In the end, no man may prove he is not the devil.

The Transmigration Effect

Chapter 10

con·va·lesce (verb)

to recover one's health and strength over a period of time after an illness or operation.

You know, I'm really getting a new perspective here. The cells in the Normandy's brig are a lot less comfortable than they look.

I guess it was to be expected. Not exactly proper etiquette to execute a prisoner of war who's just been told the terms of his imprisonment. In my defense, the guy was an asshole. Immediately after I'd blown Stenson's brains out, Shepard decked me. Not a soft punch, either. It broke my helmet.

"Care to explain what happened?" Shepard asks.

"I thought I explained it on the Odysseus," I reply. Not antagonistically, just tiredly. My stomach still hurts like hell, although nowhere near as bad as it did when we returned to the Normandy. The painkillers are wearing off, I guess.

"Run it by me again. I've turned off the recording equipment in here, if that helps," she says, a little crossly this time.

I just sigh. "As soon as you mentioned being tried in an Alliance court, the terrorist's – Stenson's – outlook changed dramatically. He stopped being frightened immediately and almost looked relieved." Garrus, Wrex and even Ash had all backed me up in that observation, despite Garrus' condition. Probably the reason I got off with just a punch, in hindsight.

"I took a look at the footage and you were right about that. What that doesn't explain though, is why you chose to shoot him on the spot, instead of telling me or questioning him in any manner!"

"Could I have changed your decision, Shepard?" There's the crux of the matter.

She frowned mulishly. "No. But you didn't even try." She sits down heavily, grimacing. "I don't understand you. You don't fit. You're a civilian, volunteering for a dangerous mission without asking for pay. So you're an idealist or a philanthropist or something. You don't like killing but you'll do it if you need to, so you're pragmatic and decisive. Then you do stupid stuff like this.

"Ordinarily I'd say you were stupid or irrational, but I know you're not. We had that talk about the result of killing, so I know you have an underlying moral code and a sense of justice. You know things you really should have no way to know, like Therum. But you declined to share how you know, and do things that could be interpreted as treasonous or even a war crime; killing a prisoner of war to prevent questioning. You tell me you're on my side, no matter what. Prove it; tell me what the hell is going on."

The recording equipment is off, so it should be safe. "The Alliance Office of Naval Intelligence is compromised by Cerberus," I tell her flatly. "Worse, there's an agent on board. Planning some pretty nasty things, I'd guess. Tali has the evidence."

Shepard thinks for a few seconds, trying what I'd told her against other pieces of information. "AONI is almost infallible on catching other terrorist groups. But they can't find anything at all on Cerberus?" I ask, telling her all I can. "Cerberus might have a political agenda, but the Cerberus manifesto was drawn up just after Shanxi. There's more than just a link to the armed services."

Shepard swears under her breath. "Innocent until proven guilty," she repeats to herself. "So tell me exactly why you killed him. In your words."

Well, isn't this the moment of truth. "I killed him because if he was given over to the Alliance, he never would have faced trial. Because if we brought him back to the Normandy with the intention of trying him on the Citadel, he would be dead after one night, and it would have looked like a suicide. Finally, I killed him because of what he did to Garrus, Liara and me."

Shepard sighs. "Nothing about this is simple, is it," she remarks. "That doesn't chance the fact that you killed someone I promised would be safe. I don't care if he was a murderous bastard; you made me break my promise. Never, ever do it again." She stands up, dusting off her legs. "You can stay in here for the time being."

"Shepard," I call, before she can leave. "How's Garrus?"

She hesitates. "He's going to be fine. Because of you, he won't even be in the med bay for more than a few days. For that, thank you."

"Has anyone ever told you you're too nice?"

That catches her off guard. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I guess I mean you can be too lenient. What if he'd had another set of remote guns? You let him live, but maybe that was a mistake. I know it would have been against the rules, but if it made sure we were all safe, isn't that worth it?"

"The rules are there to be followed. If I don't who will?" Later, I'd remember her voice being brittle. At the time, I didn't notice. I was more than just annoyed.

"Did you follow the rules on Torfan, as well?"

Her hand slams into the bars I've been leaning on, knocking me back into the cell. Her eyes are wide, furious and wet. "Never talk about Torfan like that." Her voice is cold and sharp, tough as iron. Weak as iron.

