-o-O-o-

Chapter 14

"Do you have any idea what you've done by dragging three innocent law officers - your superiors - through this crap? How this makes me look for endorsing it!?"

Bailey paused outside Sparatus's office and grinned at Kolyat as they listened to the councillor reaming Tavitus.

"I can only apologise, Councill-"

"I don't want your damn apologies! I want you to find out who made a fool of you!"

"You know, I actually feel a little sorry for the kid," muttered Bailey.

"I don't," retorted Kolyat, looking exhausted through lack of sleep. "Kalisa's been through hell because of that idiot."

Bailey patted the young man's shoulder. "Come on. Let's get this over with. We've got work to do."

They entered the office and Sparatus stood. "Commander Bailey. Lieutenant Krios. You both have my sincerest apology for this…unfortunate error."

Bailey scratched at his unshaven chin, suddenly feeling as dishevelled as he must look. "I'm just relieved it's over."

"Yes…well…you can thank Vakarian for that. It's just a shame he had to break out of his cell and fight through his own men in order to escape, to be able to present the truth. At some point your detective here forgot he had a duty to prove guilt beyond any doubt."

Your detective. Bailey made an effort not to shake his head at the councillor's not-so-subtle distancing. "I'm thinking he won't be making the same mistake twice," said Bailey. The young turian looked like he was shell-shocked as it was.

"You're more forgiving than I would be in your place," admitted Sparatus, flashing a disapproving look at Tavitus. "You'll work with Commander Bailey and Lieutenant Krios to do what you can to rectify your offense against them. I want to know who set this up and what this person or group gained by getting those closely associated with Admiral Shepard off the streets. Considering everything that's happened, I'm feeling uncomfortable about this whole damn thing."

Bailey found that interesting. It sounded like the councillor was waking up to a few truths.

"Then we need to start with Detective Tavitus," said Kolyat, and Bailey nearly chuckled at the glare sent Tavitus' way, who straightened under the drell's scrutiny.

"You'll have my full co-operation, Lieutenant," replied Tavitus.

"I got the impression that there's a broker out there who's already on the case," said Bailey. As tight-knit as Shepard's people were, he was certain Dr T'Soni would be all over this. And as this mess started here on the Citadel, Bailey imagined he could be useful to them now the Citadel was a no-go zone for the two Spectres. "I should make a call and see what info she's already gained. Get us a head-start." Not to mention that he'd really like to know what the heck was going on.

"Commander Bailey," said Sparatus, gaining his attention. "Should you at any time discern the whereabouts of Shepard and Alenko, as well as Vakarian, I would remind you that you have a duty to inform us immediately."

"Councillor," was all Bailey replied before he left with Kolyat and Tavitus in tow. Not a chance in hell.

-o-O-o-

There was loud jeering as Shepard was led from those depressing grey corridors into what Balak had referred to as the main chamber. A horde of batarians were clustered in a near-circle, and she estimated their number at around eighty. Their unfriendly gazes were locked on her, and those she passed either pushed or tried to trip her. At one point she was shoved hard enough to send her into another batarian, who punched out at her. It was a glancing blow that did nothing more than split her lip and she spat the blood to the floor at his feet.

Ignoring the hostility aimed at her, Shepard tried to take in this new environment. Unlike the cells and passageways which she'd come from, this large space looked like a naturally-formed cavern. Here the ground was dry, dusty dirt, and the air was thick with the disturbed earth from the deep pit that had been dug into the cave floor. What she couldn't see was any sign of natural light from the three other tunnels that led off from this main chamber.

At the batarians' feet, bowed in submission, were Shanti males and females, their bodies almost completely caked in the soil they'd been forced to excavate.

One of those males was segregated from the rest, and dressed in a grey jumpsuit. This was the Shanti she'd seen earlier, and he shook from the after-effects of the control device, dried blood on his neck. Shepard felt for him; her own experience had lasted enough for her to know how debilitating it was.

Her last trial had left a hollow inside her, as though every time she'd succumbed to the drowning and they'd restarted her heart, a little piece of her had failed to come back. She was reminded of how she'd felt when she'd looked into the mirror of her cabin after Horizon and wondered what it was staring back at her. Only this time, it was the act of dying in the knowledge that she'd be going through it all again soon, which had dug out the dark, empty space within her.

