Surprise guys, really short chapter here. CowgirlVK pointed out to me something that I had thought about but hadn't done anything about so I'm rectifying it here. A little more drama/angst.

Secrets

Hackett

Admiral Hackett made his way to the med suite. The mansion was enormous. It had been added onto over the decades and in some places the layout made no sense what so ever. So he'd taken a couple of wrong turns on the way from his quarters.

Victus had found a pair of conjoined rooms on the same floor as his quarters and Hackett was sharing it with Pace and Vega. (He didn't envy Pace – Vega snored like a MAKO idling.) Yamana had a room of her own down the hallway and Alenko and Renfield were on another floor.

While he hadn't said anything, Hackett got the distinct impression that Victus was angry with both men. He understood Renfield. Challenging the Turians on their own turf was suicidal at best and in general just plain stupid. Alenko he wasn't quite sure what that was about though he thought it might have something to do with Shepard and Vakarian's relationship.

He'd have to question Victus later when they were alone and the Turian leader had de-stressed from everything.

He finally made it to the right floor and the right door where two Turian soldiers stood guard. They watched him approach carefully – not aggressive but a touch wary.

He stopped in front of them, hands to his side. This was Turian soil, in essence, so he only held whatever rank Victus was willing to grant him.

"I'm Admiral Hackett and I'd like to speak with Doctor Chakwas." He told them. They both, if he was reading them right, seemed to relax at that.

"A moment sir." One told him politely while the other one went inside.

In a few moments Chakwas came out followed by the other soldier.

"Thank you Elzel." She said. "Admiral it's good to see you."

"Chakwas. It's good to see a doctor who isn't try to poke me with something." He said ruefully and she smiled.

"I had heard you got out of Grissom."

"Escaped is more like it." He grumbled and she laughed.

Then he got to the reason for his visit. "How's Shepard?"

Chakwas motioned him down the hallway a bit so they were, hopefully out of hearing of the guards.

"Still unconscious; but everything seems alright."

"Seems? Is there something wrong?" Hackett had picked up on her phrasing.

"There could be." Chakwas sighed. "We still don't know if it was the head injury or just general trauma or both that caused Shepard's amnesia. And another blow to the head can/could lead to a number of things."

"Like what?"

"Best case – she gets some or all of her memory back. Middle of the road – nothing happens.." She paused and glanced back at the med suite.

"And worse case?" Hackett asked with a sinking feeling.

"She loses more of her memory or even all of it, possibly even leading to some physical problems."

"Damn." Hackett swore. "She's given so much she doesn't need any more grief."

"You'll get no argument from me Admiral."

"What's your best guess, Chakwas?"

"This is the brain, Admiral, we still don't know as much as we should about it." She said and he nodded. "Fortunately there was no bleeding and I treated her aggressively to keep her brain from swelling and any bruises or clots developing."

Chakwas bit her lip, a decidedly uncharacteristic gesture for her while she thought it over.

"Shepard has always had a hard head even before Cerberus.."

Hackett let out a low growl at that and Chakwas just stared at him in slight amusement.

"…rebuilt her." She went on. "I'm going out on a limb here Admiral and saying that she probably should be okay; but that I can't guarantee it with any certainty."

"Would she do better at Huerta E?"

"Perhaps, but all the shuttles are grounded and travelling by ground vehicle would be even riskier." She told him. "Fortunately, the Turians have a complete medical set up here, even to equipment that I can use on a human. So, all things considered she's getting the best care she can."

Hackett let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Good." He paused. "Why have you been telling everyone she'll be okay?"

"Trying to prevent trouble, Admiral." Chakwas frowned. "I wasn't sure who'd wake up first – Shepard or Vakarian and I didn't want someone else to tell Garrus that she could have been harmed. That's the last thing we or he needs."

Hackett nodded at that. Having seen Turians on a rampage. An enraged Vakarian hunting down Renfield or possibly even Alenko would not be good, and he wasn't sure that Victus wouldn't help him.