It did take a couple of days for the ship to be ready for departure. The crew had been waiting on the station for their orders, and I could feel their excitement when the airlock was finally opened and they started to board. It was while I was greeting each of them by the airlock that I noticed another old friend. She placed down her luggage before we greeted each other with a hug.
"I can't believe it's really you," she whispered, "You're looking well for a dead man, Commander."
"Call me Shepard, Doc. I don't think I have that ranking any longer."
Doctor Chakwas leaned back and met my eyes. She had barely aged a day since I'd last seen her. And I mean that in a good way. I'd always thought she was an attractive, mature woman. A slight reminder of Helena Blake in many ways.
"What are you doing here anyway?" I had to ask, "I had you pinned down like Joker. Someone that would never leave the Alliance."
"I haven't left, Shepard." She paused and smiled. "And please call me Karin."
"That'll be weird, Doc."
That made her chuckle. "Anyway, as I said, I haven't left. I'm owed years of personal leave because I've rarely taken any time off. They'll probably hear that I've joined up with you eventually. I'll get in trouble for joining Cerberus though I'm here for you, Shepard. They tapped me and told me everything. I didn't believe them at first, but it seems that they were telling the truth."
"I'm glad you're here, Karin."
"I wouldn't have missed this for the world. And I know the mission. The dangers that we'll face. The Collectors must be stopped. I'll look after everyone like I did last time. It might be a little different, but I know you'll form a good team."
I watched as supplies were loaded up with the assurance that we would be continually resupplied throughout the mission. It was obvious that Cerberus was sparing no expense. It did make me wonder where the Illusive Man got all the financing for this. Billions on putting me back together. Building a new ship wouldn't have been cheap. Everyone needed to be paid. We would need plenty of equipment.
Miranda was the last to board before me once I knew we were ready to go. She stopped before me and smiled. I gave her the once-over that made her chuckle.
"Shepard… I had you picked so wrong that I'm left feeling rather foolish. You've been… Well, wonderful with everyone. I honestly thought you'd just be grumpy, argumentative, treating everyone…"
"You've done nothing to earn my ire, Miranda. If I discover things as we go along, I might ask you some questions, but at the moment, everything is chugging along fine. Your boss has been helpful. The crew seems like a good bunch. There are a couple of people now on board who I've worked with before. And having you and Georgia with me already at least means I have people by my side that I've seen at work."
I could see my words genuinely meant a lot to her. "You're going to love your yeoman, Shepard. She's adorable. And we've hired her for one main reason."
I couldn't help laughing. "Really?"
"Redhead. Green eyes. Great tits. And I bet she's just going to have the tightest pussy for you to enjoy."
"And you really hired her for that one reason?"
"We haven't told her that. But she's going to take one look at you, and you at her, and trust me, Shepard…"
I stepped closer and had her looking up at me. "And you, Miranda?" I asked softly. She looked away and I think I embarrassed her a little. "I obviously know a few things while I was asleep. I think it helped me, you know…"
"It was always words on a datapad. Even when I was putting you together… But since you've woken up, I've completely understood. It's just awkward because…"
"As I always tell any woman I meet who is interested, there is no rush. I waited with Ashley. I waited with Liara. And trust me on this. It was worth the wait both times."
"Do you still love them?" she asked softly, "I mean all of them."
"Absolutely. I wonder if they'd still feel the same for me after all this time."
That's when she met my eyes and chuckled. "Shepard, I honestly don't think those feelings would have changed."
We walked onto the ship, and I took a moment to close my eyes and enjoy the moment. Miranda rested her hand on my shoulder before I heard the click of her heels as they walked away. I hadn't boarded the ship until this moment, only wanting to board on the day that I knew that we would leave. Joker was already in his chair, ready for the order to leave. He knew the first stop would be Omega. I'd made the decision to go there first, then I would go to the Citadel and hopefully meet with the Council.
Making my way to the galaxy map, I noticed the redhead typing away at a laptop, the galaxy map illuminating as I walked by. She noticed me approaching, lifting her eyes and immediately smiling. I returned the smile and whispered that we'd talk later as I made my way up onto the elevated platform by the galaxy map.
"I'm sure you all know me by now. You know me as Commander Shepard though I'm not sure I have that ranking any longer. You can call me Commander, or you can call me Shepard. I really don't mind. And I know you've likely been informed about this mission. We're hunting the Collectors and we're going to stop them. To do that, I'm going to need a team. We'll be recruiting them from the moment we leave this station. My orders are simple. Do your job and do it well. If you need me for anything, just come up and talk to me. I'm not off-limits.
I'm aware there might be concerns about my thoughts as to Cerberus. To be honest, I don't really hold any sort of opinion right now. So far, everything has been going well and I hope that continues. At this time, we share the same objectives. Just because you wear that symbol, don't think I'm going to ignore or disregard you or your opinion.
Joker, you read me?"
"Aye, Commander."
"Take us out and onwards to Omega. It's time we got things started."
"On it, Commander. I'll update on the flight time once we're underway."
"Okay, everyone. We have jobs to do. Let's get to them."
Stepping off the platform, Karin, Miranda and Georgia had been standing nearby. Miranda escorted Karin to the nearby elevator, explaining that her med-bay was down a level as was Miranda's office. We'd already discussed that she was my XO. Sensible choice as I knew she'd be effective. The armoury was somewhat bizarrely on the CIC (Combat Information Centre) deck as I thought it would have been better served being in the cargo bay next to the shuttle.
"I'm Kelly. Kelly Chambers," the redhead stated as I walked towards her, "I'm delighted to finally meet you, Shepard."
Miranda was right. She was adorable. Lovely green eyes. Faint freckles over her nose and on her cheeks. The uniform she wore was tight to her curves. She wasn't tall at all, maybe five-two at most.
"Excited to be here, Miss Chambers?"
"Please call me Kelly. And I am, Shepard. We're going to be doing important work. But it's the fact that we're all here working alongside you. We know all about you."
"Even the bad things?"
"We all have our pasts, Shepard."
"I'm intrigued that you're my yeoman. Most ships now just have a VI to handle most of that."
