"We'll have to find time later to go through this stuff," said Kaidan as he and Lauren stood nonchalantly in a busy corridor. "I only saw some things briefly, but I think you are on to something."

"I knew it," Lauren breathed. "Tonight? After dinner hour, during free time?"

A worried look crossed Kaidan's face. "I don't know. I have…plans with Rahna. I'll try. I'll message you if I can, ok?"

With pursed lips, Lauren acknowledged. "The sooner, the better," she said and walked away.

x-X-x

"So what's going on between you and Lauren?" Rahna asked, with only genuine curiosity in her voice.

Kaidan coughed on the bite he was chewing. "Nothing. Why?"

Rahna smiled and took his hand. "Oh, Kat said that Jason said you two met up after lights out."

Swallowing hard, he squeezed Rahna's hand. "Don't worry about that. She wanted my help with a project. Part of the crap Vyrnnus has us do. She's a procrastinator."

"Tell me about it!" the girl laughed. "Last week, I had to help her learn how to put together a survival shelter from trees and leaves, in one night! Lauren was like, 'There's no point to this. This isn't realistic. What if I crash on a snowy planet?' I just laughed at her. If she doesn't want to do it, she just doesn't…until she finds out she has no other choice!"

Kaidan laughed at Rahna's spot-on impression of Lauren and inwardly let out a sigh of relief. She didn't need to know what was going on. He wouldn't let anything happen to her that could shatter their happiness.

"Rahna, the project is due tomorrow," Kaidan said slowly. "I know we had plans tonight, but I sort of feel like I should help Lauren with this."

"Aww, Kaidan. I was really looking forward to tonight," Rahna said in a voice that sent a rush of desire through his body. Her fingers laced with his and she rubbed her foot up the inside of his leg. God, she's beautiful, he thought.

He took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Believe me, Rahna; I want to be with you. There's nothing I'd rather do, but I really should do this. It's just tonight."

"Ok," Rahna mock pouted. "I guess the waiting will make it even better."

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Kaidan stood up and gave Rahna a kiss on the forehead. "Thank you."

Giggling, Rahna tried to have a serious tone. "You owe me, Kaidan Alenko."

Kaidan pulled out his datapad from his back pocket as he left the cafeteria. He typed in a quick message.

I'm free tonight. Where and when? –K

Lauren's response was nearly instantaneous.

Same place. 1830. I think we'll have a lot to look at. –L

x-X-x

Sitting in class while Vyrnnus extolled the virtues of biotic warp fields, Kaidan's mind was wandering. His arm was around Rahna, since no one seemed to mind them scooting their desks close together, but he was unconsciously watching Lauren. His rational mind was fighting with a part of him he hadn't really explored before.

Rahna, she was kind, warm, lovely, open and safe. She was the kind of girl you take home to your parents and they love her. She really was everything he could want in a woman. In a wife, if he were to really think that far ahead. She would be patient and tolerant. He already knew she was a gentle lover. She was a stable force for a long-lasting relationship. He should want that.

Lauren was volatile, impulsive, emotionally distant, and fearless. She would be the one who would intentionally pick a fight over politics with your outspoken uncle just to rile him up. She'd be the one who would tear you to pieces over a trivial argument, but she'd probably make love just as fiercely. It would be a relationship that would never be dull, but would ultimately be short-lived, like a fireworks show. He shouldn't want that, but maybe it was because he couldn't have it that he did.

The tone sounded and everyone stood up to leave, knocking Kaidan from his thoughts. "Come on, sleepy," Rahna teased. "I thought you were going to doze off right there in front of Vyrnnus!"

"Yeah," Kaidan yawned. He stretched his arms out as he stood, reaching for Rahna and pulling her close. "I'm really glad I met you." He wanted his rational mind to win, so he would force it to.

She smiled broadly and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "Me too. I've never met a guy as kind and gentle as you. Most guys are posturing peacocks. I'd rather have one to take care of me."

"That's why I'm here, Rahna."

x-X-x

Kaidan arrived at the meeting place first and took a seat on the floor behind a crate. He opened his omni-tool and started looking at the files he had downloaded. He hadn't realized Brain Camp had been in operation for so long. "Eight years?" he whispered to himself. "They were bringing in kids…"

"What do you mean kids?" Lauren asked as she squeezed in between Kaidan and the wall.

"This file here," Kaidan read. "BAaT was founded in 2160 to start developing implants for biotics, but they didn't start bringing in anyone for training until 2163 when they developed the L1. They were placed in kids as young as 9. Oh God, it gets worse…" His voice faded out as he became more engrossed in what was on his tool's screen.

"I see it…," said Lauren solemnly. "'The L1 was a monumental failure with 90% of the subjects implanted exhibiting severe side effects, like severe migraines, mental illness, uncontrollable biotic flare-ups that eventually degraded the subjects' nervous systems to nonfunctionality. The other 10% didn't survive the initial procedure. Death rate within 3 months: 100%. Conatix agrees to covertly orchestrate drive core failures around Earth to expose more of the population and gain more potential biotic subjects for study.'"

Lauren fell back against the wall. "Holy shit. So these guys screwed up royally and kids died for it? And those drive core failures…I remember hearing about them. But why?"

"Here's something else," Kaidan pointed. "'To Earth ambassadors' it says. 'Convince the parents that BAaT is what is best for their child. Emphasize the potential danger biotic power imposes to the general population and their child. Remind them that the long-term effects still aren't known and it is likely their lifespans will be shorter. BAaT will allow them to learn control and become productive members of society for the time they have. Allow them to believe that their children can be a part of the normal population eventually.'"