I hold her eyes until she looks away. It's a long time. "Shepard. Do you know what they did to rule breakers at my school?" She says nothing. "We were locked up in solitary confinement for a day. Sure, it's bad, but not the end of everything. Then, one year, when I was four years old, someone new arrived. And he changed the way it worked. From then on, we were locked up in a white room. The room was lit from every wall, the floor and the ceiling too, so you were always bathed in light."

Still nothing.

"We were forced to wear white clothes, from head to toe. There was nothing in the room of course, just white paper and white pencils. At first, it wasn't too bad. But then you realised you couldn't shut your eyes. It was so bright that it blinded you even when you scrunched your eyes closed. It was impossible to sleep. Time was nothing- every minute felt like an hour. You couldn't even see yourself, just endless white."

"That's…" Shepard says softly, but nothing else.

"It's a recognised form of torture. But to them, we biotics deserved nothing less. It's been years since they forced me into that place, but I still can't sleep with any light. It still scares me shitless. Too much light can burn, Commander. It's unnatural."

More silence.

"Every light casts shadows. If he'd survived, he would have appeared again. He would have known how to better fight you. Some people you can reform, but some you can't. And no matter what you feel, that decision's not up to you. It's up to them. I guess I killed him to protect everyone."

Shepard leaves. The cell's light glares down with halogen fury. Then it switches off, leaving me in blessed darkness. I guess she heard me.

A few hours later, Kaidan appeared. He'd glared at me the moment he came in. Not all that unusual, really. He and I ever really hit it off. He blamed me for what happened to his arm, saying I didn't warn him in time. On top of me saying I didn't like humanity all that much, we don't really see eye to eye.

"Finally got my cast off," he remarks, "and it looks like you're about to leave. About time. This isn't a job for civilians."

"Did you come in here just to say that?" What a waste.

"No. I saw Shepard after she came out of the brig. What did you say to her, you bastard?"

I regard him for a while. His anger. His dislike of me. His refusal to accept any other outcome. "Forget it," I say. "You wouldn't listen even if I told you."

His fists clench, despite the bars separating us. I lean in. "I'm not Alliance, Kaidan. I'm a civilian. I'm not a recruit for you to order or boss around, I'm not overawed by the shit you went through at Brain Camp. Yes, it was probably horrible. But you know what? Life is horrible for everyone. Shit happens. Living, really living, not just plodding along, is hard. Sometimes we all need a reminder of that."

Ash enters, carrying a tray of food. She sizes up the two of us, cocks an eyebrow. "Hey, lovebirds. Do I need to come back later, or are you done?"

"I'm not finished," he grunts through clenched teeth.

I raise my own eyebrow. "You actually want to be down here? I'll trade, you can have my spot." Ash covers a grin. "I'm ready for food – if that's for me."

Kaidan looks between us, glares at me again, and leaves. Ash sets down the tray, sliding it through the gap at the bottom of the bars. "So, what's happening upstairs?" I ask, in between bites.

Ash shrugs. "Garrus is resting up, not that he's happy about it. Tali's fretting over something and Liara's in with Garrus. The way she's carrying on, you'd think she lost a leg rather than one toe. You just saw Shepard, and hell if I know what Wrex is thinking. Admiral Kahoku gave his thanks to all of us, since that wasn't technically an Alliance operation we pulled off."

"Does that mean that since it wasn't an official thing, I shouldn't actually be in the brig?"

"Well, Shepard's a Spectre, so as far as that goes she could kill you and nobody could do anything about it. Be lucky you're just in a cell; she was spitting when you put that asshole down." She takes a furtive look around, but we're the only ones here. "Off the record, I think you did the right thing. Timed it a little wrong, but anyone who threatens the Commander like that needs to be dealt with. Honestly, I didn't think you had the guts."

I shake my head. "It wasn't a question of guts. Just necessity."

Ash waits a bit. "Still struggling with killing?"

"Everyone knows about my little episode, don't they?" She nods. "Should've known. You lot are worse than a bunch of old women."

"Hey, we're not gossipmongers, we're soldiers," she says, mock-offended.

"Exactly my point," I retort. "But seriously, I don't think so. Once I got over the fact that I was never going to be perfect, it got a lot easier to deal with. Not perfect, but you know. Manageable."

