"Follow the orders from the Matriarch! Kill them!" Ventralis's voice rang around the elevator, as I had to press myself into the sidewall of the elevator to avoid the barrage of ammo.

I took quick peeks around the edges of the elevator and saw a makeshift cover point close to the elevator but I'd be shot down if I tried to run it.

"Liara! We need a kinetic barrier!" I told her, pointing in the direction of the cover point. Liara nodded as she quickly set up a large kinetic wall in front of the elevator; leaving enough room to maneuver around it and to cover.

I quickly spun around the elevator corner as I slide behind the cover point just before the kinetic barrier was destroyed.

My plan attracted the attention to my location, leaving just enough time for Liara and Wrex to get behind another cover point. I didn't need to explain how the elevator isn't a good place to hide behind in a gunfight, especially a small one like that.

Noticing the others, Liara had attracted the attention away from me and onto their spot.

'Okay, let's try Plan A' I thought as I began shooting from cover at the soldiers, effectively grabbing their attention again. While distracted, I motioned Wrex to charge the group from behind. He nodded happily as he was suddenly surrounded by biotic energy and attacked the group head on, knocking them to the ground.

Liara and I stood up from our cover and began shooting at the downed soldiers while Wrex just shoot their and pressed his foot on their heads until the sickening sound of a 'crack' or 'crunch' was heard.

"Did you have to do that, Wrex?" I said, wincing as I walked around the bodies.

"They're dead, aren't they?" Wrex shrugged.

"Yes, but-" Sounds of gunfire in the distance cut me off.

"Must not be the only ones they're trying to kill" Wrex mumbled. I stood there silent before suddenly the reality hit me like a ton of bricks.

"We forgot about Jane!" I yelled out, catching Liara and Wrex off guard.

Without giving them time to realize what was going on, I ran through the open door, leading me through more corridors and heading towards the main room where the shots were getting louder and louder.

I could hear the others catching up behind me; I was only a few feet away from the door leading to the room before…

I stopped as the others caught up with me. I stood for a few more seconds before Liara questioned me.

"What are you doing?" Liara asked, worried and sounding a little bit panicked.

"The guns have stopped," I said bluntly, holding my rifle protectively.

"Keep your guard up. I don't like this" I said as I ordered Liara and Wrex to stand at the sides of the door while I took point, aiming my rifle at the door as Liara opened it.

The sight of the room surprised and confused me to no end.

In the center of the room stood Jane looking slightly better but weaponless and frozen to the spot, wide-eyed; Shiva hovering above Jane's head, looking unharmed while surrounded by corpses of the soldiers who were guarding the place and survivors shaking at the side, scared shitless.

I didn't know whether to burst out laughing or stand in horror.

Wrex scanned the area for more soldiers while Liara and I went to investigate Jane and Shiva.

"Jane. Are you alright?" I questioned her worriedly as she slowly looked up at Shiva.

Following her gaze, I watched Shiva float down from above us and next to me.

"I protected her when the guards came to kill her. The doctor was killed in the process but the patients survived" Shiva reported.

"Wait, how did you protect her?" I asked Shiva.

"I have a built-in weapons system designed for small-scale fights" she replied.

"No, I mean why did you protect her? I thought VIs had to be told to do something before they did it, but you seemed to do it out of free will…" I looked at Shiva, waiting for her to reply.

Silence.

"In fact, I don't even remember asking you to stay with Jane while she was in the med-bay" I added, gazing at her in slow realization of her free will.

All I got was continued silence from the floating ball before Wrex interrupted.

"We're wasting time. I say we deal with the bugs and leave," Wrex said, obviously getting bored.

"You're right. We should get moving" Jane added, getting out of her state of shock. Seeing her discomfort, I handed her my rifle while took out my pistol.

"Thanks" she smiled gratefully.

I nodded before taking another look at Shiva. She remained silent but continued to float around her.

I noticed movement and turned to see the civilians still shaking at the side of the room.

"Wait" I told the others before turning to face them.

"What?" Jane questioned.

"We can't just leave them here. They're defenseless," I told them.

"We don't have time to play the guardian, Lily" Jane replied.

"I'm not going to abandon them, Jane," I told her forcefully.

