I hadn't known that the Normandy had a firing range, but I knew I shouldn't have been half as surprised as I was to discover the fact. After all with so many marksmen on the team.

The room was larger than most of the others on the ship and it was equipped with what looked like a slew of different reinforced targets that marked where the shooter hit them by changing from the typical steel gray of metal to a bright red splash that was dark towards the center and got brighter as it expanded from the point of impact.

"The metal has been prepared by this chemical treatment them makes it more reactive to heat and friction," Kaidan explained to me after he saw my curious expression when his thermal rounds impacted the humanoid targets. "The Alliance uses the same thing to train greenies on Earth. I get the impression that it's crazy expensive. Cerberus must have some ridiculously rich backers."

As it turns out Kaidan gets talkative when he's practicing.

"Kinda makes you wonder," I said watching the soldier put away round after round into the targets. He was a good shot. Not one round missed a target, and most of them struck vital points. "I'm not exactly up to date on the galactic political scene, but how many people could possibly have so much capital that they can afford to fund things like this."

Kaidan fired three quick shots into three separate dummies on opposing sides of the range. The one on the far left got hit in the neck and the far right and back of the room sustained wounds to the eye and heart respectively.

"What's more impressive is how well they hide it," Replied Kaidan. "Since the Alliance confirmed that Cerberus is being privately funded we started keeping an eye on the purchasing habits of the high and mighty." He reloaded the handgun fast enough that I didn't notice he had popped in another clip until after he'd fired three more shots. "The idea was that if anyone's spending habits changed too dramatically we could dig a little deeper and pick out Cerberus's financial support."

"You figured that if you swept out Cerberus's funding out from under them they would fall apart." It wasn't too tricky to pinpoint what the Alliance was going for using tactics like that.

"Exactly, but it didn't work. Hell we could barely find a couple of their backers, much less a majority of them." I could hear annoyance in the Lieutenant's voice.

"I doubt the Alliance expected much more success than they had. It would have been foolish to assume an approach like that would serve as a long term solution. Cerberus is way too well established for money problems to destabilize them." It bothered me that I could hear the safety on Kaidan's gun flip on. It would be a while before I got used to having senses so sharp again.

"Fair enough," Kaidan said as he slipped the pistol into its holster. "Strategy isn't one of my strong suits. That's more Shepard's area." The man turned to face me. "Are you ready to head over to the rec room?" I nodded swiftly and followed him out the door.

(LINE BREAK)

The walk to the Rec Room was very pleasant in Kaidan's company. It was really nice to just make small talk with someone.

The Rec Room itself had Cerberus's hands written all over it. The room was sizable, but more subdued than I expected it to be. I had anticipated there being all of the latest in entertainment technology. In a delightful subversion of my expectations the room was rather homely. It had been furnished with comfortable looking chairs made from what appeared to be real leather, a couple of couches, and a few tables. A large pool table sat on one side of the room next to a card table. On the other side of the room were a couple of TVs. Karin, Garrus, and a number of people I didn't recognize were all lounging around on the chairs and couches. They looked to be having a good time all around.

"Hey Lieutenant!" Said one of the people I didn't recognize. He was a caucasian human male and he was sitting ever so slightly oddly on his loveseat. "Glad you could make it. Chakwas was just gearing up to tell us one of her awesome stories."

I quirked my brow at Karin.

"One of your stories about your assignments over the years?" I asked curiously.

"Yes of course William, Now sit down and don't interrupt me." Karin said in the voice she only used when she really wanted to get on with a story she was excited about telling.

I took a seat between Kaidan and the man who was sitting oddly and listened intently to Karin's story.

It ended up being one that I'd heard her tell a hundred time before about the she was stationed on a frigate with an all male crew. Despite knowing the tale by heart I still laughed with everyone else at the hijinks that ensued.

"So Doctor," Said the oddly sitting man. "You're the one that says he can blow stuff up with his mind right?"

Kaidan reached over the couch behind me and lightly slapped the man's shoulder.

"Joker don't be rude." While the words were serious Kaidan's tone implied that he was just teasing 'Joker'.

I laughed audibly at the brief exchange, but regained my composure quickly.

"It's fine Soldier-boy I've heard worse," I quipped at Kaidan before I turned my attention to the aptly named Joker. "That's me alright, although I never made that claim."

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Either way you get the point." He stared at me expectantly for about five seconds before it hit me that he wanted a demonstration.

I rolled my eyes and turned my focus on an area in the center of the congregation.

"Imago Colorata Venti."

