Zhar was scrubbing the last of Rosencratz's blood off his gloves when Shepard came to speak with him. He stopped abruptly when the door opened and turned off the tap, then turned to face the Commander.

"What is it Shepard?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," the human shrugged.

"I'm fine. I'm ready for this mission when you are."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Shepard, we're soldiers. You should know as well as I do that a man like Rosencratz doesn't deserve a prison sentence to an Alliance penal colony."

"That doesn't mean he deserved a death like that."

Zhar silently dried his hands as he thought about this statement. "Why do you see things that way, Shepard? That man killed my squad. You think you know what that's like? You're wrong. The people we grow up with are as much family as our parents, uncles, aunts and cousins. I grew up with everyone in that squad, it's why they laid down their lives for me. They knew I'd get revenge."

"You're right, Zhar – I don't know what it's like for you. But that doesn't mean you have to sink to his level. Your squad would have wanted you to act with honour."

"Don't lecture me on what my squad would have wanted, human!" Zhar rounded on Shepard. "You don't know anything about them. Don't pretend to."

"I spoke with your brother, Zhar," Shepard glared into his blue-tinted reflection in the quarian's visor. "He told me about your nightmares. How you tried to stay behind with them. How you were suspended for a year because you were unfit for duty."

"Stop talking Shepard," Zhar growled. He began reaching for his knife, but Shepard caught his hand.

"You disgraced your squad by refusing to fight for them!" Shepard shouted, pushing the quarian against the wall of the bathroom. "They died for nothing because of you!"

"You know nothing about me Shepard," Zhar roared back, his hand inching closer to the knife. "I fought for them. I fought the Admirals to have their bodies recovered, not left lying on some planet they never cared for. They gave me a promotion instead. The one man that didn't deserve it."

He smashed his visor into Shepard's face, sending him staggering back, and followed up with a kick that sent the human sprawling on the floor. Slowly, he drew the knife from its sheath, his hand shaking as he stood over Shepard.

"You don't think you deserved that promotion, Zhar," Shepard crawled backwards as the quarian advanced on him and sat up against the wall. "But I know you do. I saw you in action today, you're a damn fine soldier and an even better leader. People follow you because they want to, not because they're ordered to. Be strong for the people that rely on you."

"Stop talking," Zhar raised the knife as Shepard got to his feet, though it was shaking worse than ever. "Stay down, Shepard!"

"I won't stay down Zhar, because that's what I do when I fail. I get back up and try again, I don't let it get to me. Don't let it get to you, Lieutenant. Fight for their memory, Zhar! Fight to keep it alive, when so many have forgotten it."

Zhar lowered his knife. His hand had stopped shaking, and now it was held only limply in his fingers. He dropped it at Shepard's feet and walked to the door, stopping when he reached it.

"I know about you too, Shepard," Zhar said without looking at him. "I know you left Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko on Virmire. How did you honour him?"

"I kept fighting," Shepard picked the knife up. "For him, and for everyone else that's counting on me. And I'll never stop."

"You wanted my loyalty, Shepard. You have it," Zhar left the bathroom, and saw Garrus waiting for him in the hallway. He blocked the Zhar's path as the quarian approached him.

"Zhar, I couldn't help overhearing that," Garrus looked at him seriously. "Shepard's right, you're a good leader, and a damn good soldier. You've earned your bars."

"Thanks Garrus."

"Tali said she wanted to talk to you when you had a chance. Maybe bring her some flowers?"

"I'm not going through that again, Garrus," Zhar sighed.

"I'm not sure that's what was on her mind," the turian winked.

"I swear Vakarian, the next time it'll be your neck."

Zhar found Tali sitting on the floor of the lounge, her legs pulled up to her chest as she looked out into the endless darkness.

"Do you know where we're headed?" Zhar asked her. They had been jumping through mass relays for some time now.

"Shepard's taking us back to the Citadel," she said without looking at him. "Garrus had something he wanted to clear up there."

"I saw Garrus just now," Zhar sat down next to her. "He said you wanted to talk."

"I just wanted to see if you were okay," Tali finally turned to face him. "What happened on the Leningrad…"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me," Zhar rested his head back against the seat of the sofa behind him. "What's done is done."

"I was thinking," Tali sat up a little straighter. "When we're back on the Citadel, do you want to… if you haven't got anything better planned, maybe… do something?"

"Like a date?"

"Like a date… yes, you could say that."

"But not a date?"

"Well, we've been friends a long time," Tali laughed nervously. "But… well…"

"Yes?" Zhar inquired.

"Well Zhar, I never thought you liked me. That way anyway," Tali gabbled, her hands twisting around each other. "I mean, you've always been there for me, but us, as a… a thing?"

"Tali, if this is the last mission I ever go on," Zhar placed his hand over hers. "I don't want anything left unfinished."

"Neither do I Zhar," she hesitantly placed her other hand over his, then grasped it firmly. Zhar moved his hand around Tali's visor seals and unclipped them. With a hiss, he pulled it away, laying it carefully on the floor beside them. Tali did the same with his, exposing his short black hair and purple eyes. Before he knew what had happened, Tali had leapt onto him, her lips locked to his.

"So," Zhar said, breaking away for a moment and looking into her amber eyes. "It's a date?"

"It's a date," Tali laughed, her eyes twinkling with delight. "We should probably get some immunoboosters from Mordin after this. Antiseptics, antibiotics, the works, you know?"

"We should," Zhar grinned back at her, and kissed her again. "But not right now."