Ash waits as I finish eating, demolishing the small meal with speed. "You know Ash, you're a lot nicer to me all of a sudden. You alright?" She looks offended until she sees my expression.

"Kind of hard to be a bitch to a guy when he's in the brig for doing something you approve of," she says. "I don't know about the LT though. He's pissed as hell at you."

"I gathered. I don't really care, so long as it doesn't affect mission performance. I guess he doesn't approve of my not agreeing with Shepard, and therefore him, at every turn." Kaidan did come across as the galaxy's biggest Shepard fanboy. "What's the next destination?"

"Place called Feros. Geth attacked another colony, and we're going to stop it."

Feros, and its sentient evil mind-controlling plant monster and zombie children. Lovely. "Do we know what they attacked it for?"

Ash gives me a funny look. "Well, we're at war with them. It's a human colony. Isn't that enough?"

"I don't think so. I mean, the Geth only attacked Eden Prime for the beacon, right? They were looking for something. And they lost quite a lot of stuff taking Eden Prime. The beacon might have been worth it, but it was still a risky move. If they're going to attack another human colony, then there has to be something important there."

Ash thinks it over. "You might be right. Commander did say that Feros was almost covered in Prothean ruins. Could easily be something down there."

"Well then. When am I getting out?"

"Yeah, that's the thing. Shepard didn't say."

I guess she's still pissed.

My next visitor is Wrex himself. I shudder to think what apocalyptic event actually convinced him to leave his favourite spot. "Human."

"Wrex. What brings you down here?"

"Shepard was talking to the Turian. Idiot talked his way out of bed. Didn't want my teeth to rot. Less people down here."

They were that sweet, were they? Well, not that it was any of my business. "I told you about my home. Tell me about yours."

One reptilian eye sweeps over me. "You won't shut up?"

I give a shrug. "Not much else for me to do."

Wrex grunts. Talkative fellow, Wrex. "Tuchanka's a shitty hellhole. Anything else?"

"Yeah. Got a drink?"

The Krogan blinks, and then chuckles. "Not one you'd survive." He reaches into a pouch on his armour, draws out a flask and takes a drink. "That was a good thing you did," he finally says.

"Killing the Cerberus leader? I know."

"You beat me on the draw. Anyone that smug in front of Shepard has something up their sleeve. Better to shoot them." I let silence be my answer, leaning my forearms on the cool metal. "Haven't lost a draw like that in years," the krogan muses. "Must be getting soft."

"I wouldn't have minded if you got to him first. Somehow I think it would have been a bit harder for Shepard to stick you in the brig rather than me." Perhaps because the bars in the cell wouldn't last five seconds against Wrex's biotically-enhanced strength.

The Krogan lets slip a hint of surprise, examining me more closely. "You couldn't break out?"

Cells like the one I'm in have two layers of protection; metal bars and a kinetic barrier. "I probably could, but I doubt Shepard would look favourably on me busting up the Normandy because I got sick of being cooped up. Better to just grin and bear it. At least she didn't leave the force field on."

Wrex looks dubious. "Your choice." He shrugs, taking another drink.

"Where did you get that, anyway? I didn't think Shepard would let you bring ryncol on board."

"Krogan on Therum had it. I killed him, so now it's mine."

I shift position, grunting as the motion strains my stomach. Wrex notices the reaction despite the drink in his hands, appraising me. "You humans are so squishy. Sometimes I'm amazed you survive at all."

"It's not actually a bad wound." Chakwas stripped my armour off as soon as she saw the blood, but it turns out the round just cut through skin and muscle, missing any organs. Probably why I'm down here, instead of in a comfortable bed. "I'll be fine to fight the next time we're groundside."

Wrex grunts again. I suppose my wellbeing isn't exactly a high priority for him.

"At least you're not just calling me 'weakling' all the time," I mutter. Wrex hears it. I keep forgetting he hears everything. He's just too good at playing the dumb bruiser all the time.

"You're not as weak as I'd thought," he gives out reluctantly. "Still very squishy though. I'm quite interested to see if you'll keep surviving."

"I'll do my best not to disappoint," I remark wryly.

"You want to die?" Wrex asks, feigning surprise. Bastard. "See you later, human."

For a big, armoured Krogan, he's remarkably silent as he leaves. Even that little amount of conversation makes me feel just how tired I am, so I drift back to sleep once more.

