The medical bay was a hive of activity. Joker was in the corner bed, secured into a full body cast as his bones healed, doped unconscious due to the immense pain caused by the advanced procedures Chakwas used to restore their form.

Most of the ground team had taken at least one bullet, not to mention the assorted fractures, burns, cuts and biotic exhaustion that plagued the others. Thane was in a bad way: his Kepral's syndrome having exacerbated his relatively minor injuries, and it seemed Garrus had taken the brunt of the firepower for his team, and was being treated for several gunshot wounds by the surviving crew, all of whom had at least rudimentary combat first aid knowledge.

Chakwas was more worried about Shepard. Her now cut away armour was completely ruined, and some of it had melted into her skin across one arm, and some of her back; the black compound a horrible contrast to her golden skin. She had been barking orders to EDI even as Chakwas worked, first to connect a call to Liara, then to Councillor Anderson, and now she wanted to get Aria T'Loak of all people on the vid-comm.

'Doc, you need to let me go!' The stubborn soldier struggled against the straps holding her in place as Chakwas worked to carefully remove the remnants of her armour, having already treated the gunshot wounds as best she could given the rushed circumstances.

'If I let you leave now, removing this will be a far less pleasant experience, I assure you.' she admonished. She knew Shepard could break free if she really wanted, and was not stupid enough to completely ignore the Doctor's orders.

'I don't care about the pain, we're sitting ducks in the Omega system and we need Aria's help!'

Karin sighed and was purposefully less gentle in pulling the piece of armour from Shepard's flesh than she could have been, and the soldier suddenly tensed, but did not cry out.

'This is a delicate enough procedure as it is, Commander, but it's not the pain I'm worried about: any longer and this will sink into your flesh and I'll not be able to remove it without giving you some very nasty scars, not to mention the risk-'

Shepard scoffed. 'Scars don't bother me.'

She sighed. The woman was already criss-crossed with the red lines of the Lazarus project, her mood during battle obviously being anger and sadness at the losses they had suffered. 'Will you just trust me for once? Call her on your omni-tool if you have to.'

Shepard stopped moving, then acquiesced. 'Fine. Set yours up in front of me, mine's damaged. EDI, patch Aria through on Chakwas' tool when she's ready.'

Chakwas set up her tool ahead of Shepard, who was lying on her stomach with a bare torso as the doctor cut out the shreds of armour, hidden from the rest of the medbay by a thin curtain.

After a few more minutes of tense quiet, Shepard occasionally groaning as Chakwas eased the melted black material from her flesh, Chakwas saw her omni-tool flare up. An attractive asari shimmered to life above it, clearly in bed with a white sheet draped around her body.

'Shepard... are you trying to make me jealous? Getting my men to wake me up, then treating me to this wonderful sight? I'm sure one of my girls could give you a much better... massage... than that aging thing.' Her voice sounded like a purring cat: comfortable, but like with all cats, the claws were just beneath the calm, beautiful exterior.

Chakwas scowled a little bit, but did not rise to the insult. This was Shepard's call - she was just the doctor.

'Maybe another time, Aria.' replied Shepard, a hint of humour in her voice. Chakwas suspected it was forced: the soldier would be in great pain from her ministrations, and Shepard was not known to brook insults to her crew, but they both knew they needed Aria's help.

'I'll hold you to that. Sooo...' Her voice drawled out, and the medic saw Aria sit up, the sheet falling from her shoulder in a manner Chakwas was sure was deliberate. 'My guy also told me a ship just came back through the Omega 4 relay, a ship not belonging to the Collectors. Am I to assume that's you?'

'Yes. We're seriously damaged and need safe passage, protection, a dry dock for two weeks, your best repair and... nnng... detailing crews and absolute discretion. What's your price?' Shepard reeled off the words with military precision, voice emotionless even as Karin tugged a particularly large piece of armour from her shoulder, wincing slightly as she saw bone beneath the wound. The brief pause was the only clue to the great pain Shepard was in: if sedatives had any noticeable effect, Chakwas would have preferred to do this with the woman at least doped, but Cerberus' upgrades apparently did not distinguish between poison and useful chemicals.

Chakwas was slightly surprised the Commander was so openly willing to admit their weakness to Aria... but she had seen the state of the Normandy. A single fighter could probably take them down now, and Shepard had no time for games.

'Right to business? And such a list of demands... this won't come cheap.' Aria purred with a smirk, the sheet slipping lower down her violet body, exposing a generous hint of cleavage.

'I know. Name your price.' Shepard replied tersely.

'Ooo I think somebody's deeespeeeraaate...' she drew out the final word in a sing song tone, before her face hardened. 'A favour. At some point I will call you up and have you do something for me.'

