Disclaimer: This is no way ties to Mass Effect 3 or what the designers have intended for the game. It is my hope that they bring Kaidan Alenko back but if they don't, I will here in this fan fiction. I do not work for Bioware. I am an author of science fiction. Please check out Terran One: Remember The Commandos on Amazon.com.
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Tere Shepard looked out the port viewing window. She saw the Omega 4 relay in the distance. So many ships were destroyed on their passage through. It didn’t surprise her that no one had ever returned. She’d made sure that the Normandy was fully upgraded before they came through the relay and it was still going to take another three weeks to get it put back together for the return trip. EDI was wonderful and Tere couldn’t ask for a better man than Jeff at the helm. She’d known him for four years before taking over the Normandy. He’d picked up the nickname Joker from his training days, but that was far from his usual personality. He was a skilled pilot and adept at getting the starship into top form.
Tere frowned. She wouldn’t risk the starship or her team. She’d lost every able body to the Collectors except for her combat team and Dr. Chakwas. It was a terrible loss and crossed her mind several times a day. She opened the com. “EDI, tell the team to meet me in the briefing room in five and that includes Jeff,” she said.
“As you wish, Commander,” the artificial intelligence replied.
Tere turned off the com. She looked out at the Omega 4 relay once more before heading towards the elevator and the briefing room. When she arrived, Miranda Lawson was already there.
Miranda smiled. She knew what Tere was going to discuss with her team and was in one hundred percent agreement. Leading the second team against the Collectors had opened her eyes to the truth about Cerberus. She’d thought long and hard about Tere’s offer and she was ready.
Tere took a seat at the head of the briefing table as her team walked in and took their seats. She looked at those who were left. She’d only lost Legion, a Geth machine life form, on the mission. Many commanders would have considered that a great accomplishment but Tere didn’t. She’d come to appreciate Legion and her talks with him. She took a deep breath to collect her thoughts and addressed the team.
“I’ve called you together to let you know of some important developments involving Cerberus and the Normandy but first I’d like to thank you all for your service and loyalty to our mission,” Tere said.
“Gee, I thought that if we didn’t go along, you’d hang us by our balls,” Garrus said. “Well those of us who have balls.”
“Garrus, I wasn’t aware that you had balls,” Tali replied. The team laughed. Tere smiled.
“If you want to check mine out, I’d be happy to talk about it after the meeting,” Garrus said. Tere was sure that Tali was blushing under her protection suit. Tali couldn’t be exposed to viruses or bacteria.
“You can discuss that later,” Miranda said. “Tere, Commander Shepard has something important to tell us. Go on, Commander.”
Tere nodded. “I’ve had a discussion with the illusive man and I’ve purchased the Normandy from him. It was a heavy price. He demanded what Cerberus initially paid and it was all that I had. I have just enough left over from my investments to stock us with food once we get back,” she said. She got up from her chair and walked around the table. She looked at the faces of those who were her friends.
“Don’t you mean if we get back,” Zaeed the bounty hunter said.
“We’ll get back,” Joker said. “We came through intact and we’ll get back intact.”
“That means that we no longer work for Cerberus?” Jack, the human biotic asked. “Damn, it’s about time you woke up, Shepard.”
“I was always aware of Cerberus and what they were doing but we had a job to do and we did it. The Alliance wasn’t about to come through. Cerberus did but that’s beside the point,” Tere said. “The Illusive Man has offered to keep those of you who want to leave the Normandy on his payroll. Miranda has turned in her resignation. She’s joined the Normandy’s crew permanently and will be my second in command. She’s proven her value by leading the second team against the Collectors and making sure that you all made it back to the ship in one piece.” The team looked at Miranda. Jack nodded.
“It’s about time that you opened your eyes, Miranda,” she said.
Miranda frowned. She didn’t feel like justifying her work for Cerberus to Jack again. “I am not going to justify myself to you, Jack,” she said. She looked at Jacob. “When Cerberus wanted Commander Sheperd to save the Collector’s ship instead of blowing it up, I changed my mind about our mission. Cerberus isn’t pro humanity. Cerberus is pro Cerberus. I’ll be damned if I sit around and allow The Illusive Man to bring an end to humanity for the greater good.”
