as refined as those in the Ascension program, were strong enough to take anyone in a fist fight. The level of obsession she showed to think ahead made her more fearful, since no one could ever figure out where they fit into her plans.
Despite their survival, Shepard’s skill in planning had given her a notoriety. She had brought success, but often at a cost.
And Torfan was the heaviest cost they ever paid.
For every batarian raider that fell, one more of her squad had fallen in turn. However, Shepard had smelled blood. Gone was the tactician, here was the Butcher. In front of her men, she had shot a soldier in the leg who had attempted to desert. Aware of the construction of the buildings the raiders used, she had snuck behind their lines and had left a bloody stain of a batarian’s head from a point blank shot from a hand cannon.
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (20/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:25:31 UTC
The air was full of the ozone as both sides continued to expend what little ammunition they had left. The Batarians were still entrenched and their chance to complete the mission grew slimmer. To Shepard’s good fortune, she had found a tank full of neurotoxin the raiders had made use of during their runs and had fed it through the ventilation shafts, effectively flushing the remaining raiders out of their base. Those left behind had drowned in their own juices.
They begged for mercy.
They pleaded for their lives.
When Shepard turned to the remainder of her men, her voice said, “Fire!” her eyes, however, said, “No Survivors.”
“Mission complete...” she muttered and spat out some blood that had seeped into her mouth.
She ordered her men to return to the surface to radio their transport out. She stayed behind because she still saw one batarian still alive. The raider struggled to keep his throat open to get some much needed air as Shepard walked up to him.
Shepard, amid deep breaths, locked eyes with the batarian. The raider tried and failed to spit out something, anything at her.
His last attempt at defiance caused a smile to creep across Shepard’s face as a deep cackle emerged from her throat.
She quickly pulled out her pistol and shot him in the limbs. She knew he didn’t have the strength to scream. She was going to relish this. Just like back in Old Los Angeles.
Her omni-tool flashed on and acquired a reading of the batarian’s heart rate.
The indication showed his heart beat go slower...
...and slower....
...and slower...
…and stop.
For good measure, she raised her pistol and shot him in the head.
Shepard then quivered violently and moaned a deep, sensual exhale. Her rage was exhausted. Another predator dead.
The Butcher of Torfan was satisfied.
Echo smirked, “It’s always disappointing to learn how flawed your heroes can be.”
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (21/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:31:35 UTC
Kelly entered the observation deck with due deference to the Justicar within. However, the asari within acknowledged her entry, despite the silence Kelly used to enter.
“How is Shepard?” Samara asked in her usual stoic voice.
“She is getting better, but it’s a slow process,” Kelly said evenly.
“That is good to hear.”
“Now, what was it you said about this event that’s happened before with Nora?”
The soft blue light dimmed from around the Justicar as she stood up and walked to the window.
“Not long before this event occurred, I requested Shepard to assist me in hunting a criminal from asari space. A hedonistic murderer that feels nothing for the suffering she caused. Do you know what an Ardat-Yakshi is?” the asari said as she turned to Kelly.
Kelly tilted her head and said, “Only in rumor. But is it like the succubus from the legends from our homeworld?”
Samara nodded. “I have heard of such human legends and it is an appropriate simile. It hunts particular types of people and uses her charm to lull them into her trap and kills them. I requested Shepard to assist me in hunting one such individual. However, it was amid our conversation did I realize that Shepard had taken a vested interest in this hunt of mine.”
Kelly blinked, “How so?”
“Old wounds are opened when familiar territory is tread. I almost missed it, but I could see an anger, a rage she has always kept hidden when I mentioned how my target hunted. However, I was confident in Shepard to retain the professionalism that would help draw her out.”
“Did you succeed?”
Samara nodded. “From the shadows, I watched her work through the crowds and show the disciplined strength that the Ardat-Yakshi was drawn to. From the club I followed them to her apartment and would hopefully rescue Shepard in time and destroy my target.”
“But it didn’t happen that way, did it?”
The justicar shook her head. “No. It did not.”
On Morinth’s lap, Nora traced her fingers beneath the fronds of the asari’s head. Shepard’s mouth latched on Morinth’s, the lingered taste of the sweet drinks on her tongue. In her lust clouded mind, Shepard knew the danger she courted. She hoped Samara would show up soon, since she knew when the worst was going to happen. With Morinth’s head cradled in her hands, she pulled back from Morinth’s kiss and whispered, “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Always,” Morinth hissed, her arms wrapped around Nora’s torso. “Would you do anything for me?”
“Anything,” Shepard said as she claimed Morinth’s mouth again. This time, the survival instinct cleared away the passion and the adrenaline began to flow, ready to spring the trap.
Morinth, then switched their positions so that the asari now leaned over Shepard. The ardat-yakshi, between breaths, moaned, “Tell me you’d die for me...”
Shepard noticed that Morinth’s mouth had not moved. The asari’s eyes had also become the unsettling dark that she had seen in Liara and Shiala. However, when she felt Morinth’s attempting to gain access to all that Shepard was, she closed herself off.
“No.”
Immediately, the meld was broken and the asari quickly put the pieces together and realized she had been played for a fool.
The door burst open and in walked Samara.
Unkind words were exchanged between parent and child.
Their power came to a stalemate.
Both appealed to Shepard and she had made her choice.
The images of Diana, her face streaked with tears at the loss of her only source of joy, caused a scowl of unbridled anger and hate in Shepard’s face as she knocked the Ardat-Yakshi off balance.
As the justicar closed in, Morinth had proved her resourcefulness once more. A canister of Minagen-X3 was right beneath the couch. She had hurled it towards her assailants and with what little biotic strength she had left, crushed it, causing the container to explode.
Minagen-X3, a far more potent and simultaneously lethal version of Red Sand, spread through the room and into Shepard’s lungs. After the first cough, Samara could feel the eezo nodes in Shepard’s body expand with untapped and unstable power.
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (22/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:38:07 UTC
Like a star that went nova, the biotics around Shepard threw everything into disarray. Hunched over, Shepard roared as near uncontrollable power coursed through her body. Her eyes blared an unearthly green as Morinth attempted to escape in the chaos, however, Shepard would have none of it.
The ardat-yakshi struggled as a far more powerful biotic field picked her up and left her suspended as Shepard, in a burst of light, vanished from her position, to reappear right behind Morinth, grab her leg and threw her with incredible force against the opposing wall. The breath knocked out of her, the younger asari could do nothing as Shepard once more appeared right in front of her from a burst of biotic light.
“YOUR LIFE IS MINE!” Shepard bellowed as her hands, alight with the same glow as her eyes, latched onto Morinth’s neck and in a maelstrom of element zero powered light, Samara could see Morinth begin to whither.
“Reave...” Samara uttered beneath her breath as she stood up, despite the chaos around her and the cries of agony from both Shepard and Morinth. Reave; a highly dangerous and unpredictable biotic ability which could steal the life force from a target to the caster. Few biotics knew of it, fewer were able to use it, and still even fewer could ever master it as it could kill the caster as easily as it could extend one’s life.
When it seemed the ardat-yakshi was about to turn into dust, another biotic explosion sent Shepard through the air and against the window, where it left a second noticeable crack in the glass.
Samara stood up and walked to her daughter. Morinth, devoid of strength and almost completely devoid of life, looked to her parent and whispered as tears began to stream from her eyes, “...mother... it hurts.”
