A/N: And here we go. I find it weird that I'm finding less and less to say in these things.

Ah, well. Onwards!

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Ashley sighed, leaning back in the chair as she looked up at Druvak. She remained seated at the table, her omni-tool open to the news channels in the Obschesto. She frowned, leaning close.

"And in other news, an explosion at the Imperial Research Labs has everyone on high alert. The traitor has vanished along with someone else, but to where? Authorities are scrambling to figure it out."

Ashley sighed, shaking her head. "Well, shit," she said. "Looks like I won't be leaving any time soon."

"I am afraid not, Madam Wi-Ash," Druvak replied as he walked to her side. "I wish there was something I could do."

"I wouldn't know if there is," she said. She then looked back up at Druvak. "Don't you have to go to work?"

"Not for another few hours," said Druvak. "I doubt the furore of increased security will die out by then."

"Yeah..." Ashley shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm probably saddling you here."

"No no, please," said Druvak. "Don't speak of yourself as such, Ma-Ash. It would have been preferable to seeing you starve on the streets."

"Maybe," said Ashley. "But the fact that I'm still here is going to put you in danger, and now I'm going to be here longer than I'd hoped. If they find me here, they'll implicate you."

"I maintain that it's a misunderstanding," said Druvak. He shook his head. "Though I suppose you are right. If I know Master Ru'val, he would be very worried, particularly since he does not maintain as much pull as he would like."

Ashley nodded. "I guess that impacts Sa'lem, too?" she asked.

"It does," Druvak replied. "There is nothing he can do, and he knows that. It's caused Master Ru'val so much pain, that Young Master Sa'lem's behavior is no longer being brushed off as the actions of a rebellious youth."

"Shit..." Ashley shook her head. "I can't even imagine what that'd be like. I don't want to know what that'd be like..."

"Nobody does," Druvak replied. He sighed, before sitting down next to Ashley. "Well, I suppose we have some time until I leave for Master Ru'val's home. You speak like you have family back home."

Ashley smiled. "Three sisters, and my mom," she said. "Dad was an Alliance marine through and through, but... well, he's with God now."

"Are you kidding me?"

Sugrak Kalpalan slammed his fist on his desk again, the metal denting underneath his fist. A few intelligence officers stood in front of him, the ones right in front of his desk jumping slightly at his sudden outburst of anger.

"S-sir, please, calm yourself," said the foremost officer.

"Calm myself?" he asked. "Are your DGI guys able to do anything?" He began to pace around the room, his steps faster than usual. "This has been an unmitigated disaster since the initial intelligence leak! These denizens of this other galaxy find their way here!" He then pointed directly at the officer closest to his desk. "You told me this would be sorted out immediately! You said this was a threat easily quashed! And instead, they've somehow managed to cause problems for us left and right! Right as we think the problem is about to be rooted out, something else happens!"

"We know, sir, and we're assessing what the cause has been," said the agent.

"And you think I have not?" Kalpalan asked, gripping the edge of the desk. "I've interrogated one of them, had soldiers on the field, checked on their ship, and helped rehabilitate that prisoner they had, all to clean up the mess you have made! And what have all of you done? You've done nothing!" He then leaned forward. "You've done nothing, except perform failed interrogations that may have actually contributed!"

"Excuse me?" the agents replied.

"I've had enough!" said the admiral. "I'm trying to defend the people of this place, and you have made that difficult!"

The agent then frowned. "We may remind you, we did everything correctly," said the agent. "We're still trying to determine what went wrong in the first place to keep it from happening. You think it's easy when everything we have tried has brought back absolutely nothing? We simply do what we must."

"It isn't good enough!" The admiral shook his head, before sitting down. "Tell your superiors whatever you want. But as relates to the official investigation behind it, I'm taking over for now. If you meddle at all in what I do, you'll hear from your superiors about it!"

"Whatever you say." The DGI officer then bowed. "I just hope you know that doing so, you may incur the wrath of our superiors."

"I am prepared for that," he said. "Just get out of my office."

"As you say," the officer replied.

All of the DGI officers in the room then exited, the door closing behind them. As soon as they had left, Kalpalan shook his head, his claws raking lightly against his scales.

"Lovely," he said to himself. "If Punargathana wasn't involved with the outsiders before, they definitely are now." He shook his head. "They're getting bolder. That's not good..."

He then shook his head, leaning back. He had already ordered his units to monitor all comms lines, and in the meantime he kept one ear held to his comm units.

But something felt rather off. The admiral could not place what it was, but he still felt strange, as if there was a piece of the puzzle that he was missing. He frowned, shaking his head as he stood up.

"Perhaps Valentine would know," he said aloud. "Well, if he does not lie to me again."

He then walked to the door, shaking his head.

"It's a shame," said Kalpalan. "It could have helped the quarian people so much..."

He then left his office, walking down the hall with a purpose-filled gait.

The first thing Kalo noticed as he woke up was that his back had been propped up against a hard surface.

He blearily opened his eyes, finding that there was very little light beyond his face mask. His hands felt at the hard curved wall behind him, and as he listened he realized he was near rushing water of some sort. He then turned to his left.

Pravuil looked back at him, the aqueron nodding. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Kalo," he stated.

Kalo groaned, pushing off his back and finding he was sore. "Where are we?" he asked softly.

"Down in the sewers." The aqueron shifted his posture. "We nearly did not escape, but... we have. Hopefully, they will think it is Punargathana."

Kalo's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Punargathana," said the aqueron. "Otherwise known as the terrorist cell fighting against the government." He chuckled. "For once, I'm glad they exist. It's covered my tracks even despite all the people that have seen us. At any rate, it will buy us a little time to figure out where to go from here."

Kalo frowned. "I hope you..."

And then, Kalo felt something catch in his throat. He leaned forward, before unleashing a mighty cough. The phlegm pooled in his throat pretty quickly, and after another couple of coughs he could taste the mucous on his tongue. The feeling caused his shoulders to tense, and it was only then that he realized how cold he felt. As he realized the way his skin constricted around his body, he opened his omni-tool and opened it to an internal thermometer application he had installed before his Pilgrimage.

He then waited a few seconds, before the omni-tool beeped and displayed a temperature that was higher than it should have been.

