Fighting through mercs and mechs was tough work. Fortunately the cargo bay offered lots of cover. Unfortunately that was also true for the Blues Suns mercenaries protecting "Fade". The man had helped Sedonis disappear from radar. Garrus was intent on forcing information from the incorporeally named about the traitorous turian.

"Fade", it turned out, was Harkin. A human Garrus had worked with in C-sec that had been fired for basically being a piece of shit. In Garrus' opinion it took C-sec far too long to realize that. Now here he was again, being a pain in his ass. The turian leaned out of cover long enough to fire a round into the face of a Blue Sun. The mercs head popped like a balloon. Garrus smiled to himself. He was finally going to get revenge on Sedonis for his men and he was going to get to beat the crap out of Harkin. This day just got even better.

Shepard was providing cover fire for Thane to move to an advanced position. Garrus followed suit. He shot a brief glance at Shepard as he past her to a new position. She was subtly trying to change his mind, or at least get him to talk to Sedonis. He didn't give a damn why the bastard had done it. He just wanted the traitor dead. Shepard always had a soft spot he didn't understand. He hated and loved her for it.

"Do you really think you can take me down, Garrus!" Harkin shouted over the loud system.

Garrus' mandibles twitched, the turian version of clinching his jaw. He was not only going to 'take down' Harkin, or 'Fade' or whatever ridiculous name the human wanted to call himself. He was going to tenderize him for varren cubs! He chuckled as he hopped over the last platform. His humor was short lived as two heavy mechs came crashing down from over head. "Just great." He thought.

"Harkin's going to regret this." He mumbled, mostly to himself.

"Take Cover!" He shouted as he ducked behind a large metal container that he hoped was full of something heavy and missile proof.

Shepard took a position on the highest platform with a clear shot and good cover. Thane had done a little assassin magic and disappeared behind some unseen crate. She switched weapons to the Collector Laser Rifle she'd picked up on Horizon. Those mechs were toast. Burnt toast.

Garrus fired off several rounds and conclusive shots. Gun fire from Thane's rifle echoed in the wake of the turians fire. Shepard leaned out of cover lining up her shot. She found her mark and pulled the trigger. The kick was more than she'd expected. The laser missed her target. "Damn," she cursed herself. She aimed again and pulled the trigger. She got one right between the 'eyes' and the mech fell to it's knees and exploded causing critical damage to the other mech. She leaned out of cover and fired. She missed the head but hit the target. The mech crumpled and exploded after a few more rounds from Garrus.

"I bet Harkin's 'shitin' in his breeches now'!" Garrus called to her as he ran toward Harkin's hiding spot in the control room.

Shepard laughed, but was worried about her friend. He was much more callous than he had been two years ago. The betrayal and loss of his team had hurt him as much as angered him. It pained her to see him this way. She did not envy Harkin. She had a vauge memory of the drunk from her brief encounter with him on the Citadel years before. However much of a asshole the man was, he probably didn't deserve what Garrus was about to serve him.

Up the final platforms, "POP, POP"! Two LOKI mechs go down. This was it. Garrus had gone up the other side to block Harkin's escape. The doors hissed open and Shepard and Thane moved in, weapons ready. A faint blue biotic glow danced on Thane's skin. Harkin was taping glowing keys on his console looking out the window to find them. He saw Shepard with his periphial and darted the opposite way, looking over his shoulder at the pointed guns.

"You we close, but not close enough!" Garrus surprised Harkin with a blow to the face with the butt of his rifle. While Harkin cradled his newly broken nose Garrus wrapped an arm over his chest and slammed him into the nearest wall and grabbing his shirt collar.

"So, 'Fade', couldn't make yourself disappear, huh?"

"Common Garrus, we can work this out. Whaddya need?" Harkin said, smooth as ever. The rat.

Garrus released his grip and took a few steps away from the man's rancid alcohol breath. He turned his back to him. "I'm looking for someone." He spat.

"Well, I guess we both have something the other one wants." Harkin taunted.

That was a bad idea. Garrus turned on the human. Harkin raised his hands in defense shaking his head. Garrus kneed him in the groin, hard. Harkin fell to the floor groaning in pain.

"We're not here to ask favors, Harkin." Shepard snapped at him unamused.

Harkin stood up again. "You don't say... princess." Harkin smiled when he saw the discomfort on Shepard's face. That's what he'd called her on the Citadel when she came to him looking for Garrus, who was now beating the piss out of him.

"You helped a friend of mine disappear. I need to find him." Garrus growled.

The turian's face was hard and angry. Shepard had never seen him like this. It was... un-nerving.