"To be honest, I majored in psychology. My main role is to watch the crew, assess how they are handling the stress. This includes any members of your team… And also you, Shepard. I mean, coming back from the dead… Whatever the case, I'll always be here to talk."
"So there's not a VI?"
"Ah, I see. You haven't been told. The ship comes with… An AI. Artificial intelligence. We call her EDI."
"Her?"
A blue orb suddenly popped up nearby. "I'm referred to as a her due to my voice, Shepard. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
I laughed to myself. "Good thing Tali chose not to join up. She'd pitch a fit if she knew there was AI on the ship. What are your main functions, EDI?"
"During combat, I operate the electronic warfare and cyberwarfare suites. Beyond that, I cannot interfere with the ships systems. I observe, offer analysis and advice. Nothing more."
"I can see the advantages of that. Thanks, EDI."
"Consider me impressed, Shepard," Kelly stated, "It was another thing that had some of us concerned. Given your history with the geth…"
"I can only assume she's somewhat shackled?"
"Absolutely. The Illusive Man wanted an AI on the ship though wanted to make sure that we remained in control. Would you like a tour of the ship?"
"Sure."
I didn't miss the fact that she eagerly grabbed my hand and led me towards the elevator. The next deck below was the Crew Quarters. There was Miranda's personal office and quarters. The mess. Karin's med-bay with the AI room behind that. Two lounges to the starboard and port sides of the ship. A large room with bunks for the crew. And two large bathrooms for men and women.
The next deck was engineering where I discovered an enormous drive core, Kelly asking two of the engineers to explain how much different it was from that on the old Normandy. Their names were Gabby and Ken. They were a good chuckle, Ken with a thick Scottish accent. There were also two storage areas.
After a quick stop in the hangar bay, as there was little there, Kelly smiled at me and pushed the top button. We walked through a small corridor when the door opened to reveal an enormous suite.
"The Captain's Cabin," she stated, "This is for you, Shepard."
"It's enormous!"
"The Illusive Man wanted to make sure that you had your own area for rest and relaxation. And, well, it can also be used to entertain."
There was quite a large bathroom. A desk with a terminal for me to work. A large fish tank. A vidscreen which Kelly told me could be used for a number of reasons. A corner lounge. And then what looked like a king-sized bed. Kelly sat on the edge and smiled at me again before I sat next to her. She immediately leaned against me as I wrapped an arm around her in return.
"I'm so excited to be working with you, Shepard. And before you ask anything else, I might be with Cerberus, but I've never believed in the whole 'aliens can't be trusted' thing. You worked with them before, and I know we'll work with them this time. I hold no hatreds towards anyone."
"Even batarians?"
"Well, they can be dicks but surely they're not all bad."
"I'm glad you told me, Kelly. I was aware of the reputation, but everyone on the ship seems sound."
"Even Miranda and Georgia don't hate anyone. They just believe that we should make sure that humanity is safe and not bullied by the others."
She turned to me and pushed my chest. I chuckled as I laid back as she slid up to straddle my body. My hands went to her hips as she leaned down, her green eyes sparkling with mischief as her lips came perilously close to mine.
"Shepard," she whispered, "I know why he put me on this ship. What he doesn't know is the enormous crush… Hell, I think billions feel the same. I want you to know one thing straight away. Whenever you want to have some fun, I'll be here straight away. Naked, if you want. Hell, order me to work naked and I'll do it for you." I ran my hands to her pert little arse and that made her smile. "I don't think you can rush into sex if you both want it straight away. Maybe wait just, I don't know, a day so we can talk, get to know each other."
"Georgia has been blunt too."
That made her chuckle. "Georgia is horny all the time because it's been too long since she took a good dick."
"And you?"
"Toys and masturbation."
"I love how open women are about their personal habits nowadays."
I rolled her over onto her back and she felt my erection press into her as she couldn't hide the whimper. I leaned down until my lips almost touched hers. Her hands moved up and down my arms as we just gazed at each other for a little while. I took in all the features of her face. She was a mixture of cute and incredibly pretty. She started to blush which made me chuckle again.
"If we don't count the time that I was dead, it has been a few days since I was laid," I said softly.
"Liara?"
"We fucked every single night, Kelly. She was insatiable from the first time we made love."
"I've had sex with asari. They are wonderful lovers."
"Now that is something I'd love to see," I said softly.
I slid off her and offered my hand. She immediately moved in to rest her head against my chest. She felt ever so tiny compared to me. As I stroked her back, I felt her shuffle even closer. We must have stayed like that for a few minutes before she cleared her throat and stepped back. I moved my hand to her cheek, watching the smile form as her eyes closed.
We returned to the CIC where Kelly resumed what she was doing while I decided to see if I had any messages. I did though nothing of any particular importance. I wasn't sure if word would have spread about my return. I did wonder if Tali would have reached out to everyone from my old team to let them know. If she did, I expected to hear from people rather quickly.
Georgia had spent the past couple of days making last preparations for the armoury, so we hadn't talked much. I walked in to find her at the bench, assembling a weapon. She glanced my way and smiled, keying her omni-tool and the smile broadening as I heard a click behind me.
"Finally," she stated before walking towards me. There was absolutely no hesitation when she leaned up to kiss me. I kissed her straight back, moving my hands to her hips and walking her backwards so she rested against the same bench. She immediately lifted herself up and spread her legs enough that I could easily stand between them.
"Not wasting any time…"
"Did you fuck Kelly upstairs?"
"I think we both wanted to but…"
"I'd have happily tasted her pussy on your dick."
We resumed making out as I think we were both rather eager to undress each other. I wasn't surprised that we were giving into temptation rather quickly. I think she'd wanted to have fun as we were on our way back from Freedom's Progress. Her hand ended up sliding into my trousers where she could finally get her hand on my cock again. I had her down to some rather nice underwear as my trousers and underwear hit the floor.
She gently pushed me back and slid off the bench onto the floor, again no hesitation in running her tongue up my shaft. "I'm glad that I'm the first one to get to use this," she stated, "Blow down my throat, honey."