"Damn, of all the times to get sick..." He leaned back, swallowing the mucous and cringing as he did. He then looked down at his leg, seeing a very crudely done seal on the suit breach done with a few lengths of cloth. "Did you attempt to do that?"

"You weren't awake," Pravuil replied. "And I had the feeling you would not be receptive to me using the nanomachine cure without your permission first." He then shook his head, looking away. "I'll admit, sealing up suits is not something I know how to do."

Kalo sighed, before pulling his leg up and looking at it. "Well... It could have been worse," he said, before he reached for another spot on his sash. "If you should ever need to do this again, please check my scarves first. You would have seen this." He then held up a piece of suit material, as well as a pouch of omnigel. "If I'm out and you need to seal a suit breach, use these two items. The one is a sealant for the other." He then coughed again, crumpling the suit material out of reflex. As soon as the cough died away, he pulled his leg so he could see it. "This looks like a bad wound..." He then sighed, pulling on the cloth and then applying the omni-gel around the site of the wound. He then patted the suit material on, smoothing it over and pressing it on even despite the pain.

"And that is all?" Pravuil asked.

"If I had access to the Lying Bastard, there would be much more work to be done," he said. He then sighed. "But alas, they took my immunoboosters. I hope I can get back to the Lying Bastard in time. This illness is likely to get worse, and if I take too long..." Kalo looked ahead grimly.

"It's that bad?" asked Pravuil.

"Yes," said Kalo.

The aqueron shook his head. "I had no idea."

"Many do not care to know," Kalo replied, shaking his head. He sighed. "But how are we to get back there without being seen?"

"I admit, I don't have any plans," said Pravuil. He frowned. "What do you need?"

"An immunobooster, of course," said Kalo. He then frowned, patting his chest. "And not this, either. You were correct about that. It may need to be investigated more."

"Fair," said Pravuil. "And I imagine more to seal that suit."

"Yes..." Kalo coughed again. "What do we do?"

"Well... we have time to plan now," said Pravuil. "I've had time to regain my bearings. Perhaps we should start by moving towards the docks?"

"We will have to, yes," Kalo replied. He sneezed this time. "Oh, this is going to be rather terrible."

Pravuil stood up, helping Kalo to his feet. "Take heart, Kalo," he said. "You will be alright." He then looked to the quarian. "Can you walk?"

Kalo shifted his weight to apply some amount of pressure to his wounded leg. "I can," he stated briefly. "Not well, but I can move."

Pravuil nodded, opening his hand-com. Before long, a beam of light shot out, which he shone down the passageway. "Then come," he said. "I don't quite know the way, but I'll figure it out."

With this, the aqueron began to walk. Kalo followed with a slight limp in his step, but he still kept up with Pravuil's slower gait.

"So what do we do now?"

Jodie turned to Kolyat where he sat in the transport. Uncertainly, she stepped back into the body of the transport, looking at Silman as he stretched his arms behind him.

"Well, I figure we're heading back to base, right?" asked Silman. "Too dangerous to use comms to find your other friend given that escape attempt."

"Yeah, man," said Jile as he turned back to Jodie. "We could try when we get back to base, though. These things usually die out after they've started piecing together what's happening."

"And how long do you think that'll take?" asked Jodie.

"Oh, an hour," said Jile. "But that'll give us enough time to plan, I imagine."

Jodie nodded. "I was about to say, we do need a plan to get out of this galaxy once we have everyone," she said.

"Well, we'll probably have something by now," said Jile. "I know the boss, she's very fast about these things."

Jodie sighed, hearing Aiden trill softly. "Well, let's hope she's fast enough to end quickly enough to call Ashley," she said. "I'm still very worried about her."

"I'm sure she's fine," said Kolyat. "She wouldn't let them take her, not that easily." He paused, looking to the ground. "At least, she better be fine. I'm not forgiving her if she isn't!"

Silman nodded. "She will be," he replied. "She will be."

Kim held her hands behind her back. "What were the results on the Tayurmya recon?"

Vi'ram stepped forward, holding a datapad in his hand that he handed off to Kim. Jodie watched with Liara and Sa'lem, all of them taking note of Wilson as he leaned against a railing. Kolyat stood just behind Jile, who was situated close to Wilson and Silman. Everyone's concentration was focused on the center of the holographic projector. The sole exception to this was Jile, who was occupied with a panel on the side as he worked to find a way to contact Ashley.

Vi'ram nodded. "They're using the pattern we confirmed, ma'am," Vi'ram replied. "Changed it right up into that pattern." He chuckled. "You always seem to know about these things, ma'am!"

"I have my ways," said Kim. She then walked around. "Now... That means..." She then smiled. "Yes. That will involve a change of guard that involves a great deal of coordination. In that plan, they make rotations around the Tayurmya, each group of guards patrolling the entire Tayurmya in tight groups of two. There's rarely a moment when the guards' eyes are not trained on something."

Jodie frowned. "So what's the plan there?"

Kim nodded. "I believe I can smuggle some of us in there as guards," she began. "The Tayurmya employs plenty of surveillance cameras, but if I pose as one of the guards, I can deal with them." She then turned to Jodie. "If I can find a way to sneak you in there, we might be able to use Aiden to that effect, too."

Jodie glanced up. "It's been a while since we've done real espionage," she observed. "But Aiden can adapt." She frowned. "Though you'd think they would have anti-spirit-touched measures, don't you think?"

"They will," said Kim. "But that's why we'll be one team. I can cover those security systems that'll keep you from using Aiden. We stay close, we can do what must be done." She then nodded, her right arm flourishing as a series of displays appeared in the center of the room. "We'll have to endure a lot of things. Cameras, state-of-the-art cells, screens that can sever the link between Jodie and Aiden for a short period of time, lockdown-sensitive security systems, heat detection..." She nodded to Jodie. "But we have our ways. As for how we get our prisoners out..." She then smiled. "I can have the route timed and everything. As we go around, we'll have Punargathana men positioned around the prison to help smuggle our prisoners out."

"It sounds like a very precarious plan," said Liara.

"Of course it is," Kim replied. "It's a plan to stage a break-in within a maximum-security prison on the biggest population center in the galaxy. I'll be very surprised if we don't encounter a wrinkle in the plan somewhere." She then leaned forward. "Worse, our biggest advantage may not be able to help us."

"And what's that?" Liara asked.