Liara is sitting patiently in front of my cell when I wake. Of course she is. What could be better than watching me sleep? Privacy concerns have changed a lot since I was alive last.

"What can I do for you, Dr. T'Soni?"

"Well, I haven't had much experience dealing with humans. The Commander, the Lieutenant and Chief Williams are all military, and I thought to form a more complete view of humanity I would need to talk to a civilian as well."

So she doesn't really want to see me - I'm just a convenient resource to be exploited. Like a cat with a scratching post. Come to think of it, a lot of Asari mannerisms remind me of cats. Ordinarily being treated like a blob of information to be extracted would piss me off a little, but from the inside of a cell any distraction is a pleasant one.

"Sure, why not. Go ahead."

The archaeologist smiles in relief face lighting up. "In that case, how do you feel about non-human species? Asari, for example?"

"I don't have a problem with nonhumans, really. I guess Batarians are mostly an uncertain for me and Vorcha are generally all psychopaths, but that's kind of true. If you're going to keep asking questions, you should know that I'm not exactly a 'normal' human either. I'm a biotic for one, and the one who raised me was an Asari. Hell, I enjoy hanging out with Asari more than I do humans, for the most part."

Liara blinks, somehow conveying surprise. "You said earlier that you were trained to fight by an Asari. She raised you as well?"

"More or less. I don't know if she legally adopted me, but either way she was the one who taught me just about everything when it comes to biotics."

"That's… very unusual. What do you think about your own people, then?"

Isn't that the ten-million dollar question. "To be honest, I don't really know. I used to think that humans were all jackasses, but Shepard changed that view. I guess humans have jerks and saints, just with more variance. More extremes. Humans can be the most sadistic things in existence, or some of the most virtuous. So, what I think about humans is they they- we- are unbalanced. Not unified enough. We're disparate. I agree with the stereotype that humans are may be too aggressive, I don't see anything wrong with taking things slowly."

Well, I would agree more if there weren't a pack of Reapers, 200 strong bearing down on us.

Liara puts the datapad down, evidently not taking notes. "You aren't what I expected, Mr. Parker. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, as it would seem that there are no ordinary people on Commander Shepard's crew. What do you think of Saren's goal?"

"Saren is a madman. He needs to be stopped," I reply firmly. "I don't know what made him want to invite in the destroyers of all sentient life, but it isn't the answer."

"Then you believe that the Reapers destroyed the Prothean civilisation?"

"I do. What else could have obliterated such a dominant culture so extensively that we know very little about them even now?"

Liara makes no noise for a long minute, wrestling with a question, perhaps. "What about my mother?"

"Matriarch Benezia. I don't know why she joined Saren, but she did." Another lie. She was indoctrinated. "Maybe if we find out why, we can do something. But until then, what can we do about it?"

"Yes. We will indeed have to see." With that, Liara stands and leaves.

Not before I see the first tears well up in her eyes.

The rattling of cell bars retracting rouses me from slumber some time later. There's no way of knowing when exactly. With the light turned down permanently, night and day don't exist. Shepard and Chakwas are standing outside my cell doors, waiting patiently while I rub the tiredness from my eyes. "Am I being let out?"

"Temporarily," Shepard says, expression inscrutable.

"We need to bring you up to the med bay to check on your wound," Chakwas explains. "The whole ship is decontaminated, but we still need to check routinely. It shouldn't take long."

The elevator ride up to the crew deck is slow as usual, but uncomfortably awkward. Chakwas doesn't seem to notice, or at least doesn't let it bother her. "Commander, if it helps, I'm sorry."

Annie Shepard turns to look at me. "You basically said I wasn't the right person for the job and by extension that the Council, Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina made a mistake in making me a Spectre. Sorry doesn't fix much."

"Shepard, I don't think that." I guess I can see how she could take it that way, though. Why didn't I think? I'm such an idiot. "I do think you're the only person fit to be the first human Spectre. It's just, Spectres have to make really tough decisions, right? Make sacrifices that ordinary people can't? I guess I always expected Spectres to be a bit more ruthless."

"If you don't like the way I do things, then leave. Nobody's forcing you to stay."

"I'm sorry I disobeyed an order. It won't happen again. But… you know that you can't save everyone, right? You're only human. Even you need help."