I groaned as I felt her soft lips wrap around my cock. My last blowjob had been the night before I was spaced, Liara having eagerly bobbed her head up and down to earn my load before I returned the favour, ending the night by making love for a couple of hours. I gazed down at Georgia and the desire in her eyes made me smile again. She looked as eager as any lover I'd had before.
She made a lot of noise while sucking my cock and waxed lyrical about the length and thickness. Her hands caressed my balls at the same time. I ran my hands through her thick black hair which made her smile even with my cock buried down her throat.
"Cum for me, honey," she finally said, "Then I'm getting up on that bench and you really need to eat my pussy in return."
"Maybe I should mark your face immediately?" I growled.
"Next time, honey. I want to taste you this first time."
I started to move my hips as her head bobbed faster and faster. My orgasm was approaching, and I warned her that I was close. All she did was tighten her lips around my shaft, her tongue working wonders. My cock definitely felt more sensitive than before. Probably because I'd only used it to pee since waking up.
"Fuck," I groaned as I felt that first spurt of cum fire into her mouth. Her eyes spoke of nothing but delight as spurt after spurt filled her mouth and she audibly swallowed each one. She kept sucking and licking until my cock stropped throbbing and she'd swallowed everything.
"That was delicious, honey. Want to return the favour now?"
I lifted her to her feet and then she hopped back onto the bench. I think I surprised her by kissing, assuring her that if she could swallow my cum, I could handle a slight taste in her mouth. My hands moved to her back and undid the clasp of her bra, freeing her breasts. I felt them both up as we made out. She moaned into my mouth and I could feel her nipples harden. Her panties were the last thing to come off, lifting her arse off as I peeled off the thin fabric. I could feel how damp they were before I dropped them to the floor.
"I've dreamed about this, Shepard," she whispered, "Good thing that Miranda won't be jealous that I'm getting you first."
"Does she want this too?"
She laughed at the question. "She'd never admit it, but she already dreams of a white dress and all the trimmings."
"Ah…"
"She's realistic, Shepard. She just wants to be intimate with you too. Treat her right… She wears armour, but someone like you? You'll get through to the real Miranda."
"And you, Georgia?"
"You can fuck me whenever you want."
I pushed her back, so she rested on her elbows as I kiss down to her breasts, taking each nipple in my mouth and giving it a good suck and lick, earning more than one moan of pleasure. Kissing further down her body, there was no doubt she kept herself incredibly fit, the faint outline of her abs visible. She spread her legs as I made my way to her pussy, her scent infiltrating my nostrils.
"Fuck yeah," I growled, "Nothing better than the scent of an aroused woman."
She was shaved smooth, something most women now did due to the fact that asari didn't have any hair at all. The competition between asari and human females was rather amusing. Hell, humanity had been concerned when men had started dating asari in vast numbers, discussions quickly starting about a possible falling birthrate and the decline of the species.
As I ran my tongue up and down her slit, the moans she released were no doubt heard outside in the CIC. If I already knew Kelly, she was either listening at the door and had a hand in her pants, or she'd be standing at her desk rather aroused though wanting to join in.
"Oh honey… That's it, lick that pussy…"
"Guess I haven't lost my talent?"
"No, honey. Absolutely not. Oh fuck, that's good. Work that tongue, honey. Clit… I like it firm. Nice and firm. Make me cum."
I savoured her pussy for the time being. Women didn't taste the same as asari. I think we know most women don't taste the same either. Every pussy is different. Georgia's was lovely. Perfect to look at and I loved her taste already. When I slid a finger inside her, that earned an even louder moan, particularly when I found her special spot. Once I started to work her clit, I think she nearly choked back a sob.
"Oh Shepard… I'm so close already…"
I gazed up into her eyes. Hers glistened in return. Tough woman on the field, a generous heart elsewhere. Her hands reached down to caress my head and I knew that she was ever so close. And when her orgasm hit, she made such a cry that they probably heard her on the level below as well. I didn't relent. I never gave a woman only one orgasm before I just slid my dick in her. I loved making a lover or lovers orgasm over and over.
After she had enjoyed herself, she lifted herself up into a sitting position and dragged my head up to kiss me.
"Now that was worth the wait," she said softly as her fingers caressed my cock, "And you feel ready again."
I watched her eyes as I slowly slid my cock inside her. I groaned again as she was so tight that it was almost unbelievable. I felt her fingers dig into my back as I buried my length. We resumed making out as I started to move, feeling her legs wrap around me as I pulled her tightly to my body. We moaned together as I started to thrust faster and faster.
What amused me was that she gently pushed me away and slid off the bench, turning around and bending forward. I slid back inside her quickly, earning a moan of pleasure, running my hands up and down her back as I pumped her faster and faster. One hand eventually ended up on her shoulder as my other held her hip. I didn't miss her other shoulder moving as I knew she was playing with her clit.
"Fuck me," she moaned, "I'm going to cum so hard with your cock inside me, honey."
I leaned forward so my mouth was by her ear. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun, Georgia."
"I knew that from the moment you woke up, honey. My pussy was always going to be yours. Though if you're interested, I like girls too."
"Good."
I finally erupted inside her, and when I pulled out, I noticed her flex and some of my cum started to dribble out. It definitely stood out on her dark skin, Georgia turning around to mould her body against mine as we shared another kiss.
"Although I'd love to spend the rest of the day fucking, I want to make sure we're ship-shape for when we get to Omega. We should definitely not board the station without armour and weapons."
We both dressed and shared more than one glance. Georgia's smile never faded even when we were dressed, sharing one last hug and a kiss before she unlocked the door. I walked out and noticed a few of the crew glance in my direction. I hadn't missed the fact that most of them were women and all of them were smiling. As for Kelly, she did glance and I could see her cheeks were very red.
"You heard everything?" I asked quietly as I walked past.
"I'm so turned on right now," she whispered.
"If you need to take care of it…"
"God yes…"
I stood behind her and leaned down to her ear. "Go upstairs to my cabin. Get naked. Masturbate and make yourself cum more than once. And film it for me."
"Yes, Shepard," she breathed.
"Be back down here for dinner."
I continued walking around, getting to know the crew. Joker seemed to be rather chipper. Far better mood than when he was my pilot before. When I mentioned that, he admitted that not suffering through the constant pain was certainly better, but the best thing was that he had a ship to fly and was happy to be working for me again.
