Chapter 1

"Handpicked"

1.

Kelly Chambers was intrigued.

Two years had passed since the young woman had been asked to join the Lazarus Cell. She could still remember that day, the ink on her degree still metaphorically wet, when the two men had come to her apartment on Illium to offer her what they called the opportunity of a lifetime. Of course she'd been skeptical. It didn't hurt that they'd offered to reimburse the expense of her entire education, but when they told her she might have the chance to do something that was monumentally important to the survival of the human race, Kelly had decided to at least give them a chance to show her. That had begun her affiliation with the organization known as Cerberus.

Now, nearly two years later, Kelly had every faith in Cerberus and its aims. Their plan might seem ludicrous to say the least, particularly to anybody who wasn't aware of the resources that The Illusive Man could rally, but she knew that if anybody could pull it off, they could. Even she had harbored doubts in the beginning, but as the fulfillment of their objective loomed closer, she had to admit to a certain level of carefully guarded optimism.

Even though the very idea that somebody could be resurrected, yanked away from the icy jaws of death, seemed more the stuff of science fiction, Kelly had been paying very close attention to the latest reports and updates and the results seemed positive. Even if you allowed yourself past the initial implausibility of Project Lazarus you found yourself in, what Chambers would at the very least have to call, an ethical grey area. The philosophical implications alone intrigued her as much as the project itself. Right now the sheer cost of the endeavor, a figure she wished she were privy to, made it prohibitive on a mass scale, what would happen if the technology became widely available? Would death become meaningless, and if it did, what would that mean for life itself? Did life really have meaning if it never ended? There were the religious and spiritual angles to consider as well. Kelly herself had never been an extremely religious woman, unable to put her faith and life in the hands of some unseen, possibly even non-existent all powerful being. She preferred to place her faith in other people and in the tangibles of life, the things that she could see and touch. Nonetheless, the implications were staggering and once this was all over she thought she might write a paper on it. Not that anybody outside of the Lazarus Cell would ever lay eyes on it, but it would still be an interesting mental exercise.

The data they were receiving from Lazarus Station on an almost hourly basis now was causing a stir to say the least. On board Minuteman Station, Kelly was part of the psych team monitoring the subject's brain functions and neural regeneration. Every day as she sat and read the reports and compiled the data, Kelly found herself wondering how many people would kill to be in her position, to be at the forefront of a field of research that had only existed in secret these past two years.

The aims of the psych team were twofold. Under the leadership of Doctor Michael Hunt the team had been split into two divisions. One group was monitoring the neural reconstruction and regeneration and the other team was doing their best to put together an in depth and completely comprehensive psychological profile that they could use to evaluate the subject when and if she ever awoke from her extended slumber.

Kelly Chambers had been placed in charge of the profile division, but she found it hard not to skim over the latest details of the neurological reports at least once or twice a day. It was fascinating. Although she had a firm understanding of how the human brain functioned on a biological level, much of the information that came in was well beyond her understanding. If anything, this helped to keep the two divisions working closely together as whenever she encountered something she didn't understand she would inevitably seek out Doctor Richards, the head of the neurological division and make him explain it.

As her coworkers were sleeping in the darkened barracks, Kelly was lying awake. Her head was propped up on a pillow she'd folded in half and her light blue eyes were reflecting the images and words as they focused on the screen of her hand-held computer terminal. This was the third time in the last day and a half that she'd found herself reading the subject's bio and history reports, but she found it difficult to put them down.

Commander Alyssa Shepard had been a remarkable woman, and that was putting it mildly. In her mind, the soldier's tale read more like the life of a tragic heroine in some ancient Greek tragedy, and there was an almost romantic quality to it. Call it hero worship if you like, but Kelly couldn't help but idolize her a little. Shepard had come from humble beginnings, the daughter of a farming family on a largely agricultural world, risen above the devastation brought on by a band of Batarian raiders, and pulled the entire galaxy back from the brink of catastrophe. To think that one person could do all of that, sometimes made Kelly feel like she could accomplish anything she set her mind to.

A shudder had passed through her the first time she'd read of the attack on Mindoir. It had made her wonder how Alyssa Shepard had dealt with it, how she had gotten past the death of her family and so many of her friends to put her life back on track. Given her background, it didn't really surprise Kelly that Shepard had decided to join the Alliance military. Unable to do anything about the onslaught that had taken so much away from her, it made sense that she'd want to learn to defend herself and others, to make sure that nobody else had to go through what she did. It was noble and heroic and in the privacy of her own mind, Kelly was willing to admit that it made her swoon a little.