"I might need... a little more information than that." Harkin huffed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"His name was Sedonis. Turian, came from the..."

"I know who he is..." Harkin cut him off and leaned into Garrus' face, " and I'm not tellin' you squat."

"Is this information really worth all the trouble?" Shepard asked. Her arms crossed as she shifted her wieght to one leg.

"I don't give out client information, it's bad for business." Harkin shook his head.

Garrus brought his knee up hard into Harkin rib cage, lifting the man off the ground. Garrus let him fall to the floor and firmly placed his boot on Haskin's neck. He was loosing what little patience he had left for this... individual.

"You know what else is bad for business? A broken neck!" Garrus seethed.

He slowly started applying more pressure on Haskin's neck. Harkin gasped for air and clawed at Garrus' armored foot struggling for air.

"Alright, alright! Get off me!" Harkin gurgled.

Shepard eyed her friend. Garrus was enjoying this too much. He wasn't going to let up. They weren't going to get anything out of Harkin if he was dead. Shepard tapped Garrus' shoulder. He glanced back at her and she shook her head. He eased off, regaining some composure.

"Terminus really changed you, hu, Garrus." Harkin breathed, holding his neck and scooting away from Garrus.

"No, but Sedonis... opened my eyes. Now arrange a meeting."

Garrus pointed to the console to his right with a sideways nod. Harkin looked at the terminal and back at Garrus. He nodded again.

"I'm going." Harkin said, getting to his feet. He walked over and activated the contact sequence for Sedonis. The console confirmed a connection. Harkin pursed his lis before he commited to betraying his customer;

"Yeah, it's me. Listen, there's a chance you're identity may be compromised."

Garrus took out his gun and turned off the safety. He examined it thoughtfully in his grip. There was a look in his eye that made Shepard nervous.

"That's why I'm calling. I'm sending an agent. Where do you want to meet?" Harkin continued.

Garrus replaced the weapon with a click.

"All right, they'll be there. Don't worry, I got it covered!" Harkin cut the link and turned back to Garrus. The vigilante faced the forger waiting for the low life to give him the info.

"It's all good. He wants to meet in front of the Orbital Lounge, middle of the day. Sooo, if our business is done I'll be going..." Harken squinted his bruising eye and turned to leave. Garrus caught him by the arm.

"I don't think so. You're a criminal now, Harkin." Garrus threatened, his sharp teeth inches from Harkin's face.

"So what... You're just going to kill me? That's not your style, Garrus." Harkin countered, hoped.

"Kill you? No. But I don't mind slowing you down a bit." Garrus sneered.

Garrus took out his pistol as he released Harken's arm and took aim at his leg. Shepard leapt to Garrus' side, secured his elbow and pushed his armed hand strait up. The round went into the ceiling instead of Harkin.

"You don't need to shoot him. He won't be able to hide form C-sec now." Shepard spoke softly, but firmly to her turian friend. The glare he gave her was more than unsettlilng, but she couldn't let that show. He shook her off his arm with a growl then turned back to Harkin.

"I guess it's your lucky day." Garrous hissed with a low rumble in his chest.

"Yeah, I hope we can do this again real soon." Harkin said sarcastically as he wiped the sweat and blood from his face with the back of his hand.

Shepard turned to walk away. Garrus watched her leave until she was a couple steps away then head butted Harkin's broken nose almost as hard as he could. Harkin reeled in pain, grabbing his nose again and fell to the floor unconscious. Garrus followed after Shepard.

"I didn't shoot him." He said. His defensive humor had a marked dark overtone.

"Common, let's move." Shepard said, disappointed and exasperated.

"Sedonis better be there, or I'm coming back to finish the job." He told her. He sounded almost hopeful that he would get the chance.

The trio made their way to the transportation port and took a cab to the Orbital Lounge. Garrus disable the auto pilot and drove manually to a balcony near the catwalks. They rode in an uncomfortable silence. Finally Garrus broke the still tention.

"Harkin's a bloody menace! We shouldn't have just let him go. He deserved to be punished."

He didn't look at her, but at least he was speaking to her.

"I'm getting a little worried about you, Garrus. We were pretty hard on Harkin." She spoke in a deep, soft tone.

"You don't think he deserved it?" Garrus asked. He looked at her now. He could tell she was displeased with him. Seeing her soften him a little. He didn't like disappointing her. He didn't like that she disapproved.

"It's just not like you." She turned away from his gaze.

Garrus paused for a moment then looked out his side view window.

"What do you want from me, Shepard?" He twinged inside his hard suite after the words left his mouth. The answer he wanted wasn't exactly to the relative question he was asking. The answer he wanted was that she wanted him and not the green drell in the back seat. Given the circumstances, that would not be the answer she would give, even if it were true. The reminder fueled his anger and his pain. He turned back to her sharply.