With surprising tenderness, Samara sat behind her daughter and held her torso gently. “...it hurts,” the younger asari whimpered, unable to withstand the pain her body was in.
The justicar took a momentary glace to the inert Shepard and back to her offspring and whispered as she stroked her cheek, “It’s all right, child. It’s all right.”
Morinth began to sob as she knew what was to happen next, but knew it was a better alternative than to suffer as she was now, “I love you, Mother.”
“I love you too, my dear. I always loved you,” she whispered with all sincerity as she slowly wrapped her arms around Morinth’s head and neck.
“Find rest in the embrace of the Goddess.”
The snap of Morinth’s neck was quiet and almost inaudible. There was no pain.
She picked up the lifeless body of her greatest daughter and carried it with reverence to the bed, where she wrapped the body in the clean, white sheets. She would send the local acolytes of Athame to recover and cremate the remains. After a moment of silence, Samara then moved to Shepard’s body and noticed Nora’s twitch.
“Shepard. Shepard! Are you well?” she asked as she nudged the human to stir.
Nora’s breath came in quickly and in gasps as she wearily turned to the asari and asked, “Wha... what happened?”
Samara asked calmly, “You do not remember?”
Shepard looked to the lights overhead and whispered hoarsely, “All I remember... was the Red Sand... and then I blacked out.”
The justicar nodded, “I see.” She then threw Shepard’s arm over her shoulders and picked her up.
“Morinth?”
The older asari turned to the exit and said, “Dead. It is done. We have no further reason to remain here.”
There was a pause before their departure before Shepard asked, “Are you... going to be alright?”
Samara allowed herself a small smile and replied, “Let us return you to a sound state of mind and body before you come to worry about me.”
Shepard nodded wearily as the effects of the Minagen prevented her from standing upright.
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (23/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:38:50 UTC
“Shepard came to me not long after, wracked with uncertainty,” Samara said, her hands clasped at the small of her back. “She wondered if her actions, and her past actions after she recruited me would result in me having to execute justice according to the Code.”
The Justicar turned to her and said, “In spite of her bloody past, she has found ways to administer justice in ways that the Code would not be violated. I have no reason to believe Shepard should fear any retribution from me, in case you were wondering, Ms. Chambers.”
Kelly blinked at the asari’s statement, but slowly a smile spread across her face which mirrored Samara’s own.
“Thank you, Samara,” the yeoman said as the justicar took her usual spot to continue her meditations.
“You are most welcome, Ms. Chambers,” she said as light began to appear between an apex of her hands. “Please, if there is anything else I can do to assist Shepard’s recovery, let me know. While she may not be our only hope against the oncoming darkness, she is still our first hope.”
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (24/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:41:21 UTC
As their sessions continued, Kelly could see some noticeable changes in Shepard. The scars closed up, the red in her eyes started to leave, which allowed Nora’s natural blue eyes to show through. It brought out the natural attractiveness that drew people to her.
“How are you feeling?” Kelly asked as she took a set on the other side of the couch.
“Better, actually,” Shepard answered, “If I can get Dr. Chakwas’ permission, I may be able to get off of sick leave and start assisting the missions. I hate sitting on my behind while everyone else is doing the work. It’s making me restless.”
“I don’t think anyone will begrudge you to take some time to get better. You’ve already beaten Sovereign and you’ve been through a lot. I personally think you’ve earned it.”
Nora sighed wearily, ”Not while the Collectors and the Reapers are out there. There’s no rest for the wicked, which means there’s no rest for me.”
Kelly blinked and said, “What? What makes you say that?”
The Commander looked at her in dismay, “Torfan? No doubt Echo’s told you about it, by now.”
The yeoman nodded, then frowned. “Yes, she did. However, she wasn’t there for Torfan. You were. I would rather hear it from you. She made you sound like some blood thirsty, psychotic killer and I don’t exactly trust her.”
The older woman looked down, ashamed. “You’d be surprised...”
Kelly’s frown grew. “Commander, stop it,” she paused at her choice of words, along with Shepard, who raised an eyebrow, “I mean, there are too many factors to say simply if you were rightfully given that title anyway.”
Shepard considered her words a moment. “Perhaps. Well, I mean, those raiders attacked Elysium. They had to be held accountable to that and since they weren’t going to be judged by Council law, I had to do it. I didn’t like it, though.”
Kelly gave her an encouraging smile, “I didn’t think so.”
“It was like you had no good choices. You either survived or fulfilled your mission. Not to mention all the adrenaline going through your head made it difficult to think. You could only act and the act was completing the mission,” Nora then leaned her head against the wall, “no matter the cost.”
“What happened after the mission?” Kelly asked.
“After the debrief, I used my shore leave to try and drink myself stupid. I just didn’t want to feel anything,” she said and held her head against her hand.
“You tried?”
Shepard nodded with a wry smile, “Turns out that biotic metabolism, or at least mine, and alcohol don’t mix very well.”
“Must be interesting at parties,” Kelly stated as she matched Shepard’s own smile.
“You could say that. Being the only sober person on shore leave makes you wish you could get drunk,” Shepard noted morosely.
“Any particular reason why?”
“It was the rumors. It was only a few days after the mission did the whole ‘Butcher of Torfan’ nickname start to circulate,” Nora’s face changed as she imitated another person in a mocking tone, “it’s the Butcher! Stay away from her! She’ll eat your soul and send you out to die!”
Kelly started to grow apprehensive as the heat in Shepard’s face grew, “naturally, I got sent on assignments where chances of success and survival was low. I wanted to ask them to stop, but how could I? If I kept doing those missions, the rumors would only get worse. If I didn’t do them, people would think I’d lost my nerve and they’d toss me into an asylum. Again; no better choice.”
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (25/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:44:02 UTC
Nora’s fingers dug into the couch as her face contorted into a snarl, “oh, but that’s not the best part. My former CO, Major Kyle was being taken into custody because he had lost it and threw his lot in with a bunch of persecuted biotics. I was to assist in his transfer to the Fifth Fleet and wouldn’t you know it, a ‘respectable’ Alliance officer was dispatched to bring him in and prevent a blood bath. Because everybody knows that if the Butcher was sent, she’d only bring back his head and nuke the place!”
Rage turned to disgust, “The officer? Jane Clarke. Ever heard of her? You should, she’s the Hero of the Skylian Blitz! The respectable and decorated officer!” Nora then slammed the side of her fist against the wall. ”That self-righteous bitch!”
Kelly curled defensively as Nora stood up and stomped around her cabin, “Oh, but of course she has all the room to talk down to me. She’s the hero! She has the Star of Terra! Me? I’m just the goddamn Butcher! And, of course, Kyle nearly loses it when he sees me. Then, when I have the audacity to try and explain myself, Clarke tries to get all moral with me about how the damn hero would have done it as though I were the goddamn devil!”
Shepard was about to continue her rant when she turned to see Kelly, frozen with fear. Immediately, the rage left her and in shame, she returned to her place on the couch. “I’m sorry, Kelly,” Shepard said quietly.
The yeoman exhaled a breath of relief. “Don’t be. You followed your orders and all those dead were not your fault. That is what the crux of this; Torfan was not your fault. Anyone who says otherwise wasn’t there or is full of it.”
“Like my CO was?”
