The sun that had been setting for a while now had now officially settled as they made their way over to Thane's location. A relative darkness casted over Nos Astra, but that did not mean the city was quiet and peaceful. No, the city was still vibrant with life. There were hundreds of lights that lit the city to the point that it was visible from orbit.

The traffic hadn't decreased in the slightest either. There were hundreds, nay thousands of skycars that drove around the city, going from one destination to the other. It was a pretty sight to many, but for Donovan, he barely paid any attention to it. Instead, he kept his eyes on the gargantuan buildings ahead of him.

His skycar was piloted by Seryna, an asari that knows the location of Thane and who was currently being followed by another one that had Garrus, Sidonis, Quinlin, and Miranda in it. The occupants besides himself and Seryna were Dr. Mordin and Argus Heravan who was now cladded in black and red armor that was a bit bulkier than what the three other turians were wearing with a helmet that had some ancient-looking marking written on the side of it in his lap.

Donovan hadn't really seen armor like his before and had asked where he had gotten it only to be told that it was the standard turian saboteurs' armor with only a few modifications. They weren't vital modifications apparently, but neither were they useless, they were just some simple changes that made life easier for him supposedly.

As Seryna steered the car to their left, Donovan took a couple of deep breaths. He could already see the Dantius Towers up ahead. One was still under construction and looked to be halfway done presenting their best opportunity to get inside while the other one appeared to have no construction whatsoever.

His deep breathing did not go unnoticed, for the salarian who was sitting behind him said with a tinge of concern in his voice. "Heartbeat quickening, temperature slowly rising, is everything alright, Commander?"

"I'm fine," he assured quickly as he glanced over his shoulder before turning his gaze back to the towers ahead of them. "I'm just a little nervous. It's been a long time since I've seen some action so I'm a little anxious."

As Mordin contemplated his words, Argus said in a bit of an amused manner. "Never thought I'd hear that from you, Commander Shepard. From what I've heard you're a fearless soldier who isn't afraid of anything and doesn't have the word fear in their vocabulary."

"I don't see why people would think that," Donovan confessed as he frowned. "I'm not a god or anything like that, I'm just a man trying to live a long and prosperous life."

At this, Argus said with a laugh. "Looks like you're in the wrong occupation then."

"Indeed," Mordin affirmed with a nod of his head. "Suggest work at a clinic or restaurant, chances of getting killed at one of those are significantly lower compared to your current occupation."

"I'm sure they are, but we both know I can't do that." Replied Donovan as he looked to his right and out the window.

"Not true, but also not wrong given what is going on throughout the galaxy," Mordin stated in response.

"Mmm," The former Citadel Spectre hummed as they started to make their descent to the landing pad causing the skycar that had been tailing them to do the same.

"Anyways, is there anything else we should know about Nassana and her security force?" Argus inquired as he looked at Seryna.

"Besides what I've already told you?" She asked in response as she slowed their speed down and gradually brought the skycar to a stop. "No, there isn't much else you should know about them."

Although Donovan had some doubts and believed she was holding out some information, Donovan said as they finally came to a stop. "Well, thank you for helping us. It truly means a lot."

"Don't mention it." Seryna claimed as the skycar's doors open and the three began to disembark. "And uh, I'll make sure to keep you being back alive a secret, Commander Shepard."

At this, Donovan merely nodded his thanks as Argus finished exiting the vehicle. He didn't say it, but he didn't like how practically everyone he was coming across was finding out he was Commander Shepard, but he couldn't blame them since he was a very well renowned human.

Once he was out and a foot or two away from the vehicle, Seryna had the doors closed and drove off, leaving the three of them there as Garrus landed the skycar he had been driving not far from where they were.

They then began to exit the skycar, and as they did Shepard and the rest of them approached them while Argus equipped his helmet.

"So, what now Shepard?" Garrus queried as he looked at Donovan while the skycar's doors closed behind him. "We go in guns blazing or we try going in quietly?"

As Donovan opened his mouth to respond gunshots could be heard causing him and everybody around him to direct his attention to where they had heard the noise only to see through a glass wall a couple of salarians running through a large room and past another salarian who had been hiding behind a support beam.

One of the salarians that was trying to escape whoever it was attacking them didn't make it and ended up getting gunned down in the middle of open prompting the one that had been hiding to try running, but even he didn't manage to get away from the attackers and was killed as well.

Shortly after the salarian had fallen, four FENRIS mechs revealed themselves along with several LOKI mechs and a handful of Eclipse mercenaries. They didn't notice the Commander and his group at first, and seemed more interested in firing at the fleeing salarians, but it wasn't long after one of the FENRIS mechs looked in their direction and began to charge causing some of the shooters to turn their gazes towards them.

