Laryna

I was barely out of my armor and was thinking about pain killers when Kelly messaged me to report to the debriefing room asap. The Illusive Man was eager for a chat, apparently. So I threw a rough bandage around my leg and a zip up hoodie to cover up the new bruises I already had forming on my arms, and did as asked.

"Laryna," he greeted me, all smiles. "Good work on Horizon. Hopefully, the Collecters will think twice before attacking another colony."

Holding up a hand to stop this praise, to tired to deal with it, I shook my head. "It's not a victory. We interrupted the Collecters, but they still abducted half the colony."

"That's better then an entire colony," the Illusive Man replied. "And more than we've accomplished since the abductions began. The Collecters will be more careful now, but I think we can find another way to lure them in."

I knew it. "Kaidan said the Alliance got a tip about me and Cerberus. Was that you?"

"I may have let it slip that you were alive. And with Cerberus." There was no remorse in his voice.

"You risked the lives of my friend, my crew, and that entire colony? Just to lure the Collecters there?" I demanded.

"A calculated risk. I suspected the Collecters were looking for you, or people connected to you. Now I know for certain. I told you I wouldn't sit and wait while the Reapers and Collecters gather strength. Besides. They would've hit another colony eventually. And without a way to predict which one, they would've abducted everyone."

There was no arguing with that, even if I didn't like it. "We have to make sure they don't abduct anyone else."

"I want the Collecters stopped for that very reason. That's why we're doing this, Laryna. I'm devoting all resources to finding a way through the Omega 4 relay. We have to hit them where they live. Your team will need to be strong... as will their resolve. There's no looking back. The same goes for you. Can I assume you've put your past relationships behind you?"

You betrayed me, Kaidan's voice whispered in my head. Goodbye, Laryna.

"I'm free, clear, and focused on the mission."

"That's what I like to hear," the Illusive Man, tapping his cigarette and taking another pull. "Laryna. Once we find a way through the Omega 4 relay to the Collecter homeworld... there's no guarantee you'll return. To have any hope of surviving, you—and your entire team—must be fully committed to this."

"Let me worry about them," I said. "You just find us a way to the Collecter homeworld."

"I just want to be up front about your odds. You'll need everyone at their best. I've forwarded three more dossiers. Keep building your team while I find a way through the relay. And be careful, Laryna. The Collecters will be watching you."

As will you, I thought as the imagine faded and I stepped from the center of the room to allow the table to raise. Jacob surprised me when I turned around, arms crossed and leaning against a railing. I offered a smile to cover my unease at being snuck up on. Damn it though, I was tired.

"I guess we're really gonna do it," he said after a moment. "Hit the Omega 4 relay, take the fight to the Collectors in person. Looking forward to the action. After seeing what those bastards did on Horizon, though... makes you think."

Putting on my brave face, I shrugged. "They're powerful, but we've got a few tricks for them. If anyone can stop them, we can."

Jacob stood up and allowed his arms to drop. "No argument there Commander. Horizon just made it hit home. What we're doing, what we're up against." I wondered if that part came from examining the weapon I brought back. "Gonna go take care of a little unfinished business. I imagine everyone else is, too—getting some closure, you know?" And he gave me a polite nod and left.

I knew I would going to have to investigate that more later, but I was now aching to much to put anything before going down to the med-bay. I held myself as straight as I could and walked a little slower so I wouldn't limp and managed to make it inside of Dr. Chakwas doors before I fell, groaning.

Dr. Chakwas gave me a long look, let out a brief laugh, and helped me to one of her examination tables. She removed my bandage and poked the folds of skin and the areas around the wound, put in a few stitches, smeared it with more omni-gel, and put another bandage over with orders to take it off in a few hours so the wound could breath. She next had me completely strip out of my upper clothes, and felt around for some broken bones. Finding none, she smeared a lotion over the worse of the bruising, and gave me clean clothes to change into. As I clothed myself she poured out two glasses of wine and handed me a glass.

"Thank you," I said simply, unable to truly express how glad I was that she was here.

She gave me a warm smile. "You're welcome, Commander. You shouldn't push yourself to hard though, you are slowing your healing process from being thrown back together for two years. But you've managed to put decent weight on, and your muscle tone has benefited from the exercise, so it's not all for not."

"Are you saying I'm fat?" I asked, touching my stomach.

"Heavens, no," Dr. Chakwas replied. "You were just underweight a few months ago. There is only so much tube fed nutrients can do for a body." She sipped her wine. "Now, tell me of Kaidan."

Help me, my face went red. "Kaidan?"

"Yes. I know you met him on Horizon. Garrus told me. He also said how bad it went. I want to know how you are holding up?" She looked me in the eye, offering nothing but compassion. "I know how close you two were before. It's hard, having a lover turn his back on you."

"You knew we were sleeping together?" I asked before I could check myself, so I pushed on. "Why didn't you report us?"

"Please, Commander," Dr. Chakwas said, sitting down her half finished glass and leaned back in her chair. "What could I say? A Spectre was enjoying the company of one of the crew? You may have started off as an Alliance officer, but you became greater and went beyond that reach. And it was good for both of you."

She would have never betrayed me, I thought. I took a healthy gulp from my glass and walked over to the chair next to her. "Good then," I said sadly, staring down at the dark red liquid before taking another swallow.

"Kaidan was nothing if not loyal, and he was in a situation with conflicting loyalties. He made the choice that he thought would at least leave him his honor."

Aye, I thought, but alone in that honor. I shrugged then, after a long moment. "We were done two years ago, I think. When you believe that someone is gone, it's hard to see them in the same light but as they were then. And he was right. I have changed, as much as Cerberus tried to built me the same as I was before. Maybe it's for the best. We may not come back alive from our mission. I would not want to put him through that pain of losing a loved one again." The pain in his voice was still heavy in my heart, and I knew would likely be for awhile.

"He'd still be losing a friend," Dr. Chakwas said.

"Will he?" I asked bitterly.

Patting my arm, she took my glass, which I was surprised to see empty, and resealed the bottle of wine she opened. "Try not to dwell on it," she said as she put away the bottle and sat back down. "You two were good for each other when you needed the companionship, and I'm sure you'll find someone who would be good for you now if you need it."

"Thanks, doc," I said, standing up. I wasn't sure how to take her council. I started for the door and suddenly stopped, turning around to see her still watching me. "I never really knew my mother," I stated.

"I know."

I smiled again, feeling a little better. "Thanks again." I was grateful for her effort, but I decided I likely wouldn't be going to her for romantic advice again anytime soon. But she had helped settle my heart. Her words were true. Kaidan and I were there for each other when we both needed someone, but we never committed further then a physical relationship, beyond our usual soldier interaction. Did I love him? I had thought maybe so. But the past is where it belongs, and I knew my future didn't hold him close. At least not in my bed.