"What would you do if someone betrayed you?" He spat.

The spark in his fiery green eyes burned into her. She thought for a moment before she answered, "I'm not sure, but I wouldn't let it change me."

"I would have said the same thing before it happened to me." Garrus said pointedly.

Shepard meet his gaze then. He was still angry with her, but also in pain. She could see that clearly as a close friend would. "It's not too late. You don't have to go through with this." She coaxed.

"Who's going to bring Sedonis to justice if I don't? Nobody else knows what he's done! Nobody else cares!" He nearly shouted at her. He knew he was wrong. Shepard knew and she cared. He was too angry to admit it, though.

"I don't see any other options." He said flatly. The turian shook his head and glared out the windshield of the taxi.

"Give me a chance, let me talk to him." Shepard almost pleaded with him.

"Talk all you want, it's not going to change my mind. I don't care what his reasons were, he screwed us... He deserves to die." Garrus was exasperated now. He leaned back hard into the seat.

"I understand what you're going through, but do you really want to kill him?" Shepard asked.

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm not you." Garrus stewed.

"This isn't you either, Garrus." Shepard said softly.

Thane sat in the back seat curious how Shepard would prevent this assassination. Something she would have to do again to stop Kolyat. He felt invisiable as he watched the two old friends debate in the shadows. It was not an unfamiliar feeling but it was stragly uncomfortable in this circumstance.

"Really." Garrus was indignant. He puffed up his chest a little. "I've always hated injustice. The thought that Sedonis could get away with this... Why should he go on living while ten good men lie in unmarked graves?" He shook his head. He was resolute. "I'm sorry, Shepard. Words aren't going to solve this."

"Alright, I won't mention it again." She relented.

"I appreciate that." And he did, but it was a bluff and he knew it. She had given up, for now, and he was grateful for the end of the discussion.

"I need to set up." He looked around the catwalks for a good position. "I can get a clear shot from over there." He pointed to a catwalk over a archway. It was heavily shadowed by an over hanging bulk head.

"You just want me to get him into position?"

"Basically. Keep him talking for a minute. When I've got him in my sights I'll let you know." He programmed the auto pilot to take her and the drell down. "Give me a signal so I know you're ready and I'll take the shot." He instructed without looking at her. "You better go. He'll be here soon." He pointed with his chin to the ward below, then exited the taxi.

As the craft lifted off he looked after it, watching it float way. Doubt seeped into his mind for the first time. He walked over to the catwalk and knelt down. He'd pulled out the rifle and released the safety. The sights and extended barrels hissed and clicked into place. One round. He would only need one. He touched the com in his visor, "Shepard, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear."

He positioned his sniper rifle and practiced zooming in on random targets. He found Shepard and followed her for a moment. Her strange bun bobbing up and down with each step. Thane was close behind her, then veered off to sit on a bench. Garrus scanned the crowed again and found his target on a bench on the opposite side.

"Alright... There he is. Wave him over and keep him talking." He spoke low over the com.

Shepard did as she was asked. Sedonis saw her and cautiously approached. He was wearing expensive looking civies, blue with red down the front and gold detailing.

"He must have been paid very well for his betrayal." Shepard thought. No doubt Garrus was thinking something similar.

Sedonis walked over to Shepard and took a casual defensive posture, shifting his weight to one leg. Apparenly some postures were trans-galactical.

"Let's get this over with." He said, tired of having to deal with this crap. Harkin had said it was done and now there was a problem. He was going to have to have a little chat with the human.

"You're in my shot. Move to the side."

Garrus' voice came over the com in Shepard's visor. Her heart skipped a beat. She could move. It would be easy. Sedonis would be dead and Garrus would have his revenge. But it wasn't right. She hoped to whatever powers may be that Garrus was still the turian she thought he was and steeled herself for a shot she would never hear or feel if she was wrong.

Garrus zoomed in on the bun on Shepard's head. When she moved Sedonis' head would be dead center. She didn't move.

"What is she doing?" He thought. Then she started talking. Garrus's mandibles twitched.

"Listen, Sedonis. I'm here to help you." She said.

"Don't ever say that name aloud..." Sedonis whispered, alarmed. He looked around in a near panic as if snipers would start shooting him from every darkend corner on the ward.

"I'm a friend of Garrus'. He wants you dead, but I'm hoping that's not necessary." Shepard told him.

"Garrus? Is this some kind of joke?" Sedonis was angry now.

"Great," she thought, "now I've managed to piss of two turians today."

