CHAPTER 10

Ash helped Karin remove Alex's armour and they got their first proper look at the spectre's back, one of the scratches on her shoulder had gone right down to the bone. Quickly she cleaned the area.

The medi gel had already stopped the bleeding, while they were rebuilding her Miranda had come up with a special type of medi gel that was exclusively for Alex. However they had a limited supply so Karin was saving it for major injuries like this. Even the through and through she got on Omega had been treatable with the ordinary version.

"This will sting," Karin warned as she spread it carefully along each gash.

Alex gripped the side of the bio-bed, her knuckles white as she hissed her breath out through her teeth.

"All done." Karin then took a series of blood tests and scans of Ash. When she was finished she ordered the spectre to her cabin while she would go down and assist with the colonists, "Ash make sure she doesn't move too much. EDI can keep you updated. Remember you have to keep your back dry for twelve hours."

Alex nodded. She was exhausted. She led the way to the elevator, realising she hadn't considered the sleeping arrangements, she knew what she wanted, but it had to be Ash's choice, Alex had already taken a few liberties by kissing her.

"I put Abby up here as well, because I knew I was getting Cass." she explained as she opened her door.

Ash whistled at the gigantic fish tank as the spectre sat on the couch. She wandered to the desk and looked in the tank on the shelf behind it.

"That's Socks. I rescued him from where I was when I woke up." Alex carefully moved a cushion behind her. "I need a shower."

"You heard Karin." said Ash, she knew Alex hated the smell of blood. "Tell you what, I'll see what I can do." She found a bowl and filled it with warm soapy water and picked up a cloth and a towel. These she put down on the coffee table while she helped Alex take off what was left of her under suit. Their eyes met for a second before Ash gently began wiping away the dirt and blood from the spectres upper body. The red scarring was all over, though the scars on her jaw had already faded some since the Citadel. She could feel Alex's breath hitch when she touched her. At last she was clean and Alex stood to get changed properly.

Ash moved what she had used back to the bathroom, partly so she wouldn't be tempted to watch.

"Thanks," said Alex with a smile. "Karin will kill me if I gave you a tour, so I'll give you a virtual one." Alex sat at her desk and turned on her monitor and patched into the internal surveillance system and starting from Jack's hidey hole at the bottom, worked her way up the ship. Ash leaned on the back of her chair. As the images passed over the areas where their friends spent most of their time Alex told Ash how she'd got Garrus back. She already knew about Tali as the quarian had told her herself.

"Why didn't you ask Liara?" asked Ash, curiously.

"I need her doing what she is doing," replied Alex, "And she can do it best where she is."

"What about the other dossiers?"

Alex pulled them up for Ash to read. There were still ten under consideration.

"One of these is an assassin."

"So was I when the Alliance deemed it necessary." said Alex, "Have you noticed the list of his targets for the last two years? All major scum bags so he's either working for someone who's trying to do some good or he's doing it off his own bat. EDI has traced him to Illium, he's going after Nassana Dantius. Remember her?"

"She fooled us into killing her sister." Ash still couldn't wrap her head around anyone killing their sister.

"I could use a couple of extra people, but Thane's the only one on that list I really want. I'm glad I have you and Cass. "

"I didn't see the thief Kasumi down there," said Ash suddenly.

"I had her doing recon, gathering as much info as possible. Not to engage unless she really had to." replied Alex. "She may have had the worst job of all...having to watch and not help." She yawned.

"Bed. You need sleep," said Ash, "I'll be right here when you wake up." She promised.

That meant the whole universe to Alex, she stood up and hugged Ash, her eyes filling with tears.

"Hey, don't cry," whispered Ash, "You'll set me off."

Alex chuckled as she sniffed resting her head on Ash's shoulder. She could feel Ash holding her carefully. "So when you say you'll be right here...do you mean here?" she asked pulling back to search her dark brown eyes.

"Alex, I haven't been able to hold you for two years," replied Ash, leaning their foreheads together, "And you have a perfectly nice double bed...maybe I'm not quite ready for everything yet, but you have a couch for if you don't behave yourself."

"What you say goes," said Alex swallowing, this was more than she'd hoped for. Ash nodded and led her to the bed.

"Sleep. I promise I'm not going anywhere." Ash kissed Alex's cheek when she settled. Keeping one eye on the spectre Ash read through the mission reports for Alex's time on the Normandy so far. Now that the comms were back up she asked Abby if she could get all her belongings. Abby replied that she and Cassidy were already planning to do that when they'd finished their sweep. The alliance was sending a relief convoy the next day.

Cassidy reported finding Sam in one of the pods and that she was totally freaked out. Until they did a full census of the colony they wouldn't know who had been taken. So far they hadn't found any of Sam's family, but they still had a lot of ground to cover.