Kelly raised an eyebrow, “You mean the one that had to be treated for PTSD? Commander, as much as I prefer giving people the benefit of the doubt, these Batarians destroyed the lives of so many people and they were getting away with it. If you hadn’t stopped them there, who knows how many more they would have ruined.”
The commander took a deep breath. “I can understand that, but it’s hard when people don’t acknowledge the lives you saved and instead only remind you of the lives you took.”
The younger woman nodded, “Most are. However, if they had a problem with that, they can just go ahead and do what you did and see how they liked it.”
Shepard remained downtrodden, ”It’s one thing when stupid cadets toss around rumors as if they’re still in the academy, it’s another when fellow officers and even superior officers won’t even come near you. It’s not hard to wonder what they’re saying. Sure, what they think doesn’t ultimately matter, but it’s still not easy to deal with.”
Kelly, after she gathered her courage, scooted over beside her and clasped Nora’s hand gently, “That’s why you’re here, now. You don’t want the past and what you were to dictate who you are now. We’ll work our way through this. I promise.”
The older woman looked to Kelly’s hand over hers with a neutral expression, unsure whether to be surprised or displeased at the yeoman’s actions. However, something won out inside the Commander’s head as she turned her own hand over and held Kelly’s softy. “You realize I am going to hold you to that promise, yeoman.”
Kelly’s face brightened with relief as she smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
Ubi venenum, ibi evacua (Kelly) (26/?)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 16:45:26 UTC
“So,” Kelly mentioned as she slid back a bit, “after all this, it seems you haven’t told anyone of this at all?”
The commander shook her head, “You’re right. I haven’t told anyone all that I’ve told you. Bits and pieces here and there. The only person that knows this much is.... Liara.”
Kelly could determine the hesitancy in Nora’s voice at the mention of her former team member and how she still felt about Dr. T’Soni. “If it’s alright for me to ask; were you close?”
Shepard nodded slowly, “Yes. I always prided myself at erecting barriers between me and those who called themselves my friends. I hated myself for doing it. However,” the older woman began to smile, “in the short span of a month, Liara T’Soni had wormed her way past every wall I put up. She never judged me. She somehow was able to keep me calm when I normally would have gotten angry. She reminded me so much of the real Nora.”
“I know you met on Therum, but what exactly happened that made her stand out from the other members of your team?”
Shepard’s smile soon grew playful as she said, on the verge of a chuckle, “I have no idea how long Liara was alone at the dig site, but by the time we got there, she must have been tired, hungry, and dehydrated. When she saw us, she said we were nothing more than hallucinations and when we tried to explain, she started singing The Beatles.”
Kelly blinked. “The Beatles?”
Nora started to giggle as she continued, “Wrex and Ash thought she was crazy when she started singing ‘Help’. I thought it was hilarious, though I felt bad for laughing, considering all that possibly happened. I had to apologize to her once we got back on the Normandy and got her a copy of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ as a way to make it up to her.”
The yeoman wanted to stay professional, however, it was hard to fight the smile on her own face as she said, “Well, John was always the cute one.”
The commander snorted, “John was a damn hippie. Paul was the cute one.”
Kelly rolled her eyes and continued, “If this is getting too personal, please let me know. I know I’ve gained enough of your confidence to let me know all this, but I don’t want to overstep my boundaries.”
Shepard waved it off. “Nah. It’s fine. In fact, since we’ve gotten this far; I found it strange that I grew fond of Liara. I mean, aside from the fact I was a recluse, I still consider myself straight, despite the obvious.”
Kelly cocked an eyebrow. “How so?”
Nora’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “I almost got kicked out of basic training because I kept getting caught peeking at the boys in the showers.”
The younger woman held her hand to her mouth in shock as she snickered, “You serious?”
Shepard nodded. “And let me tell you, if a guy ever says he doesn’t look at other guys’ genitals to... ahem, ‘compare and contrast’, he’s lying through his teeth*. Well, it’s not true for all guys, but you’d be surprised at how many do. I could tell you more, but we’re getting off track.”
Kelly nodded. “And what about the others in your squad?”
The joy Nora displayed a moment before began to fade as it gave way to regret, “I wish I extended the same level of trust to them. They deserved so much better than someone that kept them at arm’s length. Well, except for Wrex. He wasn’t the touchy-feely type, but I’d still trust my life to him.”
“They’re still your friends, though. Aren’t they?” Kelly probed.
“Yes. And against my better judgment, I began to think of Garrus and Tali as the brother and sister I always wanted,” Nora’s face lit up with affection as she spoke. Kelly noted that Shepard didn’t smile much. Her smiles were nice.
There was also that single line on her console, coming from the Commander's station in her room, in the CIC which almost made Kelly's heart stop.
Report to our quarters at once!
'Our quarters'? Many suspicions floated through Kelly's head as she reached up to tap the door. However, before her hand could touch the cold metal, the door opened, even though the hologram above the lock was inoperative.
Except for the blue glow of the empty fish tank and the light from the stars by the window, everything was covered in a blanket of darkness.
A voice, altered by... something, said ominously, “...enter.”
Kelly gathered what little courage she possessed and walked in. The instant she stepped past the threshold of the cabin, the doors slammed shut.
“C... Commander?”
From the other end of the cabin, a sickly orange hue glowed from where Shepard's bed sat. Kelly's eyes focused to see the Commander, clad only in a hospital gown, completely covered in glowing scars. Shepard's eyes opened and they contained an unearthly green glow. Kelly gasped in horror at the sight.
“Kelly Chambers,” the commander said calmly before she stood up, “I need your expertise. Shepard is broken. She must be restored.”
“But wait,” Kelly said,”How can you say that if you're... oh no.” The yeoman could only think of one possible explanation. The Commander had a separate personality. Commander Shepard was a schizophrenic! How could they have missed this? They took every bit of information on her since the day she entered the Alliance Reserves.
“Do not even pretend to think you understand anything, Kelly Chambers,” the scowl on the Commander's face was different than the one Nora first showed her. The former was condescending and arrogant. The latter was hard and untrusting. The manner of speech. The way Shepard now stood.
It was as if she was someone completely different.
Kelly ventured a question. “What do you mean?”
Shepard's scowl grew. “I'm no mere product of your precious Shepard's mental dysfunction. She is broken enough as it is. No, I'm the culmination of an entire civilization which you revere. I am their legacy. I am also all that is keeping Shepard's body from falling apart.”
Kelly's mind searched for any possible explanation until one possibility remained. “The beacon on Eden Prime... you're... Prothean?”
The one using Shepard's body gave Kelly a cruel smile, “Perhaps there is hope for you yet. Since I prefer not to be referred by this broken woman's name, you may as well refer to me as Echo, since it's the closest approximation of what I am.”
Aware that certain questions could make or break the next few minutes, Kelly asked, “Then what are you?”
Echo's frown grew as though she were insulted with such a question, “If I were to degrade myself in terms for something as simple as you to understand, the closest thing would be akin to your EDI.”
Echo inclined her head to side, which Kelly assumed was an order to sit down. The yeoman complied, her own gaze steady with Echo's.
“Now that your curiosity is sated, we must begin. Once Shepard's mind is returned to a sound state, the body will follow. The head of the Lazarus Project was too sure of herself to realize that all the technology is the galaxy means nothing if the mind and spirit of the user is not in working order.”