“Enough,” Tere commanded. “It doesn’t matter why Miranda left Cerberus. Here’s the deal. I can’t pay you for awhile. We’re an independent mercenary vessel now. Joker, how much time before we are up to speed and can make the jump?” she asked.
“EDI and I have estimated that we still have three weeks of work left before I’d feel safe going back through. We lost the crew, Commander. We don’t have the bodies to fix it any faster,” Joker replied.
“What if we work together? Can we make the jump sooner?” Tere asked.
“We would need every willing body in the engine room,” Joker said.
“Okay,” Tere said. “I’ll need to know which of you are going to leave the Normandy when we get back. It looks like you’ll have a couple of weeks, maybe less, to decide. Right now, you’re still a member of this team and you be following Joker’s, EDI’s and Tali’s orders. We need to get this ship back to one hundred ten percent and quickly. I’m tired of being out here and away from civilization.”
“You are aware that Cerberus will be after you when you get back, Commander, right?” Jacob asked. “The illusive man is not going to let you walk away. There will be a price on your head.”
Tere laughed. “There’s been a price on my head since I took over the original Normandy. I don’t give a damn. If he thinks that he can come after us, let him. Like a said. We’re a mercenary vessel now. The reapers are still out there and they sure as hell aren’t going to be coming through the Omega 4 relay to get us. We’re small peas. They’re going after the Citadel and we’re going to be there to stop them.” She put her hands on Jokers shoulders and squeezed. “I want you to stay with the Normandy. You’re the best damned team that I could have, but I’ll understand if you want to retire,” she said.
Joker looked up at his commander. “I’m with you, Commander. I can’t leave the Normandy and I couldn’t serve under a better commander,” he said. Tere smiled.
“I’m with you, Commander,” Tali said. “The Normandy is now my home.”
Garrus sighed. “You know damned well that I’m not going anywhere, Shep,” he said. “I’ve been with you for a damned long time and I don’t think that C-Sec would take back a rogue Turion not that I’d want to go back.”
“Why don’t we cut to the chase,” Joker said. “All of us who are going to stay with the Normandy and Commander Shepard raise your hand.”
Tere looked around the room. Members of her team slowly raised their hands. Two hands out of ten were not raised. Zaeed’s and Jacks. Tere nodded. “Okay, let’s get to work. How is the hull integrity, Joker?” she asked.
“The hull integrity is in tack. We’re working on bringing the shields back to one hundred percent and have that almost completed. Like I said, the engine room is where we need the help. Tali can’t do it all herself and Mordin is needed in the tech lab.”
“Let’s go,” Tere said. “Everyone works in the engine room until it’s back up to speed.”
Tere looked around her captain’s quarters. She picked up the space hampster food and fed Argus. She was glad that her aquariums were on automatic feeders and cleaners because she never remembered to feed the fish. She changed into some comfortable clothes and sat at her desk. The work on the engine room was progressing nicely and the team was working so well together that she put Zaeed and Garrus on gunnery with EDI. When they made the jump and even before, they needed to be ready to defend themselves.
Tere sat at her desk and looked at the picture of Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko. “EDI, can we send communications through the Omega 4 relay and are we sure that those on the other side can receive it?” she asked.
EDI’s small round globe structure popped up in the captain’s quarters. “We can send and receive, Captain. We’ve received several messages from Cerberus and have sent several.”
“I’m not talking Cerberus. Can we send messages to the Alliance?” Tere asked.
“Miranda has already sent a message to the Citadel council with the images from the Collector mission. They have sent confirmation back that they have received our mission notes and look forward to a personal briefing upon our return trip,” EDI replied.
Tere looked briefly at EDI. “I want a personal message to go out. It is to get to no one but the reciever. Is that clear?” she asked.
“Perfectly, Commander. Under our new protocol, Cerberus has been blocked from our communications. Miss Lawson has taken care of that,” EDI replied.
“Very good and, EDI, you can call everyone by their first names now. We are no longer under Cerberus or Alliance ties. There is no need for formalites now,” Tere said.