She was stopped at the edge of the pit beside the Shanti male, and forced to her knees beside him. They released her hands, comfortable that their numbers would deter her from what would be a suicidal escape attempt. Able to see within the pit, she saw the single large varren within, that paced with agitation, growling up at the noisy spectators.

Cameras fed back images from inside the pit, to large screens for those at the back to see. The worst kind of entertainment.

The atmosphere was a disgusting mix of angry loathing, morbid anticipation, and the misery of oppression.

As Balak stepped up and began a tirade she wasn't interested in listening to, Shepard shifted just enough so that her fingertips brushed the Shanti male's. He was startled at first, then relaxed, though his fingers shook terribly.

Not fully understanding how this worked, Shepard tried to send him something comforting. She felt the connection soon after, tentative, and as gentle as Zaliesh.

Varush. His name. It was a whisper, just like Zaliesh's. There were images similar to those Zaliesh had shown her. The deep sorrow inside him was almost too much, and his fear of the batarians penetrated to his core. The Masters. This was a man who was losing what little hope he'd maintained that he could be what he once was: free.

Hold on, Varush. Don't give up yet.

I am to die. To feed the beast. Shanti do not fight. We blend, we mimic to stay alive.

And he couldn't do that clothed as he was. It was why the batarians had made him dress, and Varush wouldn't get the chance to remove them. Shepard wanted to assure him further, but Balak had finished, and she wasn't so sure there was anything she could do to stop what was going to happen.

"Shepard. Let's see how you fare against a varren with nothing but a blade." Balak twirled a small, dulled blade in his hand, and for the first time she was actually offended. "But first, 113 will fill its belly. Then you'll just be something for it play with." Yep, definitely offended.

"Sounds familiar." Her voice croaked from her raw throat.

Balak ignored her and moved behind Varush. Shepard knew what was coming next and she was ready for it. When Balak thrust his foot into Varush's back to send him toppling into the pit, Shepard threw herself forward with him.

There was a heightened excitement above them as she and Varush hit the ground, but Shepard was instantly rolling to her feet, focused on the varren whose muscles were visibly coiling to strike. "Varush! Hide!" She didn't need to look. Shepard could hear the rustle of clothes as he followed her order and tore them off. Then the varren was launching itself at him before he could fade.

Spinning to put her weight behind it, Shepard struck her fist into its eye, its fangs just missing Varush. Though it yelped, it quickly recovered, and with the only thing giving Varush's position away being the control device that appeared to float in mid-air, the varren was now fixed on the threat she'd made of herself.

All she could do was raise her left arm up to prevent it getting anything vital. The varren's fangs sank into her flesh, making her grit her teeth against the pain, but Shepard immediately threw herself back, using its weight to give her the momentum to carry on through and catapult it over her head and onto its back.

Just like her, its instinct was to right itself, and it had to let go of her fore-arm in order to do it. Its fangs sliced through more of her flesh as they withdrew, making her wince.

Shepard jumped to her feet. Above, Balak was shouting for someone to get a visor to keep track of '113'. She flexed the hand of her damaged arm, the blood dripping steadily off her fingertips. Thankfully, everything was still working.

Then the varren was springing again, fangs aimed at her throat. Shepard kicked up as hard as she could, her foot connecting under its jaw. Its teeth snapped together as its head was sent upwards, its body somersaulting so the animal landed on its back with a yelp. It started to twist to get itself upright, but Shepard leapt forward onto its back before it could get its legs beneath it, grabbed those fangs which were red with her blood, and used them as leverage, yelling out loud as she put all her strength into yanking its head to the side with one swift jolt, and breaking its neck.

Loud, disapproving booing filled the air, but Shepard was only looking at Balak, who stood staring in at her.

"You think you've saved him, Shepard?"

The crowd of batarians laughed scornfully at that.