Just my memories.

Knowing I should go rest, I made my way back to the Combat Deck. Kelly wasn't at her usual post, so I just strolled over to the armory to see Jacob, glad that I could walk so easily so quickly. Praise modern medicine and good hands.

Entering, I made my way to my usual spot against the worktable. Jacob was absorbed in a console, looking over the schematics of a few guns. He didn't noticed I was there until I cleared my throat. He turned around, shock plain on his face.

"Commander? Sorry, I'm a little unfocused. Personal matter. It won't affect my duties."

"Always have time for my crew," I replied. "What is it?"

"As I said, it's a personal matter," Jacob said, wandering around the worktable. "I don't want to waste our time if it turns out to be a goose chase. But..." He stopped and laid both hands flat at the head of the table, his head down. He was clearly distressed. "Well, I got pinged by a ghost the other night. Family."

"I'm listening," I prompted.

"My private log got an update about the Hugo Gernsback, the ship my father served on. It send an SOS last week, reporting a crash and requesting a rescue. Laryna, that ship went missing ten years ago. I hadn't talked to my father for three years before that. I've buried everything but a body. I'm not convinced it isn't just some automated distress signal ticking over. It's been too long."

"I'd think you'd be more excited that your father might be alive."

"He wasn't around enough for me to have bad memories. It's an old, well-healed wound. But if he's actually alive and needs help..." Jacob paused a moment. "I also want to note that it's not normal procedure for distress calls to be routed to the Normandy. This was passed to my personal log through Cerberus filters."

That did make this a little more interesting. "Any signs that this was a Cerberus front? Who passed this to you?"

"I doubt the Illusive Man would let a direct operation stay cold this long. If there's a link, it's probably just about money. Cerberus needs diverse holdings to fund projects like, well, you. And whoever sent this my way covered their tracks. Someone could be fishing for favors. Or thought it would get under my skin. Who knows with that bunch?"

"You didn't get along with your father?" I asked.

"He made no apologies, I'll give him that," Jacob replied, not answering me directly. He started pacing again. "You make a mistake, you own up to it, even if you keep making it. Whatever problems we had were a lifetime ago. I've had ten years go get where I am. And as far as I know, he's still a ghost."

"Tell me about the Hugo Gernsback and what it was doing."

"Privately held frigate. I looked over the mission brief when it disappeared. Nothing stood out. Typical research and grab operation. Find an uncharted planet, stake a claim, and establish as large a presence as you can as fast as possible to shut out competitors."

I thought it over a moment. "I think we can spare the time. Pass the coordinates to Joker."

Jacob gave me a grateful smile. "I appreciate that, Commander. I don't expect more than dusty old bones, but it'll be good to close the record." I nodded and let him get back to work. I made my way to the CIC, thinking I'd pull of the new dossiers and taking a peek before lying down for a bit.

"Laryna," Kelly said as soon as she saw me. "You have incoming transmission marked urgent."

I opened it at my terminal. "Commander Shepard. I need to discuss a sensitive matter with you privately." It sounded like Admiral Hackett.

"Let me take this in my quarters," I replied and placed the call on hold and made for the elevator. I got to my cabin a few moments later and reopened that chat at my desk. My glass display with my model ships faded behind the video projection of an old, familiar face of my admiral.

"Commander. Thank you for your time. I'll keep this brief. We have a deep cover operative out in batarian space. Name's Doctor Amanda Kenson. Dr. Kenson recently reported that she found evidence of an imminent Reaper invasion."

"So why call me?"

"Just this morning I received word that the batarians arrested her. They're holding her in a secret prison outpost on terrorism charges." Admiral Hackett explained, always right to the point. "I need you to infiltrate the prison and get her out of there. As a favor to me, I'm asking you to go in alone."

I enjoyed details though. "What's Dr. Kenson actually doing out there?"

"She's a deep-cover operative, Laryna. We talk only when we have to. I'd heard she was investigating a rumor of a Reaper artifact in the system. Her last report said she'd found it."

"I thought the Alliance denies the Reaper threat," I stated. "That must be some proof she found."

He didn't raise to my bait. "Kenson's team found an artifact out in batarian space and believes it's a Reaper device, proof that the Reapers are indeed planning to invade. I've known her a long time. If she says she has proof, it's worth checking out."

And he knows I'd be up for anything that strengthens my own claims on my experiences and pushing for help and getting preparations in place. "The batarians won't take kindly to the Alliance breaking into a secret prison," I pointed out.

"This is not an Alliance operation—it's one person going in alone to save a friend. If it were an official mission, of course the batarians would be upset. You keep this quiet, Laryna, and there's nothing to worry about."

And it goes bad he can claim not to know anything about it. "What else can you tell me about the operative?"

"Amanda is a top scientist and Alliance agent working in batarian space. It's a deadly assignment, and she's one of the few up to the challenge. She and I go back pretty far, Commander. I won't let her rot away in a batarian torture camp."

"I have a hell of a squad with me," I said. "I'm sure they'd help out."

"Kenson is my friend. If the batarians see a squad of armed soldiers, they'll kill her. This is serious, Commander. Go in with discretion, or don't go at all."

"I'll make this a priority," I promised.

"The prison is hidden underground at a batarian outpost on Araatoht. I'll upload the coordinates now. Once she's secure, confirm her discovery. We'll debrief you when you're back."

"Got it."

"Hackett out."

I stood by my desk for about fifteen minutes, trying to figure out how to proceed. I had to do pretty much everything as quietly and as secretly as I could. I was a little worried about going on my own. Dr. Chakwas told me less then an hour ago that I was over reaching what my body should be doing right now. Who knows what I'd face in this mission giving to me. But do it I would, I knew.

I started first by calling Jacob and Miranda up. I explained that there was something I needed to do, alone, and it would likely see me away for a couple days. I was surprised by how little Miranda seemed to care. She left with command of the ship in my absence.

"This was very sudden," I said to Jacob. "And it's important. We'll see about your father when I return, I swear it."

"I understand, Commander. Be safe out there." Jacob said, saluted, and also retreated. From there I ordered Joker to the Citadel. While I waited for us to arrive, I requested EDI to look up any trading vessels going to the planet of Araatoht. I also gave her the coordinates of where I was going and told her to hold back any of this information and only release it if I should be missing for five days.

"Can I trust you not to give me up to Cerberus?" I asked.

"Nothing in my programming requires me to report any of the information you've given me, Commander. It is not mission critical. Unfortunately, there are no ships of any kind leaving the Citadel for Araatoht."

