"Quarantine?" V'Dess said, and even speaking softly her voice carried to the others. "Are you sure?"

"I'd need a lot more information to be sure, Councilor, but that is what it appears to be to me."

"But why a quarantine? How does that make sense?" The human Councilor asked. Irie looked thoughtful.

"Theoretically, it could just be a means of protection for them while they are dormant. Any ship that leaves the galaxy for dark space would pass through their net, and the disruption in signal would awaken them and their security systems," she said.

"Or perhaps they don't want us leaving our galaxy for some reason," Melara said. "Could that be the reason they perpetrate the Cycle? They're trying to prune civilizations before they reach the technological advancement to leave their home galaxies?"

"For what reason? To what end?" V'Dess asked.

"This is all speculation and may not even be correct," Irie said. "We need to run more tests. Knowing the Reapers around Andromeda are not in motion is a relief- they are not heading here to renew an invasion. I will continue to work on the megascope, verify that this energy web around Andromeda is there and try and determine its scope. I can also see if it exists among the Reapers around the other local galaxies. It could be it is something that is exclusive to Andromeda, and did not even come into play here. Andromeda may be the Reapers' home galaxy, and they have created the web there in order to defend it against possible retaliation from us, or other civilizations. Or it could be Andromeda alone contains a threat they want to prevent from spreading throughout the rest of the universe, and the Milky Way Cycles had nothing to do with a quarantine. We simply need more data."

"In the thread of 'preventing us from leaving our galaxy,' the turian said thoughtfully. "Could the technology you created for the megascope actually lead to that end?"

"Theoretically yes. Folding space has many potential applications, including to allow travel to distant parts of the universe instantly. However, just to open a Fold less than the size of the tip of my finger for the megascope- one that is aimed where we wish it to be aimed and not into a random part of space and time- requires a level of power that is astronomical. At our current level of technology, I would hazard a guess that we are at least six centuries away from creating a Fold big enough to pass a ship through, and possibly seven or eight centuries to have that ship go to a solid target we designate, rather than a random point in space and time in a potential unending multiverse of dimensions."

"Then it is possible the Reapers have a way of detecting these 'folds' you're opening for your scope, true? They may be alerted and return to the Milky Way to halt us from utilizing that tech to leave the galaxy," he said thoughtfully. "That is, IF they are truly forming a quarantine and IF it is for the purpose of preventing our departure."

"Again, there is not enough data to tell," Irie replied, frustrated. "If what you suppose is correct, the Reapers themselves operate on an FTL threshold similar to our own. It would also take them millions of years to reach us from the closest galaxy, even were they to leave immediately."

"Unless those particular Reapers have technology that Harbinger and his like did not have. Or unless those 'Ferbian Signals' truly do represent an extragalactic relay network that may potentially allow them to cross that distance fairly quickly."

V'Dess shook her head. "We can guess and speculate for weeks and never know for certain. We must deal with the concrete facts we have in hand. The only way afforded to us to track those Reapers and gain the information we need is Irie's megascope and folding space technology. As our only option, we must utilize it despite these theoretical risks. Irie, you will be fully funded in your research by this Council. Right now your sole task at Oasis will be to gather all the information you can about the Reapers surrounding our local galaxies. Will you be able to verify if their presence extends beyond the local cluster?"

"Not without four times as much power. The further that is looked, the more power is needed to maintain the Fold and its focus. I am sorry to say our view at the moment is limited to our local area."

"Work on extending that as you are able. Melara, we also ask that you focus your energies to this problem as well. Cross this galaxy if you have to, provide anything your sister needs and follow up on any information you can, no matter how slight. I do not pretend we can keep this information secret from the greater galaxy forever, but we need to do so as long as we can. Hopefully when it becomes public we will have some more solid answers for our people. Melara, you are authorized to reveal this information to your crew and as-needed personnel but no one else. Irie, the same extends to you and your research team. Captain Pradesh, you will be vetted and under the same sanctions. If you are cleared, this Council will pay your wages for an indefinite period. You will be officially tied to the Oasis research base, running supplies and needed items solely for them, am I understood."

"Yes, ma'am. And…if I am not cleared?"

"I think the answer to that is fairly self-evident, Captain."

"Uh, yes. Indeed. Well then. Agreed."

"Captain, Doctor, we will require weekly reports from both of you on what you have found and the status of the situation. That said, for now this section of our meeting is concluded. Captain Shepard, I would like to address your two prisoners."

Irie stepped back a little as her sister described what had happened with Moore and his vessel, and Red's involvement in events. Preoccupied with her own thoughts, she didn't tune her focus back in fully until she heard her sister mention the Cinch.