Her military file labeled her ruthless and given her actions on Torfan it was a difficult label to dispute. There were some who called Shepard The Butcher of Torfan, but Kelly saw something else there. She saw the determination to do what was needed to accomplish her goal; another quality that was going to be important. Shepard understood that sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the greater good and she was willing to make those decisions when necessary. Maybe it was a little strange, but in reading and rereading those files Kelly had come to think of Shepard more as a close friend, somebody she knew, then the subject of an experiment or simple words on the screen of her terminal. She almost felt like there was a bond there between them.

Kelly had cheered when Shepard took command of the Normandy, the first step in her road to hunting down the rogue Spectre Saren and, perhaps more importantly, the first step toward healing some of the old wounds that had haunted her every step for so very long.

She could almost imagine herself right there on the Normandy, in the mix with Shepard, Garrus Vakarian, Tali Zora, Pressley, and all the rest as they came closer and closer to tracking Saren down. It was almost like she was there watching Alyssa Shepard's transformation take place. Here was a woman who had been turned inward, beaten on time and again by the blunt side of a rough life, finally starting to turn her life outward again. In tracking down Saren and stopping the Reaper invasion, the commander had found purpose, and Commander Shepard with a purpose was somebody who, in Kelly's professional opinion, you did not want to get on the wrong side of it. Though she didn't have a lot of love for aliens, Shepard had come to respect and care for her diverse crew, even turning to them on occasion for aid and guidance. It was something she probably never would have done only a few years earlier. Even if Shepard didn't realize it at the time, Kelly knew that she'd been turning her crew into the family she'd lost so many years ago.

The turning point had been in the commander's relationship with the Asari, Doctor Liara T'Soni. It was then that she really put the loss in her past to rest, and it was through that budding relationship that she'd been able to forgive herself for the tragic loss of Kaiden Alenko during their confrontation with Saren on Virmire.

By now Kelly had read the dossier so many times that she could practically quote it from memory, but she never got bored with it. There was something about Commander Shepard that had captured her heart and mind, and was holding them both hostage. She was so engrossed in the Normandy's destruction and Shepard's valiant sacrifice to save the life of her pilot that she didn't even hear the door to the barracks slide open. The sudden influx of light made her glance up from the terminal, wincing and squinting as it threatened to overpower her eyes.

She was surprised to see Doctor Hunt standing in the doorway glancing down at her. He was a trim man in his early fifties, and had been her mentor since the day Kelly had signed on with Cerberus. As the light became more manageable for her eyes, allowing his face into view, she noticed the mild unease in his dark green eyes. It made her a little nervous. Doctor Hunt was typically easy going and tended to roll with the punches. If something was bothering him, it must have been serious. Slowly she sat up in her bed.

"Doctor Hunt," she whispered, letting her own surprise drift away to be replaced by her normal self-assurance. "Is there something I can do for you?" Leaning over, she set the terminal down on the nightstand. Kelly shifted into a sitting position, pushing the blanket away and letting her bare legs fall over the side of her bed. She leaned her head down slightly to avoid hitting it on the bottom of the upper bunk.

"Still awake I see." His voice was soft and gentle. Chambers had to admit that during her time with Cerberus, she had met many people she could only describe as hard, but Doctor Michael Hunt was a definite exception. Since giving up the life she had known and coming out to Minuteman Station, he had been like a father to her. Sometimes when she thought about her family, the people on Earth she'd barely spoken too as of late, it made her sad. Hunt was somebody she could go to when she was down, somebody who usually made her feel better with his advice and wisdom.

"I'm told the Illusive Man would like to speak to you. They wouldn't tell me what it was about, but apparently it's urgent."

Kelly's heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat.

2.

Amongst the ranks of Cerberus there were some who felt that The Illusive man was merely a myth, a construct of the machine itself designed to sow fear and loyalty amongst the ranks of the organization. Kelly knew that he was real, but as little contact as he had with members of the organization itself, she could understand why some held that view. He was probably the most secretive individual in the known galaxy, barring the mysterious Shadow Broker of course. To the best of her knowledge, The Illusive Man rarely communicated with anybody directly, aside from Miss Lawson, the head of the Lazarus Cell. The thought that somebody like him would want to meet with somebody like her both exhilarated and terrified her at the same time.

"I see," she said quietly as he heartbeat began to slow again. "Just give me a moment to get dressed and I'll be right out."

He nodded, turned away, and allowed the door to slide closed again. Quietly, worried she might wake somebody, Kelly opened a draw beneath her bed and pulled her uniform out. Her hand, hell her entire body, was trembling as her mind raced. She quickly pulled her work clothing on over the simple black shirt and matching shorts she slept in.