Shepard looked at Varush as his skin returned to normal. She hadn't thought beyond knowing she wasn't prepared to kneel there and watch him be torn to pieces. What happened next was out of her hands, so she shrugged as nonchalantly as she could manage. "I didn't need the varren fed, or a blade, to be able to kill it."

Balak removed a pistol and Shepard instinctively moved in front of Varush. The batarian leader smirked. "Just like Alenko. Protecting the weak. You wouldn't be here now had he chosen to stop me leaving that asteroid instead of staying to save three pointless humans. And I've killed so many more since then. Tell me, was it worth it?"

"Yes. Three people are alive because of him. He's not to blame for what you chose to do after."

Balak shook his head in derision. "Truly pathetic. There's no place for sentiment in war."

"We're not at war. And you're saying that you'd sacrifice your people so readily if you'd been in that position? What if those people had been your family?"

His nose creased as her words rankled. He pulled a Shanti female to her feet with a vice-like grip round her neck. "You like them, Shepard? This pitiful race that do nothing but cower?"

"They're a gentle people who have developed amazing defences. You had no right to destroy their innocence."

"Innocence." Balak laughed. "Their eyes were closed, and we opened them. This is the way of life. The strong control the weak."

"It's the batarian way of life. And these people aren't weak just because they're pacific. They were surviving just fine before you invaded their world."

"We've given them a higher purpose than scurrying around like frightened prey." He gave her a hard look that chilled her. It was the look she'd seen every time he'd been about to put that wet cloth over her face. Her heart beat faster in her chest because of it. He pressed the gun into the woman's temple. "But because you defied me to save one, ten will now die."

With a nod to someone she couldn't see, nine other Shanti were lined up at the edge of the pit. With his eyes locked on hers, Balak's finger tightened on the trigger, and Shepard closed her eyes as he fired, followed by nine other shots.

The sound of the bodies thudding lifelessly onto the pit floor were like heavy boulders in her gut. She heard Varush slide to the ground behind her, and she didn't need to make contact with him to know the grief he was experiencing. When she opened her eyes, it was to a sight she'd seen many times, but was no less affected by. This was what she fought against: senseless death at someone else's whim. They had no right.

"Balak. The ship's docking." That came from his Second.

"Good. The rest of you get back to work. Take Shepard back to her cell with her new pet. Be sure to resume conditioning him. I want 077 brought there, too." He was about to turn away when he paused. "And string Shepard up. It's time she got acquainted with my favourite tool."

There was that look again. It was pure evil intent, and Shepard found it hard to repress the panic – an after-effect from the last time she was bound, helpless against this cruel man.

Somehow, whatever was coming, she had to stay strong.

-o-O-o-

The entry into Terra Nova's orbit was trouble-free, and they were lucky enough to have caught the last minutes of the planet's night, reducing the chance of anyone witnessing their descent. Not that the remoteness of the area made that likely anyway.

Even as Joker was powering the engines down, Kaidan could see the horizon brightening with the rise of the sun, and along with Edi they silently watched as it gradually unveiled their surroundings.

What they could see in the distance was a blanket of forest, untouched and thriving; the flocks of birds rising up in union as if celebrating the light at the first opportunity. But that was in stark contrast to the area they sat on. Here, the ground was black from the intense heat which had once been used to dissolve the Reaper materials, both synthetic and organic. It cut an unnatural, bleak and dead path through the landscape - a Reaper graveyard, hidden away by those desperate to forget.

Then Joker yawned and Kaidan caught it, his hand rising to cover his mouth at the involuntary display. "Did you get any sleep, Joker?"

"I managed a couple of hours. Don't pretend you got any shut-eye over the last few hours."

Kaidan felt a little relief to know that Joker still cared enough to get that information from Edi. "I just can't," he admitted.

Joker was nodding solemnly in response.

"May I suggest you visit with Dr Chakwas?" said Edi. "Sleep deprivation in organics can result in slow thought processes and reactions. I would anticipate this to be an undesirable state."

Running his fingertips over his tired eyes, Kaidan could only nod at the sense in that. He would head to the medbay, but not for a sedative. Liara would be here at any moment and he needed to be alert. The only place he intended to head was the war-room to study any scrap of information she might bring with her.

