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It had been a long day and Jak was tired. But they were done. The shuttle was stored in the Hyperion's cavernous storage bays, the queen egg and geth consensus slumbering safely inside the confines of the small ship. He smiled as he looked down the rows of identical shuttles. The Hyperion had over a hundred shuttles stored in this bay and others like it scattered around the ship. They were packed in tightly with no wasted space at all. They hadn't flown in, they had been loaded. It had been quite a challenge to get the shuttle in near the back, but it had been done and no one was the wiser. Talk about hiding something in plain sight! Every single shuttle was exactly the same on the outside. Only on the inside were each used to store things. Foodstuffs, ammunition, weapons, tools and other essential supplies, the basic list for the Hyperion's essential supplies was twenty pages long! The dextro food stores that filled the shuttle were for Korri as were the massive files of music that Jak had managed to acquire. He hoped to surprise her with the gift when they woke, she hadn't asked for such, but he knew she loved hearing new music. He had tunes from elcor, hanar, drell, volus, asari, turian, salarian and even some krogan tunes in that file. It was two zetabytes and totally worth it.

Even in the worst case scenario, the shuttle that Illia and her friends had constructed wouldn't be touched for years after the first shuttles were pulled for use. Jak had left a message coded for the pathfinders in the shuttle's recorders, just in case he did not make it to Andromeda. If he didn't make it, maybe Ryder would. If not? In that case, the Initiative would need to know about the stowaways before some luckless tech cracked the shuttle apart for spare parts and had a heart attack when the egg hatched.

It was done. The egg was as safe as the rest of them. Jak closed the hatch and leaned against the wall, panting slightly. To get into the shuttle had required him climbing over fifteen others. It hadn't been fun and he was slightly out of shape besides. He would have to work on that in Andromeda.

You need sleep Jak. Lara sent from where she was working to help the medics get the last few hundred colonists into stasis. She wasn't a cryo tech, but she was a trained medic. She was happy to help and they were happy to have her.

We will get plenty soon, Lara. How are you doing? He asked and she sent him a mental raspberry in reply. Lara.

Home stretch. We have a hundred and thirteen left to go, Jak. Lara replied. Then you, me and Korri go in. I am nervous. She admitted.

What we are doing is crazy, Lara. Jak replied with a mental raspberry of his own. Of course you are nervous. But this is our best chance at a fresh start and there are all kinds of ways that we can help a fledgling colony. Two medics and a pilot? All mind linked? Oh yes, we can help a lot even without the rachni and geth.

Can you two keep it down? Korri's sleepy voice sounded and both of them paused. I am trying to sleep here. But her tone was amused rather than upset.

You didn't think it would tire you out so badly, did you? Jak teased gently and Korri made a disgusted noise. Entertainers have to be in good shape, Korri. Just standing for a full length concert can be tiring without the effort they put in. Add in your biotics and you will need a lot of energy.

Don't remind me. Korri groaned. Those energy drinks taste like recycled bathwater. You would think the sterilizer would take the taste away, but no...

Since you are awake, you will drink another. Lara's tone brooked no quibbling and Korri groaned. Now.

You are taking the 'mother' thing a bit far, don't you think?" Korri sounded sour, but they could feel her mind perk up as she drank and her body's energy was revitalized. Gah! This is awful!

Maybe. Lara admitted. We are close to the same age. But we love you Korri, even with all your flaws, you are one of us and don't you forget it. A feeling of warmth came from her and swept through Jak on the way to Korri who made a soft, sad noise. But then she snickered.

Yes mother. Korri replied primly.

Jak was chuckling when something hit him and the lights went out.


An indeterminate time later

Jak was aware of Korri and Lara both calling his name as he woke. He had sealed the shuttle, he remembered that. Then he had been heading back to his quarters to rest and… His memory cut out as if it had been damaged again. But it hadn't been. Everything was still clear in his head.

He was lying on his stomach and when he tried his hands, they wouldn't move. His legs were likewise bound. He cracked his eyes and, no surprise, they were covered by something. From the stickiness and smell, tape. He hoped it wasn't duct tape, that would be a pain to get off.