I infused the words of the very simple spell with nothing more than a touch of power and a swirl of colors appeared in the vacant space.

Joker looked disappointed.

"Aw come one," He taunted. "Is that the best you can do?"

I would've answered the challenge, but my focus was still on the spell. Luckily Karin spoke for me.

"Be patient," She said without taking her eyes off the colorful whirlwind. "William isn't done yet."

I seized the mystical energies with my mind and made the preparations that were necessary to alter an active spell.

"Ostendit qoud imago est recens memoria."

The ancient words rolled off my tongue and took hold of the colored air. The magic rearranged the colors into a perfect replica of the duel that had taken place earlier that day between Samara and myself.

I openly smirked in satisfaction as Joker's jaw fell open at the sight of the incredible spectacle. I held the spell together until the end of the memory. Than I let the fragile magic unravel itself and fade away.

"Never judge a spell until it is done." I said sagely to the amazed man. No one but me and Karin needed to know that I was quoting one of Karin's friends.

"Damn Doc," Said Garrus. "That looked like one hell of a fight. How do you even approach a battle where the bad guy could do literally anything at the drop of a hat?"

"The trick is to keep moving," I replied. "Samara was slinging a lot of lightning around which is fine if your target has the courtesy to stay still, but since lightning moves so quickly hitting a moving target, particularly someone as experienced as me in these sorts of duels, requires incomparable spatial awareness and nearly microscopic accuracy." I explained. "That's why I like air magic. When it's done right air magic strikes just as quickly and can be much easier to control, though it is admittedly not quite as flashy as a bolt of lightning which is why most practitioners don't specialize in the use of combative air magic. Or combative water magic for that matter. They just don't carry the same pizzazz that fire and lightning do."

"What use is the air in a fight?" Retorted Joker. "What are you gonna do? Catch them by surprise with a gentle spring breeze?"

I feigned an expression of someone struggling to choose what they were going to do next. I winked at Karin when no one was looking. Silently conveying to her what I was planning to do next. I took the barely perceptible incline of her head as permission.

"Aer."

I flicked my hand toward the huge pool table and the resulting torrent of wind lifted the table into the air and slammed it into the far wall with enough force to break the reinforced steel table to pieces.

The room went silent as Karin and I shared a look of amusement. "To answer your question Joker," I said addressing the man. "That is what I would do. Much more impressive than a spring breeze don't you think?" Joker rolled his eyes, but he failed to hide the faint flush of embarrassment that briefly colored his features.

"Fine, fine. You win air magic is awesome blah, blah, blah."

I smirked at him for good measure.

"Karin could you please fix the table? The last time I tried that spell the end result was… ugly."

Karin laughed openly before she replied. She was there the last time I tried that spell so I didn't need to go into details. Much to my relief

"Sarcio." Karin incanted, and the many pieces of the broken table flew together and reattached themselves where they belonged leaving behind a pool table in pristine condition. "It should be said that if William had hit a person with that spell they would've died before they even hit the wall."

Joker rolled his eyes again, but Kaidan snickered under his breath almost too quietly for me to hear.

Garrus on the other hand looked more curious than anything else.

"So," The Turian began with no more than hint of hesitation evident in his voice. "Can anyone learn how to do stuff like that?"

I walked to one of the couches and sat down. Kaidan followed me there and sat down just beside me.

"That's a more complicated question than you realize," I told him. "Generally speaking yes almost anyone with the proper training can learn to perform magic. Not everyone; however, can pull off something like what I just did as easily as I can. I've got a lot more power than most people. Karrin says it's a side effect of having a silver aura." I looked to her for confirmation and she gave me a brief nod.

"So auras are a real thing?" Joker asked with disbelief tainting his voice.

I took the time to give Joker and Garrus the full rundown on the fundamentals of magic and auras.

"Sounds useful." Garrus commented. I didn't like the note of interest that was present in the Turian's body language. I was pretty sure I knew where he was planning to take the conversation.

"I won't teach you," I said preempting his intentions. "I'm an awful teacher, and even if I wasn't there would be no point. It takes years to even get to the point of being able to see auras, much less manipulating them."

Garrus looked like he was about to protest when he stopped and his eyes darted away from me.

I shot him a confused look, and I'd been about to ask him about what had happened when I heard the door open and Shepard walked in.

She sat down in a lounge chair and glaced curiously at the pool table.

"Did someone move the pool table?"

(END CHAPTER)

I am really sorry that it took so long for this chapter to go up, but I got caught up in another project and needed some time away from writing.