49. Weighed and Measured

Samara appeared next to John in his mind. The history of his life, moving around them.

If she was surprised at him appearing as a naked teen boy, she didn't show it. "I apologize if my appearance is inappropriate, I will cover myself if needed." John spoke as he bow to her. "I was taught that in a formal meld, one was to hold no reservations, it is perceived as keeping secrets."

Samara let the barest hint of a smile show on her face. "You're Mother spoke true, young one. It has been some time since I was shown the respect of our traditions." Her clothing shimmered, then disappeared. "For the last few centuries those few who have been permitted access to my essence have been less than cordial. I did not expect it from a non Asari, you honor me."

"As the Goddess wills it, it will be so." He told her, as he got down on his knees next to her. Beginning his prayers in Asari high speech. After a respectful nod to him, Samara began her own prayers to the Goddess Athame.

When the prayers were completed, he prepared himself for the onslaught of feelings that would accompany having his entire life opened up to a stranger.

Samara would reach out and touch the memories as they flowed past, causing the event to play out for her. His senses, feelings, and emotions all felt by her. After watching the fight with Matriarch Modessi. The only reaction she gave was a solemn nod.

Making her way through his past, occasionally she would pause, as if, to think of other choices he could have made before she would select the next memory to add to Athame's scales. Then she began to tally up his deeds.

Her posture changed when she witnessed the mission on Tartus. Samara's whole body went stiff, raw anger radiating from her. "You disposed of those responsible?"

John refused to look at the memory. "Yes Justicar, I could not forgive the evil they committed against the children of Thessia. So I killed them... all of them."

"Why do you look away now? Are you shamed by your actions?" Samara asked without turning from the memory of John carrying Arithae to the hospital.

"Not ashamed, I just... don't want to remember this moment because of the rage that builds in me. What they did to them... ...to her, can not be forgiven." John turned, his small hand gently caressed the image of Arithae's face, as her lifeless body was gently placed on the operating table. "She was so young, and... innocent." He turned to look in Samara's eyes. "I failed her."

Samara put a reassuring hand on his small shoulder. "But you judged the colony correctly child. By purging it, as the Code demands. They were unable to repeat this... ...atrocity."

John met her eyes. "I knew I was within the covenant of the Code. But to think that people are capable of such acts... ...angers me. Justicar? May I ask? How do you keep the evil you fight from... ...infecting you?" His pained expression stirring something akin to pity in her hardened heart.

She gave him a sad knowing smile. "Meditation young one. Countless hours of meditation." She pat him on the back, then turned back to the task of sifting through his memories.

She was intently watching the battle of Elysium, some of his decisions eliciting a hint of a smile from the stoic Justicar. She was beginning to notice gaps in the memories. When the timeline shifted, jumping ahead a few hours. The atmosphere changed, the walls of his mind began to close in. Samara could feel the pressure building against John. The very air seemed to vibrate with frustration.

"SHOW HER!" A thundering voice growled from the shadows.

Samara spun attempting to locate the source of the voice, trying to face this unknown. "What was that? Some trick? Or an attempt on my life perhaps?"

"Not what, Lady Justicar..." The voice growled again. "...but who."

Samara turned and looked at John, his head hanging in shame. "What is it, this entity wishes for you to reveal? You understand there is no turning back. Judgement was requested, and will not be denied."

John put his hand up to cover his eyes. Attempting to hide the painful tears threatening to fall. "I don't want to..."

"You asked for this John, now show her." The shadows demanded. "Or I will."

"I... I just..." John stuttered, as he covered his eyes. "...can't. Not that, not again." His small hands trying to stop the tears.

Samara felt the temperature warm slightly, as the shadows turned a dark bluish-black. "Then I am forced to." The voice sounded regretful.