"Back with us." The synthesized voice was from a quarian. Nothing else sounded like the filters from a quarian exosuit. Not one Jak had met. He started to reply and something round and cold pressed into the back of his skull. "Don't. Don't call out. I don't want to kill you, but I will if I must."

"Yeah." Jak was amazed his voice was so clear and calm. This had to be the quarian who was hunting Korri, who had hurt Elan'Shiya.. "So much easier to torture people when they are alive and aware."

He could feel Lara and Korri's panic as he did not respond. Could they track him? He had to hope they could.

"I have no intention of torturing you, Lieutenant Jak Collains." The other replied calmly. "I just want Korri'Lamant. No one needs to get hurt." Jak turned his head until he was eyeing the direction the voice was coming from. What had to be a pistol barrel was pressed to his temple now.

"I wasn't talking about me, asshole." Jak snapped. "Was it you? Or are you the cut out?"

"Your delays are pointless." The other replied, still calm. "The scanner block I am carrying will keep the security forces from detecting us and you were on your way back to your quarters and your mate."

"Didn't the last time you shitheads hurt Lara teach you quarians anything?" Jak demanded. "Oh, wait. You are intelligence, you don't need to learn, you know it all already!" He scoffed. "Go on, shoot. I won't help you."

Two sharp intakes of breath in his mind. The others could hear what he said, they knew what was happening. Spikes of fear mixed with anger came from them, but Jak blocked them out. He knew they would be calling everyone they could now. Sounding the alert, hopefully a quiet alert so as not to startle the intelligence operative who had captured Jak.

"I have no intention of shooting you, but your reputation precedes you and I will if I must. Your cooperation is neither needed nor wanted, since you would delay or attempt subterfuge." The other replied, still calm. "Korri'Lamant is entirely predictable. She will trade herself for you and we will leave."

"And they call me crazy." Jak actually laughed at that. "And what will the Initiative security forces be doing while you are just merrily sailing away, hmmm?"

"The girl is insane and a danger to everyone aboard this ship." The other replied. "They will be glad to be rid of her."

"Is that what you told the security on the Rayya?" Jak asked, calming a little. "When you exposed her to eezo? When you brainwashed her to be a puppet?" The other did not respond and Jak continued. "If you are going to lie, fool, at least try to make your lies convincing. A half trained first year at the flight school I went to could do better than that."

"You do not know what you are talking about." The other replied. "In five minutes, we will be leaving."

"Oh, I don't, do I?" Jak asked softly. "So we didn't disarm the bomb or keep the toxin some sneaky scum like you implanted in her suit from killing her. We didn't talk to her, help her past her grief and fear. We didn't pull the brainwashing out into the open to let her see it for what it was." He snorted. "That is good to know."

"Be silent." The other commanded, but Jak ignored him.

"So, we didn't discover that she is a biotic, an incredibly rare occurrence for quarians since you people are fastidious about safety and cleanliness. No accidental eezo contamination is going to occur on any well run ship of the Flotilla." Jak continued. "So, the only way for her to be exposed to eezo was for someone to have done it to her." He smirked at the sudden silence. "Now… Who could possibly benefit from one, brainwashing a girl into obeying orders and two, making her a biotic? After all, she is crazy. No one will believe any story she spouts." Jak snarled now. "Yeah. Who could possibly believe a story like that?"

"No one." The quarian replied. "The facts say otherwise."

"No." Jak retorted. "Your facts says otherwise. But reality and your facts are not the same thing no matter how much you may wish they are. You fucked up, big time. I won't help you and Korri is going nowhere with you."

"That is not for you to say." The quarian was finally losing patience. "She is quarian. She belongs with the fleet."

"Yeah." Jak snapped. "Just like her father did. So… gonna kill everyone here like you scum did before?"

"Korri'Lamant's father was a traitor." The other said coldly.

"Funny." For his part, Jak was getting angrier. "I didn't think he ever swore oaths to the Fleet no matter what you morons demanded. So, technically he was a prisoner, not a member of the Fleet. Hard to blame him after what you did, but hey, who cares?" He asked. "You got what you wanted. You got the resources and tech his family had made, and all if cost was a few inconsequential lives and a little boy's sight. A good bargain for the likes of you."