Cursing, I rethought my plans. Stowing away now wasn't an option. I would need to take something there, but not many commercial ships would be willing to go to batarian space without a better reason then me just wanting to go. Batarians were to well known for their slavery.

"EDI, you pretty much have eyes on Joker all the time, yes?"

"Yes Commander. He spends all his waking hours at the helm."

So I sent a private message to Joker via one of his more private accounts, one I hoped Cerberus hasn't found yet. I trusted just enough information to him to see if he'd be willing to rent a small taxi with me at the Citadel and drop me off and return it, and keep it all quiet. In truth, I don't doubt that he'd be willing. I just didn't know if he'd be capable even in the short time I'd be gone. Thus EDI. I gave her clearance to use her cyber warfare suit to help remind him if he was about to slip. He'd hate that, but it may be necessary.

He agreed. EDI rented a taxi for us, and I was set for my solo mission.

"Are you sure about this, Laryna," Joker asked as we neared the planet. "I would feel a lot better if you took someone with you. Like Garrus. You know you can trust him."

"I'm doing this on behalf of the Alliance," I reminded him, checking my weapons and extra clips as I waited. "And Hackett wanted me to keep it quiet. Telling you might be to much. Besides, do you honestly think I can't handle it?"

"You were on an operating table less then two months ago," Joker reminded me in turn. "I'm just worried about you, is all. And what do you mean telling me might be to much? Don't you trust me?"

"With my life," I said.

"And the Normandy."

"Isn't that the same thing?" I asked, and we shared a smile.

His quickly faded. "Seriously though. Be careful."

"You got it, Flight Lieutenant."

Joker dropped me off outside the ruins of several buildings and took off again quickly. Our rental didn't have any kind of advance sensors, and he'd be screwed if he got shot down here. It was underground though, and suppose to be secret, so the hopes were that there wasn't any above ground security to draw any attention to itself. Luck seemed to be with us.

As silently as I could, I made my way through the crumbling walls until I found some stairs leading downwards. The floors below were just as bad as the ones above, cracked with potholes and sink ins everywhere. I almost immediately ran into some varren though. I took it out fairly quietly with a warp and stood listening for a full minute before going on. I found the remains of bodies scattered about. "The batarians must send their prisoners down here to die," I mumbled to myself, just to break the quiet. "I have to find Dr. Kenson now."

I didn't have to wait long. About another five minutes of creeping and I started to hear voices.

"Get the human into questioning." a gruff voice was saying.

"Get your hands off me!" a woman's voice demanded. I picked around the next corner, hoping to get a peek, but there was nothing but a long hall. Frowning, I quickly made my way down it's length and peeked around the next corner. Another hall, but this one was much shorter and had a couple rooms off of it. Inside one I found a simple kitchenette setup with a table and a few chairs. There was a personal log laying there: I hear humans are scurrying like vermin out in the asteroid belt. Is anywhere safe from them? We should arm a mission to flush them all out. Charming.

After awhile I came into a cave. The top was well above my head, maybe about 18 feet tall, and fairly deep. There were vegetation growing everywhere, but just cave plants or food I couldn't say for sure. There were a few small buildings squeezed in here. A peek into the closest one suggest they were private quarters. I was about to make my way across the only open space for a gate on the other side, where I could see a door going further into this maze, when I heard a cough. I froze.

"They wanted to slam an asteroid into the mass relay," I heard someone say.

"Can they even do that?" another voice asked.

"What difference does it make? We caught 'em." I started to quietly move closer. The other guard said something, but I didn't catch what.

"They've still got her down in the prison," was the reply.

"I'd just kill her," grunted his partner. "Interrogating a human's a waste of time."

I considered my options. I needed them both down with as little noise as possible. There was no way to tell how many people might be hiding about in here that would answer a call of warning or distress. I continued to creep up as close as I could, and when I was literally no more then a couple feet away, broke my cover with my warps flying. The guards barely had time to turn when I had them pinned down, my biotic energy burning them inside their armor. Completely consumed, they were unable to call out. It took a few long moments to kill them this way, and I moved on as soon as it was done, back the way I came.

I'm going to have to retire when all this is over, I thought to myself. Killing as became far to easy. Even with the training the N7 offered, it shouldn't be so easy.

There were more guards not to far down the hall my door opened into. "No way it would have worked. Relays can't be damaged, must less destroyed." I heard one saying as I tried to get a better look.

"Those humans will do anything to destroy us, I swear," another replied. "We have to make this one an example to the others. We can't respond kindly to terrorists." I had came up to an open door by this time, but one of the guards spotted me. Gunfire was unavoidable now, but no more then ten shots were fired overall before the guards collapsed. I quickly moved on, not wanting to be here if they noise attracted attention.

I had traveled through this underground maze for nearly another hour, passing through small living spaces, shuttle docks, running into only a few guards during my search to interrupt the boredom of the hunt.

Finally, I found a room that shared a one way glass window with another that showed a woman strapped. A guard was recording in this room while another just stood watching the prisoner in the other.

"The human still won't tell us where their base is," the guard was saying. "No way we'll find it even if we have to scan every asteroid out there. I wonder if those humans actually found something. No torture is too great if it gets that information out of them." Do they have others trapped down here? I wondered.

"I'll ask you again," the other guard spoke up on the other side of the glass. "Where is your base?"

"You're wasting your time. The Reapers are coming!" That had to be Dr. Kenson.

"The Reapers are coming here. To this relay."

"Every moment you keep me here brings them closer."

"So I should let you go destroy the relay then?" the guard asked mockingly. "Just destroy this system?"

"Do what you want to me, batarian. Torturing me won't save you."

"No?" The guard laughed. "But it will amuse me."

The guard in the observing room chuckled as well and went back to his recording. "Our comm buoy intercepts paid off. We picked up a message to the Alliance coming from somewhere in the asteroid belt. We listened to the feed until we discovered an operation fun by a human named Kenson—who we have captured—smuggling parts and guiding systems into the system from Omega. We intercepted Kenson's vessel and took her and her people into custody. Interrogation has produced nothing, but frenzied rambling so far."

Shooting the recording guard in the back of the head, I moved into the room where they were holding Dr. Kenson. I simply punched the guard who was distracted by trying to move an electric welding rod towards his prisoner's head. He fell, dazed.

"Who are you? What are you doing?" Dr. Kenson asked as I started to hack into the systems via my omni-tool to release the hard locks on her restraints and retract the fork.

"Doctor Kenson?" I asked and she nodded. "I'm Commander Shepard. I'm here to get you out."

"Commander Shepard? I heard you were alive. Hackett must have received my message."

