„Thinking"
„Talking"
„Impactful word"
Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Second Deck - Captain's quarters
Shepard POV
Damn, there was no denying it, she was seriously pissed.
Normally, she wouldn't have a problem with anger management, though never before had her limits been tested to this extent as they had been yesterday. Those two! Dear God, they had managed to rile her up quicker than Councillor Sparatus. And that was saying something. It was an easier task to apply self-control in the Rear Admiral's presence, even though he hurled a round of ridiculous accusations her way.
But that Jilani woman!
She was fortunate to have switched on the live feed before she began her interview because Jane was more than once tempted to slap her over the course of their talk. It got almost to the point she was begging for it with those questions. She knew that reporters could be a handful bunch, though she wasn't prepared to be faced by such an insolent bitch. Either way, she bit the bullet. But on a serious note. The nerve!
Jane swore she felt Williams reaching her boiling point. And for a moment she feared that it would get the better of her if Jilani wouldn't have shut her mouth just in time.
A few days went by.
She expected her wrath to be quickly deflated by now since she knew they weren't worth it anyway, but it simply didn't go away for some reason. Perhaps this frustration amassed over time, gathering on strength each time she shoved it away behind her commander mask, which was obviously not a healthy way of dealing with it. So much that it had become difficult to hide.
Naturally, she had no time to deal with such frivolous things. Plus she had an image to uphold. It wouldn't do the first human Spectre well to display signs of physical violence towards an inhabitant of the Citadel. Even in case, the 'inhabitant' was a bitch.
It wasn't even that, that had her so reeling. It was the disappointment in her own race that had her this furious. She knew people varied in their opinion about her, but at least for the sake of humanity, they shouldn't try to waste her time with their ludicrous problems.
She desperately needed to blow off some steam. Or else she feared this frustration would definitely become an issue on her mission. However, she wasn't the type to let it out on her crew. They weren't the ones deserving of her rage. Nobody did. It was her baggage to carry, not anyone else's. The problem lied within its riddance.
She irritatingly tapped her finger on the desk of her room in search of an acceptable solution. When none was found, she retaliated to an internal way of cooling off.
"Take deep breaths, Jane."
One. Two. Three. The tip of her finger began hurting from the increased tapping but she didn't mind.
Nothing.
"Just don't think about it."
Her eyes couldn't remain idle, as were her thoughts.
Still nothing.
Was there no way to get rid of this unnecessary emotion?
Fucking hell.
Her feet carried her out of the captain's quarters quicker than her mind could protest. She was mindful to avoid eye contact on her way there, knowing some could take her behaviour personally.
"You're too focused on you're defence. Your brain and your body are units used independently from one other, Mister Vakarian."
"Independently? Didn't you say that I have to think while fighting?" Garrus asked incredulously.
"You are correct, however, it takes time for the signals to reach your body thus you lose precious fighting time," Akane explained carefully.
"Sounds impossible." his long arms slumped.
Not if you have chakra. Certainly, she did take his lack of the aforementioned source into account and therefore focused on sharpening his senses to their limit along with his taijutsu. A skill that would become most useful also in his marksmanship. For this, he needed to trust the movement in his body and believe in his strength.
They had been at it longer than usual though she hadn't heard the turian complain. The kunoichi wanted to point out another remark when the Commander suddenly came into her line of sight. Garrus noticed her shift of focus and also looked over at the red-head.
"Humans don't deal with stress the way turians do, but the Commander looks like she needs to vent." he looked at Akane for affirmation which she gave him seconds later.
Shepard gaze was mostly set on the ground as she rummaged the storage for something. A bag filled with sand? A boxing bag that was as big as the Commander herself. As soon as she found a sufficient place to hang it, the thumps of her fist were the only sound echoing in the third deck. For none would dare to interrupt or even approach her in this state. Not even Wrex, and he was a damn krogan!
In and of itself, anger wasn't problematic, as a matter of fact, it was quite normal. However, how one handled their anger or even the manner in which they deal with an angry person could be problematic if mismanaged.
Unlike herself, she couldn't control someone else who was angry or what they may choose to do in a fit of anger. Depending on the individual, their history and a series of other factors, they may be the type to lash out or otherwise express their anger openly (*cough* as in Ashley's case *cough*). Taking Shepard's personality into consideration, she was closer to avoid contact with anyone until she had dealt with the source of her anger.