To say Chakwas was surprised would be a massive understatement. She thought Aria would want credits, a lot of them. That seemed like a small cost...

'You know there's some things I won't do, and I won't risk my crew.' Shepard sounded like she was expecting that answer.

With a small shake of her head, Chakwas got back to work. She was much better with wounds than diplomacy, in particular with criminal overlords.

'I'm not stupid, Shepard. Do we have a deal?'

'Deal. You know where I am, I'll get my ship ready for escort.'

'A pleasure as always. Make sure to stop by sometime... and no need to dress.' Aria flashed a wide grin, dropping her sheet just as the video feed cut.

Karin noticed Shepard's shoulders slump. She continued to speak quietly. 'EDI, prepare us to be escorted by whoever Aria sends for us. Don't let anybody on board until I say so.'

Very well, Shepard.

'That seemed to go rather well,' the doctor ventured, cutting another piece of black armour from Shepard's flesh, almost relieved to see the woman begin to show the pain she was feeling again, and quickly applied the skin weave and medigel. There would be no scar.

'You think? It's pretty much what... aah... I was expecting... but who knows what somebody like Aria will have me do.'

'You're worried she will have you do something illegal?' The implication of Aria's price began to sink in. Somebody like her had access to vast funds and mercenary groups... what she wanted a deadly commando and famous figure like Shepard for would be a substantial favour indeed.

'No, I know it'll be something illegal. I just hope... shit, there's no use worrying about it, it's done.' Most of the coldness had gone from Shepard's voice now, she just sounded... tired, and Karin felt a pang of affection for the woman, who sacrificed so much and never asked for anything in return.

'You are a good woman, Shepard. Not many would do such a thing for their crew.'

The woman snorted a bit, but remained quiet as Chakwas continued her work, tensing occasionally at the pain.

She felt like filling the silence with something else: commiserations for the dead, reassurance of the victory, anything, but nothing seemed appropriate.

'Eighteen people died for this victory.' Shepard spoke quietly. 'I know that cost will seem small for this kind of win in the war... but I just keep wondering what I could have done. I should have sent more of the ground crew with Jacob. I should have had Jack rotate her biotics with Miranda. I should have told Samara earlier, so she didn't feel like she had to... dammit!'

Karin saw the woman's body tense up again, and knew this time it was not from the pain. Not the physical kind. She had a feeling Shepard was not talking to her though, not really, and decided to let Shepard vent her feelings, at least for now, wishing only that she could offer more.

'We'll... hold some kind of service for the fallen.' Her voice cleared a little bit, again ringing with the purpose of a woman with a plan. 'They're all heroes; gave their lives so people who they've never met are safe from a threat they didn't know existed.' Shepard's head, dark brown hair still matted with blood and gore, shook harshly. 'I know we don't do this for the recognition, but it's so wrong... people will still call them terrorists... they don't deserve their sacrifices to be forgotten on some hellish base. We're not Alliance so we can't get them a formal service, but I won't let them go without remembrance.'

Chakwas gave a gentle smile. This, coming from the woman who, according to Kaidan, had ordered young Jenkins' body to be left on Eden Prime... she had changed so much since then.

Shepard relaxed again into the bed. 'Do you know what asari do for their dead?'

'Sorry Commander, I do not.'

'I'll ask Liara, and maybe there's a Justicar temple or something on Thessia where we can send her body.' Shepard sighed again. 'I wish we had more... we had to leave everybody else but Zaeed on that base.' Another shake of her head. 'I'll get coffins for everybody else. We'll do it properly, as soon as everybody's healed up.'

'That sounds like a lovely idea: it should not be more than two days before everybody is on their feet.'

'Good, then we can all have a break while Aria's people fix the ship.'

'A... break?' Chakwas was surprised - they obviously had a lot to do after the mission.

'Yeah, a couple of weeks I'm thinking. Give everyone a break... let them decide what they want to do next.'

Karin realised with a start it was one of the longest periods of leave she had had for years. She had no family to visit, but perhaps she could visit some old friends, or maybe she would be needed with Jeff and could take a short break with him, wherever he wanted to go...

She felt her heart lightening at the thought. After so much time treating the injured, living amongst the same faces in the high-pressure environment of the Normandy, she realised just how much this was needed.

'An excellent idea. If I might ask, what will you do?'

'I've got some things to sort out with Liara, and want to spend a bit of time altering the ship. EDI can run everything now so we don't need as much living space - I'm going to upgrade its... her... hardware so the combat suite isn't compromised by operations and navigational tasks, then fit as much armour and weapons onto the Normandy as I can without making her unwieldy for Joker to fly. EDI's more than proven herself trustworthy and capable, and not having a large crew will give us more capacity for armaments.'