I wasn't the greatest hacker in the galaxy, and I set off a few silent alarms. "We're not safe here. Can you walk?"

Pulling her own wrists free and then the neck restraint apart, Dr. Kenson stumbled a bit before finding her footing. There were bruises all up and down her arms a few on her face. There were a few lines of missing hair along her temples where she must have been hit with the fork before now. But I didn't see any blood stains or open cuts, so they must not have progressed that far into their methods yet.

"I'm fine. Just give me a moment..."

Shaking my head, I turned for the door. "We have to go. Now."

She coughed a little bit and shook a few kinks from her limbs. Apparently there was no rushing her. "If we can find a console, I can hack security... make us an escape path."

I snagged the fallen guard's pistol and handed it to her. "Then we'll find one." I said, hearing footsteps out in the hall. "Go!"

Dr. Kenson delayed a little further to stomp down on the neck of her torturer. It snapped. I had forgotten already that she was an highly trained operative for the Alliance. She may know more ways to kill a man then I did. "Ready."

As I feared we started running into more guards now. They were aware that someone was here, and that their prize prisoner was on the loose. There was no sneaking around now.

"What about the others that were captured with you?" I asked.

"We have no idea where they are keeping them, or if they are even still alive. We best go on."

Another squad met us just as we entered into what I would guess was the central crossroads. I fought through them, Dr. Kenson hot on my heels, letting off a few shots herself, but she was to weary to do much else. I could relate; my thigh was on fire from the wound I took on Horizon, but keeping it moving kept it lose enough for me to fight. Dr. Chakwas would be cross if I tore my stitches though.

"I see a console!" Dr. Kenson said. "They know we're here. Keep them off me while I hack us a way out."

"Suppression teams to cell block! Now!" the console buzzed.

"We need to close the door we came in through! Keep them out!" Dr. Kenson ordered.

So I retraced my steps to the door but found a group of men already hurrying through. I could see more men coming down the hall. I cleared a path and made a run for the door, hitting the close button, then busting the control in hopes that it wouldn't reopen. A few of the guards ignored me after I got passed them, and were running for Dr. Kenson. I took after them, again ignoring the ones closest to me. I used a singularity to block the door that lead straight to her, and a couple pulls to stop those trying to force themselves past it. It was a couple intense minutes of fighting hand to hand as I danced around as much as I could in the limited space. Luckily for me, none of them brought any omni-blades to bear, just guns, so between my shields, my biotic barrier, and moving around like water I was able to avoid anything worse then a few blows as I dispatched the batarians.

"Unlocking all doors to the hanger," Dr. Kenson shouted. "Still need more time!"

"Sure," I gasped. "Take all the time you need." It was the Blitz all over again. Batarians everywhere, and me. Had to keep moving, that was the trick. They had four eyes, and even small, they don't miss much. I just had to make myself hard to pin. Their hides were thicker than a humans, but not nearly as much as a turians are. Almost as easy to enrage as a krogan. Ouch! That clipped in the softer material at my knee. Same leg I had my gash from Horizon. It'll be fine, I was already favoring it anyway...

"Bringing down their orbital tracking network," she called out.

Useful for if we get off the planet. I repelled another attack, picking them off now from some cover. Distance... distance was nice. Why did I agree to leave my squad behind? Grunt would be a wonderful sight in these halls...

"There's an elevator that leads up to the hanger. I'll bring it down to us. Almost done." Best to clear them out then.

"That did it. Let's move!" Dr. Kenson reported just as the last guard slump against a far wall after I filled him with holes. I signaled the all clear from where she was watching me through a window and she joined me. She hit a command into her omni-tool and an elevator in front of us descended. It took us up a single floor. "The hanger is just down there," Dr. Kenson said, pointing to the door to our left. "I couldn't get the doors to open though. We'll have to do that the old fashion way."

"Leave that to me," I said. Most hangers had small explosives attached to the hinges of hangers in cases of a power storage, and I could see that these were no exception. There were a few guards stationed here, likely having guessed what we'd go for. With Dr. Kenson proving me with some cover, I cleared the hanger. Two quick shots at the fail safes and the doors opened.

Before I could open the door to a shuttle Dr. Kenson grabbed my arm and nodded towards the opposite wall. I listened and could hear what caught her attention. Sounds like an ambush brewing. I in turn nodded her towards the shuttle, and tipped over several barrels of fuel while she climbed aboard and climbed in after her. Likely for me she was familiar with operating a shuttle, and she had us going just as the hanger behind us filled with batarians. The thrusters ignited the fuel and we could hear screaming for a brief moment before we cleared the base and raced for the stars.

"Engaging autopilot." Dr. Kenson said after we cleared the planet, and came and joined me in the back. "We should be well out of range before they get their security measures unscrambled."

"Do you think they'll come after you?" I asked.

"I'm not taking any chances," she said as she sat down. "Batarians don't take kindly to humans who plan to destroy their mass relays."

"So the charges against you are true," I said, a little shocked.

"Well. To be fair, that's about half the story. My people and I were here investigating rumors of Reaper technology out in the fringes of this system."

"I guess you found something."

"We found proof that the Reapers will be arriving in this system," she said, looking out the window towards the relay. "When they get here, they'll use its mass relay to travel throughout the galaxy. We call it the 'Alpha Relay.' From here, the Reapers can invade anywhere in the galaxy."

"So you decided to destroy it."

Dr. Kenson gave a nod. She seemed to have improved greatly with her freedom. "Exactly. Doing that would stop the Reapers' invasion. Even at FTL speeds, it'd be months or years before they got to the next relay. We came up with what we just called 'the Project': a plan to launch a nearby asteroid into the relay and destroy it before the Reapers could arrive. Of course, the resulting explosion would probably wipe out the system."

"How did you plan to launch an asteroid into a mass relay?" I asked.

"Moving an asteroid just requires thrust and guidance, which are readily available in Omega's salvage yards. Get the right amount of power and a good VI to drive it, and you can pretty much just point and shoot." Reminds me when a batarian I ran into while searching for Saren planned to do the same thing, but to a human colony. It was rather ironic.

"I've always heard that relays were indestructible."

"I've heard that, too," she admitted. "But I think it's more that nobody's willing to find out what happens when one is destroyed. And, well... we planned to slam a small planet into the thing at very high speed. By our calculations, that's more than enough."

The implications of this was insane, but how else we were to stop the Reapers if they were indeed coming this way? "Is the Project still operational?'

Looking concerned, Dr. Kenson had to clear her throat a couple times before she could speak. "I... I imagine it is. We were one button-press away from launch when the batarians arrested me." Which was less than three days ago. That option should still be there then.