Doctor Chakwas was delighted with the med-bay that she'd been provided with. All the latest technology and supplies that she would need. She was honest and confessed to being a little nervous about working with Cerberus, but she said that in her mind it was me she was working for again, not Cerberus.
Miranda was at her desk when I walked into her private office and bedroom. She immediately smiled upon seeing me. "Getting to know the crew, Shepard?"
"Yeah. How are you doing now that you're on the ship?"
"I feel good. It's nice to know that we have a mission and we're going to get things done." I heard the door lock behind me as Miranda slid off her chair and walked around her desk. There was absolutely no doubt she was a beautiful woman. She sat on the edge of her desk and folded her arms beneath her breasts. My eyes went to them immediately before I met her eyes. "I'm not going to be offended if you look, Shepard."
"You're a beautiful woman, Miranda."
That same smile returned very quickly. "It's nice hearing that from someone like you."
"Why's that?"
"Because you've surrounded yourself with beautiful women and asari before. And I don't care who the woman is, she's always going to have that element of self-doubt."
"I think everyone experiences self-doubt for any number of reasons. Hell, you think I didn't second guess quite a few decisions that I made when chasing Saren. The only thing I couldn't do was show any nerves or doubt in front of everyone else."
"You ever told anyone that?"
"Told? No. But you know about asari and melding. Anyone that I've melded with would know all my thoughts. I don't hide anything when I'm melding."
She looked thoughtful before asking, "Do you want to find them all, Shepard?"
"I still love Liara, Miranda. I might have been dead, but you wanted me back the same as I was. My feelings for her and all the others haven't changed."
"I'm guessing that means a visit to the Citadel rather quickly to see the asari councillor."
"Yeah. And Naira…"
"Ah, the young asari who worked for the Consort? There are rumours about her very presence on the Citadel."
"Shit, so Naira?"
"I don't know, Shepard." She smiled at me. "I'm thinking we go to Omega then head to the Citadel?"
"I think that I should at least let the Council know. I barely got to know the new human councillor before I died."
"She's just what you like. Redhead. Blue eyes. Fantastic body. A little bit older than you are though I don't think you'd care. That does make me wonder… Why did you never sleep with Doctor Chakwas?"
"To be honest, I think we both wanted it but she wished to remain professional. I respected those wishes."
"It's obvious how much she respects you. When I recruited her, she needed a moment to cry because she was so happy to hear the news."
"What about you, Miranda? What makes you tick?" She looked away and I could sense she was unsure. Probably how to answer or didn't want to share her private life. "It's okay. You don't have to answer me now. But I will pester you until you tell me at least something."
"I love chocolate," she said with a chuckle.
"Then I'll make sure that I buy some for you regularly."
"You'd do that?"
"If it earns that smile of yours every time." I stepped closer. Not enough to be touching, but she did have to lift her eyes. "Miranda, we're going to be working closely on this mission. I had my old squad. I was their leader, but I was also their friend. It does make it harder when… Losing people is always hard. Losing friends is worse. But that's the decision I made at the time. That closeness made us a real unit. I plan on doing the same thing again. I want us to be friends as well as colleagues, Miranda."
"Even if I'm with Cerberus."
"I'm judging you on your heart and mind, Miranda, not by who you associate with. There are only a few times that I would. This isn't one of them."
"No wonder he wanted you back so badly."
"And he's given me everything I need to succeed, including a beautiful XO who I'm sure will prove to be a wonderful asset during this mission." I glanced at the large bed behind her and the comforts provided. "On an Alliance vessel, even the XO usually bunks with other officers. Seems like Cerberus does things differently."
"I haven't really slept on it yet."
"If it's anything like my bed upstairs…"
"Do you like your cabin?"
"Love it. You should come and join me for a drink one night." I immediately held up both hands. "Just a drink. A drink and a chat."
"And will any other women be there?"
That made me laugh. "I have a feeling Kelly wants to move in with me already."
"She's adorable. We really like her. It's why we recruited her. We knew she'd be good for you, Shepard."
"Make sure you join us for dinner in a couple of hours. Don't shut yourself in here or isolate yourself. You said that people called you the Ice Queen. Speak to the crew. Get to know them. And let them know you in return."
"I'll try, Shepard."
"Good. That's all I can ask. I'll leave you to it for now. I think we'll be in Omega by tomorrow."
"I'll be ready to get started when we dock."
The crew were pleased to be invited for dinner. Even Joker managed to get away from his seat, effectively putting the ship in 'park' as he came downstairs. Miranda did wander out and joined us. I was sitting between Georgia and Kelly, and I think everyone already knew that Georgia and I had fucked earlier that day. After dinner, I carried on working for another couple of hours as my laptop was inundated with information, also reviewing the dossiers that I'd been given
I took datapads up to my room, busy reading through the information for the three recruits that I might find on Omega. They were labelled as 'Archangel', 'The Professor' and 'The Widowmaker'. I was still reading when EDI announced that Kelly was heading up in the elevator. I chuckled to myself as I placed the datapads on the coffee table and stood up. She noticed me waiting for her when the doors opened.
She bit her bottom lip for a couple of seconds before she ran forward and leapt on me, our lips meeting as I stumbled back and landed on the bed. We made out for a few minutes before she finally lifted herself away.
"Can I sleep here tonight?"
"Just to sleep or…"
"Actually… Just to sleep," she said, almost blushing from the confession, "I mean… I know Georgia is only really interested in fucking you. Miranda… I'm not sure. Me? I'm not expecting a complete sweep-me-off-my-feet romance, but… Yes, I'd like to sleep here with you, Shepard."
"Did you bring…"
That made her snort. "I'm sleeping naked, Shepard. I don't wear anything to bed."
"Nor do I. Want a drink?"
"I'd love one."
My cabin did come with a small bar that someone had already stocked with my favourite tipples. I poured us each a decent measure, handing it to her once I was settled next to her on the lounge. We spent at least an hour talking about our lives. She knew nearly everything about me but liked hearing things from my viewpoint. As for Kelly, she admitted to a rather ordinary life. A happy home life. One sister. A university graduate. And only a recent recruit for Cerberus. She was quite a bit younger, still in her early twenties.