She smiled gently, pulling out the final piece of armour. 'That does not sound like a break, Shepard. Don't make me pull rank on you.'

Shepard smiled over her shoulder, amused... they were not an Alliance ship, and Chakwas had no real power over Shepard, but the threat was still used often.

'Don't worry doctor, I'm just going to get the ideas on paper for now: that kind of retrofit will take months. Once that's done, I'm going to see if I can convince Liara to come on holiday with me.'

Karin could not help but feel her heart soar at the light in Shepard's eyes as she spoke, and notice the slight fading of her scars. What Liara had done for the Commander was wonderful.

'That sounds lovely, where will you go?'

'Mindoir. I'm going to take her to Mindoir.'

'We need to organise an expedition!'

Anderson's hologram was gesticulating wildly, and Tevos had to hold in a scowl. Shepard just had to make it back... things would be difficult from here, no doubt.

'For what? To see the ruin of another species Shepard committed genocide upon?' Sparatus spat angrily.

'Don't speak like I can't hear you, Councillor.' The human was standing, back straight, in a well-fitted uniform free of any insignia, her image projected from her ship which had, by all accounts just returned from the Omega 4 Relay.

She looked remarkably good for somebody who just returned from a suicide mission.

'I judged that the Rachni was too much a risk to let live. I expect that had I let it go you would be telling me you committed genocide for a good reason all those years ago, so let's cut the crap, most of my crew are dead or seriously injured and I'm not in the mood.' Despite her words, her voice stayed calm, her posture still.

'How dare-'

'I dare because I've just done the impossible and you know it. I've got something important to tell you, so are you going to listen to what I have to say?'

Sparatus looked ready to burst, so Tevos stepped in quickly. 'Perhaps we should hear her out. Shepard, despite recent... associations... is still a Spectre, and would not call without reason.'

The human nodded. 'Thank you Councillor. Yes, I wiped out the Collectors. However, as the information I have already sent you shows, they were actually Protheans, genetically modified and filled with so much technology there was nothing left of them but mindless thralls.'

'So you killed not only an entire race, but a race you yourself say was eliminated by your so called "Reapers"?' Valern spoke that time, voice expressing disbelief, but not the blind scoffing that Sparatus' did.

'I prefer to see it as putting them out of their misery, Councillor. Without their controller, the creatures were nothing but husks. Professor Solus' extensive reports show this, and we have samples we are willing to share with your species' governments.'

'So you say.' replied Valern, but he did not sound so cynical. Tevos knew Mordin Solus was practically a living legend amongst his people.

'Anyway, that is not why I called. I wiped out the Collectors whilst leaving the base intact. The area will be radioactive for some time, but what I found there was worth the risk.'

'Tell them what you found, Shepard.' Anderson sounded eager.

The woman tapped her omni-tool a few times, and Tevos saw a video feed pop up, Shepard's face filling the screen, smeared in blood and looking stressed, a web of glowing scars criss-crossing her skin. The view suddenly spun around before stabilising, the movement signifying a helmet camera, which looked towards a stunningly beautiful human woman, nodding towards her, eliciting a small smile, before panning to the side of a huge cavern.

'The tubes you see are filled with the base genetic material of tens of thousands of humans.'

The video continued, the movement of Shepard's transport strangely smooth.

'They were all leading to a superstructure which my ship's computer identified as a hybrid of organic and artificial parts. The Collectors were using the humans to build...'

Shepard paused, clearly for dramatic effect. Tevos was about to chastise the woman for such petty drama when the monstrous visage of a giant skeleton filled the screen, and gasps sounded from Shepard's audio.

'... a Reaper.'

All four Councillors burst out into conversation at once, expressing a mixture of horror and disbelief, Tevos included. It couldn't be... that... thing... was not a Reaper. It could not be!

'Shepard, you cannot seriously-'
'Impossible! Use of organic parts in such a way is-'
'A fabrication! You humans are desperate-'
'See! Shepard was right!'

'Councillors!' Shepard's voice sounded like a whipcrack, silencing them. Tevos instantly felt ashamed: such crude behaviour was beneath her, insulting to her people. 'Please, the rest of this is important.'

They watched, horror mounting, as Shepard argued with the terrorist known only as the Illusive Man, as she made the decision to save the base for them, as she fought the abomination, as it killed the human they had seen smiling just minutes before, as Shepard's krogan finally brought it down. The video shrank, continuing to play through her escape despite the overwhelming opposition, in the bottom corner of Shepard's hologram as the woman once again appeared.

'I show you this, and I saved the base, because I will not abide inactivity any longer. On that base lies all the proof you need of the Reapers' existence, data on how they are made and how they operate, and more. I've already sent Councillor Anderson everything I have on the dangers of indoctrination; I don't know if that base is a liability but we can never be too careful-'

'That is assuming we follow your request.' Sparatus' voice cut over Shepard's.