"Their confidence," said Kim. "Until recently, the guys upstairs had no reason to suspect we'd do anything so daring. And for good reason: we've chosen our targets rather smartly."

"We haven't been able to afford taking huge risks," Wilson added. "We've never had enough people, and honestly we still don't even for a plan this crazy." He then looked up. "They know that, but now that we've dealt with everything that's happened the past few days, they're probably re-evaluating just how many risks we're willing to take."

"I don't think they'd ask themselves if someone might break into the Tayurmya, though," said Sa'lem.

"True," said Kim. "But you've got to keep that in mind when planning these things, because you just never know." Kim leaned forward. "I know the timing I would like to attempt." She then looked back at Jodie. "Now, that does leave one issue: as soon as we are done, we will have to leave the Obschesto almost immediately. So I believe our best course of action would be to time our break-out in the Tayurmya with our escape from this galaxy." She then looked over to Jodie. "Now... You said the Lying Bastard was made in your galaxy?"

"Yes," said Jodie.

"And you know nothing about our technology," she said. "Meaning it's not fitted with the equipment to make a hyperspace bomb..."

"A hyperspace bomb?" asked Jodie.

"It's how we do FTL here," said Sa'lem.

"And the fact that the Lying Bastard doesn't have one is going to create one hell of a complication," said Wilson. He scratched the back of his head. "Two risky operations rolled into one..." He shook his head. "I swear I didn't sign up for this."

"Well, I did, fam, so we're going to have to deal with that," Jile commented. He then looked at Sa'lem. "We could always pull strings with our kid there."

Kim frowned. "Are we really resorting to that?" she asked.

"I don't care either way," Sa'lem said. "But don't expect him to budge. He's never acted his whole life."

All eyes turned to the young tolahña. "You'd be okay with that?" asked Kim.

"Yeah," said Sa'lem. "If it'll finally get him to do something instead of just complain all day."

Vi'ram turned to Kim. "It might just work," he said. "We ensure Sa'lem's safety, that might be enough to get his cooperation."

"But what exactly can he do?" asked Wilson. "It's not like he can authorize military action himself. That's not his line of work."

"No, but he's got many friends in high places," Vi'ram replied. "I figure he could prod around there, see what he can do."

"Even if he has to coerce someone?" Kim asked.

"Hey, we didn't say we needed a dreadnaught," said Jile. "We just need something that can shoot a hyperspace bomb." He then shrugged. "Honestly, a smaller vessel might be better anyway. That leaves the hole open for a shorter period of time, makes it tough for them to follow us once we try to escape."

"A fair point," Kim acknowledged. She then looked at Sa'lem. "Very well, if you're sure..."

Sa'lem nodded. "Thanks," he said. "Maybe he'll finally do something."

Jodie frowned. "But how are we going to get in contact with him?"

"We'll figure that out," Jile replied. He then looked back at Jodie. "Hate to interrupt this meeting, but I think it's safe to check the air-waves for your friend again."

Jodie stepped forward. "Oh, good!" She nodded, looking over at Jile. She then looked over as Jile prepared the equipment. "Whenever you're ready."

Ashley rolled her shoulder as she looked at Druvak. The ra'ken picked up a kind of a bundled lunch, Ashley leaning a little closer.

"You don't have anything at your master's house?" Ashley asked.

Druvak bowed his head. "You know, Master Ru'val says the same thing to me every morning when I come in," he said. "But it would ill become of me to use their resources if I can avoid it."

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind," Ashley replied.

"He would not, but all the same, I would rather respect his property," the insectoid replied. He paused, walking up to Ashley. "I should be back at the end of the day. Please take care that you don't-"

And at that moment, Ashley's omni-tool went off. She glanced at the device, her gaze narrowed.

Upon seeing Jodie's name on the ID, however, her eyes immediately widened. She then leaned forward, looking back to Druvak. "No way..."

Druvak leaned forward. "This seems... important," he stated.

Ashley stood up, accepting the call with a frown as she walked over to the far end of the room. "Hello?"

"Ashley! Oh, thank God, you're okay!"

Ashley sighed, recognizing the voice immediately. "Jodie, there you are!" she said. "What the hell happened to our plan?"

"Liara happened," said Jodie. "She's here now, actually, and she's doing okay."

"Ashley's here?" Ashley blinked upon hearing Liara's voice. "I didn't think you'd come for me as well."

"Well, someone had to keep Jodie out of trouble," Ashley replied. "I didn't think I'd be stuck here, though."

"It doesn't matter," said Jodie. "Where are you? We're trying to find you guys so we can help you!"

"I'm in the ra'ken district still," said Ashley. "I tried setting up in an abandoned house, but..." She glanced at Druvak, flashing him a nervous smile. "It wasn't so abandoned."

"Shit..." said a voice Ashley did not recognize. "This could be bad."

"Don't worry, he's friendly," said Ashley. "Well, to a point. He dressed my wounds, and is actually rather nice."

It was then that Druvak turned, looking towards Ashley. "It was no trouble at all," he said. "She needed help, and-"

"Druvak!" The voice made the ra'ken stop in his tracks, his antennae immediately shooting straight up. "Druvak, is that you?"

The ra'ken leaned forward. "Young Master Sa'lem!" He let out a sigh. "It is good to hear your voice again."

"Druvak, you..." Sa'lem chuckled. "Leave it to Druvak to take care of an injured person without caring for affiliation."

"It had to be done," said Druvak. "Master Ru'val will be pleased to hear of this."

"Well... This'll change a few things," said Jodie. Ashley heard some rustling on the other end. "Do you think...?"

"Take the ra'ken in as well?" asked the same female voice Ashley had not recognized.

Druvak's antennae suddenly lurched forward. "Take me in?" he asked. "I may remind you that-"

"We're not talking as a prisoner... Druvak?" the voice asked. "We've simply got something we would like to address with your master."

"If it is to join Punargathana, I cannot," said Druvak. "Alas, Master Ru'val is already in enough trouble with them, and I am certain he would not risk more if-"

"They're ensuring my safety," Sa'lem immediately interjected. "We're planning on getting out of this damn galaxy, Druvak. And these guys are going to make sure I get out unharmed."

Druvak paused, frowning. "They... They are planning on that?" he asked. "That seems..."

"Well, we've got to get off this rock somehow," Ashley pointed out. She then looked forward. "I'll still be here."