Shepard takes a breath. Calming or rallying, I don't know. "I refuse to believe that."

I keep quiet. Because in that refusal, she's admitted that she knows. Even if she didn't believe.

The elevator reaches the crew deck, and Shepard strides wordlessly up the stairs to the combat deck. Dr. Chakwas and I make our way to the med bay, where Garrus is still lying. He looks a touch pale, but far better than he did the last time I'd seen him. "I heard you talked your way out of here," I say in place of greeting.

Garrus grumbles. "I did. Shepard brought me back."

"We're keeping him in observation," the doctor explains. "As long as he doesn't aggravate himself, he should be back on his feet in no time. He'll be recovered by the time we reach Feros."

"I'm fine," Garrus insists. "At least let me have my rifle. I've got nothing to do."

"You don't look fine," I say frankly, "and what would you need a gun for?"

"I'm Turian," he whines. "It's my cultural heritage." Despite herself, Shepard laughs.

Chakwas doesn't join in, just glaring at the calibrations specialist. Before the fury of the Chakwas Glare, Garrus instantly capitulates, shutting his mouth and lying placidly on the bed. I can't help but laugh a little at his instant submission, but the sound dies a swift and bloody death as the doctor turns the gaze upon me. "You." She says, so quietly that it frightens me. "What were you thinking? How are you to treat these clumsy soldiers if you get shot yourself? Shirt off, now."

"Right away, ma'am." The wound is covered by a bandage and plaster under the fatigues, and Chakwas sits me down on the second bed, pursing her lips critically as she surveys the wound. The round passed through my side just under my lowest rib, tearing through skin and muscle before exiting cleanly. My own experience makes me think it's fairly minor as far as bullet wounds go. Of course, a single inch to the left and it would have been a vastly different story.

"You've reopened it a few times since you came back to the Normandy despite the stitching," Chakwas remarks, shooting her glare up at me. "No evidence of infection though." She replaces the stitching, the pain of the needle going through flesh more or less insignificant compared to the pain of the wound itself. Shepard stays to watch, and staring at her makes for a much more pleasant time than watching a sterile needle sewing my gut together. Finally the doctor finishes, applies a fresh plaster and bandage, this time pulling it a little tighter to stop it opening. I can't quite suppress the gasp of pain, and the doctor looks up at me without sympathy. "If you hadn't opened it, I wouldn't have needed to pull it tighter."

She commands me to lie down, and I comply meekly. Garrus at least has the advantage of metallic skin. I don't have anything. As Wrex would say, squishy. "What now?"

"No movement for the next hour. Even moving back to the brig is unacceptable." Shepard steps forward, apparently looking to contest. But Chakwas glares at her and it seems that even the first human Spectre can't withstand the doctor's gaze. She mutters something beyond my hearing, and leaves.

Karin's omnitool chimes, and she purses her lips. "I have to deliver Joker's medication, and he's not considerate enough to come down and collect it. Of course not." She turns her glare on the two of us, meekly lying in our cots. "No escape attempts or I'll tie you to your beds." With that cheerful promise hanging in the air, she leaves.

"Spirits." Garrus remarks, not even turning his head. "I've never seen a doctor that frightening. And I've seen a few." He would have, with his stint in the military.

"You alright?" I ask. Considering I was the one giving first aid, I feel more than a little bit of responsibility.

He chuckles sarcastically. "Never better. Thanks for the treatment, by the way. Doc said I'd be a lot more beat up if it weren't for you."

"No problem. You sure you'll be fine for Feros?"

"No reason not to be. I doubt I'll be fully active, but I'll be more than capable to take on some Geth."

The fact that we'll be taking on evil plant zombie monsters I decided could go unsaid. "Well, don't strain yourself, alright? It'd be a shame if you got killed after I went to the trouble of treating you."

The Turian chuckles from his bed, chest rising and falling in time with his breathing. "I've got spare armour, so I'll be fine."

Shepard steps into the med bay, glaring reproachfully at me. I can't even talk? Come on. She produces a pistol and hands it to Garrus, smiling at him. "Chakwas probably won't like it, so don't mention it to her. But here. Play with that."

Garrus smiles widely, mandibles flaring in childlike joy. Just a hunch, but I think I know what to get him for Christmas. "Thanks, Commander."