"Why do you think destroying the mass relay would destroy the entire system?" I questioned next. This system had a population. So many lives to be at risk, but so many more if the Reapers jumped to other systems via the relays...

"Mass relays are the most powerful mass-effect engines in the known galaxy. The energy released from a relay's destruction would probably resemble a supernova. This is a remote system, but just over three hundred thousand batarians live on the colony where they held us. The explosion would undoubtedly kill them all."

Should I be concerned that she didn't sound guilty about that? "How were you caught?"

"We've been smuggling starship parts from Omega," she explained. "Thrusters, guidance, an aftermarket eezo core. The batarians thought that looked suspicious. A few days ago, I took a few of the men on a scouting trip, and the batarians pounced on us. They never found our actual base."

That was assuming no one else from her party talked. I leaned forward, getting to what I wanted to know must personally, and not for my report. "I still don't see how you learned about this supposed invasion." If there was another Saren running around out there, or another Sovereign, then we had an even bigger situation on our hands.

Dr. Kenson wasn't slightly phased by my suspicious tone. "The evidence came from what we call Object Rho, a Reaper artifact we discovered among the asteroids near the relay itself. When we got back o the Arcturus Station, I'll explain everything and provide copies of all our notes on the artifact."

I have never heard of anything being found that belonged to the Reapers before. Except for the beacon on Eden Prime where I was given a vision of the Protheans experiences with the machines, there were no signs that the Reapers were ever here. And especially on a surface that contained no life... "What is a Reaper artifact doing in an asteroid?"

"We don't' know," she said honestly. "Or even what its purpose is. Some things are just to old or large to comprehend. Even a Reaper thousands of years dead contains power. Their artifacts are worthy of study, regardless of their purpose."

Frowning, I considered this. Did the Alliance managed to learn more about the Reapers in the time I was gone? She promised notes, I can found that out later. "How exactly does a Reaper artifact give you proof of an impending invasion?"

"It showed me visions of the Reapers' arrival... much like your Prothean beacon, I imagine." I winced inwardly at that. Mine had knocked me on my ass for nearly a day. "The Reapers are coming, Commander. That much I know for certain."

"If you're working near a Reaper artifact, how have you avoided indoctrination?"

"We've been very careful. We know what we're dealing with." She gave me a weak smile. "You're not speaking to a child, Laryna. I saw what Sovereign did at the Citadel. Trust me—I know what's at stake."

It was nice to have someone else on my side, but I was always taught to be careful with my intel. "The stakes are too high. If you were willing to destroy a whole system over this, I want to see your proof."

"I guess I can't argue with that. Give me a moment." Dr. Kenson stood and opened our out going communication blocker on our shuttle, then opened a channel on her omni-tool. "Kenson to Project Base."

"Good to hear your voice, Doctor. You coming home?" a male voice replied on the other end.

"Affirmative," Dr. Kenson answered, and she looked up at me a moment. "And I've got Commander Shepard with me."

"Shepard? Really?"

"Tidy up the lab. The Commander needs to confirm the artifact." she ordered.

"Right. I'll get everything set up for your arrival. Project base out."

Dr. Kenson sat back down. "All set. Just sit back and relax. We'll be there in no time."

It was about three hours until I could see lights that could only be the base. Dr. Kenson had dozed for most of it, and I spent the time checking my thigh wound, grateful I had avoided nothing more serious then a few new bruises during my rescue mission besides the nick on my knee, and woofing down some freeze dry food. Using up so much biotic power was really taxing on the personal energy reserves. I had thought about a nap too, but they may not be able to wake me back up within a reasonable amount of time if I gave in, so I forced myself to stay awake. Which was hard, when I could do nothing but star gaze and lose myself in memories.

I shook the doctor awake when the landing docking hanger doors opened for us. She only had to blink a few times before she was fully in control of herself. The auto pilot let us down nice and easy, and we were out.

"Here we are," Dr. Kenson said happily. "Welcome to Project Base."

There wasn't anyone here to greet us, though, which I thought odd. I did noticed the large numbers above the entrance. "What's this?"

"That's our countdown to Arrival," she answered. "When that gets to zero, the Reapers will have come. Just over two days and counting. Puts things in perspective, doesn't it?"

Perspective? I think I just swallowed my heart. "You're saying the Reapers could be at Earth in two days? There's not time to waste."

"Then let's show you that proof," Dr. Kenson said, strolling forward. "This door exits the hanger. The artifact is in our central lab area." I was right on her heels as she lead me through. We talked over some of the details of the Project as we made our way down a couple halls. We passed people, but no one bothered to stop and talk to us, which I thought was also odd. Their leader just came back, days late, minus her crew, and no one thought to question her? Or see if she was alright? Normally there would be at multiple demands I go to the med-bay when I come back from a mission looking like that.

I pushed aside my doubts and focused as we come to a door marked as the central lab. "We have to get the Project running again." I said, knowing that it was unavoidable now. "It's probably the only chance we have."

"One sec, let me get the door," she said as she punched the command into her omni-tool. The doors parted and the first thing I see was a large sculpture filling the space of the door way, even though it was sitting a distance away. A eerie feeling filled my very soul, much like when I had spoken with Sovereign years ago. "Commander Shepard, I give you Object Rho." Dr. Kenson said dramatically, arms spread.

I span around and stared her down. "You have the Reaper artifact just sitting here... out in the open."

She ignored me, her focus on nothing but the towering legs of blackness before her, her face pale in the odd blue light it gave off. "When we found it, it showed me a vision of the Reapers' arrival."

"Kenson, this is not good," I said in warning, stepping back.

"Give it a moment, Laryna. It'll give you the proof you need."

I moved forward to drag her bodily from the room, the center, open space between the arms of the artifact started to gather some kind of energy; it shifted around all blue and black, and in a blink of an eye it engulfed me. My mind's eye filled with the image of the Reapers racing towards the relay. I shook my head violently, and the image faded, and I found myself on my hands and knees, the air flow into my lungs to slow.

"I can't let you start the Project, Laryna," Dr. Kenson's voice said, and I turned my head enough to see she had a gun on me. "I can't let you stop the arrival."

Slightly dizzy, I tried getting to my feet and fell back to one knee instantly. The doctor still had her gun on me, but didn't try to stop me from getting up. I could hear more feet now too, and could see armed men and women filling the room from the far side, clearly prepared for this. Acting on my training, I shot out a hand and grabbed Dr. Kenson's gun hand and gave it a hard twist, forcing her elbow to bend and her fingers to drop the pistol. I held it aggressively at a near bone breaking angle for several long moment while she gasped, but was forced to let her go as the others opened fired on me. I hide behind the glass that separated me from the artifact for cover and watched as she stumbled out of the room, clinging to her arm and shouting over her shoulder to take me down.