"That's an order, Lily. Come on" Jane said now getting agitated. The others stood to the side, silently, obviously not wanting to get involved.

"They'll die if we just leave them here" I told her.

"We'll tell someone at the port to send someone over to help them" Jane replied.

"They could be dead by then" I argued, not giving up on them.

"Look, we're about to deal with the rachni problem, if you haven't noticed" Jane said in an impatient tone.

"There will always be stragglers, Jane, and what if they're attacked before we deal with the problem? What if can't even deal with the problem, Jane?" I questioned her.

She sighed, seeming to have had enough of this never-ending argument.

"Alright, fine. If it makes you happy, stay with them until we deal with the rachni problem. Then we'll come back and we'll leave, okay?" Jane compromised.

"How about I round up the survivors and take them to the tram. That way if the rachni attack, they can hide in the tram?" I changed the compromise.

She sighed again, obviously just wanting to deal with the problem and leave ASAP.

"Alright, fine" Jane said before turning to Liara.

"Liara, stay with Lily and help protect the survivors" She ordered Liara who nodded at the command.

"Yes, Shepard" Liara said before standing next to me.

Jane nodded at this arrangement one more time before leaving with Wrex to deal with the problem.

I turned to Liara.

"Liara stay with these people and see if you can calm them down. They look pretty shaken," I said as I worriedly looking at the people.

"Alright, but where are you going?" Liara questioned me as I heading to the door at the far side of the room.

"I'm going to gathered the survivors from downstairs and bring them up here" I told her before heading past the now-opened door.

It took a few minutes but eventually I managed to convince them to come with me back to the main room where the other survivors were beginning to relax.

After me and Liara had collected the two scientist patients from the med-bay, we managed to hoard everyone to the tramway waiting room where everyone began to get comfortable and chat to the others.

They seemed a lot calmer with the thought of returning home in their minds.

Liara and I kept our weapons out while I asked Shiva to patrol around the trams incase of a surprise attack.

We remained that way for around ten minutes before a loud bang below us was heard, followed by the ground shaking beneath us.

'What the hell?' I questioned mentally as silence surrounded the trams.

"Everyone, get onto the tram" I ordered as they quickly boarded the tram. I stood by the panel just in case I needed to send them away.

Suddenly, the door opened as me and Liara aimed at the doorway.

"It' safe" Jane called as Wrex and her walked through the door, joining us by the tram. I sighed in relief as we put away our weapons.

"Glad to see you're alright" I told her.

"You too" she replied. Awkward silence followed as Wrex, sensing tension, interrupted it. Again.

"Can we leave now?" Wrex asked as he entered the tram. It was like he had a force field since every step he took forward, the people took one step away.

"Well then, ready?" I asked them. They nodded in unison as we entered the tramway.

"Select your destination" the panel's VI sounded.

"Wait, I thought it only went one way" I said confused.

"It seems there's a tram leading back to the port," Jane said, examining the panel.

"You mean we could have just taken the tram instead of getting a garage pass to use the Mako, nearly leading us to our death because of ice, geth and Liara's stunt with the colossus?" I questioned her.

"Yep" Jane said, a line of annoyance forming on her forehead.

I remained silent as the tram began its journey to the port.

Fast-travel onto the Normandy

Everyone was sitting in his or her designated seats in the debriefing room while Ashley began to speak.

"What's our next move, commander? Head for the Mu Relay?" Ashley spoke up.

"The Mu Relay could link to dozens of systems. Unless we know exactly where Saren is going, we'd just be wasting our time" Jane said, leaning against the FTL comm panel.

"The commander is right. We cannot rush off blind. We still need to learn more about Saren" Liara added.

"Who put you in charge? Did the commander resign when I wasn't looking?" Ashley asked, crossing her legs. Liara looked a bit taken back by her statement but Jane wasn't.

"I'm not a puppet for the asari! I give the orders around here. Understood?" Jane glared at Ashley. Ashley silenced quickly as Liara looked unfazed and replied quickly.

"Forgive me, Commander. I was only trying to help" Liara apologized. Jane sighed before replying in a calmer tone.

"This is a tough mission. We're all on edge. Everyone go get some rest…crew dismissed" Jane ordered as everyone began to leave.