Kelly's gaze turned to the side, searching for a question that she had prepared long before she came aboard the Normandy.
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“While that is not the only thing, you are correct. She wonders if she is even Shepard anymore. She wonders if she is any different than the husks the Reapers construct out of the remnants of your people.”
Kelly balked at the notion. “What? How can she believe that? She's still alive.”
Echo narrowed her eyes, “Have you ever perished and returned from the dead before, Kelly Chambers?”
“Well, no, but...”
“THEN BE SILENT! In case you have not noticed, she has been less than cordial with those around her. She has had little time to come to terms with the fact that her life has been restored by mortal means and now she is once again pressed into service by an organization she hates. This cannot continue as it is. You, Kelly Chambers, must restore her sanity or else all is lost.”
Something did not add up, “wait, if that's the case, why are you so intent on ensuring Shepard's survival? It's not like you have any stake in this.”
Echo's eyes narrowed again, “That is no concern of yours. All that you need to know is that Shepard will be waking up soon. By all means, tell her about me. It will bring a bit of amusement to this poorly written tragedy.”
Kelly was about to ask again when Echo twitched noticeably and muttered, “We will speak again, Kelly Chambers.” It grew to an all out shiver before she tumbled backward onto the bed. Only the sound of Shepard's breathing could be heard in the room as Kelly cautiously moved over to the bed.
“Commander?” she asked quietly, tapping Nora's knee.
“Commander?” she asked again.
This time, Shepard's eyes, this time discolored red by the implants, fluttered open. Her right hand reached up to fight back the painful throbbing in her head as she slowly sat up. Nora blinked twice at the presence of the yeoman in her room and the darkness.
She looked around wildly, before turning to Kelly and asked in a near panic, “Chambers... what... how did you get in here? How did I get in here? What happened?”
Kelly kept her hands clenched when she realized just how bad things had progressed. “If I tell you, will you believe me?”
Nora looked into Kelly's eyes for a long moment. Kelly knew Shepard did not have much reason to trust her, however, current circumstances were... unique.
The Commander nodded as Kelly took a seat on the couch.
With as much detail as she could recall, Kelly recited everything Echo had told her.
Shepard, her mouth agape, stared back at Kelly in shock for a whole minute.
The commander then looked down to the floor, her mind reeled at what she had just been told.
Kelly knew it was her time to go. She turned around and padded towards the door as the lights started to come back on.
“Chambers...” Shepard said quietly, but loud enough for Kelly to hear.
The yeoman turned around to see her Commander look to her, this time without the hardened expression. “Do you think you have time for a session? I... I think I need one.”
Kelly gave her the most reassuring smile she could and said, “Of course, Commander.” She was about to open the door, when she turned back to Nora and stated, “And please, call me Kelly.”
The commander gave her a nod, “Thank you, Kelly.”
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“While I agree with the plan, Shepard, I still have my doubts,” the Cerberus agent noted. Not just with the acquisition of the materials, but the idea that Kelly would be their only chance at helping Shepard’s problems when they already had an asari justicar on board.
Nora nodded and asked, “I know, but I am putting my trust in you, because at the moment... I don't want to risk this ship and crew anymore than I have to, just because I got some mental problems at the moment. And besides, you'll have Garrus at your side, you'll be fine,” she ended with a cheeky grin.
Miranda's lips thinned and her eyebrows lowered, “That's what I'm afraid of.” She start a reading off the pad Shepard had given her and started walking back to her office before turning to Garrus and requesting his presence within the hour. He nodded his assent and turned to Shepard with Tali right behind him.
From Kelly's viewpoint, as the rest of the crew filtered out, she was unable to hear the conversation between the Commander, the Quarian, and the Turian. However, she could see several indications that the mechanic was worried sick about Shepard to the point where she embraced Nora and muttered something about assistance. Vakarian placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder, said something, to which Nora nodded, and left the conference room.
“Take good care of her,” Garrus said as he passed by the counselor.
She nodded. “I will.”
While the glowing scars had yet to fade, Shepard’s demeanor had improved dramatically. Kelly had noted, even though Shepard still did not trust Cerberus in the least, she had gained Jacob’s and Miranda’s loyalty not long before, which had made this transition a lot smoother.
“You ready?” Shepard asked Kelly once the rest of the crew had vacated the room.
“Yes, Commander,” she replied professionally.
*
As enthusiastic as Shepard was to start sessions with Kelly, the yeoman could not help but notice how awkward the Commander seemed as she paced the room, unsure where to begin.
For ten minutes, they had experienced a series of failed starts and verbal stumbles. The long and awkward pauses got to them both.
“Don’t worry.” Kelly said to ease Nora’s discomfort, “there’s no real established method at where to begin.”
“You sure? I’m always used to standard operating procedure. I’ve never been good at doing something new,” Nora said despondently.
“The reason why is because everyone is different. Your problems are unique to you. It makes you human,” Kelly offered with an encouraging smile.
Tired of pacing, Nora then took another seat at the opposing edge of the couch, which sat right below her desk.
“I know I asked this earlier, but why not start at the beginning?” Kelly offered, “I promised you that this was confidential and no one, I repeat no one, is going to hear this.”
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Kelly tipped her head. “What makes you feel that?”
Nora’s head drooped, “Horizon. Ash is Alliance all the way and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to find she’s working for both. Just like I did. Makes me scared that they’ll screw her the way they did me. They put me up on a pedestal and look how well it worked out?”
The counselor was confused. “You saved us all? True, the council never believed you, despite all evidence to the contrary, but there are people that still believe you. You still have people that trust you.”
Nora snorted cynically as she glared at the other end of the room, “Yeah, but the malcontents and the misfits are not going to save the galaxy when you’re the only ones that know the dangers are coming first hand.”
Kelly closed her eyes for a moment, gathered her thoughts and said, “For what it’s worth, Commander. I believe you. I always believed you. You’ve beaten the odds before and believe you’ll do it again.”
The hardness of Nora’s eyes broke as she turned to the yeoman. “Even after how horribly I treated you?”
The younger woman nodded and answered, “It’s part of the job. You’ll often meet people that are hard, confrontational, bellicose, and more. And their reasons are valid to a degree. However, more often than not, people that seek help on their own have a better chance at recovery. They’re proactive instead of reactive. That’s always good sign.”
There was a pregnant pause in the room as Commander Shepard considered her words. From what Kelly could deduce, Shepard could have been repeatedly praised for her skills as a soldier. However, commentary about her as a person seemed far more sparse.
Nora shrugged, “If it can help deal with Echo, then I’m all for it. I doubt a scalpel will fix this, since my brain has progressively become more prothean than human in the past few years.”
Kelly giggled, “I wouldn’t worry too much. We’ll get through this and then you can become the same Commander Shepard that saved us all a few years ago once more.”
Nora joined her laughter for a moment before an epiphany stopped the chuckle.
“I think I know where to start now.”
Kelly’s face lit up with relief, “Wonderful.”
With a sigh, Shepard stood up and walked to the window on the other side of the cabin. She placed her hand against the glass and began,
“What I am about to say, I have not told anyone. It shows how much trust I’m putting in you, Kelly.”
Aware of the gravity of the situation, Kelly placed her data pad on her side and leaned forward to listen intently as Shepard turned back to her.