The ra'ken paused, bringing a hand up to his mandible. He then looked forward. "I... don't know if I should lead you to Master Ru'val."

"Then I'll make sure he sees me off, then," said Sa'lem.

Druvak sighed. "This is... much to ask."

They both heard a loud beep, causing both Druvak and Ashley to jump a little. "Think about it," said Jodie. "And be sure to stay put. We'll be on our way soon enough."

Ashley nodded. "I see," she said. "You stay safe, Jodie. I'd hate to see you get arrested with everything going on."

"Don't worry about me, that's not going to happen," Jodie replied. "I'll see you in a little bit, Ashley."

With this, the call ended. Ashley looked back to Druvak, the ra'ken sighing. She then turned, patting him on the back as she shrugged with her good arm. "Well, there it is," she said. "You might see this Sa'lem kid soon."

"I hope so..." said Druvak. He then paused, his gaze turning to the floor as his antennae drooped. "Goodness... This is a rather precarious decision I must make."

"Well, if it means anything, it seems like you care a lot about Sa'lem," she said.

"As does Master Ru'val," said Druvak. He shook his head. "He never says anything, but I've known Master Ru'val for a long time now. Everything he has done, he has done for his son's sake. He does not speak much of why, but... I can see it in the way he's looked at me recently. He wanted to prevent Sa'lem's incarceration at all costs."

Ashley blinked. "At all costs..." She then walked away, sitting back down at the kitchen table. "If that's the case, then I bet you know what he'd do if he were approached with a way to keep his son safe." She then tapped her fingers against the table, the sound seeming louder. "But that's not my call to make."

Druvak nodded, setting his bundled lunch down on the table. "I... will require some time." He then stepped into his bedroom. "Let me know when they arrive."

As if to punctuate his statement, the door closed behind him. Ashley sighed, looking out the window as she held her hands together.

Jile parked the transport in an alleyway a short distance from their destination. And right as soon as the door opened, Jodie stepped out, glancing either way out of the alleyway as she rushed over. She turned back, Kolyat and Sa'lem walking slowly behind her.

Kolyat peeked out behind Jodie, seeing nobody in the street in front of them. "We're here?" he asked.

"I hope so," Jodie replied.

Silman approached, the artician rubbing his wrists a little in uncertainty. "So what's the story, mate?" he asked.

"We talk to them, see what we can do," said Jodie. She looked back at Silman, giving him a nod. "The others are staying behind, no?"

"That's what I thought," said Sa'lem. He shook his head, looking at Jodie. "I hope Druvak's alright... He's a good guy, you know."

"I don't doubt that at all," said Jodie. She then nodded, looking to the others. "Well, let's get going, yeah?"

She then stepped out into the street. To her right, the house that Jile had pinpointed earlier rested. The exterior looked very well-worn, almost in disrepair. For a second, she could see why Ashley might have thought it was abandoned, with its rusting metal and a door seemed jammed on one end. She stepped closer, hoping to see a window but finding none.

Of course, Sa'lem immediately marched past her. "Yep, this is the place," he said.

Kolyat stepped forward. "You've been here?" he asked.

"A few times," said Sa'lem. He then approached the door, rapping on it with his fist. "Druvak! You're in there, right?"

They immediately heard a shuffle within the structure. A few seconds later, one half of the door opened, and out poked an insect-like head. Jodie reeled back upon seeing it for the first time, but after a second or so, she lowered her hand. The insect turned to Sa'lem, his antennae twitching in the air.

And then, the antennae shot straight up. "Young Master Sa'lem!" He lunged forward, pulling the young tolahña into a hug.

Sa'lem choked out in surprise, before gingerly wrapping his arms around Druvak's body. "Careful, Druvak," he said. "You're going to-"

"I was so worried!" Druvak pulled back, his antennae drooping only slightly. "When I saw you run with the turncoat, I knew you were in trouble. I heard you managed to escape, but... I did not think Punargathana would let you walk freely. There was a bargaining chip involved, and I thought... Goodness, Young Master Sa'lem, please do not do that again!"

"I probably won't have a choice," said Sa'lem. He then turned back to Jodie. "Sorry, I should introduce some people. This is El-I mean... Jodie Holmes."

The ra'ken's antennae pulled back. "Jodie Holmes...?" he asked.

It was then that the group heard footsteps from behind Druvak. Jodie turned, just in time to see Ashley Williams poke her head out from behind him. Her shoulder was wrapped in bandage, but otherwise she looked in rather decent condition.

She chuckled, stepping out from behind Druvak. "So what's the plan now, soldier?"

Jodie smiled. "We're working on that," she said. She shrugged. "I guarantee, though, that it won't get derailed nearly as much as our last plan did."

Ashley shrugged, stepping out past Druvak. "At least tell me you got something."

Jodie nodded. "A lot more than I think I would've gotten otherwise," she said. She then turned to Druvak. "We've got a lot to talk about. Can we come in?"

"Ah, of course, Mistress Holmes," said Druvak as he stepped back. "Come in."

Jodie frowned. "Mistress Holmes?" she asked.

Ashley simply facepalmed, letting out a soft sigh. "I swear, Druvak, you're too formal for your own good..."

"It was in the millions?"

"Yeah. And ever since, they've been baying for Cerberus' blood."

Kolyat and Ashley both leaned back in shock. "Gods..." Kolyat brought a hand to his mouth, his breathing getting noticeably labored. "I can't even imagine what I'd do if that happened to me..."

"No wonder they're pissed," said Ashley. She then leaned to Druvak. "And you thought we knew this already?"

"Yes," said the ra'ken as he leaned forward. "I had no inkling that you never knew..."

Ashley nodded. "Well, if the Alliance knew about it, they'd do something about it, I'm sure of it," Ashley stated. She then looked at Druvak, nodding. "And that's why we have to get off and tell them."

"And what do you suppose will happen then?" asked Druvak. "This galaxy is at war."

Ashley shrugged. "It's a war that nobody knows anything about there," she said. "We didn't even know your galaxy existed for a long time."

"And that contradicts what they say in the DRI," Druvak said. He sighed, looking at the floor. "This is... This is rather shocking. I knew this government was capable of cruelty, but this..."

Silman frowned. "You believe it without question?" he asked.