She actually looked confused for a moment, before clearing her face again. 'You've asked me for proof, and I've given it to you on an enormous scale, saving hundreds of thousands of lives in the process. The least you owe me for your doubts is to take a look.'

'If the Council does not investigate this, the Alliance will go through the Omega 4 Relay and claim any technology discovered there as its own.' Anderson piped up.

That little note inspired her to act, and she could see the same was true of the others. Rumours of ancient death machines could be easily ignored... but allowing the humans to keep something so important to themselves... could not be permitted.

She had a duty to her people first, to ensure the asari retained their position as the dominant race in the galaxy. Allowing the humans to take all of such a finding to themselves would threaten that dominance, especially if, as Shepard indicated, the Collectors were actually Protheans.

'I vote to launch an exploratory expedition, to be followed by more substantial investment if initial findings are promising.' she said quickly.

'Agreed.' Valern spoke instantly.

With Anderson's obvious agreement, they did not need Sparatus' vote to go ahead... but his agreement would be useful.

'Very well. We will begin preparations.' She breathed a small sigh of relief: unanimous agreement led to far fewer disagreements in the future. 'Have you considered that the Omega 4 Relay is in Sahrabarik, practically the centre of the Terminus Systems? We will not be able to move there in any considerable force.'

Good point...

'It is already taken care of, Councillors. You can jump straight to Sahrabarik from the Citadel relay, am I correct?'

Tevos nodded. Thankfully, the reverse was not true.

'Aria T'Loak agreed to let all of your ships pass without harassment... for a fee. She will become quite rich from this, I imagine, but the benefits will far outweigh petty credits.' Shepard continued.

Tevos shook her head. Venturing into the Terminus, dealing with the shameful example of her people that was Aria... But Shepard and Anderson had them. Shepard wanted them to examine her proof, Anderson had the Alliance ready to take advantage if they did not.

She really had no choice. The only way to allow the asari to benefit would be to prevent the humans from monopolising the find.

'Thank you, Spectre Shepard, for this information. We will begin organising our expeditionary force immediately. Tevos out.'

The communication cut, and Tevos knew she had a few seconds before her duty claimed her again.

Nobody watching, she sighed deeply, and ran her hands across her crest, dipping lower to the sensitive skin below, enjoying the shameful flush accompanying the touch, letting out a quiet groan.

Sometimes, it felt like illicit thrills were the only thing real in the galaxy any more.

Her omni-tool rang suddenly, breaking her spell. She straightened her spine, and accepted the call.

I struggle, and eventually fail, to keep a small smile from my face as my shuttle soars through the vast blackness of space towards the nearest mass relay.

Leaving my ship unoccupied was a risk, but a small one. Nobody knows its location, and the onboard VI can manage the information networks to an acceptable level of efficiency in my absence.

Faith's call was brief, coming almost as soon as her agent reported the activity at the Relay.

"I'll be with you soon, Liara."

I did not tell her that our reunion will be a lot sooner than she imagined. I could see that she was calling from the medbay, head bobbing with the motion of whatever Doctor Chakwas was doing, and there was pain in her words, and an immense tiredness: the same things I heard in her voice when Ashley died on Virmire. More died during her assault, I know, and I will be there for her.

The rest of the journey passes with an agonising slowness: the shuttle is less than ideal for long haul flights but I had no other choice, unless I took a fighter.

But as I make the jump into Omega, I feel a familiar excitement rising as I scan the area for the Normandy's unique signatures. I am not surprised to see it is in one of the dry docks built into the asteroid field around Omega, and immediately plot a course, hailing the ship with a very specific address.

Seconds later the comm hisses to life, a softly glowing blue orb projected where the video feed of the other person would normally be.

Hello, Doctor T'Soni.

Shepard's AI, EDI, had made something of an impression during my brief time on the Normandy as we hunted the Shadow Broker: it seemed rather... mischievous.

'Hello EDI, thank you for taking my call. Have you followed my request not to tell Shepard I am here?'

Yes, though I am unsure as to your motivations. We suffered heavy casualties and Shepard is unlikely to appreciate romantic games at this time.

'I will not be playing games EDI, I simply believe that if she knew I was coming, she would instinctively put on some pretense for my benefit.'

I... understand. I will assist you.

'Thank you. I imagine there are people working on the Normandy: what would be the best way for me to board discretely?'

I will give you directions and distract crew members. What is your destination?

'Shepard's cabin.'

A silly thing to do perhaps... but I will be there for her tonight, as she grieves.

A/N: Thank you Jay8008 for beta reading.