Shepard calls up the crew to the comm. room. As soon as they all gathered Shepard noticed that Kal Alenko wasn't in the room. "Joker?" she calls out.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Where's Alenko?"

"He's in the room with you already ma'am."

"I mean Corporal Alenko." She mentally palms her forehead and realizes that things are going to get a lot more confusing.

"She's coming Commander. She's finishing up some…business."

Shepard was getting irritated by the minute. "Tell her to hurry the hell up then."

She could see Kaidan shift in his seat from the corner of her eye and looks to him. "Sorry Alenko."

"No problem Commander." Kaidan barely looks up at her.

Noting this, Shepard takes three calming breathes. 1…2…3.

At breath number three Kal Alenko walks in her eyes shifting nervously. "Sorry for the delay Commander. It won't happen again." She salutes sharply then takes her seat beside Tali instead of Kaidan. Shepard also notes this as well.

"What's this meeting about ma'am?" Ashley asks impatiently.

"Today Captain Anderson gave us a new crew member to help us stop Saren."

"The name's Kal." She looks around the room and smiles. "My rank is Corporal."

They all murmur their greetings and the room falls silent.

"Want a quick background story people?" Kal grins expectantly, probably wishing to tell her whole life story.

"Go ahead, Alenko." Shepard speaks up.

"Alright ma'am." She gets up and stands next to Shepard. "My mother is…to put frankly a bitch. I'm cursed with the damned woman's looks. But the only thing that keeps me from punching the woman's face is my voice. I sound like my father which is a blessing. Her voice is horrible! And I'm not exaggerating. I have nothing against the French but her accent was particularly annoying. But anyways, I escaped that household as soon as I turned sixteen. Two years later I joined the Alliance. Right now I'm thirty years old."

Ashley asks curiously, "If you joined the Alliance at eighteen then why are you only a Corporal? Didn't get promoted enough times?"

"Yes that is correct Gunnery Chief Williams. My training instructors thought I was a natural leader. In our simulations I was the one who gave the orders and did our simulated missions accomplished. And everybody knew my name. But when my training ended and I became an official marine my commanders ignored me and gave me crack assignments. I was even a janitor for one ship!"

"Yeah I know how that feels Corporal." Ashley gave her an understanding smile and Kal grinned back.

"I thought that my instructors were just saying all of that just to keep me going. But I knew they were right. I just knew it. When Captain Anderson popped the question to me about this mission I was shocked. How did Captain Anderson know my name? And why me? I'm nobody."

"That's not going to be true Corporal Alenko. You can prove yourself to me soon enough. So what are your abilities?"

"I'm a 'vanguard'. I'm a trained biotic equipped with the L2 implant and specifically specialized in using the assault rifle."

"Wait wait. You have the L2 implant? Why didn't I see you at BAaT if you were a biotic kid?" The look on his face showed shocked revelation.

'So he really didn't know he had a sister or maybe he did know and he was playing dumb.' thought Shepard.

"I wasn't noted as a biotic by the Alliance until later on. By then the BAaT program was shut down. When I was in marine training that's when they finally realized I was a biotic. They immediately stuck me with a L2 implant and began training me in that area."

"What sort of side effects do you suffer from then?" Kaidan leaned forward closer off his seat.

"Severe insomnia and paranoia. I'm always constantly looking over my shoulder for dangers and sleeping pills are a regular for me. Doesn't explain why I'm so 'outgoing' as people tell me. Perhaps I only endure partly of paranoia. Don't worry Commander this won't be a problem."

"That's it? That's all you suffer from? Incredible…you should check in with Dr. Chakwas. She'll want a complete report from you." Kaidan kept staring at his younger sister with awe.

"Yeah okay. What do you have for side effects?"

"Severe migraines. It occurs around bright lights and extremely loud noises."

"Perhaps the lesser severity is genetic. Maybe that's why certain people suffer more than others while others hardly feel pain like you two." Shepard put in her input on the situation.

"I wouldn't know for sure ma'am. But that's also a possibility to put in the books. Excuse me Commander. I should go to Chakwas then for evaluation."

"Right. Lieutenant Alenko, give your half-sister a tour of the ship. Everybody else dismissed." When everybody evacuated from the room Ash waited behind.

"Commander, mind if I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead Williams."

"Off the record Commander, there's something suspicious about this. Captain Anderson happens to know these things about Kaidan and his family and he happens to find his long lost sister? I know I might be sounding paranoid but there's got to be more to the situation then it seems."

"I agree with you Williams. We'll keep an eye on the situation and you tell me if you find anything suspicious or inconspicuous looking. Don't tell another soul about his…not even Kaidan. I don't want him going off and telling his sister to watch her back or anything. I may not like this but that's we can do at the moment."

"Thanks Commander. I'll keep my good eye open." Ashley saluted and headed out.

Shepard pressed her fingers to her forehead. 'Why does something always have to be wrong?'

"Dr. Chakwas this is my sister Kal Alenko. Kal this is Chakwas our ship's doctor."

"Heh yeah I kind of picked up on that. So let's get this over with." Kal scooted over an inch away from the doctor.

"What's wrong Kal?" Kaidan noticed her subtle movement.

"I hate doctors. No offense Doctor Chakwas." Kal wrapped her arms around herself and started breathing in and out.

"Part of the paranoia Kal?" Kaidan immediately put a hand on her shoulder, comforting her. It was like instinct; protect you family.

"I guess…I just." She sighed and paused, searching for the words. "I don't know."

"It's fine. Sorry doctor that's just one of her side effects from using an L2 implant."

"Fascinating. She has an L2 implant just like you? Interesting…so what's her side effects?" The doctor perked up a bit and took out her holopads, wavering above the notes.

"Severe insomnia and partial paranoia; she's going to need sleeping pills. And…" Kaidan continued, reciting exactly what Kal had said in the comm. room.

The brother sister bonding began. But Kal wasn't sure it would last long.