John sat down, pulling his knees up to his chin. The image of the John grew younger before her eyes, a boy of barely 8 years sat in front of her, gently rocking as he closed his eyes tightly. The memory of Mina and a teenaged John dancing, started to play out around them. "What is the purpose of this interruption?" Samara was looking at John, watching the memories batter his emotions. Breaking the small child down. "Do you wish for his death?"

The whole room shook, growling echoing from everywhere. "The purpose Lady Justicar is perspective, nothing more. However, I would appreciate if you didn't make light about killing John. I don't find it amusing." The voice seemed to never settle in one place, constantly circling Samara as if she were prey. "Nor would I allow it."

Samara didn't hide her anger. "Such a bold statement from one who hides in shadow. Judgment was requested by him. It shall be passed, as per the Code. Whether or not you interfere is of no consequence."

The shadows darkened and solidified. Bo walked out in front of her, his soft padded feet not making a sound. His large maw sneering at Samara. "I do not hide in shadow Justicar. I am created of darkness itself." Bo stood there towering over her. His expression unreadable, as his golden eyes studied John.

She was poised to defend herself from attack. "How is it you are able to be here during a meld as well? Nothing in my studies indicated this was possible. Are all Humans capable of such actions?"

Bowing to her, he smiled. "No honorable Justicar, I am part of John. We..." Bo sighed, looking downcast. "He has a split personality. I am one of 2 left, who share this fractured mind with John." He turned back to the small boy rocking himself. "I was created in fear. I attempt to care for him, though I do not always make the right decisions in that regard."

"So this... shared mind, are you both prepared to face judgment as well?" She was studying his eyes for any hesitation.

"I cannot speak for the other shade. However, I will stand by John in any trial he must face." Bo's eyes had a far away look in them. "As I always have." He looked back toward her. "I did not mean to hinder your work. Please continue."

Samara stood watching Bo. "You stated that you wished to add perspective. Explain."

"John wasn't the one making all the decisions. He will have gaps in his memory. I can assure you, that the other shade will be dealt with by John, should you deem it necessary." Bo nod to her, then stepped back out of arms reach. "There were choices made, that if not understood. Will mean an incorrect judgment."

"The Code is to punish, not teach." Samara stared him down, expecting him to cower or try to argue.

Bo nod again, his gold eyes never leaving hers. "Yes. But if you only see the reaction, not the cause, it will look like murder." Bo pointed to a new image as it swirled around them. Groups of teenagers being implanted with control chips on Elysium, the images of preteens being brutally cut down because they did not fit the criteria the slavers had set for a sellable commodity. "Context Justicar. If one is capable of such acts just to turn a profit, or simply to goad me into lowering the defense shield to allow them access to the whole of the colony. What is the correct action? Do I take them before the council so their fate can be determined by those that do not follow our Code? Or do I finally give them the a similar fate they put to their victims? Is that murder then... or justice?"

Samara watched the memory again, her eyes growing hard. "You have not found them yet?"

"No..." Bo sighed. "...by the time I went hunting, they had already fled the planet. But one day, I will find them. Then I shall honor my oath to the Goddess, and burn them alive." Bo was still watching John. "He was not avoiding judgment by hiding these memories from you. When he is not in control, the memories are not his. He is innocent of some of the "crimes" you see before you. If anything, I hide these images from him. I do not feel it is fair for him to re-live actions in the dead of night. That he had no say in."

"So you are forcing him to confront his past." Samara pondered.

"No, our past." Bo said with a smirk curled on his lips.

Samara pulled Bo's face toward her, until he made eye contact. "Why? Do you not fear this judgement? Have you no regrets?"

Bo laughed. "Just one regret, but I have nothing to fear from you Justicar. Any debt I accrued, was paid when we entered the void." He waved his long claws out at the darkness. The Normandy SR 1 formed around them, already under attack. Samara watched as the whole memory unfolded before her.

Bo quietly walked over and crouched behind John, wrapping his massive arms around him protectively. "I am truly sorry Little Brother, I couldn't think of anything else to do for her." This peaked Samara's interest, as she focused back on what the memory held.