When it came to bed, she stood up and performed quite the slow striptease for me until she was completely naked. Moving over to straddle my lap, we shared another kiss as my hands immediately ended up on that pert little bottom of hers. Her tits were about a C-cup and perfect for her frame. She worked on getting me as naked as she was, not missing how her eyes lit up when my cock popped free as I was nursing quite the erection.
Moving over to my bed, she spooned back against me as I pulled her back to my chest. She sighed and I had a feeling she was rather happy with life.
"I'm not frustrating you, am I? You feel so hard against me."
"It'll go away."
"Are you worried about Omega?"
"Nah. Though it'll give me the chance to talk to the leader this time."
My fingers stroked her body between breasts and groin, Kelly turning her head occasionally so I could kiss her. She eventually settled down and fell asleep before me. I hadn't slept all that much since waking up. I think it was one of those subtle changes made. I'd already tested my strength in the gym and I have no doubt my endurance was better. And if I didn't need as much sleep, that could only be a good thing.
I did get a couple of hours though woke up well before Kelly. I was enjoying a shower later when she joined me, and she ended up pressed back against the side as we made out. When I felt her fingers caressing my cock, I pulled back to meet her eyes.
"Don't tease me," I warned her gently.
"I won't."
She dropped to her knees and my cock disappeared so quickly, there was no doubting how eager she was to pleasure me. It was one hell of a blowjob, just as good as the one Georgia have given me the previous day. Kelly loved it when I ran my fingers through her hair, her eyes sparkling as her head quickly bobbed faster, her tongue working my shaft at the same time.
I wasn't embarrassed when I warned her rather quickly that I was close. Her eyes spoke of almost desperation in making me cum, and when I finally erupted, I groaned more than once as my cock throbbed with each spurt. Kelly eagerly drank it all down before she showed me her empty mouth.
"Yummy," she stated while continuing to stroke my dick, "Now that's a morning treat, Shepard."
Turning off the shower, I lifted her up and heard her giggling as she was over my shoulder, placing her down on the bed. I spread her legs and gazed at her pussy. There was a strip of vibrant red pubic hair above her pussy, otherwise it was nice and smooth. I licked my lips before I got down there and devoured her. Kelly learned very quickly that I loved eating pussy and I wasn't too bad at pleasing her. I enjoyed how her body moved to what I was doing. Her scent and taste drove me nuts, and my cock remained rock solid.
"Shepard," she whimpered.
"I want more than one orgasm, Kelly. Don't let me down."
She had more than one orgasm. In fact, I was pleasuring her for so long that EDI popped up nearby to mention that breakfast was being served in the mess. That brought me to a halt, and I asked if she'd always know if I was upstairs with someone else. She didn't exactly reply. Oh well, if she wants to listen to me fucking, that's on her.
Kelly eventually had to push my head away as she simply couldn't handle any more pleasure. I lay next to her as she turned to cuddle into me, my fingers stroking her soft skin as she took a few deep breaths. "Wow," she finally whispered, "I thought asari knew how to eat pussy, Shepard. Where did you learn all that?"
"If I said that I spent a lot of the time chasing Saren eating pussy…"
She snorted then giggled again before I hugged her a little tighter. "We didn't waste a lot of time, did we?" she wondered.
"I'm glad. I was attracted immediately. They recruited well."
We got up and dressed, no one really batting an eye when we walked into the mess together. It was only after we'd each grabbed a tray and sat down, Georgia making sure that I was sitting next to her as well, that she asked if we'd fucked.
"Totally just sucked his dick," Kelly gushed to the amusement of those around us.
"And he returned the favour?"
"Oh my god! I haven't cum that many times, that hard, in so long. No… Never. I've never had that before."
"Good. I'm glad you've looked after the young woman, honey. She deserves it."
Clearing my throat, I looked down the table. "Time to Omega, Joker?"
"No more than a couple of hours, Commander."
I had a feeling that Joker would always call me by my ranking. I wasn't going to give him shit about it.
"Good. What sort of reception will we receive, Miranda?"
"They'll get in touch with us before we dock. I think the fact that we have the formerly dead Commander Shepard, Council Spectre, on our ship might just get us docking permission."
"Joker, don't bother cloaking once we're in the system. Let them know we're on our way."
"Copy that, Commander."
Before she walked away to her office, Chakwas stopped me as I walked by her and chuckled. "I'm glad you haven't changed in one regard, Shepard," she stated.
"Please, you think I'd turn down the chance with so many beautiful women. When will you give me a chance to win your heart, Karin?"
She returned a warm smile and moved closer to cuddle into me. "Who says you don't already have it, Shepard?"
"Oh… Well…"
"I'm happy with platonic right now. It's nice to know that I have a true friend."
"I'd say that I'll always be here, but the last two years…"
"I put it down to you being asleep. You needed the rest after saving us. Now you're back, ready to get back into the action."
When she turned around to walk away, I took a chance and patted her butt. She glanced back and smiled before walking through the door of the med-bay. Back on the CIC, I checked in with Georgia about our weaponry before I walked to the flight deck where Joker had us through the last relay and heading towards Omega. I knew we would have lit up like a beacon and I wasn't surprised that we were contacted rather quickly.
They were not friendly and had us labelled as a Cerberus vessel. I had a feeling they were going to shoot first and ask questions later. I identified myself as Commander Shepard. That shut them up before a voice suggested I was talking bullshit. I retorted by suggesting they let my ship dock, and they could check it out for themselves.
We were eventually granted permission to dock though warned a welcoming party would be sent to greet us. I figured as much and returned to the armoury. Miranda and Georgia were already there, putting on armour, grabbing weapons and shield packs. Georgia was wearing light armour. Miranda just wore her suit. Noticing my glance, she gestured to her shield pack.
"Modified pack," she said, "Very strong. I don't plan on getting shot either."
"I think we all plan that. It's like getting in a fight. No one plans on getting hit until they're punched in the face."