When she stepped out into the corridor, the doctor was waiting patiently.

Making their way toward the holo-communications room, Kelly couldn't help but take note of the slight slouch in her mentor's walk. His eyes remained resolutely forward and he seemed to be in a world all his own. For somebody of her talents, it didn't take long for Kelly to make an assessment of the situation. "Something's happened to the subject, hasn't it?" She felt her hands begin to tremble a little again. The thought that this might all be over terrified her.

There was a sharp intake of air while he no doubt decided what he could and couldn't tell her. Finally he began to speak. It worried her when Hunt's voice took on that monotone he normally reserved for subjects he was nervous about. "Ninety minutes ago we lost all communication with Lazarus Station." He paused, taking another deep breath, "There was no warning, no notice that they were going silent. The entire thing is far too sudden."

"Did something happen aboard the station Doctor?" Kelly asked quietly.

He simply shook his head, smoothing down his short salt and pepper hair. It was another nervous gesture of his. "We don't know. I do know that the higher-ups have been in an uproar trying to get communication with the station restored, but so far they haven't had any luck. Nobody seems to know what's happened over there."

"Maybe it's equipment failure," Kelly offered. She didn't really believe it though. Something major was happening. She didn't know what it was, but she could feel it deep down in her bones. Now that she was paying attention, there was something in the air here. A heaviness that didn't feel natural.

Hunt must have agreed. "Doubtful. Because of the sensitive and important nature of the work on Lazarus Station, The Illusive Man has deemed it too valuable to risk losing contact." He paused, his pace quickening. "Even if the main communications systems were taken out, even if they lost their main transmitter, there are so many fail safes, backups, and redundant systems in place that we should have heard from them by now. The fact that we haven't is cause for concern."

The pair rounded a corner and were nearly knocked on their asses by a couple of Cerberus officers moving at a hurried pace.

"Why would The Illusive man want to see me Doctor?" Kelly could only think of a few reasons, and she didn't care for any of them. The concern that he might think her involved in this incident somehow left her feeling more than a little uneasy. Chambers slid those feelings aside for the moment and locked them away. As a psychologist, she had been trained to close off her own feelings when she dealt with others, and it was a skill she could put to good use right now to help calm her own nerves. That training was something she was extremely grateful for at the moment. It did away with the need for pointless speculation. She would know why he wanted to see her when he saw her and not before.

"Like I said, I don't know. The word came from Commander Gregor just before I came to find you. All he said was that The Illusive Man wanted to speak to you, and that I was to escort you to the holo-communication chamber." The only thing that added any modulation to his voice were the slight tremors. Doctor Hunt was frightened about something, and that worried her. Again, Kelly did her best to slide those feelings away for later consideration. They would do her no good right now.

Instead she thought about what she knew of Commander Gregor. Kelly had never met the man in charge of Minuteman Station personally. Any orders he gave that eventually reached her had already traveled through countless layers of administration and management that they may as well have come from the void itself for all the insight it offered her into his character. On one or two occasions she had seen him in passing and he looked like a man with a chip on his shoulder. With the safety and security of the entire station on his mind, it was no wonder that he seemed extremely busy and focused on those rare occasions. Had there been an opportunity, Kelly would have loved to have sat down with him and gotten to know him better, maybe help him with his burdens.

The rest of their walk was spent in silent contemplation on her part and before she knew it they were heading down the stairs and into the communications chamber itself. Kelly had never used the holo-grid before but, even under the somewhat uncomfortable circumstances, she was anxious to try it out. There was so much that couldn't be communicated via a computer screen or a standard communication channel. This method would allow the participants to interact on an entirely new level. She'd heard that the Alliance was in the process of perfecting the technology themselves.

Doctor Hunt waited outside as the doors slid closed. Taking a deep breath and steadying herself, Kelly stepped into the circle before her and watched as the sensor grid scanned her. A moment later another world coalesced around her. The redhead was standing in a dark, largely open room. The view in front of her was breathtaking and gave her pause for a brief moment. The far edge of the room was one large screen and she found herself staring out into the heart of a star. It was one of the most beautiful things Kelly had ever seen. Her eyes shimmered as she watched the flares strike out from the burning blue ball of gas. It took her a moment to realize that it must be an image. They couldn't possibly be that close to the star, could they?

The rest of the room was largely featureless, save for the single chair in the center. It was facing away from her, but she could tell that it was occupied. An arm was visible, the elbow resting on the arm of the chair. Perched between two fingers was a cigarette. It was difficult to suppress everything she was feeling right now, but somehow she managed.