Watching Bo frantically try to save Kat as the ship disintegrated around them. Ignoring the alarms from his suit, as the oxygen drained from it. Nearly had her to tears. Samara understood why he would close off these memories now. The searing pain and blinding light of burning up on reentry, almost forced her to push the memory away. "You were actually dead! For how long?"

"Almost 3 years." John answered looking up, his voice had taken on a hollow tone.

Samara straightened herself out. "I see."

Bo turned John around to face him. "John... you must remember." He waved their burning re-entry away, and the death of their parents came into focus. "She loved you with all her soul, they both did. Do not forget this John, no matter who else leaves your life. They wouldn't want you to..."

Samara's voice interrupted him. "You survived a meld with an Ardat Ya..." but she never got to finish.

"NO! " The surrounding space shook. Thunder echoing throughout as Bo was thrown clear of the small boy. "She is my Mother! Not some mythical demon." The child screamed at Samara, the shadows pressing in on her with an ice-cold hate. "Do not dare to insult her. When she discovered her affliction, she turned herself in. She never harmed another after her first. Then she used what little life she had left, to pass her knowledge, and love to me."

Samara was almost to her knees, the pressure nearly crushing her. "Stop this at once!"

Bo took a quick step over to her. Holding out his hand, he offered to help her up. "John please, she meant no insult."

The room in their mind seemed to dim, as the shadows pressed in further. The temperature dropped by tens of degrees. John's anger forcing Bo down on all fours. He reached out to wrapped himself protectively around Samara, before she could be crushed by John's rage.

"You dare to stand against me? I am your creator." John's voice held a cold slow death within. As he walked over to where Bo was shielding Samara the child grew to a man pushed to the breaking point before their eyes. "You should know better. You remember what happened to the others who challenged me? Defy me again, and you will share their fate."

John looked down grimly, at the two of them huddled together. "I will let you have this one mistake. Next time, it will mean your end... Big Brother." Turning he walked off, dissolving into the darkness. Once he was gone, the pressure slowly released from the pair.

Bo stood, offering his hand to Samara. "Mother fought and won against her inner demons, you should pray that John is so lucky. I would ask you to take your leave now Justicar. While I still hold some sway over him."

She took hold of one of the long clawed fingers, and pulled herself up. Making the motion of dusting herself off, she studied Bo. "I see now, the one taking the form of a creature is more "human" than the human that inhabits this persona."

Bo smiled at her, his great maw showing his teeth. "I take the form he gave me when I was created." A human childs nightmare. He looked down at himself, then back to Samara. "He was only 2 after all."

"I see." Samara looked him over, then into his eyes. "What are you known as?"

His keepers would toss him to an Earth animal known as a wolf, they wanted to see if he would stand strong and use the biotics they gave him to survive, or curl up and become the beasts dinner. They called it training, we called it torture. This form was taken from that animal." Taking her hand gently in his large paw. "I am Bo, but not very many people know that. They usually just call me Tombstone."

"Very well then, Bo." Samara shook his paw. "Judgment has not yet been pass..."

They both turned at the distant feeling of another biotic moving closer.


In the warehouse

Samara's eyes turned back to their silver-blue. Just as Bo stood up, facing the newly arrived and unknown person. Activating his barrier. He had his hand around the intruders throat, before he was even aware of his surroundings. Once his eyes focused, he realized it was Detective Anaya.

Quickly releasing her, he bowed to Anaya. "Forgive me Detective, I was..." He noticed her eyes were locked on something over his shoulder. Bo turned around to see Samara quietly studying the barrier he had put up between her and the unknown threat.

He quickly lowered the barrier. "Apologies Justicar, I feared for your safety." Bowing to her.

Samara gave him what could be called a smile. "No apology is needed Bo. Your protection was unnecessary, but not unwelcome. You have my thanks."

She turned to Anaya. "Detective, are you unharmed?"