Akane's best option to pick was walking away. As she was still in the process of finding out about the red-head, she wasn't fully aware of what the Commander was capable of or what lengths she would go to if provoked. Walking away would ensure her safety but on the other hand...
Shepard was trying to 'vent' by physical exercise, which in itself wasn't a bad approach. She herself had done it in a familiar way. She had been in such a state for well over three years, so she spoke from experience when fearing that this method might be deficient for a woman of such type.
Garrus seemed to pick on what was going through her head and proposed, "Maybe she would feel like sparring?"
He threw a suggestive look at the kunoichi and she arched a brow at him in return. Dammit, Garrus! You coward... Shepard could as well have a note sticking on her back saying: Don't approach me! - and now she was supposed to fight an enraged Spectre. Fucking great!
She couldn't be too harsh with the C-Sec Officer for they shared a similar idea. Nobody had the guts nor the close combat expertise as the Anbu had, so she was the most logical choice to confront Shepard. It was crucial for the Commander to be in the right state of mind to ensure further progress in her mission thus making it a matter of utmost importance for Akane. A perfectly audible sigh left her lips, "Here goes nothing."
Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Third Deck - Engineering and Storage Room
Shepard POV
Jane was so engorged in her punching that she almost didn't hear the cool voice of Akane calling for her attention. She glanced at her, then resumed her ongoing activity, in hopes the younger woman would understand her wish to be left alone. The red-head was shell-shocked when the opposite occurred since Akane had always been compliant up until this point.
"Kid, leave me alone." Shepard inwardly cringed as the words slipped her mouth.
She never called her that because she had made her reasons clear as to why. Jane knew all too well that the teen disliked being called a 'kid' as the sharp glances at Wrex, who was literally the only one calling her that, suggested it.
Though she also hoped it was enough of a verbal warning to deter her from bothering her further. Jane didn't want in her frustration to say things she didn't mean, but it became increasingly difficult to employ self-control and Akane's disobedience somehow only worsened it.
"Come, Ma'am," the way it sounded like a command as she was led away from the boxing bag left her gob-smacked. In nought but a second, a hand came flying her way, and green eyes stared wide-eyed at the teen when Jane barely evaded the attack. Akane retreated her hand and got into her Chinese martial arts position.
How dare she? If her blood hadn't been boiling because of her moments ago, it sure did now. Her insolence, which was absolutely absurd to even associate with Akane, reminded her of Jilani and with that - her rage had reached its peak.
"If that's how she wants it. Then so be it."
Thirty minutes later...
"Okay, okay I am done." For all her dramatic talk, she got utterly defeated.
The pants left her in rapid succession as her shoulders bowed. She mustered the strength to take a glance at the black-haired teen, to check if she had been reduced to such a fumbling mess as she had. Alas, Akane took deep breaths but not enough to conclude she had been exhausted, albeit there were a few bruised spots gaining colour on her pale skin, which made a new feeling erupt in Jane.
Shame.
Pure, unadulterated shame.
Out of all the different scenarios she had imagined, the absolute worst happened. She inflicted pain on her youngest crew member because she couldn't control her temper. And she strived to be the paragon of humanity? With such inexcusable behaviour?
An apology was needed and one most definitely left her lips as soon as she realized her mistake, "I am so sorry, Akane. For taking out my anger on you."
"Fear not, Ma'am, you haven't offended me in any way," the impassive features on her face were chilling. "There is no shame in feeling anger, for everyone experiences it at one point or another - I am no exception - I am glad to have helped you dispose of it so it won't interfere with our mission."
Our mission. These words felt like a bucket of cold water splashed on her fiery skin and she nearly let the frown slip through her expression. Yes, she felt that deep. And here she had hoped that Akane had done it out of a sense of camaraderie, but she had no right to feel disappointed when she was asking for forgiveness. She just...
Something felt odd.
Akane noticed a subtle change in the Commander's demeanour, though uncharacteristically late. Her bright presence dimmed as if something weighed on her mind for her to normally express her nature. A stray thought wondered if it was because of something she had said to her, which could serve as a possibility because the change showed only after their interaction.
Thinking back, there was a flicker of... expectation? Residing within the green of her orbs. Expectation for what? Akane could only guess but no amount of contemplating would bring her closer to the answer, so she dropped the matter altogether.
Why don't you just talk to her?