Gathering by the airlock as Joker brought the ship into dock, I felt the clamps attached to hold the ship in place before we walked into the airlock to let the air cycle and decompress. Once the other door opened, the first thing to assault the senses was the smell. I was surprised to see a salarian waiting for us. He didn't get many more than a few words out before he was pushed out of the way and three batarians stood before us. The salarian had called the one in charge Moklan.
The three batarians bristled with hatred. I almost smirked as I hated them just as much in return. Even after death, I'd find it difficult to ever let it go.
"Welcome to Omega, Shepard," Moklan stated. I was quite certain he was being sarcastic. "Aria wants to know what brings a dead Spectre to Omega. I suggest you go to Afterlife now and present yourself." His four eyes diverted to my two companions. "Interesting company you keep now as well. Though given what happened on Torfan…"
"Look, I'm not here to cause trouble for anyone on Omega."
"You say that, but that's for Aria to decide. It's why you should go to Afterlife. Now."
"Well, what a pleasant fellow," Miranda muttered when Moklan and his two henchmen turned around.
"And they really don't like you," Georgia added.
"I hate them back. It's worked for me until now."
Walking out into a large plaza, it was obvious immediately that this was a hive of scum and villainy. There was a rather long line of patrons hoping to get into Afterlife. Mercenaries were walking about ready to start fighting. Plenty of civilians who certainly didn't look comfortable. EDI was already investigating and had information for us. Mordin Solus was in the middle of a plague zone…
"Hang on… Plague? As in that shit which used to wipe out a few million humans every so often centuries ago?"
"The area is currently under quarantine, Shepard."
"Okay, what else?"
"Three mercenary groups are working together in an attempt to get on top of Archangel. It appears he has been working to take them down. They are actively recruiting in Afterlife."
"Copy. And what about the Widowmaker?"
"She is currently in Afterlife. I do not believe she is working on a contract."
I avoided the line and walked straight into Afterlife. No one tried to stop me though I heard complaints from those in the line. The music which was already loud from the outside only increased in volume as we followed the bright lights towards the main bar. My eyes were immediately on the beautiful asari dancers above the bar and on the nearby podium. No real surprise that they were naked, perky breasts bouncing around as they cavorted on stage.
"Damn…" I muttered as I walked to the nearest bar, a turian bartender behind it. "I'll take a beer. What'll you two have?"
"Something sweet," Georgia replied.
I looked at Miranda, surprised that she actually replied, "I'll take a beer too."
After receiving our drinks, I glanced around the bar. Full of all the species of the galaxy. Plenty of asari. The same with batarians, to be honest. A few humans and turians. I found a booth and the three of us sat down. An asari immediately walked over and offered a dance.
"I'd love one though only if it's okay…"
"Get up on the table, sugar. Show us that body," Georgia stated.
The asari smiled as I helped her up onto the table and she started to cavort. Even Miranda ended up watching with interest though there was no missing that our dancer was focusing a lot of her attention on me. She eventually ended up on her back with her legs spread, showing off her beautiful little pussy, and the fact it was glistening was a surprise.
"Turned on?" I teased as she allowed touching, running my hands up and down her thighs.
"I know who you are," she whispered, "Word spread like wildfire that you're back."
"Shepard, eat the poor girl out and give her an orgasm," Georgia encouraged.
"I don't fuck clients so I'm clean… No drugs either… I just dance…"
I glanced at Miranda again. She smiled at me before sipping at her beer. "I'm thinking Aria can wait a few…"
"She's the one that sent me over… She's heard stories about his interests…"
I pulled the asari off the table, so she was straddling my lap. She couldn't feel my erection because of the armour as my hands ended up resting at her arse. "What's your name, sweetie?" I whispered.
"Xera," she replied with a shy smile.
"I should probably see Aria first otherwise I'm going to be distracted. But I'd love another dance afterwards."
"Private dance… For the three of us…" Georgia asked.
"Absolutely!" Xera exclaimed before blushing brightly, "I mean… Goddess… It's really you?"
I hugged her to me and felt her just melt in my arms. "Okay, she's adorable too," Georgia stated, "I'm thinking we're going to see this reaction quite a lot going forward, Miranda."
"Yeah… The asari really love him from everything that I've read the past two years."
Xera slid off my lap and kissed my cheek. We finished our drinks before we slid out of the booth and walked towards an elevated section of the club. I didn't miss the armed batarians hanging about. Security. They fit the theme of Afterlife and Omega itself. I did wonder if they had operations of their own or if it's something that Aria wouldn't approve.
The asari who I could assume was Aria was standing with her back to me, looking out over her club. I was permitted to walk up the stairs before I heard her tell me to stop. Weapons were suddenly withdrawn, two pistols towards me. I heard other weapons withdrawn, a quick glance to see Georgia and Miranda already with weapons in hand.
I laughed which had Aria glancing back with a smirk. Considering I wasn't armed, all it took was a flick of her head to have weapons put away. "Shepard?" Miranda asked.
"Just a little misunderstanding. I'm unarmed and I think even these people wouldn't shoot…" A batarian then stood in front of me. "Well… Anyway, just stay nearby."
The batarian scanned at me which had me chuckling again. "You appear to be in good humour, Shepard," Aria stated, still not looking at me.
"You realise my weapons are perfectly visible."
"As far as I'm aware, Commander Shepard is dead. I don't trust dead Spectres. You could be anyone with that face."
It was only when the batarian reported that I was clean that she finally turned around to face me. I wouldn't have called her conventionally attractive, but there was a steel to her gaze, and I could almost sense her power. Even though I'd been rebuilt, ever since I'd had been close to a number of asari, I'd gained a slight sense of their biotics gifts. Aria was on another level if my senses were correct.
"What brings you here to my club, Shepard?" she asked, gesturing to a space on the couch nearby as she sat back.
"I was told that you would have information that would help me find people for my mission."
"Information comes at a price, Shepard." I tried not to smile. "Not that, Shepard. If you think that I'm just going to fall into bed with you that easily like Xera will…"
"Why'd you send her my way?"
"Because like most young asari, she has a large crush on you. But as long as you don't fuck with me, Shepard, I won't fuck with you. I know your story."
"I'm not here to fuck with anyone. I'm just here for a few people and if you could point me in the right direction..."