Druvak turned his head to Sa'lem briefly, before nodding grimly. "I have seen their cruelty first-hand..." He then looked to Jodie. "You say you can aid Sa'lem's escape?"

"Yeah," said Jodie. "I don't know how we're going to do it, but we're going to get him out of here."

Druvak bowed his head. "Then you have my aid," he said. He then stood up. "On that note, I believe I will be late in arriving at Master Ru'val's residence later today."

"Don't worry about that," Silman said. "We've got transport."

Druvak nodded. "I don't know how well you will be able to enter," he said. "But I will leave that to you."

"Fair," said Jodie.

Sa'lem looked over to Jodie. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get over there!"

Jodie stood up, looking to the others. "Yes, let's," she said as she exited the small abode. "The sooner we can get there, the better."

Sura sighed, shaking her head as she frowned.

"At least it's not cramped in here."

The asari simply shrugged, settling easily into her new cell. She was surprised how spacious it was: she knew many C-SEC holding cells that would have been jealous of the size of that cell. She also looked to the door, noting that it too was clear as an average C-SEC holding cell. There were no windows outside, but then again...

And there I go again. Sura's frown deepened. Dammit...

Her mind flitted through various possibilities, and each one made her realize just how much of a mistake she had made to trust Pravuil with anything. At some point, she knew she had become too trusting. She realized perhaps he was too willing to speak of the quarian cure, and that his lips were just a little too loose as related to how to break into the Obschesto. That much was coming to the fore now that she had time to analyze where it all went wrong. A subtle gesture here, the eyes seeming a little too peaceful there...

Sura brought her knees close to her chest. "Dammit..." She shook her head. "And now they know my name, too. Wonder how long it is before..."

She stopped. She then glanced beyond the cell, skulking as she planted her feet firmly on the ground.

Let's not give them any more ammunition, she thought. You already gave them enough with that damn frog...

She shook her head, turning away to look at the floor. It was a shame, too, she thought. He seemed like a genuinely nice person when we conversed...

She then stood up, and began pacing around in her cell. Now... how in the world can I escape from this place?"

Jodie looked out of the cockpit of the ship. Jile shot a glance at her, but with a shrug he turned back to the outside, flying over the roofs of the varying villas. Jodie marveled at how lovely they looked, some sporting roofs and walls with minerals the color of gold and marble. She was sure those were not the materials, but they must have been quite similar.

"They call this Diplomat's Row?" asked Jodie.

"Indeed they do." Jodie turned to Druvak, the ra'ken looking among the houses. "This is where the diplomats live."

"I'll bet," said Jodie. She looked back to the holding area, seeing Ashley talk to Kim and Wilson. Kolyat sat back, hugging his knees to his chest as Sa'lem and Silman tried to strike up a conversation with him. Liara simply looked to the side in silence, contemplating the old transport as she sighed softly.

Jodie turned her attention back to Druvak. "How close are we?"

"Rather close, Madam Holmes," said Druvak. He turned to Jile. "It is the home with the purple roof."

"Dawnstone?" asked Jile. "I thought they didn't make homes with that any more."

"It is still a common feature in tolahñan homes, Sir Jile," Druvak replied. "It is difficult to maintain, but-

"Ah, there it is." Jile immediately pushed forward, and Jodie saw a bright roof that shone with a distinctive violet shade that she had never seen before. She blinked, uncertain if it even was a shade possible in her home galaxy. She turned to Druvak, seeing the insect was not phased by this; nor was he phased by the fact that the walls contrasted with a deep brown stone, green veins running down the lengths of the walls of the home.

"There is a grotto in the garden," Druvak continued as Jodie looked to a lush, green yard behind the home. "If you park there, it can shield your vehicle should the invisibility fail."

Jile nodded, pulling the transport forward and seeing the grotto Druvak had mentioned. "Thanks, mate," Jile said as he turned the craft around. "These old things don't work all the time. Good to know we got a bit of extra insurance in case they decide to scan Diplomat Row."

"Which is a very real possibility, given Young Master Sa'lem's escape," Druvak added.

"You got that right, mate." Jile then slowly lowered the craft, gently lowering it down before turning to the main body of the transport. "Alright, people, we're here! I guess you all know what this means!"

Kim nodded, turning to the others. "We keep a watch on the transport with Jile," said Kim. "We still need to be sure we can leave in a pinch, and for that to happen, we need to stay here and scan the area for hostiles. Someone needs to keep guard as well." She then turned to Ashley. "You're on the first rotation."

Ashley snapped up, saluting Kim. "As you command," she said.

Kim nodded. "Jodie, Sa'lem, Druvak, you're all with me," she said. She then turned to everyone else in the transport. "The rest of you are to wait here until you're given further orders. Set the guard rotations, we'll be back when we're done."

"Of course, ma'am," said Silman. "We'll make sure the fort is held."

Kim nodded. The door of the transport opened shortly after, and then she stepped off. "Alright, scrubs, let's go!"

With this, Jodie, Sa'lem, and Druvak all stepped off of the transport.

Ru'val paced around in his kitchen, the tolahña's face a little paler than it usually was.

Could it be...? But that wouldn't make any sense, he thought. There's nothing they could gain from that...

Ru'val sighed. He shook his head, standing up. It is fortunate we have very little business to conduct today, he thought. Perhaps that will give me time to-

"Master Ru'val?"

The tolahña sighed in relief, his thoughts coming to a halt. "Druvak." He then turned to the exit of the kitchen. "You're-"

Whatever he was about to say died in his throat as soon as he laid eyes on Druvak. There were two people standing in the doorway he did not recognize, though after a second of looking he faintly recognized them from DRI information. He stepped back, surprised that she was standing before him. He even had to blink, uncertain that he was truly seeing what he thought he saw.

However, it was the young tolahña by Druvak's side that truly caught his attention. The scowl on the young tolahña's face was almost expected, and yet he looked completely unharmed.

"Hey dad," young Sa'lem said, his eyes diverted to the ground. "I guess you're-"

Sa'lem was interrupted by his dad nearly tackling him to the ground. The younger tolahña gasped in surprise, finding the hug to be perhaps a little too tight as Ru'val held him close. The older tolahña squeezed his eyes shut, and after a few seconds he gently sobbed into Sa'lem's shoulders.