Garrus' voice came over the com, "Damn it, Shepard! If he moves, I'm taking the shot!"

"You're not kidding are you?" Sedonis settled into a calm terror and looked around to try and spot his old team mate."Screw this, I'm not sticking around here to find out! Tell Garrus I had my own problems..." He turned to leave.

"Don't move!" Shepard grabbed his arm.

"Get off of me!" He shouted.

"I'm the only thing standing between you and a hole in the head." Shepard warned.

Sedonis lowered his head, "Fuck." He looked at Shepard again. "Look, I didn't wanna do it, I didn't have a choice."

"Everyone has a choice." Garrus growled. His anger was growing. His brow knitted together as he glowered at the back of Shepard's head through the scope.

"They got to me! Said they'd kill me if I didn't help, what was I supposed to do?" Sedonis pleaded.

"Let me take the shot! He's a damn coward!" Garrus seethed over the com. He was almost temptet to shoot Sedonis through Shepard's damn bun. He was learning to really hate that gnarled nest of hair.

Her military experience agreed with Garrus. Part of her wanted to take the shot herself, not just for the men that he'd gotten killed but for what that betrayal had done to her friend. In a way, Sedonis had taken something from her too.

"That's it? You were just trying to save yourself?" She asked, almost sneered in disgust.

"I know what I did. I know they died because of me." Sedoinis's voice was low and defeated. He walked over to the railing staring down at the alien plant life that grew in the small median. "I have to live with that. I wake up every night, sick and sweating. Each of there faces staring at me... accusing me."

As Sedonis spoke Garrus listened over the com. The soft spot in his heart, where he kept his feelings for Shepard, ached. Damned female had ruined him. Now he doubted. Did Sedonis really struggle with his decision? Was he haunted by his mistake? Was knowing that Sedonis suffered every day enough for him to leave the turian alive? ... The answer was "No." Wasn't it?

"I'm already a dead man. I don't sleep, food has no taste. Somedays I just want it to be over." Sedonis continued.

"Just give me the chance." Garrus growled over the com. His hate was still coursing through his veins. He didn't go through all this to doubt himself, to let his men down... agian.

"Alright, if that's what you want." Shepard relented.

She studied the turians face. He was staring off into the distance lost in his grief and self loathing. She turned way and left him to Garrus. Behind her she heard Sedonis' body hit the rail as it fell to the floor. She looked up at Garrus. He was already walking to the pickup point.

Thane followed her to the taxi. He tried to read her face for reasons why she let Garrus kill his target. Did she feel that vengeance for betrayal was a good enough reason to kill? What if she judged Kolyat's target worthy of death? He would not allow his son to start down that path.

The taxi landed on the balcony again. Shepard got out and went over to where Garrus was marching up to the taxi. He was angry with her for delaying his right to vengance for his men. He was grateful that she had let him have it in the end. He simultaneously wanted to punch her in the face and take her in his arms. What was he going to do with her?

"I know you want to talk about this, but I don't. Not yet." He cut her off before she could start. He leaned toward her, his eyes darkend in the shadows.

"I know it didn't go how you'd planed, but I think it's for the best." She said softly.

"I'm no so sure." Garrus admited.

"Give it time."

"Yeah, maybe that'll be enough. I wanna know I did the right thing, for my men. They deserve to be avenged. When Sedonis was in my sights... I almost couldn't do it."

"The lines between good and evil blur when we're looking at people we know."

She was looking him in the eye. Her face was soft as her tone and concerned. There was a tender spot in her heart for him too, he could see it in her eyes, still bright even in the shadows. His anger wanned. He relaxed a little inside his armor.

"Yeah, there was still good in him. I could see it, but he was a traitor and a coward. This was the only way." He paused looking at the floor for a moment before he found her face again. "It's so much easier to see the world in black and white. Grey? I don't know what to do with grey." He shrugged.

"Follow your instincts." She'd meant follow you're heart, but that might give the wrong impression.

"My instincts got me into this mess," He laughed.

"Don't be so hard on yourself." She teasesd and playfully tapped on each of his shoulders.

"Let's get outta here. I need to get away from this place." Garrus nodded to the taxi.

Shepard agreed, "I'm with you."

Shepard followed Garrus to the taxi. Thane had waited patiently inside. He heard most of the conversation. It had eased his worry some. He eyed Shepard closely as she settled into her seat and the taxi lifted off. She seemed calm as she sat, resting her hands in her lap. She and Garrus would exchange glances now and then. There was defiantly a bond between them that had developed over time. They trusted each other. He wondered if he would ever reach such a place with her. He didn't have the luxury of time.