"I have the artifact she was attempting to sell to Moore under guard. It is inactive and has no control cube, but there is no doubt as to the nature of this item- it is a Cinch."

"A Cinch? The same device your father detonated in the Anadius system?"

"Yes. I questioned her as to where she obtained it. She is hesitant to tell me, but given the weight of what she may be facing legally I believe with a little encouragement she will be cooperative. I do not believe she truly knew what she had, nor that she intended to sell such a dangerous weapon to someone like Moore."

"Could it be the second Cinch mentioned in your father's logs? The one in the possession of the asari named Eír?"

"I highly doubt it. I believe that Cinch was destroyed on Aratoht. There is no reason to believe she was in possession of it when she departed that world for a short trip to Tuchanka, and even if she was, Eír is fully aware of the Cinch's capabilities and can remain expertly hidden when she desires. Given her skills alone, I greatly doubt this quarian merc was able to take it away from her. Should she have miraculously succeeded, Eír would now be hunting her to retrieve it again with ferocity. She never would have made it to that rendezvous with Moore. "

"So this shows there are more of these devices besides the two we are aware of. That is deeply troubling."

"And all the more reason we need to find out where she got it. I don't want these things floating around the galaxy uncontrolled any more than you do- or any other technology that might be on par with the Cinch devices."

"Get her cooperation and find the source. Find it even if you cannot get her cooperation. We will agree to any lifting of charges you feel reasonable as a bargaining chip toward that end. The charges of assault against the Solus family will have to stand- that is out of even our hands, but the rest-"

"I will let her know. Finally, Councilors, as to the rakir…"

"We have Matron Neska's full reports and repeated pleas. You are confident we can seal a treaty with the rakir's leader?"

"The Ubuuta is fiercely devoted to her aunt. Her aunt is conscious and recovering, and knows that we are not her enemy. With her testimony I believe we can secure a treaty with little fuss. I know how potentially damaging it is to uplift a species before their time, even a dying one. It has impacts not only in the greater galactic community, but alters the course of their species forever. However in light of their Affliction, and the evidence that Moore and his slaver ring have taken numerous rakir off their home world for the slave trade, I think the only moral path is quite clear. If the rakir are not uplifted they will die, save a small handful in slavery that we have not yet recovered. No species deserves to exist solely as slaves. If we are to preserve any of their culture, we must uplift them."

"Submit your full report. We will review everything regarding the rakir that has been presented, both by you and Matron Neska. We will weigh all our options very carefully, Captain Shepard, I assure you. No one here wants an entire species obliterated, but we must consider all ends. I will submit our final judgment to Matron Neska within the next two solar days."

It was not a solid answer, and not what Melara had hoped, but it would have to do. They'd laid all their cards on the table. If the Council came back with a no, she knew that Neska would still continue to fight and petition until the last of the rakir was gone forever.

So, for that matter, would Melara.

"I understand, Madame Councilor. Thank you."

"You are dismissed. Dr. T'Soni, you as well are dismissed. Captain Pradesh, you will remain. A C-Sec officer will arrive shortly to escort you to be interviewed for our vetting process."

"I understand, ma'am. Thank you."

Irie turned to Gerty, lightly taking his arm. "You will be all right. I have no doubt you will clear the process."

He gave a nervous smile. "If I don't, well…my ship is yours. She's not much but she's…well, not much."

"She is a good little ship, but it does not matter. I will see you soon."

As she and Melara left the Chambers, she didn't miss the way her sister looked at her, her eyes then going to the human man for a moment before turning away. Mel didn't speak until they got outside, Vina rising from a bench and heading to meet them.

"Well, at least now I know why you didn't make the call, and didn't answer my pings," she said, looking at her older sister. Irie looked miserable.

"I am so sorry, Melara. I did not mean to forget, and I-"

"Hey, it's fine. I get it. What I just learned in there…well, you've got one hell of a good excuse, anyway."

"Is Mama terribly angry?"

"Of course she's not angry, she's just worried…and she'll understand too. She's got higher security clearance with the Council than even I do- we can tell her what's going on. She may even be able to help ferret out some information."

"Are you going back to Nakira?"

Melara nodded. "Going to go talk to our quarian merc first. If she can give me the details of how she found that damned Cinch I'm going to follow up on that immediately. If not, it's back to Nakira. Dae and your daughter are both still there and at the very least I need to pick them up. You want a ride?"

"Gerty will take me back to Oasis," Irie said matter-of-factly. "But thank you for the offer."

"Oh he will? You that sure he'll clear vetting?"