The Commander seemed scared as she stated in a low voice, “I’m not Nora Shepard. The real Nora Shepard died fifteen years ago.”
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The yeoman struggled to regain her composure as she asked, “Who... who was the real Nora Shepard then? What happened to her?”
The smile vanished from Nora’s face as she answered sadly. “Nora Shepard was the only friend I ever had, growing up in the slums of Old Los Angeles. She was like me; a sand dropping: kids born from crack whores, addicted to Red Sand.” She took a deep breath before she continued, “Unlike me, she was disfigured and crippled when she was born. Almost didn’t make it. Never could figure out how I made it to term perfectly healthy while she ended up looking like... the way she did. Either her mom was beaten or, I’m guessing, she had Proteus Syndrome. Either way, she wasn’t going to last long and both of us knew it. ”
Kelly hung on every word the older woman spoke as she tried to fight back the imagery of the individuals they were and the hardships they no doubt faced.
“Nora... she... you couldn’t find a nicer girl in the whole damn galaxy. She couldn’t feel malice or hate against anyone, even against the Reds.”
“Don’t you dare!” Ann snarled, her teeth bared, ready to bite if needed as Finch and Crumb closed in, being the only thing standing between them and Nora with a stash of food left over from an annexed section the Reds had taken over from the Twelfth Street Blues after a turf war.
“Piss off, Ann!” Finch, despite being smaller and a year younger than the fourteen year old Ann, threatened as he and his toadie closed in.
“If you want to wake up wondering where your balls went, Finch, you’ll clear out! We found this first!” Ann growled, brandishing a broken pipe. She would have swung the bar at Finch’s head had a bloated hand not gently grasped her elbow.
Ann kept her gaze on their assailants, but switched it to Nora, who limped forward with an armful of the food they had found, much to the confusion of all involved.
“Here,” Nora said in a hoarse voice and placed a bag of unspoiled bread and candy in Finch’s hand. Nora tried to smile, but the various tumors that encompassed part of her head, covered by a hood, made it difficult. Regardless, she nodded and walked back behind Ann.
Finch and Crumb looked between the bag and to Nora before the former mumbled, “You got lucky this time, Ann.” With that, they left.
Ann wasn’t sure whether she was merely hungry, frustrated, or angry, but she was ready to scream at Nora for what she did. However, Nora had interrupted her and said gently, “They were hungry, like we were. There’s more than enough.” Once again, Nora Shepard, had lived up to her name. She had diffused the justified anger between two parties and had enabled both of them to avert a potentially violent scuffle.
“I’m sorry, Nora,” Ann mumbled, ashamed as the iron pipe slipped from her grasp to land unceremoniously on the floor.
There was no reproach as the disfigured girl wrapped her only good arm around Ann’s shoulders warmly.
“She sounded very kind,” Kelly said as she fought back the tears that clouded the corners of her eyes.
The older woman nodded as she too fought back the anguish in her eyes. “She was everything I wanted to be in a person. She always saw the big picture and wanted to make sure that things would work out in the long term. She was smart. Made me realize that I had to be smart too, if I wanted to survive. She kept me alive all those years.”
They both knew the inevitable question that would come next. “What happened to her?”
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The yeoman closed her eyes and allowed the Commander a moment to collect herself. For all she knew, they just scratched the surface. Kasumi’s warning came back as she figured it would be best to let this subject go for now.
“How’d you escape from the Reds?”
Shepard took another breath, aware that they had to continue, “Well, once the church got torched, the Reds blamed the Fourteenth Street Bones for it. It was a stupid move, since you need nothing less than Riot Cops to deal with those guys. It turned out to be a mistake, since the resulting turf war made the top Reds realize they needed to expand in other ways if they wanted to survive.”
She shrugged and said, “So, they wanted to use me as a honey trap to blackmail an up and coming senator so they could get the resources they needed to take down the Bones.”
Kelly blinked, “Wow, really?”
‘Shepard’ chuckled bitterly, “Yeah. I think one of the heads of the gang saw it some movie. Must have been one of those pre-holo vid black and white ones. Because it was a stupid plan from the start.”
“I assume it didn’t go well?”
Nora shook her head and snickered darkly, “Me and two other guys were going to set it all up. Too bad they didn’t think I’d gotten tired of their stupid gang wars and would use that chance to get out. And as luck would have it, the Reds that were supposed to keep me in line ended up dying in a car crash. I would have died too had my biotics not manifested. So, I took their credit chits, bribed the cops to say I died, hitch hiked up to Alaska and once I turned eighteen... well, you can figure out the rest.”
The yeoman nodded and said, “You used Nora’s name to register yourself in the Alliance military. Since you had no birth certificate or holo print, they couldn’t verify that were not Nora Shepard.”
Nora sniffed once and leaned against the head of her couch. “Yeah. Turns out that while you can only fake your way through so many of their assessment tests, being a biotic gives you certain advantages.”
The smirk on the older woman’s face faded as she finished, “I wanted to honor Nora. Be the person she never got a chance to be. Granted, I haven’t always succeeded. I still lose my temper every once in a while.”
Kelly gave her an encouraging smile, “I’d say averting a galaxy wide genocide counts for something.”
Nora laughed. “If it stopped them dead in their tracks, then I’d feel better about myself.” Her smile faded ass she shook her head, “The Reapers are still out there. The Council and Alliance still don’t believe me. No one’s getting ready for the invasion and we’re chasing the Collectors.”
Kelly looked to her omni-tool’s time display, noting that time had gone faster than she realized.
“Time’s up?” Nora asked, the exhaustion in her eyes evident.
The yeoman shook her head, “We can keep going if you’d like. Otherwise, we can stop here for today. I got a feeling that this may take a while, so, I believe it’d be best if we took it slow. Give yourself a chance to rest.”
Nora contemplated Kelly’s offer for a moment before she nodded. “Probably would be a good idea if we continued tomorrow. I’ll keep in touch with Miranda and Garrus to make sure the material acquisition goes on as scheduled.”
Kelly stood up slow and offered, “I can get the reports from them if you’d like?”
The commander nodded once. With their time done, Kelly walked up the steps to the door before Nora said, “Kelly?”
“Yes, Commander?”
Shepard’s mouth was open, with the desire to say something in particular. However, she changed her mind and said, “See you at breakfast tomorrow.”
The counselor’s smile returned as the door opened. “Yes, Commander.”
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Back at her console, Kelly filled out her reports and kept the details of her sessions with Nora private. Despite the pride she felt at her recommendation by the Illusive Man, their recent escapade with the ‘disabled’ Collector vessel had brought doubts into her mind as to whether or not he would respect the privacy of Shepard’s condition.
How is Shepard?
The chatbox appeared at the upper left corner of her screen again. Her benefactor had contacted her at intermittent intervals, possibly to ensure that their system was not compromised.
Time was short, so, Kelly kept her response to the point, which would keep the confidence Shepard put in her.
Kellygirl: She’s not healed, but she’s getting there.
There was a slight pause before her benefactor answered.
Good. Please be diligent.
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As the rest of the Normandy’s squad was out, the Prothean had summoned Kelly to Shepard’s room. At the moment, Shepard was supposed to be asleep, however, Echo had other ideas.
“That is not for you to decide, Kelly Chambers,” the woman who took Shepard’s body in thrall, said, “I have observed your progress, or lack thereof, and I have to say how rather displeased I am with you.”