Aria actually proved to be a real treasure trove of information. Archangel had managed to piss off every major mercenary group working on Omega and there was a large price on his head. She knew that they were recruiting downstairs and even suggested that would be the better course of action rather than just fighting our way through to get to him.
Mordin Solus was an ex-STG operative who was on Omega trying to fight a plague that had only recently erupted. It had also provoked anti-human sentiment as she knew that humans were the only species not to be affected by it. As far as she was aware, Mordin was safe where he was and given his past, he'd also proven rather deadly if anyone came to mess with his operation.
"Maybe we should get Archangel first?" I suggested to my companions.
"Whatever you think is best," Miranda replied, "If Mordin is safe, and we need to get Archangel first…"
As for the Widowmaker, otherwise known as Amelie Lacroix, she had been working on a couple of jobs on Omega since arriving in the last month. She was a frequent visitor to Afterlife though had her own small apartment on the outskirts of the plague zone.
"You'll like her, Shepard. She's human… But she's blue."
"Blue?"
"I've spoken to her a couple of times. Lovely accent. I can only imagine she's blue due to some trauma in her past."
"Guess I'll just hope to catch her in here if I time it right."
Aria didn't ask me any personal questions, just expressing some confusion that I was in the company of Cerberus operatives. As I had nothing to hide, I told her what I already knew. She was impressed by what I could tell her before I stood up and made my way back to my companions. Xera was lurking nearby, and I gestured for her to approach. She was disappointed that I took a raincheck on her dance though I gave her my word that I would be back as soon as possible to get that private dance.
"With your friends?" she asked.
"Oh, sugar, we wouldn't miss watching you dance again for the world," Georgia replied.
The recruiting station was in a lower part of the club. There were a couple of armed thugs at the door. It opened as we approached. I didn't recognise any of the uniforms as I simply hadn't dealt with any of the mercenary groups that operated on Omega. And I figured they operated throughout the Terminus Systems in addition to that.
I was surprised that the batarian recruiter didn't recognise me. Maybe word about my return hadn't spread throughout all of Omega just yet. Noticing that I was well-armed as were my companions, he figured that we'd be good in a fight. We were told that signing up did not make us a member of the Blue Suns, so that was one of the three groups. And we would only be paid upon completion.
"Guess we're not getting paid," I said as we walked out, "As I reckon they'll all be dead."
I brushed past some idiot kid who looked wet behind the ears. I was about to stop him when I thought that if he was stupid enough to sign up with a mercenary group and think he had a chance of taking down Archangel, more fool him.
Transport was waiting for us nearby. It didn't take all that long to reach the outskirts of their operations, a nearby sign stating we were in the Kima District. We were greeted by another Blue Suns operative who directed us towards Sergeant Cathka for further instructions. As we made our way forward, we learned the names of the two other groups, known as the Eclipse and the Blood Pack.
There was no missing the mechs the mercenaries were using including at least one or two of the larger mechs. I had a little fun when stopping and talking to people along the way, doing my best to learn as much information as possible about what we were walking into. I also learned that the Blood Pack was primarily krogan.
I was surprised that no one in the Eclipse recognised me considering that most of them appeared to be asari. I talked to their leader who didn't particularly want to talk to me in return though she provided more information for us.
"Bet you'd love to fuck a room full of asari mercs," Georgia whispered as we walked away.
"I reckon if they realise who I was that they'd kill me."
We found Sergeant Cathka in a gunship hangar. I thought that was a bit of overkill to kill just one man. I had a quick chat with the batarian before he returned to fixing the gunship. Miranda got my attention and made a subtle gesture. I couldn't help grin as I picked up the welder and attached it to the back of Cathka's armour. He was rendered unconscious rather quickly.
Another wave of mercenaries had tried to cross the bridge and been wiped out. The tactics being used were abysmal though I was left thinking it was all a distraction. We took cover behind a barricade as another row of freelancers formed up next to us. We waited until the signal and I could only hope that Archangel would recognise the uniform.
We leapt the barricade at the signal. I didn't want to shoot at anyone yet though I didn't miss the falter of my shields as Archangel did take a shot at me. We only turned and fired at those next to us once we'd made it inside his hideout. There were shouts of consternation as the three of us tore them to shreds. Most of them didn't wear armour nor have a shield pack.
Making our way up the stairs, we kept our weapons in hand as we had no idea how Archangel was going to react to our presence, but the fact he'd taken a shot at me though and then ignored us had me thinking that he realised that perhaps he had allies. Archangel was busy lining up a shot at someone below, holding up a signal to remain silent as we heard the rack of the sniper rifle a few seconds later.
Archangel placed their rifle down and moved to sit on the edge of a lounge. Removed their helmet and I felt the smile break out on my face. "Shepard… I thought you were dead," he stated wearily.
"Garrus! What the hell are you doing here?"
We shook hands and I could just feel the weariness washing off him. Yet he also seemed grateful that I was there in that moment. "Just a little target practice."
"You okay?"
"To be honest, I've been better, but it's nice seeing a friendly face for the first time in ages. What are you doing here?"
"I was hoping to recruit Archangel. Got another mission. Hunt down bad people. Kill them. That sort of thing."
"Well, if you're back from the dead, I guess it must be pretty bad."
"How'd you manage to piss that lot off?" I asked, gesturing towards where the mercenary groups had been assembling.
"I worked particularly hard at it, Shepard. I'm surprised that they're cooperating as they usually hate each other, so the fact they're working together means they hate me more. Part of me feels honoured."
"But why Omega?"
"Well, after you… disappeared, let's call it… I returned to the Citadel, but it didn't take long until I was just sick of all the bullshit again. Resigned for good this time and set out on my own. The galaxy has a lot of scum to take care of. Omega seemed like a good place to start."
"We got in here, but I guess we now need to get out. Any ideas?"
"I've been working on it. That bridge you crossed has been my lifesaver. Funnels all the idiots through a narrow corridor and leaves them as easy pickings. For well-equipped, well-funded mercenary groups, they sure are full of idiots. Now that I have the three of you, I think we wait them out, pick them apart, then make our break when we've whittled down their numbers."
"Sounds like a solid plan. The only negative is that surely they'll get smarter."