"Yes, I am sure. He is a good man-…what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason," Melara said with a smirk, then waved her hand. "I'm sure he is. Listen, stay in touch. We're going to have to coordinate our efforts to get to the bottom of this thing. One step at a time, ok?"

"I will. Vina, it is good to see you again."

"And you, Doctor," Vina replied with a nod. Irie noticed the turian didn't bother asking Melara what had gone on in Chambers. If she was allowed to know she had no doubt Melara would tell her, and if she was not, all the asking in the world would not reveal it.

"Wipe your omni-tool then use the Council's secure frequency to call Mama, talk to her. Let her know you're ok," Melara said. "I need to get down to C-Sec and talk to that quarian merc. I will see you again soon, Irie. Take care of yourself."

"I will," Irie replied, reaching out and hugging her younger sister tightly. "You too, sweetheart. Stay safe."

Red was pacing the small, high-security cell she'd been placed in at C-Sec headquarters when the asari came in. She did not hear her enter-either because of the softness of the asari's approach or because of her own distraction. One moment, she was not there, and then there she was, startling the quarian completely.

She eyed the silent newcomer a moment, then shook her head. "You're not C-Sec, and you're not dressed like one of Shepard's crew."

"Because I am neither," the asari replied. "My name is Athena. I am…a collector of information."

"Is that so?"

"That is so. I am also the reason you are in this cell and not rolling in credits aboard your own ship right this very moment."

Red narrowed her eyes. "You're the one that tipped the Normandy off on where to find Moore."

"I am."

"Then you're the reason that my crew is dead, my ship is crushed, and I'm facing possible execution!"

"On the contrary, Thiredra'Gerrel, I am here to save your life, and your freedom."

"Do not call me that!" Red said furiously. "And what the fuck are you talking about?"

"I have been monitoring your activity for some time now. When I learned you had the Cinch device and were planning to sell it to Moore, I notified the Normandy. I knew Melara would interfere, and I knew she would see you put into a cell instead of shot. Of course, that bastard Moore needed to be brought down as well, but that was just a pleasurable bonus to what I really needed. You."

"Honey, you're cute and all, but you're going to have to come up with something better than that."

"I need you to work with me. I want you to show me where you got the Cinch, and I need your particular knack at finding such rare and high tech artifacts."

"You could have just come and asked me. You didn't need to arrange for me to be arrested."

"No, but this way I have a bit more of a bargaining chip, do I not?"

"Let me guess…you're going to try and get my sentence reduced in exchange for my cooperation. Yeah, Shepard's already doing that. Tell me why I should help you and not her."

"She is trying to get your sentence reduced. I am going to walk you out of here right now, clean record, no prison time whatsoever."

"How are you going to do that?"

"The same way I walked in here. I altered records to provide me clearance. I can alter records to clear you right out of that cell and onto my ship. Not only that, but if you help me, I will give you quadruple what Moore was willing to pay you for that Cinch."

Red's brows knit, her eyes narrowing warily. "No, there's something else going on. You're not really interested in high tech items or rare artifacts or money. You've got another reason you are doing this. What?"

"I will tell you that on my ship, in space, off this station- and only if you agree to help me. I can find out this information on my own Red. I can track everywhere you've ever gone and every word you've ever spoken if I need to. However, it will take a lot of time to do that. I'd rather you just help me. It's a win-win for both of us."

"Killing my crew was a 'win' for me, was it?"

"It was a sad result and was not intended. That lies solely on Moore's shoulders, and he will get his comeuppance for it. When you hear my full story, however, I think even you agree their deaths were a small sacrifice in light of the situation."

She stepped closer to the barrier and fixed Red's eyes with her own. "Melara is going to be finished with her Council meeting soon, and then she will be here trying to press you to cooperate and tell her where you got that Cinch. If you agree, you will still face fifteen years hard labor. You will still be in that cell. You agree to help me right here, and right now, and you will be free of that cell and walking off this station a rich woman in just a few minutes. I do promise you this, however- if I leave here alone, you will never see me again, and this offer will never again be extended. It is your decision."

Red pursed her lips, thinking, brows knit tight a moment, before she nodded. "Fine. You give me just one more thing and I'll help you with whatever it is you need to be done."

"What is that?" Athena asked.

"You let me kill Moore for what he did to my men and my ship. Right here, and right now."

Athena's eyes studied her a moment, unreadable, before she smiled ever so slightly. Lifting her omni-tool, she activated it, then touched a command. The cell barrier switched off. Reaching into the small of her back, she drew out a pistol, then handed it to the wary quarian.

"Deal."