She stopped in her tracks, letting the shotgun fall to her side. That... sounded like a decent thing to do. Why hadn't she thought about it sooner?
Because you tend to overthink things?
Right. Obviously. By the way, when did so much doubt began to settle in her mind? Probably because now, with the reapers mysterious absence, she had the luxury of time to do so. Speaking of which, what happened to them anyway? To this galaxy, they were but a myth. What could have possibly happened to such a powerful foe to simply vanish without a trace?
She doubted they were defeated, and even more so did she think that the deed was done by her kin, for none had seemed to have survived into this time. Often did her thoughts wander into the past, wondering what might have happened to all the people in the SSA while she laid dormant. Regardless of the actions she had to commit under the leadership of Ijima, she held no real resentment towards him. She knew what she was getting into when she had joined the ranks of shinobi.
Shinobi are people who endure to achieve their goals, but depending on what they choose as their goal, they change.
And in the end, she failed spectacularly. She couldn't save her family. She couldn't save anyone at all.
Funny thing was, that a small part of her still hoped that time would prove her assumption wrong. That somewhere out there, in that vast galaxy the humans called the Milky Way, was still a chakra wielder such one as herself. But the chances were slim and hope slowly faded the longer she walked this new reality.
You're getting sidetracked.
Right. The Commander. "I think, her most likely whereabouts would be her private cabin."
So that was how she ended up in the mess, short on ideas on how to enter politely without accidentally violating her personal space. It wasn't like she could just walk in like the last time without somehow notifying her. Back in the day knocking was enough. Back in the day doors weren't made of metal! Maybe she should give calling out a try.
"Commander? Ma'am? May I steal a moment of your time?!" she was mindful to keep her audacity controlled.
"The Commander's in the med bay." she heard a male voice echoing around the corner. She flushed under her collar from slight embarrassment that morphed into worry.
"Might I inquire what has gotten her into such state?" there was genuine concern in her voice.
"A group of biotics gave her a rough time. Heard from Ashley that she was knocked down so many times that she made friends with the floor." Sir Alenko said with a chuckle. One corner of Akane's lips lifted at Chief Williams' sarcastic interpretation. That definitely sounded like something she would say.
"And the extent of her injuries?"
"Nothing lethal. Mostly bruised." he looked up for a second from his control panel.
"Good. Do you know if visits are permitted?"
"I am sure the Commander wouldn't mind."
"I will take my leave then. Thank you for your help, Sir Alenko." she gave him a slight bow before heading towards the med bay. She was in no time requesting permission for entrance via omni-tool, which she was granted. Internally chiding her stupidity for not thinking of it sooner, but she blamed her lack of expertise with the device. There was still much to be learnt. She would have to plead Tali to teach her next time she saw her.
Upon entering the medical room, the kunoichi was confused as to why she only saw the doc present. Ever the perceptive woman, the grey-head seemed to notice this, "The Commander is in the storage room with Dr T'Soni. That is if there was another reason for your visit?" she arched a perfectly trimmed brow on the young Uchiha, expecting an answer.
"No. I was concerned about the Commander. How is she faring, Ma'am?" she watched the older woman staring at her curiously. She did that a lot, so it was obvious that she found something worth inspecting in Akane.
She sensed it in the others as well, even though they covered it behind blatant disregard. The kunoichi couldn't hold that against them for the feats she was capable of performing bordered on the impossible. At least from the perspective of non-chakra wielders.
"She is restless, she always has been."
"Then I take it her injuries are healing well?"
The doc nodded, "She will be up in no time if she doesn't decide to be stubborn."
Akane gifted her a pleased smile, much to the wonderment of Dr Chakwas, for she hadn't seen the teen to express this much of emotion. It did Karin well to know that her stay on the Normandy was reflecting positively in her behaviour, which wasn't necessarily bad in the first place. The doc had worked with lots of people during her carrier that remained wholly professional at work, but not this emotionally distant as Akane took it. To see it on one such young as the Uchiha was saddening for an older woman like Chakwas.
"I will be off to see the Commander. I hope you don't mind, Ma'am?"
"Not at all, it was nice seeing you again," she said with a small smile fo her own.
The doc turned back to face her terminal, letting the Uchiha get past her to reach the door. It swished open once she was near enough and-
"Oh, Akane! I wasn't expecting you!" said the Commander off-handedly, both of them looking puzzled by the Uchiha's unexpected appearance.