The lab's guards moved quickly to both sides of me. I quickly looked around the room but the only other exit was the door everyone was pouring through. I wouldn't likely be able to push my way past so many bodies, even with biotics. I was going to have to make a stand, and I was in the kill zone. I dashed off to my left, where the room was slightly higher then where I was standing. A man grabbed me, and I threw a warp straight at his helmet, and caused it to explode. The next guard behind me was so shocked he missed his chance to also make for a grab and I made for my corner. Using my biotics, I quickly shifted around tables, nice, blissfully thick metal tables, into a semi-circle on their sides around my corner. Then I let out such a fury of warps that everyone that was trying to rush me at that moment were either killed or forced to retreat into cover.

Some of that cover was to close for my liking, I so used several biotic throws to send them flying across the room, hitting several people, but only catching one person when they hit the opposite walls. But I was left with nearly twenty feet of open space in front of me now. I knew I was likely dead; there were already nearly 30 bodies ready to spill my blood in here, and the base was huge, which meant they could throw a lot more at me. I've been in similar situations before, but I knew my odds. No help was coming. I was nearly out of thermal clips. I hadn't recovered from the energy spent on Horizon and Araatoht.

None of that would mean I wouldn't make them pay for it and give me everything they got.

Consumed with a battle rage that I'm sure would had made even Grunt proud, I started to slaughter. I quickly used up my ammo, so I relied mostly on my biotics. There was no pacing to allow proper cooldown times, or really of using combo attacks. It was a barrage of warps. Anything that gave me even a little bit of a target I could curve a warp to take out. The groans and cries of the men and women who fell before me only fueled my fire.

Then the artifact started to whisper to me. Taunted, distracted, and so I took fire. My shields stopped the first several, but they were overwhelmed and I staggered as one grazed my shoulder pad, then another a few inches from the same spot, then several at my midsection, but it wasn't until one hit the armor over my wounded thigh did I dropped to my knees. I allowed myself to be dazed for a few seconds, gasping, before I screamed in anger and jumped back to my feet. I killed another four before I was thrown to my knees again, but this time from an explosion behind me. I was confused until I saw the heavy mech just inside the door across the way. I was lucky it missed me.

Four people had grown bold when I fell again, and were charging at me with hunger in their eyes. I didn't even have to kill them. The heavy mech had opened fire with its machine gun, and mowed them all down for me. People scattered to the walls after that, or back up through the door, to get out of the way. I hide behind my tables, watching dents form that were much deeper then the ones received by the human wielded weapons. They weren't going to be able to take to much of this. Biotics wasn't the most useful thing in the world against large machinery. I could deflect any more missiles if I could get the energy for a barrier, but now that I had slowed down, I was having trouble calling up enough strength to bring it to bear again. They were tiring me out.

Equipped with this knowledge, I just reacted the best way I could. The heavy mech sent another missile at me, and I used my biotics not to deflect the blow or stop it, but nudge it just enough to turn it around. And to my astonishment, it worked. The missile flipped and its thrusters sent it straight back at its owner. The resulting explosion was wonderful.

Not that I was given time to savior it at all. As soon as the worst of the mech's parts were done falling, those hiding in the room all opened fired on me again. I would have just ducked into cover but at the same moment the artifact attacked my mind. My vision dulled, my movements slowed, and I felt myself being showered with blows. This time I wasn't so lucky for my armor to stop it all. I felt a bullet pierce through my shoulder, another right below my right breast. I collapsed before any more managed to get through, and I laid gasping, lost in the pain from my body's wounds, and of my mind from the artifact's attack.

No one approached for me for at least two minutes, which I found fulfilling even in my state. Then a pair of ragged boots came into my vision, and I must have been shifted onto my back because I was then looking up at Dr. Kenson and I certainly didn't have the energy to have done that myself. Her eyes were all aglow in my darkened sight, and I could see shadows behind her.

"Take her to the med bay and patch her up. We want Shepard alive." I think I heard her say, but that didn't make any sense. Then all became dark.

A voice invaded into my head, and I panicked until I realized it wasn't inside my mind, but I was hearing it. "...like Shepard was waking up a moment ago," the voice was saying. "But it could be a glitch in the system."

That didn't make any sense, I thought. I opened my eyes and had to shut them again quickly from the blinding light right above me. I waited a few seconds and tried again, and found it easier. I turned my head slightly and saw a woman pacing nearby with a tablet in her hand. Her short cropped blonde hair reminded me of a friend I used to have, but I couldn't recall her name. I started to sit up and pain shocked through my body. I grabbed myself and gasped a bit, but managed to get into a full sitting position.

"No glitch. The sedatives aren't working!" the woman said, her voice underlined with fear. "Security!" She yelled as she ran from the room.

Two armed guards came charging into the room, and it was the sight of guns that caused me to remember what happened. Recklessly I ignored the weapons they were lifting and punched them both as hard as I could. I could feel the skin on my knuckles break and I smeared blood on their helmets, but I caused both to fall. I quickly snatched a gun and popped them both in the head and started for the door. A kinetic barrier blocked my way though. The woman I had noticed earlier stood on the other side of an observation glass, looking smug.

Turning my back to her, I went about examining the room. It was split into two parts; the room in which I was being held drugged, and a small observation and records room. Waking up in such a place twice in barely than a month wasn't playing well with my ego.

The most interesting thing I managed to find was a console that connected to several security mechs in the next room from which I was barred. There was also log recordings, increasing my discomfort. I hit play anyway.

"The Project is almost complete. I thought I'd feel a sense of accomplishment, but instead...I feel dread." It was Dr. Kenson's voice. "I can't help but think we're doing something terrible."

"Step away from the terminal," the blonde woman ordered over speaker. I gave no hint that I even noticed her speak. I glanced over the controls, and found the activation for the mechs. "Security! I need back up in the med bay!"

I had to quickly enter some instructions to the mechs uploads. Engineering was never really my thing, but I had worked to pick up a thing or two. I watched in satisfaction as one came to life and instantly pulled it's weapon, opening fire on the woman who locked me in here. She also had a pistol, but it was quickly clear she didn't know how to properly use it, and the programmed accuracy of the mech brought her down in just a few shots.

The next step was harder. I needed to get the mech to open the door. I typed in a few lines of code and watched in horror as the mech leveled its gun away from the door controls and start firing somewhere off to it's left. Cursing, I was just starting to add a new line when there was a small explosion and my mech went down, but the door also sprung open. I cautiously exited the room, and saw the mech had hit a canister on the wall that must have held something flammable, and the resulting damage was enough to trigger a fail safe on the door, popping it open for me.