"Oh spirits..." The older tolahña's voice came out almost like a whisper. "I thought I'd lost you forever... Spirits, Sa'lem..."

Sa'lem paused, grimacing a little as he looked at his father. "Um..."

Ru'val pulled back, looking Sa'lem in the eye as tears welled in his face. "You're safe..." He smiled, the first genuine smile he had given in a long time. "Oh goodness, you're safe!"

"Well of course," said Sa'lem. "What, you didn't think I would be? You'd just get me out of it. Like always."

Ru'val shakes his head. "Nobody could have saved you from treason," he said. He then glanced up at the exion, standing up. "Except, perhaps, for Punargathana." He looked at the exion. "You are F-"

"Kim." The exion's scowl silenced him. "That is my name now." She shook her head. "Has the DRI really not taken note of that?"

"They just want their information straight..." He then turned to the other woman, a much shorter human. "And you..." He frowned, recognizing her face. "Jodie Holmes?'

"Yeah," said Jodie. She crossed her arms. "How did you guess?"

"Jon'ison Shardan sent much information to the DRI about you, and all of his friends of the Normandy," Ru'val replied. His frown deepened. "And why are you here?"

Jodie sighed. "It's a long story," she said. "Perhaps we should find somewhere to explain it?"

"Here would be fine," said Ru'val. He then turned to Sa'lem, smiling. "I am glad you have kept Sa'lem safe." He turned back to Kim and Jodie. "Thank you. You will never know the extent of my gratitude."

"Well, it gets better," said Kim. She then sat at the counter, rapping her fingers lightly against it. "Allow us to explain, and we'll talk about why I'm here."

"And you would save Sa'lem, in exchange for my help."

"Something like that."

Ru'val sat back. The tolahña sported a troubled look, and as he glanced between everyone around him. His hand shook slightly, though it was only noticeable to a few. "So this is what it has come to..." He shook his head, sighing softly. "Somehow, I feared this day would come."

Sa'lem groaned loudly. "You can't be serious!"

Ru'val turned to Sa'lem. "That is not-"

Sa'lem then slammed his fist on the table, standing up. "All you do is sit at your table and grovel about how bad this whole situation is!" he said. "I just..." He then shook his head, walking away from the table. "And you wonder why I run off so much!"

"Sa'lem, it is not what you think," said Ru'val.

"Oh, sure," said Sa'lem. "It's not my fault you're-"

"Enough." Kim stood up, glaring at Sa'lem. The glare was enough to stop the younger tolahña in his tracks. "We haven't got time to sit here and settle family disputes." She then turned to Ru'val. "What would you be able to do?"

"Not very much," said Ru'val. "I... I will need an hour."

Sa'lem shook his head. "And then he'll tell you 'sorry, I can't help you, I'm just going to sit here knowing the problems exist while doing nothing to stop them'!" he said. "Just like he always does!" He then shook his head. "Forget it, I'm going back to the ship. Don't bother me there, I don't want any hand in his excuses."

"Sa'lem!"

But Ru'val's cry came too late. The young tolahña stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him. Everyone in the room glanced at the door he exited from, the silence a little tense.

Slowly, Jodie turned to Druvak. "Was it always this bad?" she asked.

"I'm afraid not, Madam Holmes," said Druvak. He then turned to Ru'val. "Master Ru'val, do you need time?"

"Yes..." He stood up. "I promise I will have an answer within the hour. I simply request that I be left alone." He then walked, before looking at Jodie. "Actually... At some point, may I speak to you, Madam Holmes?"

Jodie blinked in surprise. Aiden trilled softly. "Me?" she asked. "Why?"

"I just... I never expected the rogue spirit-touched to be one of Jon'ison Shardan's crewmates," he said. "The fact that you are here, and that you did so much to help my son..." He nodded. "I wish to speak with her before I decide."

Before anyone could say anything more, Ru'val turned. "I will be in my study if I am needed. Druvak can direct you to it."

He then exited the room. The remaining guests sat in silence, Jodie looking back at Kim.

"You don't think he'll alert the authorities, will he?" she asked.

"Of course not," said Kim. "But Jile is monitoring communications just in case. They will get jammed if he attempts to do it." She then stood up. "Besides... He would have no reason to. Despite what his son says, I don't believe Ru'val is quite so submissive."

Jodie nodded, before standing up. "Druvak?" she asked. "Where's the study?"

"It is right this way," the insect replied as he himself stood up. "Follow me."

"So this quarian is nobody special?"

"Nope. That he isn't. He's just a friend who wanted to help one of us."

"Hm... Your leader seems quite charismatic, if that is the case."

"She just feels like helping people."

Admiral Kalpalan frowned. He looked down to Valentine, the human giving a nervous smile as he sat cuffed to the table. The praetorin shook his head, circling around the table once again as Valentine kept his eyes on him.

"This is a very odd group you have assembled," Admiral Kalpalan replied. "Mercenaries of ex-C-SEC build, people we can't capture, and this fearless leader we have. You have employers you won't reveal, yet you say they 'help people'. What employers could do that?"

"Well, certainly our employers," said Valentine. He chuckled nervously.

"That doesn't answer the question, Valentine," the admiral said. He stopped, his hands held behind his back. "We tried to see if your quarian could be convinced to... cooperate, just now."

"Cooperate?" asked Valentine. He frowned. "You didn't..."

"Of course, the critical word was 'tried'," Kalpalan continued. He sighed. "They failed." He then turned to Valentine, his eyes narrowed. "Your leader is one hell of a charismatic person if she's able to affect that."

"Well, she's made her hiccups here and there," said Valentine.

It was then that Kalpalan noticed that Valentine's jaw had tensed for just a second. Most would have missed it, but the admiral immediately latched on to that, and the slight clenching of Valentine's fists that followed.

The admiral leaned against the wall. "Go on," he said.

"Well... she kind of mishandled how someone was taking a loss they'd had," he said nervously. He then chuckled. "I'm sure you remember the thief you caught me with, right? She had lost someone... important to her before this mission."

The Admiral nodded. "I'm sorry for her loss," he said.

"I'm sure she'd appreciate that," said Valentine. He turned to the side. "But it came up in a... less than ideal manner. So that was a minor blunder on our leader's part. But since then... Well, it's been kind of smooth sailing for us." He paused, chuckling. "Well, up until we got separated, anyway. But before that, it's been smooth sailing."

