Burning Barriers
(Barrier Book 3)
Chapter 1
"I agreed to it. I'll stick to what I said." Kaidan leaned forward on the desk in his room on Jump Zero.
Taccus's image flickered in the terminal's hologram. It had been a few days since he'd seen the Spectre and Shepard's condition had turned the corner. It felt like a lifetime ago. Taccus sneered and released a hiss.
"Alenko, your word is worth nothing."
"I agree, Taccus. I've devalued it, but I don't mean for it to be worthless."
"You're going to do whatever the hell you want to do anyway. You want some sort of blessing? You're not getting one."
Kaidan sat back. "Fine. I'll do what we agreed. Ursul is unavailable. I'll stay away."
Taccus narrowed his eyes and folded his arms. "There's no accountability. Do what you want to do."
Kaidan stifled a growl. He couldn't expect any different though. If their roles were reversed, Kaidan would trust him as much as Taccus was trusting Kaidan now, which wasn't much.
"How's the jaw?" Taccus asked.
Kaidan reaching up to touch it but stopped himself. Taccus watched him wryly.
"Uh … good. Thanks for asking."
Taccus snorted and dropped his arms. "Look, Alenko. I know you played some part in Ursul's survival. I regret sending her after you. But, regardless of that and despite Commander Vega's unexpected ballistics recovery supporting your theory of events, despite all that … the situation hasn't changed. Don't compromise things. Shepard needs to be questioned before anyone muddles her testimony with outside details, not just you but anyone. It's immensely unfortunate that Ursul isn't there to head things. As is, we'll make due with comms and the Alliance Internal Security detectives. Do what you want, Alenko. I can't stop you, but that's where I stand on it."
Kaidan frowned. "I wouldn't have contacted you if I planned to just do whatever I wanted, Taccus, but I see where you're coming from. I get it. I leave tomorrow anyway."
Taccus shrugged. "Whatever you say, Alenko. We done?"
"We're done."
Taccus paused. "Commander Vega recovered the Mass Effect shard too."
"I heard."
"Hmm," Taccus looked at him. "Good timing. He said he found it in the Normandy's cargo bay. A few hours, it could have gone out with the waste outside Gagarin."
"Fortunate."
"Extremely," Taccus said. "I bet Commander Vega will have that recovery on his record. Probably get good credit for it."
Kaidan shrugged. "As he should."
Taccus eyed him and then straightened. "See you back on Earth then." He reached forward and his image flicked off.
Kaidan stood. He grabbed a datapad from the desk and snatched a couple shirts off the floor. His bag gaped open half packed on the foot of his bed. Kaidan stuffed more clothes and an extra pair of boots into the bag, half zipped it, and dropped it on the floor.
He couldn't see Shepard then. It was just as well. He was leaving in the morning on the Balmoral anyway. Shepard was still sedated, but Miranda had started to wean her off. Kaidan let out a long sigh. Still, he was disappointed. She was alive though. He could see her later. There wasn't any harm in waiting besides straining his patience. It was a good problem to have. A problem he'd have given anything to have and now he did.
He checked the time on the terminal in his room and paced. He'd already talked to the Council. The Alliance investigators had cross examined him twice over the attack at the warehouse. Kaidan had already checked in on Ursul. She was resting both times but looked good, if he could tell what did and didn't look healthy for a turien.
Kaidan had gone through the asari assassin's things. The Alliance investigators had watched as he looked through her luggage, messages, and datapads. She was really was the mercenary assassin and poisoner that had killed the primarch and behind those other hits, but aside from confirming that there wasn't anything of tremendous use. There weren't any encoded orders or clues that could lead back to her contractor. He'd hoped to at least find a poison sample to definitively tie her to Terra Firma, but she seemed to be fresh out of Terra Firma's cocktail of choice. That, or it was hidden somewhere they'd maybe never find.
A lot of resources had been used to get her here undetected. No doubt she hadn't intended to engage anyone openly though she'd obviously been capable. It wasn't like he, the prisoners, or anyone else she poisoned would be mistaken as a natural or accidental death. If being subtle wasn't about covering up murder, then it had to be about not being caught. No doubt for her own sake, but probably in her employer's interest too. She'd mostly succeeded keeping under the radar until the risk outweighed the benefit of being covert. She must have suspected he'd taken something off the ship and saw a good opening when he slunk into the empty warehouse. She'd killed so many. He was lucky to be alive.
His sat on his bed. His eyes moved over the gray walls, the low ceiling, and outdated metal furniture frames. All that aside, he was here - the endless stretches of cold, dark corridors, corroded bulkheads, and stale smelling life support system. It still shocked him to realize he was on Jump Zero. Now though, it had more good than bad memories. Shepard was alive. That memory alone eclipsed all the ghosts of past memories.