MEMEMEMEMEME

Some of the colonists like Delan had been able to get in doors before the swarms found them. Garrus and Miranda organised them to help with the search. This meant Cassidy was able to go and pack her things sooner than she expected. Abby looked around while her wife collected hers and Ash's stuff.

Abby picked up the Normandy model, it had been a real gamble sending it to her sister, but it had paid off. When Karin had come down and told them that Ash was looking after the spectre. She knew everything would be okay.

"Think fast!"

Abby jumped and caught the bag her wife had tossed at her. "Idiot," she grinned, dropping the bag and wrapping her arms around Cassidy and kissing her, they only stopped when they banged into the wall, both were breathing heavily. Cassidy traced her wife's lips with her finger.

"Save that thought." Abby nodded.

It didn't take too much longer to check that they had everything. Cassidy did detour to check on Sam, she was surprised to find that Karin had sedated her.

"Why?"

"She's claustrophobic," replied Karin, "And locking her in one of those pods did a real number on her."

"She is?"

"Her father told me, he's gone to help the others."

Cassidy sighed with relief, "What about her mom?"

"No word yet, though it may take days to really sort all this out. Are you heading to the Normandy?"

Abby nodded.

"Check that Alex is actually resting, will you."

"Will do."

The shuttle ride wasn't that long. They dropped Cassidy's things in their cabin before moving Ash's. Abby knocked.

Immediately Ash opened the door and hugged them both making them drop the bags. She held a finger to her lips and indicated the sleeping spectre. Quietly she put the bags on the couch the stepped into The other's cabin to get a progress report from them.

Ash was relieved to know Sam's dad had survived, at least she wasn't alone, if they didn't find her mother.

"Does Alex know about Sam?" asked Cassidy.

Ash nodded, then glanced at her sister, she didn't think she'd told her.

Abby caught the look, "It wasn't me, it was The Illusive Man, Karin said he made very sure she knew. Karin explained it to her."

Ash went very still.

"She doesn't blame you, does she?" Ash shook her head, "Then don't complicate it. If she asks, tell her."

"I still feel like I cheated," admitted Ash with a sigh.

"I can't help you there," said Abby.

"Maybe I can," said Cassidy, "I used to feel bad about who I slept with before falling for Abby. The only thing I could do was start fresh from that moment. It was the best decision I ever made...Well up to proposing anyway." Grinning at her wife.

Ash agreed it was the only thing she could do. "Thanks, I'll be next door if you need me." She went back to Alex, the spectre was still sleeping. She lifted Socks out of his tank and gently stroked him while she started looking over the crews files. Alex still had the same password 'Princess' followed by a string of numbers that made up the date back on Earth when they had got back together in high school. Only the two of them knew the significance of those numbers. Alex had said it was the day she had known she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Ash. She smiled at the memory. She glanced over at the hump in the bed, "I love you."

MEMEMEMEME

The first Alliance ship to arrive was the Frigate the SSV Leipzig, four hours after the Collector vessel had left and took over from the Normandy's crew.

Miranda ordered everyone back to the ship. Once back on board she told Joker to set course for Illium, she knew the spectre was hoping to recruit the assassin Thane Krios. Alex was resting per Karin's orders and she knew the spectre would want to show both Cassidy and her ex-wife? Partner? Around personally.

Alex slept the entire way to Illium and was teased mercilessly by Abby when she appeared in the mess with Ash to get her breakfast in the middle of the afternoon.

EDI had informed them that Shiala had paid for their docking fees.

Alex couldn't wear her armour so instead she clipped a shield generator to her belt and her phalanx pistol. Ash, Abby and Cassidy were in full armour and armed to the teeth.

An asari met them with instructions to Shiala's office. Karin wasn't happy with Alex walking around, but Alex had to be the one to talk to the drell.

Shiala dismissed her secretary, Nyxeris as she hugged them all, "It is so good to see you all." She was extra careful when she embraced the spectre, being injured was the only reason Alex would be wearing clothes.

"Liara forwarded the dossiers to me. I have information on Thane Krios, her has acquired information on Nassana's whereabouts, I believe he may have already infiltrated the Dantius Towers. I have evidence of an influx of mercenaries. Also reports of them shooting workers."

"Just mercs?" asked Alex in a tone that had her family looking at each other, knowing there was no stopping her.

"LOKI and Fenris mechs as well."

Alex nodded Cassidy could hack those. "Make arrangements we'll go in half an hour."

"Where are we going right now?" asked Abby, almost afraid of the answer.

"I need an assault rifle and some light body armour, Illium has shops, yes." The armour that she got was light brown with a M-97 Viper, it was a decent weapon.