As Joker stood to leave, Edi reached for the console. "Shuttle incoming. Message received. It is Liara."

Even though Edi was capable of handling it, Joker sat back down and opened the bay door, and as soon as Kaidan could see its approach, he made his way down to the medbay.

He expected 'the look' from Chakwas when he told her what he wanted.

"Kaidan-"

"Doc, please. I can't rest right now."

After a long, pained pause, Chakwas finally reached for the stim. "Promise me that as soon as you've liaised with Liara, as soon as you have a plan of action, you'll come back here and let me help you switch off for a while."

Kaidan sighed. "I've got the kids-"

"They'll be fine. There's not a person on board who wouldn't be happy to look after them. It makes us all feel a little better knowing we can do that small thing for Shepard. That and they're both so adorable." Chakwas smiled but there was fear behind it.

Kaidan knew what it was. As a doctor she would have seen first-hand the injuries sustained by those in hostile batarian hands. "Doc…how bad-?"

"No. I won't go there, and it does no-one any good to think about such things." She injected the stim into his bloodstream. "Now go find her."

Leaving the medbay with the image of the distressed doctor raking its way down his insides, Kaidan tried to put it aside. He could feel the stim working, giving him an energy he sorely needed. In contradiction to what was happening within him, Kaidan saw Joker on his way to crew quarters, so demoralised it was reflected in his whole bearing.

Once in the elevator, Kaidan found the quiet unsettling. It was rare for him to be on Normandy when she slept, and it felt wrong not to have that comforting purr in the background that you didn't even notice until it wasn't there anymore.

When the doors opened, Kaidan could already hear the shuttle retreating. Liara was making her way towards him, while Cortez was dealing with the crates she'd brought with her, so Kaidan waited in place.

"Supplies for the children," explained Liara, as she stepped in beside him.

"I appreciate that. How's Eden?"

"She is well." There was a hint of softness as she spoke of her daughter, but Liara stared straight ahead as though the metal of the doors deserved her attention more.

"And you?"

Liara's face said it all. "Worried. But I am not the one that matters here." Her clipped voice conveyed that she wasn't interested in pleasantries. "How could you?"

Kaidan dropped his head as his shame demanded. "I don't-"

But the doors opened on the CIC revealing Garrus waiting there. "About time. Come on." Garrus began ushering them both out. "All of this has been lurking in my head all night and I really need some answers."

As he and Liara trailed into the war-room on Garrus' heels, Kaidan barely dared hope for those answers.

"I have found a link to those responsible for planting the false evidence against you, Garrus," started Liara. "That same signature was left behind after a money laundering operation that filtered credits from casinos-"

"Stealing from a distance?" snorted Kasumi, and she appeared, sitting casually on the console. "That's lame. Where's the thrill if you're not there, beating the system while right under their noses?"

"Can't you just walk around like a normal person?" Garrus asked.

"Where's the fun in that? I get all sorts of juicy information when people don't know I'm there. Did you know that Traynor has a bizarre hygiene routine that borders on OCD? And Serviceman Kingsley has a birthmark that looks like a krogan's head, right on his-"

"Okay, that's more than a sane person needs to know. This is going to come as a shock," said Garrus, getting them back on track, "but most thieves simply do it for the credits."

"No respect for the art," complained Kasumi. "That's why they got caught. So who are these poor excuses for thieves?"

Liara tapped at her omnitool, interfacing with the console. "Eclipse. My agents believe this asari is leading those on the Citadel, but she is little more than a shadow even to her own people, and I cannot get a name, or a track on her."

Garrus looked at Kaidan. "I don't get it. I can see them getting pissed at me – I've taken down enough of their operations to irritate them - but how does that tie into Shepard and the batarian angle?"

"I have no idea." Kaidan felt incredibly pointless then. Everything was happening around him and he couldn't put the pieces together so they fit. He needed a lead to those batarians so he could finally be useful again.

Garrus studied the face of the asari Liara had presented. "I don't recognise her but I'm not out on the streets much these days. Run her by Bailey, see if he can't give us what we're missing."

"Anything on these batarians?" Kaidan asked Liara, getting to what he wanted to know the most.