Now it was Kelly’s turn to frown, “I’m sorry, but the human mind is a far more delicate thing than you realize. You can’t just expect some instant treatment to suddenly change behavior ingrained in someone’s mind after years of first hand experience.” The Prothean had shown to be impatient and condescending, which did little to improve Kelly’s opinion of her.
Echo scoffed, “Of course. You humans and your insistence to coddle will keep you from reaching the same greatness the Protean Empire did.”
Kelly anger reached a threshold as she noted curtly, “And look what happened. The last of your people; twisted and mutated to become nothing more than slaves to the Reapers.”
The yeoman stood her ground as Echo ignited Shepard’s biotics, as though she were to use them to harm Kelly. However, the Prothean, her eyes still locked in anger with Kelly’s, sat down on Shepard’s bed and muttered, “Perhaps you’re not as spineless as I thought you were. However, it’s a good thing that my people are dead, or else your race would have been wiped off the face of the galaxy long ago.”
Kelly’s gaze was broken as she asked, “What do you mean?”
Echo’s scowl returned in force, “How do you think the Prothean Empire was able to grow the way it did? By the Mass Relays and the Citadel alone? You naive, simpleton! We took over the entire mass relay system and ground anything that would offer a hint of resistance into dust!”
The yeoman’s face turned from anger to disgust as Echo continued to rave, “I’ve seen the people of this cycle argue and discuss about how the once great Prothean Empire had vanished, but never once did they ever think to how we came to prominence. How else are empires established? On the bodies of democracies, republics, and more! Imagine the relentless slaughter of every lesser species that dared to tread upon the galaxy the Prothean Empire claimed as their own!”
The redhead kept her anger in check as Echo could feel her discomfort and smirked, “Disappointed? It’s the way things are, little one. The strong crushes and consumes the weak. And the Protheans were strong, thanks to the technology we gained.” The smile vanished and she leaned against the coach and looked to the side in reminiscence. “To think we were once a very spiritual people.”
The Prothean stood up and walked to the wall. “All life is governed by The Law. All civilization is sustained by the letter of The Law. All joy is found in the spirit of The Law. All truth is at the heart of The Law. And only by the spirit of The Law, can we abide by the heart and letter of The Law.”
Kelly was no longer angry, but confused as Echo turned to her, the belligerence gone and replaced with sorrow as she took a glass filled with water and took a drink. “That was the wisdom the gods granted unto the Protheans before they reached the stars. It saved a race, ready to die by its own hand. It was a blessing which brought untold prosperity to our people.”
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Kelly could guess where this conversation headed. “The Protheans forgot their gods, I take it?”
Cracks started to appear on the glass in Echo’s grip as the Prothean nodded. “Yes. At first, the advances we discovered from their technology catapulted our own ahead nearly a millennium. Then the Citadel came along and soon, our leaders became convinced that the gods favored us to the point where we spread throughout all the galaxy. They wished to spread ‘The Law’ to the lawless sectors of the galaxy and they did, in rivers overflowing with the blood of lesser species.”
In spite of Echo’s anger, she noticed the glass about to break and placed it on the table. “When the spiritual leaders cried for forbearance, our leaders’ lust for power and dominion had overtaken them and every image and aspect of the The Law was removed. It did not take long for us to completely forget our origins and the gods which spared us from our own foolishness.”
“Then the Reapers came.”
The Prothean nodded, “Then, the Reapers came. We had been played for fools. As the slaughter of our people continued, we cursed the gods and wished to die as our empire crumbled about us. Perhaps it was the last thing they could grant us, as our day of grace had long since passed.”
While Kelly was no active subscriber to any particular belief, she had seen faith assist in the recovery of a few of her patients and was certainly not one to disparage anyone in it.
“So, what was the point of placing yourself in the beacon?” Kelly asked.
Echo slammed her fist on the table, “Revenge! Whatever your precious Shepard was informed of by Vigil on Ilos is only part of the truth. We held no moral imperative to save you petulant children, as you go about throwing fits as to whom has the most money, political influence, or largest military. Your annihilation draws closer and those in power would toss aside the warnings of the only ones that know, simply because she exterminated a nest of festering insects!”
It didn’t take Kelly long to understand what Echo referred to.
“Torfan,” she whispered in understanding.
The order from command had come in. The very same raiders that had attacked Mindoir all those years ago had been repulsed at Elysium two years prior by some unknown lieutenant. Now, they called in Shepard and her group to finish them off.
All her men had known what they faced, however, they felt more apprehension after they had seen Shepard with a particular look in her eye. Every piece of information on Torfan was downloaded to her console and she had become obsessive to ensure that everything was current.
The rumors began to circulate. All they heard was that she was from Alaska. Her biotics, while not as refined as those in the Ascension program, were strong enough to take anyone in a fist fight. The level of obsession she showed to think ahead made her more fearful, since no one could ever figure out where they fit into her plans.
Despite their survival, Shepard’s skill in planning had given her a notoriety. She had brought success, but often at a cost.
And Torfan was the heaviest cost they ever paid.
For every batarian raider that fell, one more of her squad had fallen in turn. However, Shepard had smelled blood. Gone was the tactician, here was the Butcher. In front of her men, she had shot a soldier in the leg who had attempted to desert. Aware of the construction of the buildings the raiders used, she had snuck behind their lines and had left a bloody stain of a batarian’s head from a point blank shot from a hand cannon.
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They begged for mercy.
They pleaded for their lives.
When Shepard turned to the remainder of her men, her voice said, “Fire!” her eyes, however, said, “No Survivors.”
“Mission complete...” she muttered and spat out some blood that had seeped into her mouth.
She ordered her men to return to the surface to radio their transport out. She stayed behind because she still saw one batarian still alive. The raider struggled to keep his throat open to get some much needed air as Shepard walked up to him.
Shepard, amid deep breaths, locked eyes with the batarian. The raider tried and failed to spit out something, anything at her.
His last attempt at defiance caused a smile to creep across Shepard’s face as a deep cackle emerged from her throat.
She quickly pulled out her pistol and shot him in the limbs. She knew he didn’t have the strength to scream. She was going to relish this. Just like back in Old Los Angeles.
Her omni-tool flashed on and acquired a reading of the batarian’s heart rate.
The indication showed his heart beat go slower...
...and slower....
...and slower...
…and stop.
For good measure, she raised her pistol and shot him in the head.
Shepard then quivered violently and moaned a deep, sensual exhale. Her rage was exhausted. Another predator dead.
The Butcher of Torfan was satisfied.
Echo smirked, “It’s always disappointing to learn how flawed your heroes can be.”
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“How is Shepard?” Samara asked in her usual stoic voice.
“She is getting better, but it’s a slow process,” Kelly said evenly.
“That is good to hear.”
“Now, what was it you said about this event that’s happened before with Nora?”
The soft blue light dimmed from around the Justicar as she stood up and walked to the window.
“Not long before this event occurred, I requested Shepard to assist me in hunting a criminal from asari space. A hedonistic murderer that feels nothing for the suffering she caused. Do you know what an Ardat-Yakshi is?” the asari said as she turned to Kelly.
Kelly tilted her head and said, “Only in rumor. But is it like the succubus from the legends from our homeworld?”