The moment is cut short by Chakwas entering, rubbing her forehead. "Commander, if you could talk to Joker? If he would at least admit he needs his medication, it would make my day so much easier."

Annie Shepard chuckles, turning her back so that Garrus can conceal the pistol under his body without being seen. "I'll talk to him," she promises. "I'll take Parker back to the brig as well."

I can see that the doctor wants to argue, and so do I. This bed is comfortable. But in the end its Shepard's word that matters, and I'm back in the slammer.

To my surprise and pleasure, Tali is there, waiting for me. "Ah!" She fumbles in surprise, dropping the datapad she's holing. "Commander Shepard! Did you come to talk about the, um, Intelligence issue?"

"No, Tali, I didn't." Shepard responds politely, opening the cell and directing me in. "I'm here to escort Parker back to his cell after his medical assessment."

"Oh," Tali says, taken aback. "Then, perhaps we'll speak later?" Shepard smiles briefly, nods and leaves.

"You shouldn't have done that, you know," Tali remarks to me.

"Killing the Cerberus captain? Why do you say that?"

"He had surrendered. You didn't have to kill him."

"Even if he never would have gone to court? His friends from AONI would have rescued him before he got there. Better shoot him now. What if he activated more remote guns?"

"Please. I broke into the system after the first set of guns. There's no way he could have activated more with me there."

"And the courts?"

"Well, maybe. But Shepard had offered him sanctuary, and he'd accepted. You disobeyed her orders."

"Yeah, I did. That's why I'm in here. How did it work with your people?"

"On the Flotilla? It was a little different. Ship captains have absolute authority on their ships. I'm not sure if they would have chosen imprisonment as a punishment though."

"Why not?"

"Well, space is extremely important on the fleet. We don't have much ability to imprison our own people for any length of time, really. There's exile as a punishment, but that's only ever used in extreme cases. Most likely for an offense like this you would be given menial duties for a few cycles."

"You know, I might prefer that instead of just being behind bars. There's literally nothing to do except sleep."

There's a moment of silence. "You told Shepard about the spy?"

"Yeah. I don't know if she believed me though. I mean, I don't want to believe it. That someone on the Normandy could be a spy? It's not something I want to be true."

"Thinking of all the people who have been nice to me, and wondering if they're the spy? It's horrible. I'm so glad that things like this don't happen on the Flotilla. I couldn't handle it. It must be horrible for Commander Shepard."

"Yeah. Especially since she's known everybody for so much longer than we have. Did you find anything out?"

Tali shook her head. "No. It's not helping, you being locked away. What am I supposed to do? I don't know anything about this sort of thing."

She's right. I should have thought of that, before I went trigger-happy. I said I would help Tali catch the spy, and all I did was get myself locked away. A great lot of help I am. "Sorry, Tali. I'll try to let Wrex shoot him next time."

"It's alright," she says confidently. "Shepard won't let anything bad happen."

"I hope you're right," I whisper. "But don't you have a shift starting in engineering soon?"

"Ah! Yes. Thanks for reminding me! I need to go. See you soon, Parker! Um, don't stay in there forever!"

I'll try not to. Besides, we'll be arriving at Feros soon.

The sound of metal slamming into metal jolts me awake instantly, nearly startling me off the bed. "What do you know?" Shepard yells, eyes furious. Fully armed and armoured as well, helmet under her arm.

"I… what?" I respond groggily, wiping a touch of drool off the pillow. Charming, I know.

"Tell me what you know!" The commander repeats complete with hand slamming into metal bars.

"First, what happened?" Why does she have to be so loud so early?

Her eyes are on fire. "Someone tried to kill Garrus."

My blood turns to ice. My face goes numb. "What?!"

"Someone tried to assassinate a wounded soldier in our own med bay." She snarls, unrestrained fury saturating her voice. "And you are going to tell me everything you know about it."

I'm still trying to process what she said. Someone tried to kill Garrus? But who would do something like…

Oh. Shit.

"It's the spook," I breathe in realisation. "The one Tali intercepted that transmission from. The one who wanted to make this a human-only mission. It has to be."

Shepard doesn't say anything.

"Shepard," I appeal, "Remember how I said that Alliance Intelligence was compromised by Cerberus? And that there was an AONI operative on the Normandy? It has to be him."