"You do not know the truth of that." The quarian said coldly.

"And you do?" Jak retorted. "Were you there? Did you pull the trigger on his mother and father personally? I can see someone like you doing that and not losing any sleep. After all, they are not your kind, so they don't matter. Pity you didn't get the chance to rape them, you might have-" Jak's face slammed into the deck and he was smiling as he recoiled. "Go ahead, asshole, or better yet, boshtet. You are a boshtet and a stupid one at that."

What the hell are you doing? Lara demanded in his mind. He will kill you!

Don't let Korri out of the room! Jak snapped to her. I have this! Korri was crying in his mind, but Jak fought to keep them both away. He had to stay focused. Korri's life depended on it.

"Is that the best you can do?" Jak demanded. "I have seen little girls who hit harder than that. Then again, a bound and helpless prisoner is more your style, isn't it? Killing is easy when they cannot fight back."

"You provoking me will not help." The quarian replied. Strong hands lifted Jak and he was roughly thrown onto something that yielded underneath him. "I am here for Korri'Lamant and nothing else."

"That is not her name, asshole." Jak retorted even as further pain flared in his arms and legs. He was strapped to the yielding surface. Had to be a hover pallet or something. He would probably be gagged and covered by something to hide him unless this guy was a complete idiot. "Her name is Korri'Lamant vas Hyperion and you are making a very big mistake."

"No, I am not." The other said flatly and Jak fought as hands gripped his face. He couldn't fight much and the tape that went over his mouth was just as nasty tasting as the bits over his eyes had been smelling. His body was strapped down on the surface he was lying on and something hot and heavy was thrown over top of him.

He has to be going to a hatch or shuttle bay. Jak sent to Lara who was crying softly Korri was screaming and he kept her walled off a little. Korri, Korri, no. Stop. We cannot let him take you.

Jak! Korri's scream in his mind was mix of rage, terror and barely repressed violence.

He is not going to kill me or he will start a war and he knows it. Jak reassured her. I know his type. It is all about the mission. He isn't thinking about anything but the mission. But that is not a good thing. He may not kill me, but he will kill anyone else he sees to complete it. Warn everyone, Lara.

I have. Lara said weakly. Jak, internal sensors are not able to pick you up. This ship is huge.

I know. Jak said heavily. He has some kind of scan blocker. He broke off as a gasp sounded from somewhere nearby. Two muffled reports sounded close at hand. He went completely still as a warm mass slammed into the surface beside him. A groan sounded. Whoever it was, they were still alive! He just shot someone!

"What the hell?" A totally unexpected weak voice came from beside Jak. Princilla Rivers was upset but she was still alive. She gasped in pain. "What are you doing? You shot me."

"Shut up." The quarian said flatly. "You were supposed to leave, human. That was what you were paid to do." The sound of tape ripping heralded the mas beside Jak struggling a bit. Had she been gagged? Jak wasn't sure if he should be horrified or happy.

Paid? Jak stammered in his mind and then it focused with laser like intensity. Oh shit! Rivers is a mole of some kind! He said he paid her.

That bitch! Lara's mind was filled with a terrible lust for violence now and Jak took a moment to soothe her.

We will deal with her later. Jak promised. Korri is the important one now.

Korri is… Lara broke off and then gasped. Korri! What are you doing? Get back to your quarters!

He sent a message. Korri's mental tone was calm, too calm. She was terrified but working to hide it. If I don't go, he will kill Jak.

If you do come, he will take you and we all die. Jak said with dreadful force. Or he just eliminates you and we all die anyway. Korri, you cannot give him what he wants.

Oh, I am not. Korri reassured him. He said to come alone. He said to be unarmed. He said not to speak to anyone on the Hyperion. Amusement warred with disgust in her mental voice.

You didn't… Jak said slowly as a smile tried to creep across his features. Illia? You there?

Did you really think we would just leave? Illia's mind voice was amused. Especially after what happened on Earth? We are with you until you jump for Andromeda. I am coordinating with Captain Dunn, the commander of the ship. There are others involved. The quarians of the Initiative are a bit upset by this.