"Bailey and Kolyat are currently getting me footage of the area around your apartment during the time we believe Shepard was taken. I'm expecting that any time."

Pressing his lips together to bite back the curse, Kaidan wanted to be racing off. Instead he was waiting.

-o-O-o-

Bailey was scrolling through the large number of incidents that had occurred on the Citadel while he'd been locked in one of his own cells, looking for any little thing that could add to the puzzle; incidents with batarians or Eclipse being top of his list.

At another desk, Kolyat closed down another hours-worth of footage from the Strip and loaded up the next. His dedication was impressive. He'd barely been home for a half hour to reassure his wife and cuddle his kid before he'd headed back here. Bailey knew the boy was worried about Shepard.

Beside Kolyat sat Tavitus, and he hadn't wavered, either. The turian had something to prove and Bailey agreed with Garrus over his innocence, not that Kolyat had been content until he'd questioned Tavitus relentlessly.

Then a report caught Bailey's eye - Alenko's name like a beacon - and he read it through carefully, which was concerning enough until he saw it was connected to another report. By the time he'd read the second incident report Bailey was about ready to swear out loud. He needed to call Alenko.

"Commander."

"Tell me some good news, Tavitus."

"I've found it."

Both Bailey and Kolyat were instantly hanging over the detective's shoulder, staring at the screen. Kolyat had already found the footage showing the batarians entering the apartment about ten minutes or so before Garrus was stopped by Tavitus. The detective had fidgeted self-consciously in his seat, and Bailey had sensed he was also angry about being used. Since then he'd been doggedly staring at his screen, until he'd found more batarians entering, then continuing the search with Kolyat for the time those batarians exited so they could finally get a visual of the batarians faces.

And there they were. Shepard was barely visible, surrounded by the group so tightly it was evident they were supporting her. They couldn't have gotten a soldier like Shepard out into the open without risking her causing a ruckus unless they had drugged her with something.

"Any clear visuals?"

"I can get four. And I'd say this one was in charge." Tavitus pointed to the lead batarian, everything about him shouted that this man was used to giving orders.

"Kolyat. Any matches in our system?"

Kolyat had already returned to his own terminal to run the faces, and he shook his head in frustration.

"Then get them to Dr T'Soni." His own omnitool rang out and Bailey's brow rose. "Looks like we're trading. Got another face for you to run. Asari - high up in Eclipse."

It flicked up on Kolyat's screen as Bailey transferred it over, and when Tavitus stood so abruptly his chair fell back, Bailey's hand went to his gun until he saw that the turian was fixed on the screen.

Bailey relaxed a little. "You know her?"

In answer, Tavitus's hands fisted. "Kia Salys." His mandibles flared. "She's my…lover."

"Then I guess we know how they got into C-Sec's systems," said Kolyat, his arms crossing as he looked at Tavitus. Bailey was pretty certain the young turian didn't need it spelled out, but Kolyat said it anyway. "She would have had access to your omnitool, and therefore your authorisation codes."

Tavitus picked up the fallen chair and threw it across the room in his fury, pacing the room's length and seeming to make a decision to find her as he started to head for the door.

"Stop right there," ordered Bailey, and Tavitus froze, swinging to look at him with fierce eyes. "You want to confront her, then you do it with back-up. We can't risk her getting away."

Tavitus gave him a tight nod.

"Just give me five minutes to break some news."

Bailey needed to take a deep breath for this one. Alenko just couldn't catch a break.

-o-O-o-

Kaidan stared at one of the images sent by Bailey, the blood leaving his face.

"Who?" asked Liara, desperately.

"Balak. He was involved in the attempted terrorist attack on Terra Nova."

"Asteroid X57? I have files on him."

"You stopped it," added Garrus.

"Yeah." Kaidan's voice sounded hoarse. "With my biotic squad. Turned off the torches one by one so it never had the chance to breach the planet's atmosphere. He- Balak…had three hostages on that asteroid. Engineers who'd been working there before Balak took it over for his own purposes. We cornered him but he'd set timed bombs and said I had two choices: I could engage him and his men and let the hostages die, or go save them."