"Ok, so they think we're freaks and want our parents to think the same thing. What's the point in all of this? Is there anything earlier?" Lauren wondered.

"I don't know. It had to start somewhere." Kaidan started tapping at his tool. "This one looks interesting. 'Superhuman abilities from eezo exposure.' It's a study from observing turians and asari with biotic abilities. Here's the summary. 'It is the opinion of the authors that eezo exposure to humans could result in the birth of a new superhuman with telekinetic abilities. These abilities could be fully utilized in industrial and military capacities, making for production efficiency increased and countless lives saved. These superhumans, or biotics, could be used as tools for the most dangerous operations sparingly because of their exponential might. The authors recommend the asari method of using biotic amplifiers to even further increase the strength of human biotics. However, physiologies differ enough that human tests must be conducted to find compatible technology.' The authors are from Conatix."

Lauren scratched her head. "Care to speak plain English? That went completely over my head."

"It means that Conatix wanted to create biotics to be used to save everyone else from dangerous occupations. Like our lives aren't worth as much." Kaidan looked up at Lauren. "You were right. They are training us to be slaves, easily sacrificed for everyone else."

"Fuck. Bastards." Lauren saw something on Kaidan's screen that caught her attention. "What's that about Vyrnnus? Open it."

"'Vyrnnus, a biotic turian, has been contracted to work for BAaT,'" Kaidan read slowly. "It says here 'his methods are effective, if not heavy-handed. Conatix researchers believe a biotic population heavily intimidated will be easier to control and move into the hazardous positions they can best be utilized.' So we're fucking tools."

"Yeah," said Lauren angrily. "We have to get out of here…get everyone out of here. This has got to stop! You know that, right, Kaidan?"

Kaidan shook his head. "We owe it to those kids."

"You owe those kids nothing," a multi-tonal voice sounded. "Did you two think you could get into the comm logs and not get caught?"

Kaidan and Lauren stood and saw Vyrnnus standing at the end of the corridor. "Fuck," Kaidan heard Lauren whisper.

Vyrnnus strode over to the pair. "Oh, you are both damn lucky. If I had my way, I'd blast you out the airlock right this minute. But to Conatix, you are both extremely valuable. That doesn't mean I cannot punish you. From now on, you two can no longer associate. I'll see to that personally. If I find that you tell anyone about what you've found, you will be out the airlock, Conatix be damned."

The turian wrenched the omni-tool from Kaidan's arm. "I'll be taking this as well." Behind Vyrnnus, a couple well-armed adults appeared. "Take these two to a solitary confinement room for the night. Then tomorrow morning, well, let's just say your training just became more personal."

x-X-x

Lauren stalked about in the confinement room. There was a bed, a blanket, a toilet and a sink. The guards even took her datapad. "Fucking bastards. YOU CAN'T KEEP ME IN THIS HELL!" she screamed at the door. She pounded it until her fists were raw. She knew it was late and that she should sleep, but her mind was whirling with the information she and Kaidan had discovered. There has to be a way to shut this place down.

x-X-x

Kaidan sat quietly on the bed in his confinement room. He was trying not to see the inevitability of what was to come. He pictured Rahna, older and exhausted from being forced to move large pieces of materials for building ships or skyscrapers. He saw himself being forced into military suicide missions alone because of his biotic barrier that would supposedly keep him alive long enough to accomplish his task. He couldn't see Lauren in the future. She wouldn't let that happen to her. She'd probably kill herself first…and take as many people as she could with her.

x-X-x

Right on the nose, Lauren was wakened by a pounding on the door at 5 a.m. "Shepard! Get your ass out of bed. Vyrnnus wants to see you now." The guard opened the door and handed Lauren her datapad. "Get moving…oh, and your little friend has been blocked from your messaging system too."

Arriving at the room marked on her pad, she saw it was just Vyrnnus. Kaidan wasn't there this time. "Miss Shepard," the turian said sarcastically. "I think it's time I took you down a peg or two." He walked closer, and Lauren's biotics flared. Vyrnnus just laughed. "Stupid human. I have twice the strength as you, physically and biotically." He threw Lauren against the wall. She started to get up, but was stopped by a punch in the face from a taloned fist. "I'll teach you to get sneaky and try to be anything more than the slave mercenary you were born to be." He hit her again. She felt blood running from her nose and into her eye.

He grabbed her right arm and twisted it. She screamed in pain as she felt her shoulder joint give way. As quickly as it had started, it ended. Vyrnnus took a step back from the battered Lauren, her arm turned awkwardly. "Get to the infirmary. Have your wounds tended to. Don't cross me again."

x-X-x

Kaidan walked in to see Vyrnnus with a pleased look on his face. "Alenko, I know you were not the instigator in this little escapade. For that, I'm letting you off easier. I broke your friend's arm and she knows not to circumvent my authority again. Your omni-tool has been destroyed and you will spend the rest of your days here being monitored 24 hours a day. Watch your communications or you can meet a similar fate as she. Now get out of my face before I change my mind."

Kaidan pinched his nose in frustration and worry. He was stuck. They were stuck. He was out of options.

A/N: A little shout out to Blinkdawg for catching an error in my writing! And to Guest, there's always been an attraction between Lauren and Kaidan and that will continue into their military careers. But things will have to happen in between, so we'll see!