Kalpalan frowned, crossing his arms. The gears in his mind turned. He leaned back a little further, breathing in and out as he glanced at Valentine. The human looked to be in good spirits, and Kalpalan found he could not get a read on his expression.

What do I have to do to get information around here...? the admiral thought.

And then, an idea came to his head. At first he wanted to dismiss it because it was such an outlandish way to conduct an interrogation. But on further thought, he knew outlandish conclusions were the only thing he had left. As he thought of this, his mind went into overdrive. He passed a few possibilities through his head, before he settled on one.

"Smooth sailing for you?" He then leaned forward. "Then you have not formed for long?"

Valentine looked up in surprise at the admiral. "What gave you that impression?" he asked.

"Your wording," he said. "You've just implied that you haven't been formed for very long."

"I just said she suffered a loss before the mission," said Valentine. "It... happened just before we set off, you see."

But Kalpalan caught the slightest twitch of the human's finger. He also could see the sheen of cold sweat forming on Valentine's head. "You don't seem so certain of that," the admiral commented as he stepped closer.

"The hell are you talking about?" Valentine chuckled nervously. "It was just something she had to get over quickly."

"Then how did it come up in the first place?" asked Kalpalan.

"It just did," said Valentine. "We'd recruited her, she came to us after that, and she was still getting over it..."

Kalpalan frowned, before opening his hand-com. He then looked up, watching the holographic display. "Really?" he asked. "Because information handed to me by the DGI says that she had a correspondence with the turian we took from your galaxy that didn't even make any reference to this supposed loss she had recently." He then held it up to Valentine's face. "In fact, there's no mention of mercenary company anywhere in there."

Valentine's eyes widened as he skimmed the text before him. "You mean to say...?"

"And what is more, we've broken the encryption on your ship's port registry, and of the ports it has been through," said Kalpalan. "You said this mercenary group was outfitted in the Terminus systems. Funny that your mercenary group in the Terminus systems has never stepped foot into a Terminus systems world."

Valentine's mouth ran dry. "I don't..."

"And we found out where it was created," he added. "Arcturus Station." He then stepped towards Valentine. "You clearly couldn't have stolen the ship since it never docked at a Terminus port afterwards, which means you either bought it... or it was given to you for real. And given how much encryption our exion guys had to fight through?"

The pilot remained silent. His mouth worked a little bit, but the hesitation told Kalpalan volumes more than anything he could have said himself.

"Looks like those DGI guys are good for something, after all." Kalpalan then stepped right in front of the pilot. "Now, I don't want to have to torture you, so I'll tell it to you straight, pilot: you've spun your little web of lies. And for a second, you had me going. But like all things, I got it eventually. The truth reveals itself to everyone at some point, and I think even you neglected to remember that."

He then leaned forward. "I am going to ask you one more time, Valentine," he said. "And this is the last time I will ask you: who do you work for?"

And then, Valentine stared at Kalpalan. His eyes slowly narrowed, all surprise draining from his face. Kalpalan watched his expression morph to something more serious: his brows arced strangely, his gaze remained trained on the floor. After a while, Valentine's fists clenched.

Then, Valentine rose his head. And on his face was a defiant frown.

"Go to hell."

Jodie stood at the door of the study, looking at the figure seated at the desk on the far end of the room. Her heart raced upon seeing the pale skin that Sa'lem's father sported. The bat-like arms were even more developed than they were on Sa'lem, though Jodie was more perturbed by the fact that the skin there was so thin she swore it was translucent. The top pair of eyes seemed to glance at Jodie as she entered the room, and while she had grown used to it with Sa'lem, she still felt some amount of discomfort when they gazed at her.

The older man glanced up, turning his attention away from the datapad he had been reading. "Hm…" He then stood up, walking over while he appraised her. Jodie felt her skin crawl, Aiden clicking in protest as the older tolahña walked closer. "You are certainly… shorter than I expected."

Jodie sighed, looking up at him. "I'm short for my species," she replied. "Even other humans are taller than I am."

The tolahña crossed his arms, looking down at Jodie. "I see," he said. "I can certainly see why they say the exions and articians can pass for humans quite well. There are... remarkable similarities."

"I guess so…" Jodie looked up at him. "You wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes." Ru'val stood back, bowing his head lightly. "Thank you for watching over Sa'lem. He is young, and so adventurous. I am afraid it has gotten him in far more trouble than it should have."

"I'll say," said Jodie as she followed Ru'val deeper into the office. "It's not often that you have to heal runaways with the spirit tethered to you for as long as you can remember, you know?" She then looked over at Ru'val. "I'm sorry that he had that outburst there. But I guess I should've expected it, given what he's called you behind your back."

"A coward?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," said Jodie. She paused, noticing that Ru'val's expression didn't change from before. "You don't seem surprised."

As Ruval walked over to the massive window behind his desk, he sighed. "I am not," he said, his voice heavy with sorrow. "But what can I do? There is much he has yet to learn of this galaxy."

Jodie frowned. "I know this galaxy likes to send its princes to another dimension to get revenge," she replied. "And that said princes lie to everyone they know so they can get what they want."

Ru'val paused, turning back at Jodie. "Are you aware of anything else apart from that, though?" he asked.

"Apart from that?" Jodie shook her head. "That's part of the reason we're here. We know what they want, but…" She shook her head. "Even though we know what they want, that doesn't answer all of our questions. Why the secrecy? Why not just come to the Council immediately to tell them what Cerberus did?"

Ru'val sighed. "The reason officially given was that our numbers were affected by the Great Purge," Ru'val replied. He turned to face Jodie. "But I have seen the system from within, Jodie Holmes. I do not know the truth, but I know that it is not what the system says."

"And why do you say that?" asked Jodie.

Ru'val sighed. "When I was young, I dreamed of joining this Parliament to be a part of what made the galaxy wonderful," he replied. "I was only a teenager when the Great Purge happened. My family was one of the lucky ones that survived, but I saw how everyone else suffered. And then, Jon'ison Shardan saved us all, and I thought of how wonderful it would be to help him keep peace at home. And there was the Parliament, working under him to make all the decisions for the betterment of the people. I wished to be a part of that."

Ru'val stopped, turning to Jodie and setting his fist on the desk. "I achieved my dream. And it is the perversion of everything I ever thought it would be."