"Letting Balak get away in the process."

"Exactly." Kaidan braced himself on the console as the impact of that decision barrelled into his stomach all these years later. "I chose the hostages." It sickened Kaidan to think that one choice meant that Terra was suffering now. "He would have killed millions of humans just because he hated us, and now he has Terra."

"A human who had to kill millions of batarians," murmured Garrus.

Liara gasped. "He has to know she had no choice!"

"Balak's blind with hate," said Kaidan. He leaned towards Liara who was already connecting to her ship and its VI. "You can find him now, right?"

"I have Glyph collating everything we have on Balak. I'll get into his accounts, trace back every purchase he made, work out his favourite places, and cross-reference that with known batarian sites. I will whittle it down piece by piece until I have a location," vowed Liara.

When the call from Bailey came through, Kaidan just opened it on speaker. "We know who the lead batarian is. A known terrorist."

"Damn. We have an ID on your asari, too. Kia Salys." Liara was already making use of that detail. "We're going to bring her in now and see what she knows. But that's not why I called. You might want to sit down for this one."

"More bad news? Hit me with it," sighed out Kaidan.

"Your Alliance friends – the ones you were out with that night…. I'm sorry, but two of them are dead."

"What!?"

"Major John Roque collapsed about ten minutes after you left the club. Lieutenant Lyle Berkov raised the alarm but Roque was pronounced dead at the scene. Then in the early hours, Engineer Dane Yanson was found in an alley, also deceased. Autopsies show they were both poisoned. They died at around the same time, it's just that Yanson's body wasn't discovered until later."

Kaidan listened, unable to speak. Rissa, John, and Dane…all gone.

"Officers tried to take a statement from Berkov but he was too stricken and inebriated to be much help beyond mentioning who he was drinking with that night. I'll have an officer try again, but it's unlikely he'll be much help."

"The batarian," said Kaidan, his brain finally working. "There was a batarian who brought us drinks; said they were on the house."

"There's no record of a batarian here. The officers interviewed everyone working that night and there's not a single batarian among them. I'd say it's likely he was with those that took Shepard."

Kaidan ran his hands over his head. "He handed me and Rissa ours, then let the others get their own. Berkov knocked his over. It was after those shots that we all felt ill. I just thought it was strong alcohol…."

"Then it looks like Berkov had a lucky escape."

"Yours and this…Rissa's…were drugged too, then," pondered Garrus. "Just with something that wasn't deadly. Something to make you more susceptible to suggestion, maybe? Play on your hormones so you'd…you know, be uninhibited."

"She liked you," said Liara, accusingly. "She would not have needed much to start something with you."

Kaidan didn't know what to say. As much as he hoped it wasn't true, he couldn't say he hadn't touched her. He just didn't know.

"Another shuttle incoming," announced Edi, slicing through the tension.

"That will be Hackett," assured Liara.

"Okay. Uh… Thanks for letting me know, Bailey."

"I'm just sorry it wasn't better news. Bailey, out."

Three soldiers dead because they were associated with him. His son nearly killed. His wife…. All of this stemmed from that one decision on X57…. "I'll go update Hackett," said Kaidan, needing something to focus on so he wouldn't keep imagining what was happening to Terra. The guilt was endless, and he wondered how wrong it was of him to wish he'd never saved those hostages and let Balak go that day.

-o-O-o-

Tevos entered Valern's office to see her colleague's agitation. "There's more grave news?"

"Just as we expected," snapped Valern. "The krogan have attacked six more research sites, and two of our mining facilities. How many more salarian lives must be taken before we act!?"

"No more, Valern. The asari matriarchs are in agreement. We must honour the terms of our treaty and unite against the krogan threat."

In fact, the salarian Union had given them little choice. Though Dalatrass Narra was not receptive to a show of force against the krogan so quickly, the Union disagreed. At first Tevos and the matriarchs had been of the same opinion as the Dalatrass, and unwilling to add to their problems when they had their own attacks to concern them, but the Union had made it clear that if they faltered now in their time of need, the asari would find no ally in the future. With their relationship with both the turians and humans in question since the attacks on their stations, the matriarchs weren't prepared to risk losing salarian aid.

