All Shepard wanted to do when she returned to the ship was be left alone. She knew she should discuss the day's events with Javik, but she had yet to come to terms with the information on her own. The stares and whispers from the crew were starting to get on her nerves, and sensing that, they graciously went out of their way to avoid her.

She had almost made it to the elevator before Yeoman Chambers meekly caught her attention.

"Commander, the Illusive Man is available in video conference for you."

"Tell him I'll call him later." Shepard

"He said it was urgent."

Shepard groaned. It took all of her patience to deal with the Illusive Man, patience that was wearing thinner and thinner as the day wound on.

"Fine." she grumbled and stalked angrily off to the conference room.

She took a deep breath in a vain attempt to calm herself and stepped with determination onto the holo projector.

"What do you want?" she coldly asked the shadowed man as soon as the scanner projected her into the room

"Commander," The Illusive Man responded icily, "I was hoping for your report on the Leviathan."

"I just got back, I haven't had time to go over the information yet."

"That's not necessary, we can complete your debrief now."

Shepard didn't respond. She just stared at him, determined not to give out any more information than absolutely necessary.

"I take it you found the Leviathan?" He asked, noticeably frustrated that she wasn't being more forthcoming.

"Yes."

"And you spoke to it?" he asked again.

"Yes."

"What did it say?"

"It's personal." She answered matter-of-factly.

"I don't know what you're playing at Shepard, but you have an obligation to share your findings with me." the Illusive Man warned her.

"I do not and I never have. Too many lives hang in the balance if its existence is threatened and this information gets into the wrong hands and I'm not about to let that happen." She explained.

"Studying this creature and the way it controls people could help humanity get the edge it needs to become more dominant in the galaxy!"

"Human dominance? or just Cerberus?" Shepard more accused than asked and she could see the fury flash behind his eyes.

"Strength for Cerberus is strength for every human. Cerberus is Humanity. I order you to go back down with a team of Cerberus soldiers and scientists to study the creature."

"I will do no such thing. It promised it would stay in it's pit. All it wants to do is hide. The only way to guarantee that it stays put is to make sure no one else goes looking for it. But I can assure you that if it ever breaks that promise, I will personally go back and kill it myself. You're insane if you thought I would let you anywhere near that thing."

"And what about Javik, can I assume your misguided sense of nobility will make you keep your promise to me about him?"

"You mean my promise to turn him over to you? Not a chance." She brazenly laughed at him.

The Illusive Man flew up from his chair in a fit of anger and stalked towards her with a deep seeded hatred clearly visible on his face. "I should have known you would choke on the hard decisions. You've always been too idealistic." he spat.

"I'm not looking for your approval, and I certainly don't need your help."

"Don't turn your back on me Shepard! I made you. I brought you back when everyone else simply left you to your fate!"

"See, that's where you're wrong." Shepard interrupted loudly, "You may have brought me back from the dead, but I still make my own decisions. I finally know my purpose and I'm not about to let you stand in my way. I know what you are and the price people pay for dealing with you. I'm doing things my way from now on." She turned from him and started to exit the holo projector.

"I should have never stopped Miranda from putting that control matrix in you." he yelled viciously after her, his hands clenched into tight, angry fists.

Shepard glanced one last time over her shoulder at him with a determined smirk on her face. "We both know a control matrix wouldn't have stopped me."

She stepped from the holo projector a thousand times lighter than when she went in, and raising her head toward the ceiling with a smile, she called out the words she never thought she'd ever get to say. "Joker, lose this channel."


As much as Shepard wanted to call it a night, she now knew exactly what path she had to take, and could finally see clearly the scope of the work that was yet to come. She was worried that word had already gotten out that she had officially cut ties with Cerberus, but before she dealt with the fallout from that decision, she had one thing to do that was still more important.

The Port Cargo Bay door slid open silently as Shepard entered quietly. She heard the sound of running water and watched as Javik finished washing his hands and then turned in all his gracefulness to meet her.

"Commander,"

"Javik, I came down to make sure you were alright."

"I am not a fragile creature, my origins do not concern me."

"I just thought you might want to talk."

"I have seen many things, but that beast taught me that even the tallest creatures cannot see everything. I have learned my true purpose in this universe and I intend to fulfill it."

"So you'll stay?" Shepard asked hopefully

"Yes. You and I share a common destiny. We are stronger together than we would ever be apart."

"That means a lot Javik, I appreciate you sticking around. There is one thing I need to ask you to do for me however."

"What is the mission?"

"I still need to go through the Omega Relay to end this thing with the Collecters, but I can't start a journey I may not return from knowing what's coming and what has to be done."

"You wish for me to stay behind." Javik inferred.

"Just for this fight. You and the memory shard you hold should be more than enough evidence to convince The Council that the Reaper threat is real. If we can get them on board and start preparations early enough, maybe we can actually save some people for a change instead of leaving another trail of collateral damage in our wake."

"I will do as you ask Commander. I will do all I can to prepare, and when you return I will rejoin the fight with you so the last thing the Reapers hear before they die will be the voices of the last Prothean and the only Shepard sending them to their graves."