Before the kunoichi could even dive into the topic that she wanted to discuss with the red-head, Liara interrupted her line of thought, "She is younger than I thought."
Well, she expected a more sophisticated observation by the asari. By now, she would have been slightly insulted, but currently, she was unsure how old she truthfully is. "I might be the oldest by a long shot among the crew."
"Yes, I wouldn't let her age fool you. She is stronger than any other on the Normandy."
"I believe you may be exaggerating, Commander."
Shepard just shook her head, "I believe I don't."
"Even than Wrex?" she asked with no small amount of awe.
"That is still debatable. Okay, but, more importantly, you haven't met yet, so I will leave you two to it and let Dr Chakwas check up on my wounds. They began itching!" Shepard left quickly but seeing her good-natured enthusiasm back innerly relieved Akane of her worry. Though she wasn't prepared to write Shepard off so easily, for now, she would let her walk away.
"I assume apologies are in order, Miss T'Soni," Akane said, concentrating her attention at the blueish asari.
"I fear I don't understand where this is coming from."
"My apologies for not approaching you sooner, Miss. I wanted to avoid being too forward or forcing myself onto you." she bowed deeply to emphasize, but sought to reassure.
"Oh! There is no need to- you don't have to bow. Uh... Is it a human thing? I am making a fool of myself again, am I not?" she fidgeted, searching for the right words. But that backfired pretty quickly. She wasn't lying about her lack of interaction with people. Humans particularly. You're not even human.
"Miss, I would like to object. You're lack in one area promises you're proficiency in another. But if it gives you some peace of mind, it can be easily rectified by further conversations with humans."
This seemed to have been enough to calm her down when she smiled at the compliment, "That was kind of you to say, but I am precarious about the last part."
"I understand, people can become strenuous to deal with." Akane knew how addicting solitude could be. She herself had sought nothing else during her time as a double agent.
"But don't mistake my lack of desire for conversations due to the lack of good company! The crew has been wonderful to me, and I am amazed by Dr Chakwas' knowledge about asari physiology," she explained nervously.
"If I make you uncomfortable, I can stop."
"Please, don't... I just need..." she struggled to express her appreciation by not embarrassing herself any further. One time was enough for today.
"...time." Akane spared her the effort to which she sighed. Liara almost couldn't believe she was older than the young human before her, with her social skills.
"Yes."
"If time is what you need, then it is time you will be given," she replied resolutely, heeding the asari's wishes as she took her leave, not giving Liara the chance to thank her for saving her life from the krogan on Therum.
Location: Voyage Cluster - Yangtze System - Binthu - M35 Mako
Shepard POV
Admiral Kahoku was in grave danger. His audio message was a clear indicator of that as it resonated through the secure channel. She hurried through the wenge brown surface of the planet, to the coordinates Kahoku had sent them. She wondered how he had gotten his hands on the information this early on in his investigation. She had visited him what? A couple of days ago?
Unimportant. She didn't doubt that the Admiral knew how to take care of himself, but he sounded desperate. Who wouldn't with Cerberus? Former Alliance black ops organization. Top-secret, access to highest-level security clearance. Nobody knew the reason for their disappearance and neither where they went to.
Jane was just a soldier, so usually, she shouldn't be bothered by such news because they had no real impact on her mission. But she had to know about the happenings around her. It was something she had learnt early on in the streets of the megapolis. Of course, she wouldn't even know about it weren't it for Admiral Hackett, who shared such top-secret information regarding his concerns about Akane Uchiha's loyalty.
That was why she took her specifically on this mission.
The loose end of her crew, she wanted to wrap up for she no longer possessed the time nor patience to deal with it. A rogue Spectre was on the run, and for the good of the galaxy, she was tasked to hunt him down. Half a month had passed ever since her election into the Spectres and she needed to have a crew she could count on for her mission to be successful.
"By the Goddess, what are those creatures?" she heard Liara comment as they watched Cerberus' 'guinea pigs' trapped inside a blue force field. To her surprise, it wasn't Tali who fiddled with the diagnostic station but Akane, thus the field was taken down and the threat eliminated with combined gunshots.
"Tali, look if you can find any intel on Cerberus and Liara, you go analyse this... green-glowing... cockroaches?" Jane ordered, she could have phrased it better when she heard amused chuckles.