The commander's face goes pale. "Fuck. I thought you were making something up, and you somehow got Tali to believe it."

"What did Garrus say? What happened? Weren't there cameras?"

"Cameras were hacked. Looped. We can't get anything from them. Garrus fought off his attacker with a gun, but he missed. The attacker was wearing a mask, and it was dark. The build was human male, but that was all he could give us."

Not good. The Cerberus plant covered his tracks well. "An attack during the ship's sleep cycle?" She nods. "No witnesses?" Another nod. "Garrus injured at all?"

"No more than he was before. Garrus having his 'cultural heritage' was something the assassin didn't expect. According to Garrus, he was planning to do it with a knife."

"What's happening now?"

Shepard sighs, suddenly deflated at me not being a Houdini-style escape artist murderer. "I've stationed Wrex in the med bay as Garrus' bodyguard for the time being. It's not ideal, but it'll do for now.

"What are you going to do?"

"Right now? Hell if I know. Being betrayed like this… It's a first for me." Her voice is turn, and sad. Really sad. "We're going ahead on Feros. We need to save that colony." Then her voice turns hard, unforgiving. "After that, we find this traitor, and we put him in front of a judge, a jury, and when they convict him, I'll lead the firing squad."

That's about as brutal as Shepard gets, I suppose. I'd have gone for 'hang him up by his entrails', but I'm not in command. "Got that right, Commander. What's the plan?"

"Kick the Geth off our colony. Find the traitor. Stop Saren."

I was hoping for something a little more concrete. Then again, Shepard's just found out that one of the men she's served with for months is an Alliance Intelligence- and thus Cerberus- agent. I can't even imagine what she's feeling. "Is Garrus on any kind of IV or medication?"

"Probably. I wasn't looking that hard," Shepard replies, mind elsewhere.

"Have Chakwas examine his medication and IV. If I was going to kill a wounded soldier, I'd make it look like an accident. Levo medication maybe, or a bad IV. I'd only use a knife as a last resort; the spy would want to go unnoticed. Have the crew's belongings searched for masks as well, but quietly. Pretend you have less information than you do. I'll think about setting a trap for the spy, but the problem is Feros. We don't know if it's someone on the ground team or not, so any nonhuman left on the Normandy could be as risk."

Shepard stares at me, a little confounded. "I thought you were a medic."

Sure, a medic with a paranoid streak. Besides, if I hadn't learned to think like this, I probably would have spilled the entire plot of the games by now. Not to mention school at St Mercy's, where anyone could and did sell you out. In hindsight, it was almost like a kind of training in itself. "I had a different upbringing from you, Commander. Deceiving teachers and other students was something I had to learn how to do, or be stuck in that white hell forever. If that comes in handy now, then so be it."

"I'll get Chakwas to examine Garrus' medication. Speed is important, right?" I nod. "See you soon." Shepard steps back, the bars of my cell door steadfastly unopened. So, I'm not getting out then? Well, shit.

A few minutes later, the Normandy jolts suddenly. The impact carries through the ship, bouncing me out of bed. In the upper decks, the motion would be cancelled by inertia dampeners, but down here in the ship's bowels it's not as much a concern. What's odder is that the ship jolted at all; there's no cause for jolting in space.

Unless we're not in space still.

Unless we're touching down on Feros- and I'm not going. I'm stuck down here.

Well, shit.

A/N: This chapter was a royal pain. I'm much happier now that it's done, although I apologize if it isn't as good as it might have been if things had gone differently. Well, such is life. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not. But yeah! Done. Good. This chapter kind of ends on a bit of a cliffhanger too... sorry about that. Haha. I promise it'll be the last cliffhanger for a little while. Probably.

Feros next chapter! Again, like Therum, there will be differences between original canon and what happens here. Otherwise this would be just a novelisation with one extra guy just hanging around. As aways, the next chapter will be up exactly one week from now, so please look forward to it! Besides, it's been a while since we had some action. The assassination attempt on Garrus aside, since that happened offscreen. I'd be really interested to hear what you guys think of that little subplot, so feel free to let me know! See you guys next week~

As always, a major shoutout to my editor and beta reader the extroverted recluse, who makes this story readable. Seriously. I wouldn't read it if she wasn't here to make it good.