Rubbing her neck, she glanced at Bo with reverence in her eyes. "I'm fine. I didn't realize you were... Well, I should have announced myself." Anaya turned to him. "Did you manage to recruit her for your mission?" Her voice hopeful.

"I may be needed, but I have a mission of my own to complete." Samara stepped over to them, her composure back to the stoic poise she was known for. "I seek an incredibly dangerous fugitive." Catching his eyes. "One I believe you are very familiar with, Shepard."

Realization dawning on him, his eyes grew hard. "She still hunts?"

"Yes, and I believe you may yet bring balance to your scales, by helping me capture her." Samara stood facing Anaya, with her back to Shepard.

Anaya stood in shock at Bo's answer.

"I have no choice Justicar. Not for my soul, but for a promise made to Mother. Mirala swore an oath to her, that she would never kill again." Bo walked around in front of her, looking into Samara's eyes. "Mother made me swear that if she broke that oath, I would stop her no matter the cost."

"That's too bad, I was hoping you would whisk her away before my superiors had ordered me to arrest her." Anaya was rubbing her forehead. "But if you won't go with Shepard, they ordered me to bring you in."

"You risk a great deal by following that order Detective. Fortunately, the Code allows me to cooperate with you for one day. After that I must return to my mission." Samara's cold tone of voice giving no hint as to her feelings on the matter.

Anaya swallowed the lump that just appeared in her throat. "I won't be able to release you that soon."

Samara looked down at her. "You will not be able stop me either."

Bo stepped in between them. "Have you found her location?"

Samara looked into his eyes. "I had her cornered here, but then the Eclipse Sisters smuggled her off world. I have been trying to find the name of the ship she left on, but so far none of them have seen reason." She looked down for a split second, a long ago memory flashing across her features. "I believe the only way to get the information may be to find their leader. But as of yet, I have not located her."

"I will do my best to find the information." Shepard's eyes went distant, his mind running through all possible options.

"The Volus merchant Pitne For, is tied to this. The Eclipse Sisters are trying to murder him. He may know of their base. Obtain the truth from him. Once I have her location I will go with you Shepard." Samara nod her thanks to him.

"Well I've got to get back to the station, and I guess I've got to take you with me." Anaya meekly told Samara.

Samara placed a firm hand on Shepard's arm. "One.. ..full.. day." She looked in his eyes, making sure he got her meaning.

Bo's eyes flicked from Samara to Detective Anaya, then back. With a nod of agreement. "I understand Lady Justicar."

He picked up his clothes and walked over to where Garrus and Miranda stood. "We have to hurry."

"What's the rush? A day, then what?" Garrus asked as he followed Shepard down the alley.

"Then Justicar Samara will have to fight her way out of the station, killing any who try to stop her." Bo sped up his pace, back toward the precinct.

Garrus shared a worried look with Miranda. Finding her voice she finally spoke. "Any? But her code..."

"Doesn't make allowances for 'just doing your job' If you impede a Justicar, its classified as a hostile action. Which only has one possible outcome." Shepard said from under his shirt, as he was trying to put his clothes back on.

"Death sentence." Garrus finished for them.

"The sooner we get that info, the sooner we can get her on the team." Miranda added as she helped Shepard into his leather jacket.

They made it back to the port in time for the police reinforcements to arrive. Bo stopped near the 2 officers that let them enter the crime scene. "I found several Eclipse Mercs trying to kill Justicar Samara. I dealt with them appropriately, sorry for the mess." He swiped his hand over the ident scanner.

With a look of shock on her face, the Asari officer gave them a nod of thanks. Looking at the info that popped up on her display. "Thank you spe... SPECTRE Shepard!" She snapped to attention, then salute him.

Miranda gave Garrus a smirk as they overheard the 2 of them while they were walking away. "First a Justicar, then a SPECTRE! No one's going to believe us." The one that was quiet so far finally spoke. "Hell I'm not telling anyone anything. I don't want to piss either one of them off. Do you think they would sign an autograph?"