Akane stood still beside her in the light armour she had given her, awaiting orders. Throughout their assault, she hadn't conducted any suspicious activity, even when in hindsight, she had plenty of opportunities to turn on her. She had sensed no hesitation in the teen when she mercilessly finished those Cerberus operatives. But for all she knew it could all be just part of an act, remembering how proficient Akane was at masking her intentions.
"Impossible!"
"What have you found out?" Jane heard Liara exclaim in disbelief.
"These experiments... they were rachni."
"Rachni?! Didn't they went extinct over 2000 years ago?" the red-head recalled, wondering how on earth did Cerberus get their hands on living specimens of a presumed dead race. There was undoubtedly something big behind it.
Tali seemed to have found the answer to her unsaid question, "From what I've managed to gather, the samples were sent by Binary Helix."
Silence reigned over them as they digested the information.
"Let's move on."
Secret alliances and rachni, and they were still only done with the first base. Who knew what atrocities they would encounter in the other two?
She knew that armour would make her feel out of her element.
Although the Commander captured her size perfectly, no doubt via the analytical capabilities omni-tool, she felt somehow disconnected. Cut off from the world, her surroundings. Shinobi, in general, relied on sensory input. So having this combat hard-suit clad on her skin, although offering decent protection, felt restrictive.
But, hey! Better than breathing carbon dioxide with a permanent haze of toxic chlorine!
Oh! And let's not forget the periodical torrents of acid!
Nope! She wouldn't take her chances without the armour. Either way, back to the mission. They were to investigate these facilities owned by an organization named Cerberus. That didn't ring a bell in her, and she would let it be with that weren't it for the Commander's kept a close eye on her that left her suspicious. Akane played it off cool, although not knowing Shepard's intent.
They had reached the second lab, the layout of things was mostly the same so she expected that they stick to the same strategy when a clever idea came her into mind. And before she would overthink the plan, she proposed it to Shepard, who albeit hesitantly, agreed to it.
Why not give Cerberus a taste of their own medicine?
So the others stayed behind while Akane snuck in and disabled the force field. She fell back as promptly as she came, letting the caged insects on a rampage. After the operatives had taken down the last grown rachni, the party went in to give them the rest. No words were spoken as they worked swiftly on extracting any data they could find.
Then they were back in the Mako, making their way off to the third lab. The absence of any other lifeforms due to the harsh environment gave them enough freedom to manoeuvre the hills and reach the base, where two turrets defended the area. She had to compliment Shepard on her cunning in dealing with them because she used the nearby structures as cover.
Taking a quick look inside with her ocular powers, she reviewed what lied ahead of them. There were more commandos present in this facility than any other, and their experiments weren't the rachni but kara? No, these weren't kara although the corpse-like humanoid specimen held great similarities. They had a sickly green texture to their skin and long claws with noticeable eyes.
Creepy.
And among them was... Admiral Kahoku. No life signs. Shepard wasn't going to like this.
The assault was a mess, it had been since her plan failed to bring the same results as last time. The 'Kara 2.0' didn't attack upon disabling the force field. In fact, they didn't react at all, which only alerted everyone of Akane's position - and not even her Shunshin no Jutsu was able to evade the onslaught of bullets flying her away.
"Move!" Akane had heard Shepard say as she quickly came to her rescue.
The focus was shifted for a split of a second from the shinobi and she used it to find cover. Her kinetic shields were almost depleted so going back in for support was not a wise decision. She pressed herself tightly against one of the pillars, pistol clamped in both hands as she watched the experiments finally rise up to attack. The absence of the force field robbed them of a good portion of cover, but the 'Kara 2.0' lured them out of their spot. They raced indiscriminately at everyone who moved, so Akane shared it through their comm.
"These things react to movement so I advise to remain still."
It was as she said, they hid behind cover in stillness while panic broke through among their enemies who had a hard time getting rid of their guinea pigs because of their extreme resistance towards gunfire. They didn't show signs of slowing down even after being pierced by a lot of slugs, going in for the melee as their only means of attack. The non-biotics were quickly out of the game when the last specimen slumped on the ground.
The commandos found themselves outnumbered and Akane saw the desperation on their faces. They completely ignored everyone else's position and went straight after Shepard. The party was spread out because of scarce cover and the red-head was about to be flanked by two biotics without having her kinetic shields recharged. Tali and Liara didn't see the Commander's situation because they were occupied with a sniper and the Commander seemed... distracted.