“Very well, Commander,” EDI replied, “but I will continue to call you commander. It is written into my protocols.”
Tere laughed. She opened the terminal and typed in a reply to the one message that she kept besides those that she received from Councilman Anderson. ‘I have always and will always love you. Tere.’
“Make sure that this gets to Staff Commander Alenko and only to him,” Tere commanded.
“As you wish, Commander. Joker wishes to see you on the bridge, Commader,” EDI said.
“Tell him that I’ll be there in five minutes,” Tere replied. She watched EDI disappear. She looked again at the photo on her desk. She didn’t know if it would do any good but she had to try. Since the Citadel Council received the news of the Normandy’s mission, she was sure that the news would travel quickly through the Alliance military. Kaidan would know that her mission was not for Cerberus but was for mankind. It had been exactly two years and ten months since the Normandy SR1 crashed. She made him get into the escape pod without her and saved his life. It seemed like just a few months to her. Two years had been lost to her. She wanted them back. She wanted him back.
Tere took the elevator down to the bridge. She looked at the large galaxy map that had already been plotted with a course to the Citadel. When the ship was ready, they’d make the jump back through the relay and back to real life. Tere walked around the galaxy map and headed toward the cockpit.
“What’s up, Joker? Are we any closer to getting back home?” she asked.
Joker looked up at his commander. “We’re there, Commander. We can make the jump any time now. Mordin has made a few improvements to the hull integrity and Tali has the engine room sound. Garrus and Zaeed have the heavy guns working again,” he said. “We’re ready when you are.”
“Open the com, Joker,” Tere said. Joker opened the com. Tere addressed her team. “Okay, listen up, everyone. You’ve all worked very hard to get us to this state. We don’t know what waits for us on the other side of the relay. I need everyone ready and everyone at their stations on the bridge. We’re making the jump in ten minutes. Prepare yourselves.” She looked at Joker with a concerned look.
“We’ll make it, Commander,” Joker said. “Don’t worry.” Tere nodded.
The team assembled on the bridge, took their seats and strapped themselves in. Dr. Chakwas and Mordin communicated from the med bay and the tech lab. They were strapped in and ready for the jump. Tere looked at her team.
“Everyone ready?” she asked.
“Let’s get the hell out of here, Shep,” Garrus said. The others nodded. They were ready.
“Okay, Joker, whenever you’re ready,” Tere said.
Joker nodded. “EDI, bring the engines online,” he said. Tere felt pulsation of the engines coming online. “Bring up the shielding, EDI,” Joker said, “and give me a status report.”
“Engines and shielding are at one hundred percent, Jeff,” EDI replied.
“Roger that, EDI. Commander, when you give the order we make the jump,” Joker said.
“Everyone ready,” Tere asked. “Joker, let’s go.” Tere watched out the cockpit window as the Normandy started to move toward the Omega 4 relay.
“Entering the relay in ten,” Joker said. “If we don’t make it back, it’s been good to know you,” he joked nervously.”
“Joker, shut the hell up,” Zaeed said. Tere looked at Zaeed. She sighed. She was glad that he wasn’t signing on to the Normandy permanently. They’d bumped heads too many times.
“Enough,” she said.
“Thank you, Commander. We are now five from the relay, heading in slowly. EDI, how are the engines and shielding holding,” Joker asked.
“We are at one hundred percent, Jeff,” EDI replied.
Joker looked at the terminal in front of him and coded in the coordinates for the Omega system. “The IFF is online and working properly,” he said. “We are entering the relay in four, three, two, one, now,” he said.
Tere felt the Normandy shake as it entered the red and brown relay. “Hold on to it, Joker,” she said over the noise of the star cruiser. She closed her eyes briefly before she opened them again. The Normandy flew into the relay and was propelled forward faster than the speed of light. Within seconds, it was out of the relay and in another system. “Joker, how’s the hull integrity,” Tere asked.
“Hull integrity is in tack,” Joker replied.
“Where are we,” Tere asked.
“We are in the Omega system,” EDI replied. The team celebrated.
“Commander, we’ve got company,” Joker said. “Looks like Alliance military and a hell of a lot of them too.”
