Lazarus Project: Mass Effect 2 (Shenko)

Chapter 56

Milky Way/Kepler Verge/Normandy SR-2

Earth year :2185 CE --– September

Showered and dressed, Callie retreated to her bed exhausted but wired. She wanted to rage at the Illusive Man but had no way of contacting him other than through the extranet. If he didn't first establish a connection with the ship, she couldn't reach him through the holographic comm feed.

He'd lied to her. Used her. Put her and her entire crew in jeopardy. And for what? Some useless bit of information that didn't help her destroy the Collectors. Reigning in her anger she realized it wasn't the first time he'd lied to her. He'd told her he didn't know where Kaidan was, then suddenly he did. That Liara was working for the Shadow Broker. Yet he'd known she wasn't since he'd been the one to provide Intel on the Broker's location.

Mulling it over, several things became clear. First he'd manipulated her into working for him. Had made it seem impossible to reach her former crew, lying about their availability. He'd then used her feelings for Kaidan to lay a trap for the Collectors, risking Kaidan's life in the process. As much as she hated and despised the Illusive Man she needed his resources to stop the Collectors. It pissed her off that she couldn't shoot him.

The silence in her cabin stretched as she ran out of expletives for him. She really needed a pet, she thought absently. Maybe she'd pick up a fish or a hamster next time they were on the Citadel.

"Commander?" Joker's voice called over the comm. "The Illusive man is on the comm, waiting for you in the Briefing room."

"On my way Joker." Callie called, getting to her feet.

----xxx----

"Shepard. Excellent work on the Collector ship. EDI has finished collating the data you recovered. We've confirmed that by using their IFF signature, we can follow them through the Omega-4 relay."

"You could have told me that earlier. We were just there." Callie retorted.

"As I said, EDI just confirmed it. Even had you known, you wouldn't have had time to find it and bring it back."

"I knew I couldn't trust you." Callie shot back. "EDI told me about this so-called message you intercepted. You knew it was a trap and you sent us there anyway."

"Yes. I knew it was a trap, but I trusted you would succeed and you did."

"You have one job. Information. If I can't trust your information, how do you expect me to work with you?"

"As I said, I knew you would succeed. Besides I couldn't risk tipping our hand to the Collectors. If you'd known, you might not have made it as far as you did."

"You keep telling me how important I am, yet you sure try hard to get me killed."

"A calculated risk." He replied, unaffected by her words. "As for the IFF, I think I may have a lead. I sent a science team to investigate a large object in the deteriorating orbit of a brown dwarf."

Callie snorted. "I only believe you because I don't think you'd repeat yourself so soon."

"Whatever you think of me Shepard, this might be just what we need. Unfortunately we've lost contact with the ship I sent. I want you to investigate but not before your crew is ready."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"We both know that going through the Omega 4 relay is essentially a suicide mission. Once you go through, there's no guarantee you'll come back. Your team needs to be focused on the mission. We can't afford mistakes at this stage."