"Looks like we're going loud!" Quinlin yelled as he and the others pulled their weapons out and began to trade fire with the Eclipse and LOKI mechs that had fired on them.

"How long has it been?" He wondered as blood pounded in his ears as he pressed against the wall with his weapon in hand. His heart thudded in his chest as his hands shook feverishly and his feet tingled. His vision was slightly disfigured making it seem like he was looking through a fisheye's lens and his breathing was heavy and fast.

"Am I going to die again?" He asked as he glanced down slightly.

In front of him, crouched down with their hand firmly on his shoulder and their omni-tool out, was Dr. Mordin Solus who was saying something to him. He couldn't make out what the salarian was saying, but the expression he carried made it look urgent.

"I don't wanna die, not again." He thought as he glanced to his left in a somewhat sluggish manner. He saw what looked like turian pop out of cover and fire several rounds before popping back into cover and reloading his weapon. He then saw said turian look down in Mordin's direction and shout something along the lines of, 'What's wrong with him!?' but he wasn't certain of this.

As Mordin responded, Donovan shifted his attention elsewhere and saw two more people that looked like turians not far from where he was taking cover behind some large boxes and occasionally jumping out of said cover to fire several rounds at their attackers.

"God, why did I freeze back there like an idiot?" He wondered as he began to frown a little. "I should have ran to cover like the rest of them, but instead I just... I just froze like an animal caught in headlights."

His eyes didn't linger on them for long, for the salarian soon forced him to direct his attention in front of him and said something as an explosion went off several meters away from them.

The explosion caused Mordin to wince and turn his attention to where it had transpired before redirecting it back at Shepard who seemed to be enthralled by the blast and flames.

"Commander Shepard." He faintly heard as he shook causing him to shift his gaze towards the salarian that had their hands on him. "Need to pull yourself together, blood pressure needs to drop along with heart rate, or else problems will occur."

At this, Donovan blinked as he looked down at the place he had believed he had gotten shot only to see after a couple of seconds of staring no bullet holes at all.

"... I'm okay." He thought as his vision became a bit clearer and the loud thumping noise he had been hearing slowly started to vanish. "I'm okay."

"Wonderful, both blood pressure and heart rate slowly returning to normal," Mordin stated after a few seconds of staring at his omni-tool before looking up and saying with a smile forming. "Well done, Commander Shepard."

"Sorry, I uh, I had just pulled out my gun and then I uh, I uh, I froze." Donovan claimed in an apologetic manner as he put his hand on his forehead and tried to concentrate while bullets whizzed past them.

"Nothing to worry about, simply breathe and gather your thought." Mordin told him as he continued to smile positively.

As Donovan did just that, Argus, the turian that was next to him said as he reloaded his rifle and looked at them. "I take it everything is okay now?"

"Yes, what Commander Shepard experience was something along the lines of what many would call a panic attack. Was to be expected, and should be fine now." Mordin proclaimed as he looked up at the turian.

"Spirits, and you didn't think this was something I should have known about?" Argus demanded as he glared at Shepard.

"... I didn't think I'd have one." The Commander admitted in a slightly sheepish voice as he avoided his gaze. "I had done everything to prepare for a fight, but the moment they just started shooting at us and I got hit I just-"

"You don't need to explain it all to me just pick up your weapon and help me take these guys down." Argus interrupted as he looked away and peeked out of cover and saw one of the Eclipse mercenaries take a sniper round to the forehead which made the man snap his head back and somewhat slowly fall backwards.

After exhaling loudly through his nose, Donovan dropped his gaze a bit and looked at the black helmet with a red stripe that was sitting right next to him for about a second before picking it up and putting it on his head.

Upon securing it, he got up off of his ass and took a deep breath. He was feeling trepidatious and a little scared, but he did his best to shake these things off.

"I've faced worse, and survived worse, remember that Donovan." He whispered to himself multiple times before exhaling loudly and saying in a loud tone. "Alright, Argus do you mind moving back a little so I can take a look and see where the enemies are and how many we're up against?"

"Be my guest," Argus insisted as he moved back and gestured for him to take his place.

"Thank you," Donovan affirmed as he took his position at the edge of the cover they were hiding behind. Once he was there, he lifted his hand to the side of his head and said, "Garrus can you provide me some covering fire? I'm going to take a peek and would prefer if I didn't get lit up while doing so."

"Of course," He professed before asking. "I take it you're all good now?"