I think almost everyone is. Jak replied. Any idea where he is taking me? He shot Rivers and said he had paid her for something.

Well… Illia growled something vile under her breath. That might explain the four unmarked shuttles that are trying to get into one of the Hyperion's docking bays. Except… there are no quarians on any of them according to ship's scanners. Mercs? She mused. What the hell? Four squads of Blue Suns mercs? What can they possibly hope to achieve here? We are in the middle of the Sol system.

Hijack? Ransom? Theft of tech? Does it matter? Jak asked quietly. I bet Rivers sold the docking codes to them as well as this creep. She is just the type to try and make money off other peoples' suffering.

We will deal with her once we have you and Korri safe. Illia promised. The mercs are splitting up, each shuttle moving to a different hangars… Oh dear… She snickered. One just landed in a hangar where Ryder was setting up an ambush in case the quarian went there.

Silly mercs. That is gonna hurt. Jak said a bit weakly as gunfire sounded ahead. Whatever he was on stopped abruptly. And it seems that hangar was the original destination. Korri, stay away!

"I can't do that, Jak." Korri's voice sounded from nearby and Jak felt his guts turn to ice. "He said he would kill you and gave a time limit. I am here, boshtet." She snapped. "Let him go."

"Not until we are clear." The other said calmly. "Hands." His voice turned colder. "Give me your hands. Now."

"Let's see." Korri said slowly. "If I let you take me, I die, Jak dies, Lara dies. If I don't let you take me, Jak dies, Lara dies, I die. I am dead either way. You are not taking me."

"Don't be stupid, girl!" The other snapped. "We don't have time for your silly dithering-" His voice broke off as a sick thwock sound was heard. A shot sounded in the near distance.

"It wasn't dithering." Korri said flatly as whatever was on Jak was pulled off. A different quarian voice cursed softly as his arms and legs were unbound. "It was called acting as a distraction. Good shot, Perrin'Shiya."

"Nice set up, Korri'Lamant." The hands that were easing Jak upright were not Korri's. He could tell the suit was subtly different from Korri's. "Gah, This tape is going to make things hard."

Don't take you eyes off him! Jak screamed at Korri who gasped. Then another shot sounded, not from the quarian's weapon. That was a Predator pistol. It fired again and again and again. A body hit the deck with a thump as the hands that held Jak trembled.

Here. Lara's mental tone was cold and clinical as something wet drenched Jak's face. Whatever it was, it tasted of alcohol and Jak gasped as the gag was pulled off, followed by the blindfold. It stung, but he didn't loose any hair, so it was all good. He looked up at Lara and her face was cool, remote. It was mask for pain and heartbreak. A pistol smoked a little in in her hand and when Jak looked, a quarian lay on the floor, many holes in his envirosuit.

"Oh Lara." Jak reached up and took hold of his mate. She trembled and did not resist when he took the pistol out of nerveless fingers and safetied it. "I love you."

-I know- Her synthesized voice from her necklace sounded sort of like her mental tone, but not quite. -Oh, Jak!- She was crying as he hugged her tight. -I was so scared I would lose you again!-

"We almost lost everyone. Never take your eyes off an enemy until you are sure they are dead. When in doubt, double tap." Jak admonished the pair of still standing quarians nearby who nodded jerkily. But then Jak's eyes narrowed. "Wait. When did Perrin'Shiya get here?"

"Um..." Korri actually stammered and he stared at her. "He was with me when the scum called. I didn't say anything to him. He just followed me, grabbed a rifle and...well..."

-And why was Perrin'Shiya with you?- Lara asked even as the male quarians holstered a Viper sniper rifle a bit sheepishly. -You were supposed to be in your quarters. Sleeping and- Lara's voice broke off suddenly, her mental feel sharp with shock. Jak slowly rose to his full height. Both quarians were almost shuffling their feet!

"More importantly..." Jak said in a dangerous tone. "When did he get here?"

"Ah..." Korri said weakly, confirming Jak's suspicion. The male quarian would not meet his eyes and Jak sighed.

"Are we going to have to have the birds and bees discussion now?"