XXX
"She's still unconscious," Miranda said blinking dull eyes at him and covered a yawn with the back of her hand.
"Were you sleeping in here?" Kaidan stepped further into the hospital lounge.
Miranda hung over the edge of a couch leaning on a folded pillow. She sat up.
"She weaned off the sedative two hours ago. I want to be on hand in case …"
Kaidan slowed. "In case of what?" He crossed his arms.
"Don't get worked up. It's just in case."
"Okay. Well," he paused, "Good night then." He moved back to the door.
Miranda's head eased back onto the cushion as Kaidan left. Long as Shepard was still out, he wasn't breaking any promises. He trotted to Shepard's room. Lighting flickered slightly overhead in the still hallway. It was the middle of the night practically, a few hours before his scheduled departure.
Shepard's hospital room doors parted. She lay asleep on the bed in front of him. Kaidan took a step in before he caught the movement by her bedside. Liara sat on a metal chair facing the bed. Her head turned partway to see him, profile silhouetted in the night cycle lighting. He hesitated then walked further into the room. Liara turned back to Shepard sitting rigidly with hands folded tightly in her lap. Her eyes fixed on her hands as Kadian stepped up beside her. He hadn't seen her since Shepard's recovery, since being together in the old Jump Zero auditorium. Heat rose up his neck, and his heart picking up pace. He took a deep breath.
"Hey, Liara."
"Hi, Kaidan."
She didn't look up, just spread her hands out on her skirt and studied them before refolding them on her lap again. Kaidan crossed his arms and looked at Shepard. Blood flushed her skin with a bright pinkness. Each breath in and out looked strong. She looked peaceful.
"Here." Liara held a datachip up in her fingertips. She kept her eyes straight ahead on Shepard and waited for him to take it. He hesitated then plucked it from her hand.
"The code?"
"All that I could get of it, but I think it's almost all there."
Kaidan turned the datachip over in his fingers. "Thank you."
"The chemical formula from the syringe you found, it's there too."
He'd forgotten about that. The loss of the code had overshadowed everything else.
"Were you able to …"
"It's an unknown chemical formulation. TCM would be likely be a metabolite byproduct. It's a tranquilizer of some sort."
"Tranquilizer?"
"Yes." She looked up for the first time. "The amount in the syringe would only have sedated an adult human. A much larger volume would be needed to arrest respiration. Taken orally, it's much more lethal."
Kaidan nodded quietly still turning it over in his hand. He glanced down. She was still looking at him. His throat clenched. He looked away.
"Thanks." He stuffed it into a pocket.
"Kaidan …"
"I don't want to talk about it, Liara."
She looked down at her lap again. He moved back to the wall next to the door. The metal wall cooled his back as he rested against it and crossed arms. Liara's profile turned to watch him for a moment then turned back to Shepard. Heat pulsed in his face. He was letting it get to him too much. It was the rawness of it, the exposure of everything inside laid bare - every intimate memory, thought, emotion, his, hers. So close, more than intertwined. One. And the feelings … His heart raced. Maybe he should just go back to his room.
Shepard gasped. Metal scraped on the floor as Liara lurched out of her chair. Shepard gasped again, and Kaidan stood away from the wall. Liara hung over her and rubbed her arm. Shepard's eyelashes fluttered as she squinting in the light. She took another sharp breath. Kaidan stumbled forward a step then stopped himself.
"Shepard? Shepard, can you hear me?" Liara asked.
Shepard's eyes widened then slowly slipped closed again.
"Shepard?" Liara whispered.
Her eyes flashed open. Her mouth opened taking loud gulps of air. She reached a shaky hand up to cover her face.
"Are you okay?" Liara asked leaning in closer.
"I'll get Miranda." Kaidan rushed to the door.
"Kaidan."
Kaidan stopped short. Shepard raised her head off her pillow and blinked droopily at him through her fingers. She reached her hand out to him. Kaidan bolted to her. Her fingers flexed at him until he reached the side of the bed and clasped them. The pillow cushioned around her head as she rested back. Her hooded eyes staying on his face as they drooped shut and finally closed. He glanced at Liara. Light reflected in her wide eyes as she stared at him. She turned back to Shepard, touched her face, and then stepped back.
"She's out again, I think."
Kaidan's fingers tightened on her hand as her grip loosening. The rise and fall of the blanket her chest stayed strong though. Kaidan set her hand on the blanket by her side.
"We should get Miranda," Kaidan said.
Liara gave a quick nod, face flat. Kaidan looked down again touching Shepard's temple and resting his palm against her warm cheek. Her face turned and leaned into his hand. It made Kaidan's pulse pick up. He glanced at Liara again then backed away. He rushed to the door. Miranda was waiting to be woken up for this.