Samara nodded. “I have heard of such human legends and it is an appropriate simile. It hunts particular types of people and uses her charm to lull them into her trap and kills them. I requested Shepard to assist me in hunting one such individual. However, it was amid our conversation did I realize that Shepard had taken a vested interest in this hunt of mine.”
Kelly blinked, “How so?”
“Old wounds are opened when familiar territory is tread. I almost missed it, but I could see an anger, a rage she has always kept hidden when I mentioned how my target hunted. However, I was confident in Shepard to retain the professionalism that would help draw her out.”
“Did you succeed?”
Samara nodded. “From the shadows, I watched her work through the crowds and show the disciplined strength that the Ardat-Yakshi was drawn to. From the club I followed them to her apartment and would hopefully rescue Shepard in time and destroy my target.”
“But it didn’t happen that way, did it?”
The justicar shook her head. “No. It did not.”
On Morinth’s lap, Nora traced her fingers beneath the fronds of the asari’s head. Shepard’s mouth latched on Morinth’s, the lingered taste of the sweet drinks on her tongue. In her lust clouded mind, Shepard knew the danger she courted. She hoped Samara would show up soon, since she knew when the worst was going to happen. With Morinth’s head cradled in her hands, she pulled back from Morinth’s kiss and whispered, “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Always,” Morinth hissed, her arms wrapped around Nora’s torso. “Would you do anything for me?”
“Anything,” Shepard said as she claimed Morinth’s mouth again. This time, the survival instinct cleared away the passion and the adrenaline began to flow, ready to spring the trap.
Morinth, then switched their positions so that the asari now leaned over Shepard. The ardat-yakshi, between breaths, moaned, “Tell me you’d die for me...”
Shepard noticed that Morinth’s mouth had not moved. The asari’s eyes had also become the unsettling dark that she had seen in Liara and Shiala. However, when she felt Morinth’s attempting to gain access to all that Shepard was, she closed herself off.
“No.”
Immediately, the meld was broken and the asari quickly put the pieces together and realized she had been played for a fool.
The door burst open and in walked Samara.
Unkind words were exchanged between parent and child.
Their power came to a stalemate.
Both appealed to Shepard and she had made her choice.
The images of Diana, her face streaked with tears at the loss of her only source of joy, caused a scowl of unbridled anger and hate in Shepard’s face as she knocked the Ardat-Yakshi off balance.
As the justicar closed in, Morinth had proved her resourcefulness once more. A canister of Minagen-X3 was right beneath the couch. She had hurled it towards her assailants and with what little biotic strength she had left, crushed it, causing the container to explode.
Minagen-X3, a far more potent and simultaneously lethal version of Red Sand, spread through the room and into Shepard’s lungs. After the first cough, Samara could feel the eezo nodes in Shepard’s body expand with untapped and unstable power.
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The ardat-yakshi struggled as a far more powerful biotic field picked her up and left her suspended as Shepard, in a burst of light, vanished from her position, to reappear right behind Morinth, grab her leg and threw her with incredible force against the opposing wall. The breath knocked out of her, the younger asari could do nothing as Shepard once more appeared right in front of her from a burst of biotic light.
“YOUR LIFE IS MINE!” Shepard bellowed as her hands, alight with the same glow as her eyes, latched onto Morinth’s neck and in a maelstrom of element zero powered light, Samara could see Morinth begin to whither.
“Reave...” Samara uttered beneath her breath as she stood up, despite the chaos around her and the cries of agony from both Shepard and Morinth. Reave; a highly dangerous and unpredictable biotic ability which could steal the life force from a target to the caster. Few biotics knew of it, fewer were able to use it, and still even fewer could ever master it as it could kill the caster as easily as it could extend one’s life.
When it seemed the ardat-yakshi was about to turn into dust, another biotic explosion sent Shepard through the air and against the window, where it left a second noticeable crack in the glass.
Samara stood up and walked to her daughter. Morinth, devoid of strength and almost completely devoid of life, looked to her parent and whispered as tears began to stream from her eyes, “...mother... it hurts.”
With surprising tenderness, Samara sat behind her daughter and held her torso gently. “...it hurts,” the younger asari whimpered, unable to withstand the pain her body was in.
The justicar took a momentary glace to the inert Shepard and back to her offspring and whispered as she stroked her cheek, “It’s all right, child. It’s all right.”
Morinth began to sob as she knew what was to happen next, but knew it was a better alternative than to suffer as she was now, “I love you, Mother.”
“I love you too, my dear. I always loved you,” she whispered with all sincerity as she slowly wrapped her arms around Morinth’s head and neck.
“Find rest in the embrace of the Goddess.”
The snap of Morinth’s neck was quiet and almost inaudible. There was no pain.
She picked up the lifeless body of her greatest daughter and carried it with reverence to the bed, where she wrapped the body in the clean, white sheets. She would send the local acolytes of Athame to recover and cremate the remains. After a moment of silence, Samara then moved to Shepard’s body and noticed Nora’s twitch.
“Shepard. Shepard! Are you well?” she asked as she nudged the human to stir.
Nora’s breath came in quickly and in gasps as she wearily turned to the asari and asked, “Wha... what happened?”
Samara asked calmly, “You do not remember?”
Shepard looked to the lights overhead and whispered hoarsely, “All I remember... was the Red Sand... and then I blacked out.”
The justicar nodded, “I see.” She then threw Shepard’s arm over her shoulders and picked her up.
“Morinth?”
The older asari turned to the exit and said, “Dead. It is done. We have no further reason to remain here.”
There was a pause before their departure before Shepard asked, “Are you... going to be alright?”
Samara allowed herself a small smile and replied, “Let us return you to a sound state of mind and body before you come to worry about me.”
Shepard nodded wearily as the effects of the Minagen prevented her from standing upright.
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The Justicar turned to her and said, “In spite of her bloody past, she has found ways to administer justice in ways that the Code would not be violated. I have no reason to believe Shepard should fear any retribution from me, in case you were wondering, Ms. Chambers.”
Kelly blinked at the asari’s statement, but slowly a smile spread across her face which mirrored Samara’s own.
“Thank you, Samara,” the yeoman said as the justicar took her usual spot to continue her meditations.
“You are most welcome, Ms. Chambers,” she said as light began to appear between an apex of her hands. “Please, if there is anything else I can do to assist Shepard’s recovery, let me know. While she may not be our only hope against the oncoming darkness, she is still our first hope.”
Kelly nodded and softly padded out of the room.
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“How are you feeling?” Kelly asked as she took a set on the other side of the couch.
“Better, actually,” Shepard answered, “If I can get Dr. Chakwas’ permission, I may be able to get off of sick leave and start assisting the missions. I hate sitting on my behind while everyone else is doing the work. It’s making me restless.”
“I don’t think anyone will begrudge you to take some time to get better. You’ve already beaten Sovereign and you’ve been through a lot. I personally think you’ve earned it.”
Nora sighed wearily, ”Not while the Collectors and the Reapers are out there. There’s no rest for the wicked, which means there’s no rest for me.”
Kelly blinked and said, “What? What makes you say that?”
The Commander looked at her in dismay, “Torfan? No doubt Echo’s told you about it, by now.”
The yeoman nodded, then frowned. “Yes, she did. However, she wasn’t there for Torfan. You were. I would rather hear it from you. She made you sound like some blood thirsty, psychotic killer and I don’t exactly trust her.”