"I believe so," Donovan asserted earning a chuckle from the turian. "Anyways, I'm going to poke my head out now, so be sure to give me covering fire."

"Will do." The former C-Sec agent assured.

"We'll also provide you some covering fire," Sidonis proclaimed which prompted Shepard to look in their direction and see Quinlin give him a thumbs up.

Seeing this made Donovan smile a bit, but that smile did not last for long, and was quickly replaced by a stern look.

"Okay, let's see what we got out here."

Jacob couldn't help from feeling a little nervous as he entered the engine room. He hadn't really spoken with Shepard's girlfriend, Tali'Zorah, and was hoping he could remedy that by talking to her while having a meal.

"Just be sure to make it obvious that this isn't me asking her out or anything like that, and that I'm just wanting to get to better acquainted with her. Do that, and we shouldn't have any problems." Thought Jacob as he looked up expecting to see Tali only to see that her station was vacant.

"Uh..." He began in a confused manner as he looked at the two engineers that were on the starboard side of the ship.

"Do you guys know where Tali is?" He then asked with curiosity laced to his voice.

"She's below us with the twins, they wanted something to do, so she's teaching them a few things about how the Normandy runs and whatnot." Ken answered as he pointed to the exit that was behind him and Gabby with his thumb.

"I see, thank you," Jacob proclaimed before backing up while turning around and walking out of the room. He wasn't entirely sure how he didn't hear them earlier but assumed it was because he wasn't paying attention.

Once out of the room and the door shut behind him, Jacob proceeded to walk down the steps of stairs and faintly heard one of the twins say.

"So I just need to turn it this way?"

This was followed by Tail saying as he almost reached the end of the steps. "Yes, you just need to turn it until it tightens."

"Got it." The twin affirmed before beginning to turn whatever it was he was holding and grunting a bit while doing so.

As he did this, Tali glanced in Jacob's direction as the twin with a blue tinge in his hair watched his brother.

"Tali," Jacob greeted as he approached the three of them which prompted the twins to stop what they were doing at the moment and look at him.

"... Jacob." She somewhat begrudgingly said in response as she turned to face him and crossed her arms while doing so.

"So, it has come to my attention that we haven't really properly gotten ourselves acquainted with one another, and I was wondering if you wanna fix that by having dinner with me." Jacob stated as he rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but seeing as we're going to be fighting alongside one another I figured you-"

"I'm going to have to pass on that offer, Jacob." Tali proclaimed in a slightly curt manner. "I'm right now helping Eli and Ellos and have already eaten, so I must turn you down."

"Understandable, sorry for interrupting you guys." Jacob declared after a couple of seconds as he started to back up. "Another time then, Tali?"

"... Sure." Tali answered after thinking about it for several seconds.

"Alright cool," he affirmed with a smile as he turned around and began to make his way to the stairs. "I'll see you guys around."

After hoping back into cover, Donovan put his index and middle finger to the side of his helmet and said.

"Alright so, here's the plan. Myself and Mordin are going to move up from where we are to the wall while Argus provides covering fire. Sidonis, Quinlin you two are also going to give us some covering fire while Miranda moves up on your side. Once we're over there and assuming Garrus picked off a couple more of them, we're going to make a push on what remains of them. It'll be risky since the corridor has no cover, but we can't afford to stay here, we have to get to Thane."

"I'll definitely take a few more of them out, Shepard. Just be sure you don't get yourself killed making that push. We don't need you dying again on us." Garrus stated in a somewhat amused manner.

"I'm glad you're able to make jokes about me dying, Garrus. It brings me so much joy." Donovan claimed sarcastically with a roll of his eyes before taking his hand off of his helmet and lifting his rifle up.

"I know you two like to try one-upping each other, but can we focus on the mission at hand?" Miranda inquired with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Relax, Ms. Lawson, it's nothing but a bit of friendly banter, nothing to freak out about." Garrus insisted.

"Anyways, on my go, we do this." Donovan declared as he checked to make sure he had a fully loaded clip and Mordin moved behind him.

"Copy!"

"Understood!"

"Ready when you are!"

Once all of his companions acknowledged the plan and sound off, Donovan took a deep breath. He was nervous and was beginning to have second thoughts, but shook them off and said, "damnit. If I don't do this, then I'll never move on!"

Steeling his heart as best he could, Donovan said before rounding the corner. "Go!"

Note From Author: I had more, but ended up cutting it because this will be like the previous chapter and have parts, so it'll be in the next chapter. With that said, I take my leave because I am not feeling good and would like to lay down. Thank you for reading and see yall in the next update.