She would die. The only person who made her transition to this world possible. Who had been nothing but considerate when Akane refused to tell her more about herself.
Will you let her die?
Action spoke louder than words. And almost as if her body had a mind on its own did it move, motivated by nothing else than the desire to protect what she had come to value, even though her mind would vehemently refuse that claim; her heart did not.
She yanked Shepard out of the way just in time to be greeted by the abilities of the two biotics, fired out simultaneously. Then came nothing but blackness accompanied by excruciating pain.
Location: Voyage Cluster - Columbia System - Nepheron
Shepard POV
They had proof that Cerberus had been conducting illegal genetic research in an effort to create an unstoppable army. Kahoku was found dead in the third facility on Binthu, much as she feared, and now they were the only ones to stop them. This had to be stopped.
She would lie if a small part of her didn't do it out of vengeance, for Kahoku, for Akane. But that wasn't who she was, that wasn't who she aspired to become. She only hoped she would keep her guilt that weighed heavily on her conscience at bay.
Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Second Deck - Med-bay
Tali POV
She was asked by Shepard to look after the injured human, not that it was necessary, she was her friend after all. And friends look after each other. She didn't mind having to spend her time at her side in Chakwas' absence, who went to grab something to eat.
Still, she felt responsible for what happened to Akane.
She heaved a defeated sigh, "This is all my fault."
"It's not," Tali jumped as the Commander walked into the med-bay, "She did save my ass after all."
Tali cast her gaze back on the laying figure, watching the faint rise of her chest. Still, not even the Commander's reassurance did sway the guilt gnawing at her mind. It was wrong to shove the blame all unto herself or Shepard or Liara on that matter. They shared the blame because they all were there and yet nobody of them noticed. They should have been more focused.
Occupying a seat to the opposite of Tali she heard the red-head confess ruefully, "I suspected her being part of Cerberus."
Surprise mingled with anger rose in the quarian at the Commander's exclamation, but before anything could leave her filter, she reflected on her friendship with the young human.
Truthfully, it had crossed her mind once or twice by now, but whenever she asked the Uchiha anything related to her past she changed the subject. Her repugnance towards it was painfully apparent, so she extended the courtesy to the young woman and chose not to prod where she didn't want it.
Still, she found it hard to believe that she would work as a hitman for Cerberus. While she understood where Shepard's apprehensions stemmed from, their birthplace being Akane's nonexistent history along with her disinclination to speak of it. More than once had Tali been asked about her by Shepard during her routine visits.
She saw nothing of that in Akane.
She freely admitted that her behaviour, although respectful and polite, might have been off-putting at first. But after some time and unexpected encounters, she had found her initial image of her to be misjudged. She was sure that, under that emotionless facade she showed the world laid a gentle soul with a brilliant mind, but she only revealed bits of it in Tali's presence and she truly felt honoured that out of all people, she would share it with her.
Because she allowed Tali to see her vulnerable, no matter how slightly, where others would find the cold exterior of her indomitable walls. It showed in the way the tone of her voice sounded gentler, kinder whenever she spoke to the quarian. Sometimes even a small smile graced her blank expression.
Akane made her feel unlike any other before since she left the Rayya for her Pilgrimage. Accepted as an individual, not just as another quarian to be disregarded or looked down upon. Akane saw her as an equal from the very start, and this alone had become the pillar of their building friendship.
"What made you think otherwise?"
"The diplomat in me would say it was from the lack of evidence, but we both know I am not that into politics." there was a short-lived quirk of lips on her face that turned down as soon as it had arisen, "She rushed in to save me without any regard for her own safety. I can't imagine any Cerberus agent, no matter how dedicated, to put their lives on the line for someone they had practically just met."
Despite her conflicting emotions, Tali found herself quickly agreeing on this with Shepard, "It does sound unrealistic."
The unsaid statement hung in the air, but both of them knew if it wasn't for Akane's intervention, Commander Shepard wouldn't have been among the living anymore.
In the end, Cerberus activity in the Voyage Cluster had been pushed back, hopefully on a temporal basis. It should feel like a step in the right direction but it didn't, with Kahoku dead and Akane knocking on heaven's doors. There was only regret accompanied by an unsatisfying victory.
Personal feelings aside, now that they had some insight into Cerberus dealings, they tracked some their experiments to Noveria as well as Feros. So it was up to Shepard to decide where they would be headed next.