James Vega felt the blue glow dissipate as the door closed behind Kaidan. Experimentally he tried to raise his arm and was relieved when it responded. He pulled himself into a sitting position and wondered what the fuck he was going to do. He knew that if he was to go along with Alenko's plan he should get up, get downstairs and pretend that nothing had happened. He didn't move, he wasn't a coward, far from it, but it was one thing to face death on the battlefield for a cause and quite another to be threatened in your downtime for a woman who seemed to care nothing for him. He did not want to go downstairs and face Alenko. When he'd thought about the possibility of Kaidan finding out he had always assumed it would have been because Shepard had decided to leave him and be with Vega, Kaidan would have been angry but he would never have attacked someone under her protection. Now, Vega wasn't sure he had that protection. If he was sensible then he would find the nearest gun and put a bullet in the biotic bastard's brain right now, if he didn't then he didn't think he'd ever be able to sleep soundly again. His only chance was to put Kaidan down before he saw him coming.

James immediately felt guilty for his thoughts, Kaidan had every right to be angry, if the positions were reversed he wouldn't have been able to control himself. As far as his career was concerned Vega's more immediate concern was his life but all he had wanted for as long as he could remember was to serve the Alliance and make N7. He didn't know how much influence Alenko had with the N7 programme, probably not much, but he was the Alliance's golden boy. Shepard was who they called in when they needed the galaxy saved but she was unpredictable, she had been dead for two years, worked for Cerberus and after Aratoht had been almost as much of a liability as an asset. Kaidan on the other hand bled Alliance blue, he took his orders and got them done, if the Alliance could design a soldier it would be Kaidan Alenko. If Alenko made Hackett chose between him and Vega then the Lieutenant didn't rate his chances. Add to that the fact that he was a Spectre and James might as well sign his own discharge papers.

Shepard could stop it of course, but would she? However much his opinion of her had dropped in the last few days James had to believe that she felt guilty, maybe she would throw Kaidan his head as a peace offering. Vega wondered how the hell Alenko had got hold of that recording, the Major seemed to think that Shepard wasn't aware that he knew what had happened so he couldn't have got it from her. He reasoned that it was possible that an employee had been watching CCTV, got a bit more than he bargained for and decided to be a busybody. Shepard was a recognisable face but the number of people who knew about her relationship with Kaidan was fairly small so who would have known where to send it? Maybe Alenko was paranoid enough to have her followed... Vega dismissed that idea immediately, there was no way that Shepard wouldn't notice someone following her, she was far too careful for that.

Either way, his only hope of getting away with both career and neck intact was to reason with Alenko when he calmed down. For now though he would have to play along. He pulled himself to his feet and went to the door taking a deep breath and opening it. He could hear voices downstairs but no shouting, Alenko must have kept his cool. He scurried down the stairs, keeping his eyes on the floor until he reached the table where the crew were gathered listening to Liara.

"Nice of you to join us Lieutenant," Shepard's voice was light, amused. Vega looked up and met her eyes, he tried to keep his expression neutral but it was a struggle.

"Sorry ma'am," he mumbled and she turned her attention back to Liara. Alenko was standing on her right, leaning casually on the table, Vega hadn't noticed it before but he always stood a little closer than anyone else would. Vega was shocked, there was absolutely nothing about Alenko that suggested that anything was wrong, he seemed relaxed and in control, damn it he was even smiling, the man was cold. Shepard folded her arms and exchanged an unimpressed look with Alenko before turning her gaze back to Liara.

"Black tie?" Shepard's tongue drifted over the words as though they were dangerous things. It was one thing to dress up for a night out with Kaidan, it was another to parade around in a dress in front of her entire crew. Still, getting information out of this Elijah Khan seemed like the best way to get to whoever was trying to kill her. If only he wasn't hiding in a swanky casino with a dress code. Liara was shifting uncomfortably under Shepard's glare. She felt like a merc in her crosshairs.

"Yes Shepard," there was silence for a moment.

"Right Brooks we'll get you in," Shepard said with a grimace, "Major Alenko and I will have your back. Let's change and meet back in five." Kaidan's jaw tightened, he considered protesting that someone else should go but that would tip her off that something was wrong.

"Sure," he said with a reassuring nod at Brooks, "but if you think you can get ready in five minutes you're not the Shepard I know." Shepard gave him a warning look and shot a meaningful look at Brooks, bringing their relationship to the attention of Alliance Intelligence was not something she wanted to risk. He rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying half an hour may be more realistic."

"Fine, thirty minutes, back here and ready to go."

Sorry it's a short one! I should get another up tomorrow. Thanks again to you lovely readers (especially the reviewers, and extra-especially the reviewers who keep coming back - I love reading what you think!) xox