"No doubt, but we'll buy ourselves some time and pile the bodies high while doing so."
"Time to kick some arse like the old days. Georgia, Miranda, you up for it?"
"You bet, Shepard," Miranda stated. Georgia just grinned at me. I think she liked seeing me in action.
The next couple of hours proved to be rather hectic as wave after wave of freelancers and mercs flung themselves at our defensive line. Garrus was still a crack shot with his rifle. Miranda and Georgia were biotically gifted and tore through their defensive lines. Garrus could take down shields as could Miranda. The gunfire was almost incessant as the mercenary groups began to really push us hard.
The first group to make their final play was the Eclipse mercenaries. They used mechs to distract us, and considering the sheer number of them, if it had been only Garrus himself, I'm not sure he could have fought them off. The larger mechs were a cause for concern, taking out their shields first before Miranda threw me a small pack that would allow me to fire incendiary ammo.
"Fuck yeah!" I shouted as my new ammo tore through the armour of the larger mechs. Garrus was using a variety of different ammo upgrades depending on the enemy.
As for Jaroth, the leader of the Eclipse team, Garrus eventually put a bullet through the head of the salarian. Once he was dead, the rest of the Eclipse either died with him or retreated and I had a feeling we wouldn't be seeing them again.
We barely had any respite before we heard explosions below us. Garrus suggested that the Blood Pack must have finally tunnelled through what he'd earlier blocked off. I left Georgia with him and headed downstairs to deal with the issue. It was the Blood Pack pressing on two fronts. Garrus and Miranda kept in contact as we were both working hard.
"Damn, wish I still had Wrex when it comes to fighting krogan," I muttered. But we quickly learned that burning the fuckers worked a treat. For all the redundant organs, they burned just like anyone else.
"Know much about vorcha?"
"Barely heard of them," I admitted, "I just know they're, well…"
"I know Cerberus has a reputation, but I think everyone can admit that vorcha are scumbags."
We managed to get the shutters closed and locked again before the Blood Pack managed to break through, arriving back with Garrus and Miranda just as the Blood Pack must have sent everyone else they had remaining. It turned into a brutal fight, switching to my shotgun as it was starting to get rather up close and personal. I'm not sure how the four of us managed to survive. We all suffered failed shields. Miranda took a wound on her arm that was solved by a quick application of Medi-gel. Georgia was fit as hell though was wiping her forehead dry from her exertions, particularly her biotics.
They never came close to the stairs that would lead to Garrus. I heard the crack of his rifle every few seconds and if I remember him well, he will never miss.
Garrus recognised the leader of the Blood Pack and I went after him. He looked perplexed to be facing down a human in black armour with an N7 emblem on his chest. I think it was only the third shotgun blast to the chest that had him down to his knees that he finally put two and two together.
"Shepard? You're meant to be dead."
I placed the barrel of my shotgun into his face. "You're right. Meant to be."
Garrus was chuckling to himself when I rejoined him. "Haven't changed a bit, Shepard."
"I've retained my hatred for a few things. Batarians. Scumbags…"
Garrus sighed as we had a moment of peace before I assumed the final waves. The Blue Suns had just seen their allies wiped out. I knew they wouldn't wimp out and wave the white flag. They would throw everything including the proverbial kitchen sink at us.
"I think we can fight our way out now…"
Before I could even reply, the gunship that Cathka had been working on appeared and opened fire where we had been standing. All of us broke apart and got into cover. And as we waited in cover, we heard shouts from Blue Suns below us. This was definitely their final push. Garrus remained in place as I worked with Miranda and Georgia. It was absolutely nuts as my shotgun was barking constantly. Shields failed almost immediately and there was no way armour could handle a shotgun blast at close range.
It was one hell of a fight, a reminder of previous battles during my chase of Saren. The tactics were, putting it simply, pretty fucking appalling. From them, not from us. Miranda clearly had tactical nous while Georgia's military training was evident as well. We made one hell of an effective team already. I was glad that they were along for the ride.
We'd cleared everyone out when we returned to Garrus. Before we could start slapping each other on the back, the gunship fired a rocket that impacted next to Garrus. He was thrown clear of the blast and quite obviously in a bad way. I was incensed at seeing my friend injured.
"Miranda, tend to him. Georgia, with me. We're taking that thing down."
Incendiary ammo was the order of the day. Miranda joined us after having tended to Garrus. She managed to slowly whittle away the shields of the gunship before they finally disappeared, and we could really light up the bird. The pilot fired the occasional rocket that sailed harmlessly by though I knew the building we were in would collapse soon enough.
Once the gunship started to belch smoke, I knew we had the bastard. What I didn't expect was for it to blow up after only another few bursts of gunfire. The wreckage fell to the ground before it dropped off the side to whatever lay far below.
Miranda returned to Garrus to tend to his wounds as I called in an evac. Our shuttle arrived within minutes with Doctor Chakwas on board. She was delighted to know that we'd found Garrus though immediately set to work as he'd taken severe injuries. Medi-gel would work for now though she mentioned that he would need surgery.
We were back on the Normandy within minutes, getting Garrus up to the med-bay. Miranda stayed to assist Doctor Chakwas, both of them telling me to wait outside and that they'd let me know. Doctor Chakwas rested her hand on my forearm before I left, assuring me that he wasn't going to die, and that many of the wounds looked worse than they actually were.
Garrus had always been a tough bastard and proved it when he was up and about within twenty-four hours. Yes, his face was held together by stitches and gauze, but although he'd been through hell, he seemed rather chipper about things. We spent time catching up before he sat me down and asked, "Shepard, what the hell are you doing with Cerberus?"
"I've not joined them, if that's what you're thinking. But they put me back together. Gave me a mission. And although I've heard plenty of rumours about what they've done, I've never seen anything untoward."
"They have the reputation for a reason though."
"I know. I'll be careful, but Miranda and Georgia…"
"I understand that you've got other recruits to get. Let me know when you want to go, and I'll be there. Don't let the face put you off."
"Well, you always were ugly, Garrus."
That made him laugh for a moment. "Thanks, Shepard. I'm glad you're back."
"It's good to be back."