"And if you go back to the Normandy Karin will ground your ass," added Cassidy with a laugh.

"Make it a sniper rifle rifle," said Ash, "And hang back and cover us. If you come back with a single scratch Karin will think of something terrible to do to us."

Alex grinned as she nodded, "Okay. " It was a good plan.

The skycar Shiala had hired was waiting for them when they returned. The auto map had the destination already programmed in. Once they got to the Towers they could switch to manual to find a suitable parking spot. Cassidy was the driver as Alex was still having trouble leaning against anything.

The Dantius Towers were still under construction. With huge cranes on top of them.

"Where do we land?" asked Cassidy, circling the the less finished tower, then she saw a balcony, "Never mind."

The skycar just fit and they all had to climb out of the left side of the vehicle as the other was hanging over the edge.

Cassidy used her omni tool to unlock the door. The room was empty except for a pile of tools in one corner. In the corridor they were met by two LOKI mechs and a Fenris dog mech. Cassidy overloaded the Loki's no one had ever thought to program spacing between them. Alex biotically lifted the Fenris and slammed it into the floor.

"Clear."

As they proceeded they saw bodies of salarians shot in the back, indicating they were running away. Ash could see Alex clenching her jaw and her eyes flashing. She realised with a start that before now she hadn't even noticed Alex's eyes glowing.

Somewhere close by they heard yelling. No orders were necessary, they slipped out into the corridor watching each others backs. Alex let Ash take point and activated her shield.

Two salarians were running from a single LOKI mech, Alex hurled a warp at it. It dropped sparking and twitching. The salarians were very grateful, they provided them with a blue print and the best path to get to the Pent House where undoubtedly Nassana would be hold up.

The mechs and mercs never stood a chance, even the krogan and asari vanguards. Cassidy would overload their shields then switch to a different enemy leaving Alex to pick them off with a head shot.

"Maybe you're right about this guy," said Ash after finding a group of workers who had been locked in by the assassin, it really did look like he was trying to keep them safe.

The bridge between the two towers was the trickiest, they had gusts of wind, mercs and mechs to contend with. They did get pinned down until Alex sent a shock wave down the middle of it. As it died away not a living thing remained on the bridge. She and Ash dealt with the rocket drones parked at the other end. The second tower didn't have as many mercs, probably because no one expected anyone to get past all the rest.

The double doors leading to the Pent house were fancy, decorated with flowers native to Thessia.

Alex actually knocked, they weren't here to kill her after all. More surprising was that they were let in. Six mercs held them at gunpoint.

"Shepard? I heard you were dead?"

"I've been getting that a lot." relied Alex her ears picking up a sound from the vent above them.

"Are you here to kill me? That's not your style Shepard." The asari was very nervous.

"Me? No, I'm not." A silent figure dropped down behind the row of guards and snapped the neck of the closest, warped another, Kicked and shot a third. The others were also dealt with without any of them getting a shot off. Until only the asari was left. The drell shot her then lowered her gently to the floor and crossed her arms over his chest.

"That was quite an entrance," commented Abby.

"The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone. Take you for instance. All this destruction...chaos. I was curious to see how far you would go to find me. Well, here I am." His voice was low and gravelly.

"How did you know I was here?" asked Alex.

"I didn't. Not until you marched in and started shooting. Nassana had become paranoid. You saw the strength of her guards. She believed one of her other sisters would kill her. You made an excellent distraction."

"I noticed. I need you help for a mission. Have you heard of the Collectors?"

"By reputation."

"They are taking whole human colonies. Freedom's Progress was their handiwork."

"I see." The drell looked at the floor, deep in thought.

"We are going after them." said Alex.

"Attacking them would require passing through the Omega 4 relay. No ship has ever returned from doing so."

"Everyone thought it was impossible to get to Ilos as well."

"A fair point. You've built a career on doing the impossible. This was to be my last job. I'm dying. Low survival odds don't concern me. The abduction of your colonists does.

"I'm taking that as a yes?" asked Alex.

"I will work for you Shepard. No charge. "

"Welcome to the team. Just out of curiosity what's wrong with you?"

"I have Kepral's Syndrome."

"It erodes the lungs ability to take in oxygen," explained Abby, "Eventually it spreads to the other organs. There is no cure, but genetic adaptation is being considered. We can't catch it."

"I have done many dark things in my life. I am trying to make it brighter before I die."

Alex nodded as she led the way back to the sky car. She needed to see if there was anything Karin could do.

TBC...

A/N Hope you're all having fun reading this. Thanks all your positive feedback has me buzzing. :) Your reviews are great too. lol

Keep happy and keep reading. Have mucho fun. T-Rex.