“Open communications, Joker,” Tere said.
“Normandy SR2, this is Alliance vessel Segurus One, Captain Eli Corbani. “We are to escort you to the Serpent Nebula and to the citadel. Welcome home,” Captain Corbani said.
“Segurus One, Captain Corbani,” Tere said. “Is the council worried that we’ll not head there?” she asked.
“Hell no, Commander Shepard,” the captain replied. “You and your crew are heroes. We’re here to escort the Normandy and to protect you.”
“Um, Captain, the Normandy just returned from the Omega 4 relay unharmed. We don’t need a personal escort,” Joker said.
“I have my orders, Normandy,” Captain Corbani replied. “Let us know when you’re ready to head home.”
“We’re ready, Captain,” Tere said. “Did the council think that it was necessary to send about one hundred Alliance vessels to make sure that we made it back to the citadel?” she asked.
“No, Commander. Sorry about that. The Alliance has tasked military to protect the Omega system until we find a way to disable the Omega 4 relay,” Captain Corbani said. “The Segurus One and the SR1 Aruthis are your escort vessels.”
“Roger that, Captain,” Tere said. She looked around at her team. “Let’s go home,” she said.
“Segurus,” Joker said. “We are ready to move to the relay.” The Normandy, with the Segurus One and the SR1 Aruthis close behind, headed toward the relay. “This time it will be easier,” Joker said. “Those of you who went to the bathroom in your uniforms can now go and change your clothes.”
“That’s an inappropriate comment, Jeff,” EDI said. Tere and the team laughed.
“Damned artificial intelligence,” Joker said. “She doesn’t know a joke when she hears one.”
“And you don’t know how to tell a joke,” Garrus teased. The team laughed.
Tere got up from her seat. “When we’re at the Citadel, everyone is on shore leave. Let’s take a few days for a breather and then we’ll figure out where we go from there.”
“Why do you think the council wants to see you, Commander?” Joker asked.
“Probably think that we’re a damned threat to the Alliance,” Garrus replied.
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out,” Tere said. “For now, we keep a low profile. Jack and Zaeed, I’ll line up transportation for you to wherever you want to go. The rest of you stay close until I find out what this is all about but we’ll be at the Citadel for a few days so try to enjoy it.”
“Normandy, we are entering the relay. The SR1 Aruthis will head in first followed by the Normandy and we’ll follow you,” Captain Corbani said.
“Roger that, Captain,” Joker replied. He watched the Aruthis enter the relay. Shortly after the Normandy followed and arrived on the other side. “We’re two hours from the Citadel, Commander.”
“Good job, Joker,” Tere said. “Everyone, you’re free to take care of some personal business if you choose. I’m heading to my quarters if you need me.”
Tere watched out the cockpit windows as Joker flew the Normandy to the Citadel. It had been a long six months since she had spoken to Councilman David Anderson. He sent her a message to stop by his office in the Citadel tower when she arrived. She wasn’t sure what it was about, but she knew that he received word that she was no longer affiliated with Cerberus. She made sure that the Shadow Broker, Liara T’Soni passed along that information as soon as she knew that they could send and receive messages through the relay.
“Are you ready for this, Commander,” Joker asked. Tere smiled.
“I’m ready for some shore leave, Joker. What about you?” she asked. “Are you going to give EDI the helm and take some time off the ship?”
“Not this time, Commander. EDI and I are going to do some systems calibrations,” Joker replied.
“I’m hiring some security personnel while we’re here,” Tere said. “Jack and Zaeed are leaving the Normandy. Make sure that EDI keeps the ship locked down while we’re off it. I want it protected.”
“Expecting trouble, Commander,” Joker asked.
“Not exactly, but you can never be too sure. I don’t think that the Illusive Man appreciated it when I told him to go to hell,” Tere replied. She watched the Normandy come to a landing at the landing pad.”
“Commander, Councilman Anderson wants to meet you at the Dark Star when you disembark,” EDI said.
Tere nodded and looked at her team. “Okay, guess I’m heading to the Dark Star. Make sure that you go in pairs. Keep in contact with each other. I’ll let you know as soon as I know what is going on. Miranda, Garrus and Tali, you’re with me. Thane, Samara, Grunt and Jacob, I don’t care how you team up, but cover each other’s backs,” she said.