He then paced around the room, Jodie slowly walking to the center of the room. "I realized very quickly that the Council was ineffective, at best. It was really Jon'ison, and hte artician people as a whole, who dictated what was done. I was meant to represent the voice of my people, yet I did not get to say very much. There were far more problems than I thought there was, and we stood there unable to solve anything."

Jodie frowned. "You realize we could say the same about politicians back home, right?" she asked.

"They must have more choice about it there," Ru'val replied. "Here… we have no choice." He then paused, glancing up at a portrait on that side of the room. Jodie looked up, seeing that it was a portrait of Shepard. "When he still lived, Jon'ison was away. The rest of the artician people executed his will in his place. We had our turn to speak, but… every time we spoke, the exion councilor would come up with a way to circumvent our arguments. I do not know how it is possible, but… many of the others fell in line. And they do, even though we are essentially talked down at while our people are left increasingly unable to be helped by us. I do not understand it myself, but I have my suspicions..."

Jodie looked at Ru'val as she stepped forward. "And what about you?" she asked.

"I was the only one of my Parliament class to speak up for himself," said Ru'val. He then turned his gaze towards the floor, his hand curling into a fist. "And when I did, the exion councilor pulled me aside, threatened my wife and child…" He then breathed in, looking away. "I disobeyed him, and before I knew it my wife had vanished, never to be seen again…"

Jodie blinked, stepping towards Ru'val as her eyes widened in shock. "Oh… Oh no…" she said, looking at Ru'val.

"It still pains me to this day," he said. "I promised my beloved La'rel that I would stand up for my beliefs in this council, and she died for that promise. I wish they would have gone soley for me. That alone…" Ru'val swallowed a lump in his throat, his eyes watering as he glanced away. "They took away the woman I loved. And with her, they killed my resolve."

Jodie nodded, biting her lower lip grimly as she closed her eyes. "I see…" she said. She paused, remaining still before opening her eyes and looking at Ru'val. "And Sa'lem… Does he…?"

"No," said Ru'val. "Neither does Druvak. He is my most loyal friend, and I cannot even speak of the fate of my wife to him." He shook his head. "Otherwise, they will do the same to Sa'lem."

"Then why tell me?" asked Jodie.

"I have kept it secret for too long," he said. "It is time someone else finally knew the truth." He then glanced back up, all four of his eyes glistening in tears. "Perhaps Sa'lem is right. Perhaps I am a coward. Perhaps my only function is to wallow in sorrow as I am told what to do."

Jodie nodded, walking towards him with an understanding look. "I think you're just a man who's scared for his family," she said. "I don't think there's anyone in my universe who could blame you for that."

"Perhaps," he said, as he turned away from the portrait. "Sa'lem… He is all I have in this world. And I cannot lose him. And I feel so helpless, knowing that if I fight for what I believe he would suffer the consequences as my wife suffered."

Jodie nodded, grasping his arms. "Then let us help you," she said. "Sa'lem has been really helpful to us, and we wouldn't have gotten this far without him. It's all I can do for what he did for us."

Ru'val nodded. "Sa'lem wants to leave this place…" he glanced out the window. "I cannot blame him. Since the Great Purge, our galaxy has seen a steady decline. It is an inhospitable place, and I think he sees what it is to become on our current track." He walked to the window, looking outside as Jodie watched him go. "Tell me: your plan is to return to your galaxy, no?"

"Yes," said Jodie.

Ru'val's gaze did not turn from the window. "Do you truly think your galaxy will accept him with open arms?"

Jodie shrugged, releasing Ru'val's arms. "If they don't, then I will," she said, pointing at herself. "And my friends will, too. We'll do whatever it takes to keep him safe."

Ru'val nodded, looking out of the window. He then turned his gaze to the floor, putting his hand on his chest. "If I aid you, I write my own death sentence," he said.

"And you're okay with that?" Jodie asked.

"I am concerned only for Sa'lem's safety," said Ru'val. "Too long have I had to wallow under the weight of what they say. If it costs me my life to make the difference I wished to as a young man, then so be it." He sighed, looking out. Jodie stepped forward, her eyes following his gaze outside of the room.

She was greeted, of course, by a view of the Nexus around her. She shivered, taken off guard once again by the scope of the place around her. She thought back to the abandoned apartment they had set up as a base earlier. The thought of more places in such a state of decay disheartened Jodie, but at the same time she realized that Ru'val was aware of it. This small thought came as reassurance to her, that something could be done to help the people of the parallel galaxy.

After all, from all that Jodie had seen so far, she knew that something was deeply wrong within the parallel galaxy. And after hearing Ru'val speak, Jodie felt her resolve build itself up again, her hands tightening into fists as she looked out to the Nexus.

She then turned her attention to Ru'val. "I can't help anything going on in the politics of this galaxy," she said. "But no matter what, I'll find a way to get rid of Cerberus, and to help our two galaxies see some kind of peace between each other. And I'm going to make sure your son lives through it all. I can promise you that much."

Ru'val nodded. "Then perhaps there are ways I can help you," he said. He then turned to his desk, breathing in softly. "I just hope it works..."

"And that's all?"

Karshia stood in front of her father's desk. The admiral nodded, standing up slowly. "That is all, Karshia," he said. "We'll have this whole mess parsed out in a second."

"Even the Punargathana part?" asked Karshia.

"That will take a little more time," said Admiral Kalpalan. He then sighed, shaking his head solemnly. "It is a shame I had to turn him in to the DGI. I really hoped I could get that information out of him without causing any further injury."

"Don't blame yourself," said Karshia. "You did what you could."

The admiral shook his head. "I know," he said. "But that does not make it any better." He then stood up. "At any rate, I should see to-"

Sugrak Kalpalan was interrupted by the ringing of his hand-com. He then paused, before opening it and accepting a call. "Admiral Kalpalan," he said. "Who is this?"

"Ah, Sugrak, I was hoping I could find you."

Sugrak smiled. "Ru'val!" he said joyously. "We have made some good progress on those intruders!"

"Oh?" asked Ru'val. "I am glad for that. Listen, Ru'val, is Karshia with you?"

Karshia stepped forward. "I'm here, Sir Ru'val," she replied.

"Good," said Ru'val. "Would you please come by the K'lek residence soon? There's a matter I want to discuss with you..."