Lazarus Project: Mass Effect 2 (Shenko)

Chapter 8

Milky Way/Omega Nebula/Sahrabarik/Omega

Earth year: 2183 CE --- April

Liara and Feron made good time and were on Omega less than three days later. Feron had tracked one of the Blue Suns mercs and they were currently following him back to their base. As their target entered a darkened warehouse, Liara and Feron followed, keeping to the shadows and moving slow as to not be noticed.

They needn't have bothered. As they stepped inside the warehouse, light flooded the room revealing a half dozen armed mercs all pointing weapons at them.

"Did you really think we didn't know you were following us?" Sneered a brown-haired human woman. "We know who you are Dr. T'Soni. You really shouldn't have sent out an un-encrypted galaxy-wide call for help regarding Shepard. We've had eyes on you since the moment you stepped onto Illium."

"And just what is your interest here?" Liara demanded.

"The Shadow Broker is paying us a lot of money for Shepard's body."

"I'll pay you whatever he's asking."

The woman laughed. "We may be greedy Dr. T'Soni, but we aren't stupid. No one crosses the Shadow Broker and lives to tell about it."

"Then what do you want?"

"We don't want anything. The Shadow Broker says you have to die. You've become a problem and knows you won't go away even after he has Shepard's body. Too bad we had to meet under these circumstances, but it is what it is."

"So you're just going to shoot us?" Feron asked.

The woman said nothing, just smiled and raised her weapon. As a shot rang out, Liara flinched and glanced at Feron.  She felt nothing and could see no injuries on Feron. They had a moment to share a confused look when the room erupted in weapons-fire. On instinct Liara grabbed Feron by the arm and pulled him to the floor behind some nearby crates as the room erupted in gunfire, deafening in the enclosed space.

Moments later, the room fell silent and they could hear the approach of footsteps. Whoever it was, they were  taking their time walking with deliberate purpose to where they crouched.

"You can come out now." Drawled a sultry female voice. "They're all dead."

Liara stood and Feron moved to her side in tine to see an attractive woman with long raven-black hair approaching them. She was wearing what looked like white and black skin-tight body armour, who regarded them with an amused and somewhat haughty expression. She flicked a glance at Feron before turning her full attention back to Liara. She was joined by a tall, dark-featured, finely toned man who came to a halt at the woman's side.

"Doctor T'Soni. My name is Miranda Lawson. This is my associate Jacob Taylor." She said, casting a brief glance at the Jacob.

"Ma'am." Jacob said, inclining his head.

"Who are you? And how do you know my name?" Liara demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm a friend." Miranda replied, her voice lilting in a faint English accent, the likes of which Liara hadn't heard before.

"Why do people like you think they can say that when you don't even know me?" Liara demanded.

"Probably because you make it so easy. It's not like you took any effort to conceal who you are or what your connection is to the late Commander Shepard."

"Is that what this is about? Shepard?"

"We just saved your life Doctor. Perhaps a little gratitude might be in order?" Miranda reminded her.

"That depends what you saved us for." Liara retorted. "Just what is your interest in this?"

"Not my interest." Miranda said, stepping closer and handing her an OSD. "Perhaps you should just read this. It will save us a lot of time. Time Shepard doesn't have."

"Dr. T'Soni,

It has come to our attention that you are planning a mission to retrieve the body of the late Commander Shepard. If we can come to an arrangement, we have information and resources to offer you in exchange for Shepard's body.

Should you be agreeable to our terms, Ms. Lawson can provide you more details. If not, you will never see or hear from us again.

I.L."

"What exactly do you want from me?" Liara asked, meeting Miranda's gaze.

"Does this mean you're willing to work with us?" Miranda replied, avoiding the question.

"Yes."

"Alright. But what I have to say cannot leave this room. I have your word you won't back out?"

"You have my word." Liara replied, not liking where this was going.

"Very well. As I said, my name is Miranda Lawson. I work for a group known as Cerberus. We want to bring Commander Shepard back exactly as she was. She's a hero and an icon. A symbol of everything humanity stands for and we want to bring her back."

"Cerberus?" Liara nearly choked on the name. "The same organization that was conducting all those illegal, biological experiments?"

"We aren't responsible for the state we found those subjects in." Miranda said, giving no indication she felt anything regarding the experiments Liara referred to. "The husk creatures and thorian subjects were already beyond help when we discovered them. And the rachni were simply research for expendable shock troops. Research that was scrapped when we learned how intelligent they were."

"But you did nothing to stop them!" Liara argued. "You didn't clean up your mess or correct the damage your experiments caused."

Miranda shrugged, a knowing smile on her face. "Why would we? Shepard was already doing it for us."

"It was unethical and irresponsible, and you expect me to just hand you Shepard's body?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact we do. I didn't come here to argue moral ethics with you Ms. T'Soni. Cerberus is willing to provide you with everything you need to recover Shepard from the Shadow Broker, including coordinates. In exchange, we want Shepard. And trust me when I say that we have the knowledge and resources to do it, with or without your help."

"That's not possible." Liara argued even as her heart lept at the thought of having Shepard back. Even the possibility... remote as it might be...

"On the contrary. We think it's very possible and Cerberus believes it's worth the cost. Correction," Miranda said, giving her head a slight shake. "Shepard is worth the cost. I think you would at least agree on that point."

"I..." Liara hesitated. If what this woman said was true... but Cerberus? "Yes. Shepard is worth it."

"Good." Miranda said, looking pleased. "So we have a deal?"

"I still don't see why you need me."

"Because of who you are. We could hire someone to recover Shepard from the Shadow Broker, but there's no guarantee they'll succeed. You, on the other hand have a very good reason not to fail."

Liara felt her face flush. As cold as it sounded, Miranda was right. A stranger would not be as determined to succeed in this as she would be. "Fine. We have a deal."

"Good." Miranda said,smiling. "You will be contacted on your return to Illium with coordinates to a shuttle. It will take you to the ship we've arranged for you and your friend here."

"Both of us?"

"Yes Doctor," Miranda said, moving to the door, Jacob close on her heels. "You're going to need his help."

Liara turned to Feron then, searching his face to see if he looked as bewildered as she felt over what had just happened.

"Did that just happen?" She asked him.

"I believe it did." He said. "Let's get out of here. I don't know what kind of security Aria T'Loak employs on Omega, but I think it best we be long gone before anyone comes to investigate."

"Agreed. Let's get out of here."