"I have also made contact with Alliance Command, and they were quick to pledge their support," said Valern. "They insist that recent events are down to a rogue element that is being dealt with."

Tevos strode over to the balcony, looking out at the Citadel that was still standing because of the very people they were accusing. "If it were anyone else I could accept that, but even with Shepard's mental decline, why would Alenko and Admiral Hackett be a part of that after everything they have done to keep us together?"

"Humans are emotional beings," waved off Valern. "We created malcontent over Shepard, and those closest to her chose to prove a point. But we will not be bullied."

"It makes no sense, Valern. What if Dominic was right?"

"Osoba colluded in their escape, making it quite clear where he stands, and it is not with us. Do not waver now, Tevos. Look at the facts: Alliance ships were the last at every station. Even if the turian bombs used were deliberately planted, the presence of Alenko's squads at each location cannot be denied, just like the krogan attacks on salarian people. We need decisive action, not second-guessing."

Sparatus joined them, distracting them both.

"I assume we have turian support in this," said Valern.

Sparatus hesitated. "No. You do not. Primarch Victus isn't convinced there's a krogan rebellion to quell, and I'm inclined to agree with him."

"You deny that this is the work of krogan!?" railed Valern.

"No, I don't. I'm just saying that there's no real proof that it's anything more than a large group trying to cause trouble."

"Unbelievable! Would you see it that way if it were your people they were killing!?"

Sparatus sighed. "I'm sorry, but we won't risk provoking the very thing you're afraid of. This needs further investigation before the Hierarchy are prepared to commit to such a course of action, and we would urge you to reconsider."

Watching their turian colleague leave, Tevos then turned to Valern. "That is troubling."

"The turians are distancing themselves from us," agreed Valern. "For all their denial of their involvement over the bombings of your stations, they have yet to show their allegiances do not lean with the rogue elements within the Alliance."

"What is happening to our community?" whispered Tevos, feeling as frightened as the day she realised the Reapers were real.

"For now we focus on one problem at a time. We gather what forces we can over Tuchanka. The krogan must be shown that we will not stand as targets for their vengeance. Only then will the salarian people be able to stand with you against the possible threat from our own allies."

Returning her gaze to the Citadel, Tevos couldn't help but feel that whatever step she took next would send the asari plummeting. She'd never felt so vulnerable.

-o-O-o-

Hackett was sat in the co-pilot's seat when they emerged from the path cut through the forest which was slowly being reclaimed by it. Normandy was a glorious sight set upon the remnants of destruction, and he felt one step closer to Terra by being here.

With sincere thanks to the woman who had brought him, Hackett was soon setting foot on Normandy's ramp. Kaidan was waiting to greet him, his face drawn.

"Have you got any leads on Terra?" Hackett asked, passing through Normandy's shield.

"We know who-

"Tracking device detected!" Edi's alarmed voice startled them both. "I have scrambled the signal, but it is likely too late!"

"If we're compromised, we need to leave. Now!" replied Kaidan.

Hackett had frozen in place at the announcement, stunned that his presence could have caused this. As his thoughts kick-started, trying to process how the hell it could have happened, he began running for the elevator beside Kaidan.

"Joker! I need you back at the helm! Get us out of here!" ordered Kaidan.

"Already on my way!"

The doors closed them in, and Hackett was vaguely aware of the subtle shudder that rippled beneath him as the engines were brought back to life. But Hackett was internalising, his jaw tight.

… Jaynes offered his hand, and Hackett took it, tensing as Jaynes also patted his shoulder in an over-friendly gesture that was out of place here.

"We'll talk again later." …

"God damn it!" Hackett knew how he'd been tracked.

Shaking off the jacket that had covered his uniform, his hand went to his shoulder, his fingers fiddling with the lapel until they came away with a small tracker. "Internal Affairs. That bastard, Jaynes…." He'd made a huge mistake in underestimating the rear admiral.

Dropping the tracker, Hackett stamped his heel down, crushing it. Too little too damned late. He looked at Kaidan, not needing to state the obvious.

An Alliance fleet would be waiting for them.

-o-O-o-