"Not you though" Jane said to me. I nodded as everyone left.

"I need you to report to the Council since through most of the mission, you were leading the team through Noveria while I stayed in the med-bay" Jane explained.

"All right, sis" I nodded, understanding as Jane left the room.

"Ready to patch to the Council, Lily?" Joker asked me.

"Patch them through, Joker," I replied as I began to brace myself for the lecture.

Suddenly, three holograms of the council appeared before me.

"Is this report…oh, Lieutenant Shepard" the asari councilor began.

"Where's the commander?" the salarian questioned.

"She felt it best if I was the one to report to you about the mission since the Commander was indisposed through most of it" I explained.

"Very well, then" the salarian nodded in acceptance as the asari began to speak.

"As I was saying, is this report accurate in saying that you found rachni on Noveria?" she asked.

"And then released the queen! Do you have any idea what you've done? How many generations until they overrun the galaxy?" the turian said angrily, obviously disliking the turn of events. I guess it's time for my futile attempt at defending myself.

"This queen is different. She understands why her kind had to be wiped out last time around" I tried explaining. The turian didn't look convinced but eventually nodded in acceptance, knowing any argument would be useless since, as they say, 'what's done is done'

"I hope you're right, Shepard. Our children's children will pay the price if you're not" he finished, sending shivers down my spine at the dark tone he used

"We'll be waiting for your next report," the asari said as the hologram councilors dissipated.

"Well that was cheerful," a voice sounded behind me as I turned to see a much friendlier turian and one, which I actually liked.

"Nice to see you spying on me, Garrus" I smiled at him as I began to walk towards him.

"So how much of the lecture did you here?" I asked him.

"Only caught the last bit. He's not very optimistic, is he?" Garrus asked.

"Well he's not exactly a shining example for your people" I told him, making him chuckle.

"And I suppose Udina isn't the best one for humans either" he added. I faked a choke.

"Please don't remind me of him, I just ate," I pleaded, making him smile or what I thought was a smile, anyway.

"So, did you need something or is this a friendly visit?" I asked him.

"Both. Figured you'd want to join me for a drink by the observation deck" he said, lifting a bottle of Ryncol.

"You know how to bring a smile to my face, Vakarian" I grinned, following him as he led me into the mess hall elevator and down to the observation deck.

I smiled happily as we walked towards a sofa facing the window into space. I was able to see the slowly disappearing planet Noveria in the distance.

"I love it down here" I smiled as I accepted a glass from Garrus as he filled it with Ryncol.

"Found this place a few days ago while exploring the ship. I don't think many people know about this place," he said as he sat down beside me with his own glass.

"They don't. I've worked on this ship long enough to know that. I sometimes come down here to clear my head or to avoid everyone on the ship," I told him before I took a sip of the drink.

The strength of the drink knocked me back a bit but I soon got used to the taste.

"So is this your secret place or something like that?" Garrus asked, drinking his drink.

"I guess you could call it that. I guess you can say you're the only other person who knows about it," I told him.

"Well aren't I special?" he joked; I chuckled as I put down the glass on the table.

I sighed happily as I looked out into space.

"Do you remember when we first met? Back on Earth?" Garrus asked me.

"How could I forget? That was probably, without a doubt, one of the best months of my life," I told him.

"Yea. I'm actually surprised we became friends after it" he added as I looked at him.

"Really?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"Well I don't usually make friends with people who point guns at my head" he joked.

"Well at least I didn't shoot" I defended myself.

"Yeah, good point" he said.

I sighed as I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I'm glad we met that day, or I'd probably still be there…" I reminisced back to my days back on Earth, where Jane and me were involved in a gang. The pay was nice and there were bonuses to the job but I eventually realized how wrong it was, thanks to Garrus.

"You did the right thing in the end, Lily. Remember that," Garrus said as we wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"But no matter what I do, Garrus, it doesn't seem to be enough" I said as I stood in front of the window, feeling his arm slide off me and down my back.

"I killed those people, Garrus…I murdered so many innocents…. I try to redeem myself, but…it never seems enough" I told him as I enter my memories and travelled back to my days on Earth; where Garrus and I were on two opposite sides of the law.