The older woman looked down, ashamed. “You’d be surprised...”
Kelly’s frown grew. “Commander, stop it,” she paused at her choice of words, along with Shepard, who raised an eyebrow, “I mean, there are too many factors to say simply if you were rightfully given that title anyway.”
Shepard considered her words a moment. “Perhaps. Well, I mean, those raiders attacked Elysium. They had to be held accountable to that and since they weren’t going to be judged by Council law, I had to do it. I didn’t like it, though.”
Kelly gave her an encouraging smile, “I didn’t think so.”
“It was like you had no good choices. You either survived or fulfilled your mission. Not to mention all the adrenaline going through your head made it difficult to think. You could only act and the act was completing the mission,” Nora then leaned her head against the wall, “no matter the cost.”
“What happened after the mission?” Kelly asked.
“After the debrief, I used my shore leave to try and drink myself stupid. I just didn’t want to feel anything,” she said and held her head against her hand.
“You tried?”
Shepard nodded with a wry smile, “Turns out that biotic metabolism, or at least mine, and alcohol don’t mix very well.”
“Must be interesting at parties,” Kelly stated as she matched Shepard’s own smile.
“You could say that. Being the only sober person on shore leave makes you wish you could get drunk,” Shepard noted morosely.
“Any particular reason why?”
“It was the rumors. It was only a few days after the mission did the whole ‘Butcher of Torfan’ nickname start to circulate,” Nora’s face changed as she imitated another person in a mocking tone, “it’s the Butcher! Stay away from her! She’ll eat your soul and send you out to die!”
Kelly started to grow apprehensive as the heat in Shepard’s face grew, “naturally, I got sent on assignments where chances of success and survival was low. I wanted to ask them to stop, but how could I? If I kept doing those missions, the rumors would only get worse. If I didn’t do them, people would think I’d lost my nerve and they’d toss me into an asylum. Again; no better choice.”
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Rage turned to disgust, “The officer? Jane Clarke. Ever heard of her? You should, she’s the Hero of the Skylian Blitz! The respectable and decorated officer!” Nora then slammed the side of her fist against the wall. ”That self-righteous bitch!”
Kelly curled defensively as Nora stood up and stomped around her cabin, “Oh, but of course she has all the room to talk down to me. She’s the hero! She has the Star of Terra! Me? I’m just the goddamn Butcher! And, of course, Kyle nearly loses it when he sees me. Then, when I have the audacity to try and explain myself, Clarke tries to get all moral with me about how the damn hero would have done it as though I were the goddamn devil!”
Shepard was about to continue her rant when she turned to see Kelly, frozen with fear. Immediately, the rage left her and in shame, she returned to her place on the couch. “I’m sorry, Kelly,” Shepard said quietly.
The yeoman exhaled a breath of relief. “Don’t be. You followed your orders and all those dead were not your fault. That is what the crux of this; Torfan was not your fault. Anyone who says otherwise wasn’t there or is full of it.”
“Like my CO was?”
Kelly raised an eyebrow, “You mean the one that had to be treated for PTSD? Commander, as much as I prefer giving people the benefit of the doubt, these Batarians destroyed the lives of so many people and they were getting away with it. If you hadn’t stopped them there, who knows how many more they would have ruined.”
The commander took a deep breath. “I can understand that, but it’s hard when people don’t acknowledge the lives you saved and instead only remind you of the lives you took.”
The younger woman nodded, “Most are. However, if they had a problem with that, they can just go ahead and do what you did and see how they liked it.”
Shepard remained downtrodden, ”It’s one thing when stupid cadets toss around rumors as if they’re still in the academy, it’s another when fellow officers and even superior officers won’t even come near you. It’s not hard to wonder what they’re saying. Sure, what they think doesn’t ultimately matter, but it’s still not easy to deal with.”
Kelly, after she gathered her courage, scooted over beside her and clasped Nora’s hand gently, “That’s why you’re here, now. You don’t want the past and what you were to dictate who you are now. We’ll work our way through this. I promise.”
The older woman looked to Kelly’s hand over hers with a neutral expression, unsure whether to be surprised or displeased at the yeoman’s actions. However, something won out inside the Commander’s head as she turned her own hand over and held Kelly’s softy. “You realize I am going to hold you to that promise, yeoman.”
Kelly’s face brightened with relief as she smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
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The commander shook her head, “You’re right. I haven’t told anyone all that I’ve told you. Bits and pieces here and there. The only person that knows this much is.... Liara.”
Kelly could determine the hesitancy in Nora’s voice at the mention of her former team member and how she still felt about Dr. T’Soni. “If it’s alright for me to ask; were you close?”
Shepard nodded slowly, “Yes. I always prided myself at erecting barriers between me and those who called themselves my friends. I hated myself for doing it. However,” the older woman began to smile, “in the short span of a month, Liara T’Soni had wormed her way past every wall I put up. She never judged me. She somehow was able to keep me calm when I normally would have gotten angry. She reminded me so much of the real Nora.”
“I know you met on Therum, but what exactly happened that made her stand out from the other members of your team?”
Shepard’s smile soon grew playful as she said, on the verge of a chuckle, “I have no idea how long Liara was alone at the dig site, but by the time we got there, she must have been tired, hungry, and dehydrated. When she saw us, she said we were nothing more than hallucinations and when we tried to explain, she started singing The Beatles.”
Kelly blinked. “The Beatles?”
Nora started to giggle as she continued, “Wrex and Ash thought she was crazy when she started singing ‘Help’. I thought it was hilarious, though I felt bad for laughing, considering all that possibly happened. I had to apologize to her once we got back on the Normandy and got her a copy of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ as a way to make it up to her.”
The yeoman wanted to stay professional, however, it was hard to fight the smile on her own face as she said, “Well, John was always the cute one.”
The commander snorted, “John was a damn hippie. Paul was the cute one.”
Kelly rolled her eyes and continued, “If this is getting too personal, please let me know. I know I’ve gained enough of your confidence to let me know all this, but I don’t want to overstep my boundaries.”
Shepard waved it off. “Nah. It’s fine. In fact, since we’ve gotten this far; I found it strange that I grew fond of Liara. I mean, aside from the fact I was a recluse, I still consider myself straight, despite the obvious.”
Kelly cocked an eyebrow. “How so?”
Nora’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “I almost got kicked out of basic training because I kept getting caught peeking at the boys in the showers.”
The younger woman held her hand to her mouth in shock as she snickered, “You serious?”
Shepard nodded. “And let me tell you, if a guy ever says he doesn’t look at other guys’ genitals to... ahem, ‘compare and contrast’, he’s lying through his teeth*. Well, it’s not true for all guys, but you’d be surprised at how many do. I could tell you more, but we’re getting off track.”
Kelly nodded. “And what about the others in your squad?”
The joy Nora displayed a moment before began to fade as it gave way to regret, “I wish I extended the same level of trust to them. They deserved so much better than someone that kept them at arm’s length. Well, except for Wrex. He wasn’t the touchy-feely type, but I’d still trust my life to him.”
“They’re still your friends, though. Aren’t they?” Kelly probed.
“Yes. And against my better judgment, I began to think of Garrus and Tali as the brother and sister I always wanted,” Nora’s face lit up with affection as she spoke. Kelly noted that Shepard didn’t smile much. Her smiles were nice.
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