The chair slowly swiveled around until she was faced with a middle aged man. He was thin, and looked as though he was probable in pretty good shape. Once you managed to get past the strange sparkling in his dark eyes, he had an extremely penetrating stare. All things said, he was nothing like Kelly had pictured The Illusive man. She could tell by the way that he was looking at her that she was being appraised. Rather than call him on it, she allowed it to continue. Standing at attention, she managed a salute before dropping her arms to her sides.

3.

"Unnecessary, but appreciated nonetheless Miss Chambers," The Illusive Man said. There was something melodic, almost hypnotic about his voice. "You can stand at ease now."

At his urging, she did so, locking her hands behind her back, still a little overwhelmed by what she was seeing. It wasn't just the magnificent living star behind him. The Illusive Man didn't talk to anybody and yet here he was. Sitting there in his chair, casually holding a cigarette between his fingers he was talking to her, somebody so far down on the food chain that she was surprised he even knew who she was.

"You wanted to see me sir?" she finally asked.

"Indeed I did," he tilted his head and offered her the merest beginning of a smile, "Please feel free to relax a little Miss Chambers. I'd hate for you to strain something."

She did her best to comply, but it wasn't easy. She was talking to the leader of her organization. Nerves were definitely going to play a part, especially given the fact that she still couldn't come up with a good reason why he might want to see her.

"It seems," he began, pausing to take a long drag from his cigarette, "that events are forcing our hand a little faster than we had intended." He stopped long enough to expel a thin cloud of smoke. "A situation has been brought to my attention which, unfortunately, necessitates a dramatic leap forward on our Project Lazarus time table." During the silence, he never took those strange eyes off of her. There was something about them that made her a little nervous. Their gaze seemed to cut deep into her very core, searching for any secrets she might be harboring. There was a dark charisma about him, and it wasn't difficult for Kelly to imagine how he'd amassed such a following.

"With all due respect sir, I would have thought you'd want to speak to Doctor Hunt about any changes." Kelly still couldn't fathom why she was standing here instead of her mentor and the head of her division of Project Lazarus.

There wasn't any anger in his voice, but he was clearly admonishing her when he responded. "If I wanted to discuss this with Doctor Hunt then He'd be standing there right now and you would still be lying in your bunk rereading Commander Shepard's dossier."

All she could do was nod her understanding. When she'd joined Cerberus Kelly had been informed of the need for full disclosure. They'd made no secret of the fact that station staff were monitored at all times. It was something that Chambers had grown accustomed to, so much so that she rarely thought about the fact that she was being watched. Although it should have come as no surprise that he could know what she was doing with that level of accuracy, it still carried some eerie connotations with it. She shuddered to think about what a few of the others in her barracks did together when they believed they had the room to themselves. Did they realize they were being watched? Would it have mattered to them?

"To make a long story short," he went on, playing the cigarette between his finger tips and watching the tip burn, "Lazarus Station was compromised approximately ninety minutes ago. An enemy agent, probably working with the Shadow Broker, managed to hack the station's systems and turn the automated security systems against our personnel. Miranda Lawson, the head of your project, and the station's security officer, Jacob Taylor managed to deal with the agent, and are now on their way to Minuteman Station with Commander Shepard in tow." He flicked his ashes in the tray attached to his armrest.

It was a lot to take in, and it took Kelly a moment to process everything. "So they managed to retrieve Commander Shepard's body before they evacuated?" she finally asked.

He shook his head, taking another drag before he continued. "Forgive me for being unclear Miss chambers. I think you misunderstand me. Commander Shepard regained consciousness as the situation was unfolding." He paused, no doubt watching her reaction to the news. "I think it would be far more accurate to say that she helped them escape."

"Commander Shepard is awake?" she asked, unable to hide the surprise from her voice. Normally she had a pretty tight rein on her emotions, but this time she was visibly taken aback. "The reports I've read from Lazarus said that we were still several weeks away from waking her sir? How did this happen?"

Cerberus Incarnate tilted his head slightly. "According to our original time tables, Shepard wasn't to wake up for another three weeks. The fact that she woke up as the station was in crisis is likely no coincidence. Miranda believes that the agent induced her awakening in the hopes that it would be far too soon and her system wouldn't be able to handle the shock. Fortunately for us, and for humanity at large, it would seem they were mistaken."