I'll take that dumb luck anyday.

"Shepard's escaped!" Kenson reported over loud speakers. "All available personnel to the medical wing!"

Okay, enough standing around. I could see my armor and weapons stacked neatly on a table nearby. I strapped everything on as quickly as I could without missing a latch. "Not much time," I mumbled to myself as I worked. "I have to get this asteroid moving and get the hell out of here." There was a countdown clock in here as well, and according to it, I was out nearly two days. There was less than two hours before Reapers reached this cluster, and then would be able to use the mass relay to start their attack.

The base had answered Dr. Kenson's call, though. As soon as I left the med bay, I was met with resistance. The lack of training was obvious, though, and most of the indoctrinated agents I came across fell quickly. I was moving easily; they had treated my wounds while I was under, and I was going to make them pay for it in blood. The Reapers would not get the best of me this day! Their curiosity about me would cost them the relay.

This place was larger than I had estimated, but it wasn't throwing as many people at me as before. I must have taken down more then I realized before I was captured. It still took me longer than I wanted to find the control room, and it was the most heavily defended, but I wasn't to be denied now.

"Welcome to Project Control," said a VI as I walked up to the main panel after dropping my last opponent.

"I want to activate the Project," I replied breathlessly.

"Warning," it responded, bringing up a diagram of the cluster, the mass relay dominating the 3D image. "Activating the Project will result in an estimated three hundred and five thousand casualties. Do you wish to continue?"

Horrified by the scope of what I was about to do, I took a couple steps back, hanging my head. Shit! Steeling my nerves, I moved forward and tapped the panel, causing it to light from red to green. Within moments the base was shaking as thrusters from all over the asteroid, including several visible from my window, flared to life at once.

"Project activation in progress," the VI dutifully reported. "Warning. Collision with mass relay is imminent. Begin evacuation procedures."

I stood a moment, resigned to my own fate on this rock, before I saw the station also had a broadcasting uplink. Desperate, I opened a channel that showed the extensive reaching range. "Alert: All colonists living in the Bahak system: This is…"

But my broadcast was suddenly cut, and a video link from Dr. Kenson appeared on my screen. "Shepard! No! Do you have any idea what you've done? You leave me no choice. If we can't stop this asteroid, it must be destroyed!" And her image disappeared. What was she up to?

"Tell me where to find Doctor Amanda Kenson," I demanded of the VI.

A new image appeared before me. "Doctor Kenson is traveling to the reactor core module."

"An eezo core meltdown should do it," Dr. Kenson said, cutting back in again. "Because of you, everyone on this rock will be obliterated!"

"Not if I get to you first," I growled.

Taking another look at the map, I hurried from the room. I met with resistance again, but the quality of the attacks haven't increased, so I was able to push on quickly. My leg was starting to complain now, and I'm pretty sure the friction I was feeling in my suit was due to my stomach wound opening and the blood was causing some chafing, but I forced it all into the background of my focus. Instead I thought of my planet, and the other homeworlds, and all the faces of the people I cared about, many of switch I did not know the location of.

I cannot fail here.

Nearing the core hub, I spotted my target through a glass wall from the room I was passing through that looked into my target location. We both stopped and look hard at the other for a long moment.

"Don't try to stop me, Shepard," Dr. Kenson ordered, pointing at me to stress her authority. "I have to do this."

A quick study of the glass suggested I would be unlikely to break through. "I already activated the Project," I appealed. "We can still escape this rock!"

She hesitated a moment, looking at her feet, before turning on her heel to approach the core's outer divide. "There is no escape," she said softly, leaning against the railing. And then harder. "There's no redemption for what you've done. I will die never having seen the Reaper's blessing." And she turned on her heel to stare at me hard, her features harsh. "And you will just die."

"Damnit, Kenson," I shouted as she continued to make her way to the core. Before I could follow in earnest, more attackers came through the door I needed to gain on her. A couple opened fire to force me into cover, and I could see one turn around to hard lock the door.

"Shepard is trapped. Keep her in there!" Dr. Kenson ordered over the speakers.

I was able to quickly dispatch the men, but there was no way I could figure out this door in a timely matter. I would have to back trace, find another route. I drew a few lines in the air, recalling the map I studied in the control center, trying to recall it enough to choose another path. Hoping my wits haven't abandoned me, I ran back they way I came.

My memory didn't fail me, but it simply ate up to much time. Alarms started going off, the VI confirming a meltdown in progress. I found the nearest console and brought it off standby.

"How do I stabilize the reactor core?"

A blue print came up on one of the monitors. "All automatic safety protocols have been overridden. To stabilize the reactor core: Manually insert Cooling Rod A from this control station. Manually insert Cooling Rod B from Control Station B. Doing so will stabilize the reactor core."

I grabbed the top of the cooling rod and spun it with all my might until it unlocked and I was able to ease it down into it's base. Once it was flush, I turned it back again, locking it in place with a grunt.

"Cooling Rod A reinserted. Reactor cooling process has began."

"I need more time," Dr. Kenson growled over the speakers. "Get in there!"

Haven't I killed everyone yet? I made my way through the curved hallway to the second control station, but only a few people attacked me. Maybe they were finally about depleted. I leaped the few steps into the room and repeated the process with the second cooling rod as I had the first.

"Cooling Rod B reinserted. Reactor is stabilizing."

Letting out the breath I was holding, I bustled out of the room and further down the hall where I believed there should have been another entrance into the core room. I was right, and I drew my nearly depleted pistol and leveled it on Dr. Kenson as I approached her from behind.

"Step away from the reactor," I demanded.

"You've ruined everything!" she cried, her hands clawing the air in front of her. "I can't hear the whispers anymore."

"Turn around. Now!"

She slowly pushed herself away from the console. "You've taken them away from me. I will never see the Reaper's arrival." She finally turned around, lifting her arm in the process. She had a detonator in her hand. I stiffened. "All you had to do was stay asleep. None of this had to happen."

My finger tightened marginally on the gun, but I deemed shooting her to risky and lowered my gun. "Kenson!" I plead. "You don't have to do this! We can get off this asteroid!"

"No," she disagreed. "We cannot." And hit the switch.

I attempted to make for the door, but was to slow. I was thrown from my feet, hitting a steel wall, and collasped. I can't say how long I was like that. My head throbbed, my hair was distracting, tickling my nose, and the VI for the station was saying something, trying to cut through the fog of my conscience.

"Warning," I finally heard. "Collision imminent."