“Roger that, Commander,” Jacob said.
Tere nodded at Joker and headed to the exit. Garrus, Tali and Miranda followed her. “Let’s head to the Dark Star and get this over with. I’m sure the less we’re on the Citadel, the happier we’ll all be,” she said.
Tere, Garrus, Tali and Miranda walked through the crowded pathways to the Zakera Wards. Nothing had changed since they left. She stopped to watch the news on the terminal.
“The Normandy under the command of Commander Tere Shepard has defeated a collector base and has alerted the Alliance to the threat that is beyond the Omega 4 mass relay. The Alliance has sent a platoon of frigates to the Omega system to protect the mass relay as our scientists work on a permanent solution to the problem,” the announcer said.
“Well at least we’re being taken seriously,” Miranda said.
“Not soon enough,” Garrus replied. “The council will never come to grips with the reality. They’re blind and sit on their asses until we come in and save the day.”
“I’m sure it is not all bad,” Tali said. “They did allow us to land without security precautions.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean that we’re going to get any help when it comes to taking on the reapers and you can be sure that the Normandy will be taking on the reapers,” Garrus said.
The approached the Dark Star and heard the noise and music coming from the bar. When they entered, Tere looked around for David Anderson. She went to the bar. “I’m looking for Councilman Anderson,” she told the bartender. “He said that he’d meet me here.”
“The councilman has a private room in the back,” the bartender replied.
Tere smiled and walked through the crowded bar to the entrance to the private rooms. There were two Alliance marines standing guard outside one of the rooms. “This must be it,” she told her team. “I wonder why the protection.”
“Commander Shepard is here,” one of the marines said over a communicator. He listened. “Commander, Councilman Anderson says that you are to go right in,” he said.
Tere walked through the door and entered the room. Councilman Anderson stood up to greet here. Tere smiled before she froze. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko stood up and smiled. He hadn’t changed. His dark hair was cut in the same style and his dark eyes glowed.
“Please sit, Commander,” David said.
“I’m no longer, Commander,” Tere said. She looked at Kaidan.
“Let’s get to the point,” David said. “We’re here to discuss the Normandy. It has come to our attention that the SSR Normandy is no longer under Cerberus’ control.”
“It was never under Cerberus’ control,” Tere said, “but no, I own the Normandy. I came back to the Citadel to recruit a crew or I wouldn’t be here. The council is blind and sits on their asses while my team risks their lives to make sure that the galaxy is safe. I lost my entire crew defeating the collectors.”
“Commander, Tere,” Kaidan said. “We know what you’ve done and why you had to do it.”
“You do, Kaidan?”Tere asked. “I very clearly remember Horizon.”
“We’re not here to bring up the past. I’ve asked Staff Commander Alenko here because I’ve gotten permission from the Alliance to commander the Normandy,” Anderson said.
“The hell you will,” Tere replied. “The Normandy is a privately owned vessel now. I highly doubt that you’d want to take on my team.”
“You need a crew,” Kaidan said. “Be reasonable, Tere. We would bring a crew on board and you wouldn’t have to pay them.”
“Staff Commander Alenko is going to lead the crew,” Anderson said. “We want your team on board of course but you can’t accomplish this alone. We have a list of crew that we are bringing on board.” He handed a data pad to Tere.
Garrus scrutinized the list with Tere. He looked at Kaidan. “We don’t need a doctor,” he said. Tere looked at the name that Garrus was pointing to.
“Dr. Chakwas and Dr. Solarnis are the only doctors that we need. Dr. Chakwas runs the medical bay and Dr. Solarnis runs the tech lab,” Tere said. “Is this your girlfriend, Kaidan?” she asked.
“I have no girlfriend,” Kaidan replied defensively. “I apologized for what I said on Horizon.” He looked at Tere with the same look that she was giving him. “Besides, this doesn’t need to be discussed here.”
“Why not?” Tere asked. “My team knows everything about me, about us, or what used to be us. Tali and Garrus were there and Miranda is my second in command.”