Her mind was freewheeling. There was too much to take in. First and foremost being that the project had been a success. After two years in the great beyond, Shepard was back with them. As much as she had wanted the project to succeed, there had always been the little doubts buried away in the back of her mind. That in itself was staggering. Commander Shepard, Hero of the Citadel who had died making sure her crew got off the doomed Normandy, was alive.

Even so…

"I'm sorry sir. I still don't understand why I've been called in."

"You're the head of the profiling team Miss Chambers and from what I've heard your work is truly exceptional. Miranda has been extremely impressed by the psyche reports you've been submitting, and I understand she's received nothing but praise for you from Doctor Hunt. It would seem you have a way of reading people that's somewhat unique, an ability to step into their shoes and understand their perspective." He paused, stubbing the cigarette out. "Right now, given our current situation, that could be an extremely valuable asset."

She could only nod. Kelly had never considered herself a braggart by any stretch, but she knew full well where her skills lay and she wasn't shy about it. "I'm extremely good at what I do," she admitted proudly.

Others often asked her how she did what she did, what it was that allowed her to so completely understand and empathize with others. The question always gave her pause. It was something that had always been a part of her, something that came so naturally that she was often unaware that she was doing it. It's often difficult to explain something that comes so naturally, something you don't actually have to think about. The most important part, at least in her opinion, was her love of people, and her belief in the strengths and convictions of humanity itself. There was something inside of everybody, a spark that defined them and made them who they were. If you could find that spark, that core, then everything else would fall into place. From there you could deduce their motivations and desires. Once you had that, you had what you needed to truly know that person.

The Illusive Man simply nodded. "I've never been a fan of false modesty Miss chambers. I appreciate your forthrightness. That being said, I've personally selected you for an assignment of the utmost importance to Cerberus and humanity itself."

"So there's no pressure then?" It slipped out before she could stop herself.

If he found her remark distasteful, it didn't show. "Because of the sudden nature of her awakening, we can't be sure that Shepard is entirely herself. According to Mr. Taylor's report, her strength and tactical ability seem unhindered, which is an extremely positive sign, but we have no way of knowing if there will be unforeseen psychological consequences that have yet to present themselves." He stopped talking long enough to light another cigarette.

"Under normal circumstances, Shepard would have been taken to Minuteman Station and analyzed for several weeks at the least, before being sent out into the field. Unfortunately, there's no time now. As I'm sure you're aware, our engineers have been working on the Normandy SR 2. Other matters have been brought to my attention that make it necessary to place Shepard in command immediately."

"Are we sure she'll cooperate with us sir? Commander Shepard has no love for Cerberus."

"A question I'd hoped you would help me answer Miss Chambers. I doubt that there's anybody in Cerberus that's more familiar with Shepard's psychological makeup. I've already spoken to Miranda at length on the issue, but I would very much like your opinion." He paused for a moment, expelling smoke, "Do you think Shepard will cooperate?"

Kelly had to think for a moment. Surprisingly, as taken in as she had been with the Commander's file, it was a question that she had never really given much thought to. "Given what I know about Commander Shepard, I think she'll be reluctant at first sir. I'm not sure she'll ever really trust Cerberus, but when she finds out what's going on, finds out that the Council is doing nothing about the Collectors, and sees that we're the only ones who are willing to fight them, I think she'll be willing to work with us. She fought hard to save humanity from Sovereign and the Reapers, and I think that drive to protect will eventually overrule any misgivings she might have."

He nodded. "Miranda thinks Shepard will be extremely reluctant, but like you, she thinks the Commander will eventually come around."

Kelly nodded, "So, if I might ask sir, what is this assignment?"

"As I've told you, we don't have time to conduct the normal psychological examinations that we'd prefer. Because of this, I'd like somebody on board the Normandy who can gauge Shepard quickly and effectively. I want somebody who can diagnose any problems quickly and, if need be adapt to the situation. I want somebody on board who will know if Shepard is behaving strangely even before Shepard does and I think that's you Miss Chambers."

He paused for a moment to inhale once more, "In addition, if things go according to plan from here on out, the crew of the Normandy may come to include non-humans as well. I understand that you have a rather strong background in xeno-psychology as well?"

She nodded.

The chance to work with Shepard, the woman that she had been only able to read about for so long? It was an offer that Kelly did not even have to think about.

"I accept sir."

"Good. Miranda, Jacob, and Shepard will be arriving there in two hours. I have another matter for them to attend to, but Miranda will brief you on your assignment before they leave so that you can prepare."

"Thank you sir," before she finished speaking, the image around her faded, leaving her in the black holo-communications chamber. Without a moment's hesitation, Kelly set out to pack her things and prepare for her meeting with Miranda Lawson.