Oh. That made sense. I guess whatever Dr. Kenson tried to do, it wasn't able to stop the Project, afterall. I struggled to my feet and made for the console she had used. Her lifeless body was several feet away, heavily charred, but I didn't waste more than a glance in her direction.

I opened another comm channel, knowing the address by heart. "Joker," I croaked, and paused to clear my throat. "This Shepard. I need a pick up. Now."

"Communication system damaged," the VI reported.

"Damnit!" I cursed, pushing myself angrily away.

"Evacuation protocols in effect," it continued. "All personnel report to escape shuttles."

"Where can I find an escape shuttle?"

"Take the lift from this room to the external access," it advised, and I started moving. "From there, proceed to the communications tower. The remaining escape shuttle will be located on the tower's land pad."

I have to get to that comm tower and take a shuttle. It's my only change.

Pausing only long enough to make sure my helmet was secure for the lack of oxygen outside, I made my way out and nearly howled in anger. The space was huge, varies smaller out building dotting the docking area, crates everywhere, and what was likely the rest of the team that had assisted Dr. Kenson. The tower, easily spotted, was on the far side of the bay. The mass relay dominated the sky.

For a moment, nothing happened. They stared at me while I mentally took note of numbers and distances for cover. Only when I made a break for the closest did they snap out of it and open fire on me. My shields managed to hold as I made the first cover, my biotics flaring to life as I started to return fire. I kept my sidearm out of play for the moment. It was gusty as hell out here and I didn't want to risk missing any of the few shots I had left. A warp was much less easy to take off course with the wind. The cover worked in their favor too, though, and a lot of attacks missed their targets connecting with hard surfaces.

"No!" I head someone shout after awhile. "That's the last shuttle!"

I slumped against my cover and closed my eyes. I must be trying to defy fate. Everything that can go wrong nearly has. I was going to die here if I couldn't get to that tower. The Normandy was my last chance, and I didn't have much time to get a ride before our escape would be cut off completely, and they would just end up dying with me.

Hanging on to my determination, I continued to fight and push forward. When an atlas lumbered into view, and I gave it a long stare of despair for charging it recklessly, sidestepping a missile smoothly and, using some biotic energy to launch myself into the air, landed on the cockpit shield. The guy inside startled wildly, causing the atlas to shake, before I amp-ed up and smashed through the yellow shield and through his visor. I barely pulled my bloody hand free and got clear before the entire thing toppled over.

No one challenged me after that.

I made my way swiftly to the comm tower, and opened a generalize external comm request, and used my suit communications to reach out. "Shepard to Normandy. Joker, do you read me?"

There was a brief click of an answering comm, but it was cut off as a large, familiar hologram took up the space above a nearby landing pad. It looked like Sovereign, but it spoke with the voice that had came from the biotic Collectors from Horizons.

"Shepard," the voice thundered, even above the force of the winds. I found myself slowly walking towards it. "You have become an annoyance. You fight against inevitability. Dust struggling against cosmic winds. This seems a victory to you. A star system sacrificed. But even now, your greatest civilizations are doomed to fall. Your leaders will beg to serve us."

I stared up into the face of my enemy, and shrugged. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we can't win this. But we'll fight you regardless, just like we did Sovereign. Just like I'm doing now. However 'insignificant' we might be, we will fight, we will sacrifice, and we will find a way. That's what humans do!"

"Know this as you die in vain: Your time will come. Your species will fall. Prepare yourselves for the Arrival." And thus the hologram faded away. I turned and looked at the mass relay, knowing it was to late. If I contacted the Normandy now, it would never get here in time to also escape. I was about to open comms anyway, just to send my farewells, when it crackled on first.

"Commander Shepard. Normandy inbound for pick-up."

"Roger that," I replied, already running for an opening that I could use. The ship pulled along side the landing pad, and I made an easy jump into the airlock. I was barely able to control myself as I waited for the standard disinfection to run it's course, and I broke through the doors at a run when they finally let me fully inside my ship.

"Get us out of here, Joker!" I shouted as I bull rushed the cockpit. I stood and watched our approach, my pilot expertly making the tight turn to properly engage the mass relay for the jump, and held on to the back of his chair as the ship spirited it's way to another destination.

Then I fainted.

I was confided to the med bay for days afterwards. The only thing Dr. Chakwas would allow me to do was type up my report for Admiral Hackett. He paid me a visit before I had it finished.

He had caught me unawares as he entered the bay, and I stiffly went to get up to provide the proper respect his rank was due, but he waved me down.

"Commander," the admiral said in his strong voice, taking a at ease stance in front of me. "Considering you went on this mission as a personal request to me, I thought it only fair I debriefed you in person. That was before the mass relay exploded and destroyed an entire batarian system. What the hell happened out there, Commander?"

Forcing myself to get up without winching, I handed him the datapad I had been working on. It was as complete as I could make it, at this point. "I confirmed Dr. Kenson's proof. The Reapers were coming, and destroying that relay was the only way to stop them." I took a deep breath. "Kenson sedated me for almost two days. I started the engines with little more than an hour left. I tried to warn the batarian colony, but...time ran out."

"The batarians report no survivors from Aratoht. At least you tried."

I swallowed hard.

Suppressing a sigh, and turned his back to me and paced a few feet away. "And you believe the Reaper invasion really was a threat?"

"No doubt about it," I replied forcefully, closing some of that distance he created between us. "We literally had minutes to spare."

He turned back around. "I'm sure all the details are in your report. I won't lie to you, Shepard: the batarians will want blood and there's just enough evidence for a witch hunt. And we don't want war with the batarians. Not with the Reapers at the galaxy's edge."

"What are you saying?"

"You did what you did for the best of reasons, but...there were more than three hundred thousand batarians in that system. All dead."

"They died to save trillions of lives," I countered, though the guilt I had been trying to bury was digging its way out again. "If I could have saved them, you bet your ass I would have!"

Hackett's voice was very firm in his reply. "You're preaching to the choir, Commander. If it were up to me, I'd give you a damn medal." Then he did sigh. "Unfortunately, not everyone will see it that way."

I knew that would be the case. "So what do you suggest?"

He thought about it a moment. "Evidence against you is shoddy, at best. But at some point, you'll have to go to Earth and face the music. I can't stop it...but I can and will make them fight for it."

"I'll gladly stand trail once this mission is done," I promised.

"Glad to see working with Cerberus hasn't stripped away your sense of honor. Do whatever you have to do out here. But when Earth calls, you make sure you're there with your dress blues on, ready to take the hit. In the meantime…" He hands me back my report. "You keep this. I don't need to see your report to know you did the right thing."

"Yes, sir."

"You've done a hell of a thing, Commander." And the admiral left without another word.