MASS EFFECT: CHASM

CHAPTER 5

The apartment's bedroom artificial light slowly intensified to the desired setting that morning around 0500. Zalena stirred from her slumber by the awakening till she gained full consciousness. Her brown eyes opened and she felt the warmth of Kaidan's chest propping her head up like a pillow. She snuggled up against his skin in the wake of the afterglow. The two were up late the night before well into the twilight hours enjoying one another's company before the departure that day. Her agenda preplanned for her by the Alliance with her consent. After all, she was still a Spectre. The title didn't end after Saren's demise.

Kaidan picked up on her movement and lowered his head to gently give the top of her hair a light kiss. "Sleepy head."

She looked up at him with a coy smile. "I wonder why." Stretching upwards, she met his lips with her own. "How long have you been awake?"

"For a little while. I was watching you sleep. You were so peaceful," His eyes flickered with great affection. "I bet you needed this, Commander."

"Kaidan, don't be so formal all the time," She laughed as she kissed him again before pivoting her body to sit up on the bed's edge, swinging her legs over to plant her feet on the plush sky-blue carpet.

"Hey!" He chased after her playfully, nipping her neck. "Do you have to go already?"

Tilting her head to the left to allow him more access to her skin, she let out a pleasurable moan. "Don't tempt me, Lieutenant."

"Being formal with me, Zalena?" He breathed hotly into her ear slowly, using her words against her. The feel of his breath sent shivers up her body.

"I have a meeting with the captain in two hours," She gently pulled away to remind him and herself. "I need a shower desperately."

"I'll go with you," He chimed in as he watched her naked form raise from the bed. The curves of her body were intoxicating to him and he found himself transfixed upon them as he followed her out like a moth to a flame.

She twirled around on her heel and stopped him spiritedly. "Nuh-uh," She cooed at him softly. "I will never get out of here if you do." A beat. "That's an order."

Defeated, he sighed. "Fine. I'll just stand and admire the view."

"Of the Presidium?" She teased, glancing towards the shuttered window. The Council graciously gave her an apartment that overlooked the Presidium for her stay following their rescue until her leave. She was going to miss the luxury. The few days she and Alenko had together went by too fast and she felt herself completely in love with the black-haired man. They spent nearly the day before in bed together. She never felt so right with a partner before. He knew all her sensitive places and knew just what spots to touch or kiss. His stamina matched hers and they often found themselves in competition against one another underneath the sheets.

"Sure… of the krogan statute," Alenko chuckled as he played along. "It is a wonder to look at."

"Incoming message," The apartment's computer announced the arrival of a message to her private terminal.

Concerned, she deviated her path away from the bathroom and to the other room where the small office was that housed the terminal. Sitting down, she wiggled from the cold feel of the chair against her naked body before she tapped a few screens to reach her new messages. It was from Venari Pallin, the head of C-Sec. "I looked into the case on the diplomat, T'Zemi. I'm sorry, Commander, but that area of C-Sec was hit the hardest during the attack by Saren. We lost all the bodies in the morgue before the scan you requested could be done. If you need anything else, please reach out to me."

"Damnit!" Zalena growled in frustration. She asked for the scan to be done on a much-needed basis, but it appeared even her status didn't make C-Sec move any faster. "No wonder Garrus left," She fumed silently. It took every ounce of her being to restrain herself from replying back angrily and call out their negligence by the delay and remind them of who they were dealing with. That wasn't like her as much as she wanted to.

"What is it?" Alenko was at the door, now with his pants on. A look of worry creased over his brow.

"That was the Executor. Apparently, they lost T'Zemi's body by the attack with Saren."

"They got the scan, right?"

She shook her head. "You would think that."

Kaidan remained silent for a few seconds while he gathered his thoughts. "Well, at least Saren is dead; we don't have to worry about him controlling anyone else." He offered with positivity.

"Let's hope." She moved away from her desk. Her mind flashed to their fatal encounter with the disturbed asari. Of all the mind-controlled beings by Saren, she was the most concerning. Her behavior was very out of pattern. "I need to talk to Anderson. I don't like this."

Shepard walked up to Anderson's small office and pressed the chime right on time of her meeting. Punctuality was everything to her. "Come on in, Commander," Anderson's voice came through the intercom that greeted her. He already knew it was her before verifying. His office was on the same level as the ambassador's, but not as large or lavish. Despite her endorsement to mark Anderson as the first council member for humanity, Udina resented the choice due to his own personal ambitions and was steadfast on holding his position in the election. The process was in the early stages and the final selection would be made in the months to come. Certain procedures had to be done and the Council had a laundry list of regulations.

The Captain was behind his desk with two cups of coffee seated in front of him. He looked exhausted. "Couldn't sleep, captain?" She asked, noting his double shots.

He picked up on where she was going and chuckled. "Never a dull moment since the attack. Between the cleanup efforts, theft and the election check-list, I'm just not sure how to fit it all into my day sometimes."

"Theft?" She targeted one thing that stood up from his comment.

"I know this is C-Sec's problem, but if I'm going to be the councilor one day, I need to stay on top of this." He put down the datapad that he was skimming over prior to her arrival. "Pieces of Sovereign were scattered all over the wards after he was destroyed. The keepers are assisting more than expected. It was as if they were activated or something. That's a mystery for another day, I suppose. Hard to tell how many there are to account for, but C-Sec is running into more issues with the black market and vendors trying to sell the salvage on their own."

"Sell? Black market?" This baffled Zalena. "What the hell for?"

"They have seen plain salvage to be used for ship parts to trinkets, to even fertility aids for krogan," He sighed in exasperation. "You name it and they are selling it for that. C-Sec is really having a time cracking down on it. They lost a lot of good men by the attack itself and we are still finding bodies…the body count is staggering."

"Any of it going off the station?"

Anderson shrugged honestly. "Hard to say…If I was betting, then I would say yes. Once it leaves here, well that's another problem. Who goes after it?"

"Do you want me to track this, sir?" Zalena offered dutifully. Many of her crewmates such as Wrex, and Tali moved on after the attack to their own private agendas, but she knew they would lend a hand if she asked them to. Despite his ill love to Citadel Security, Garrus stayed to help out with search and recovery. Zalena did the same for the first three days, but after finding multiple dead mangled corpses of all ages every day, it was taking a toll on her. She began to experience nightmares. One so gruesome that it contained bloodied children all around her. A violent and horrific sight. She had to step back. With all her years of combat experience, she never seen such a travesty.

"No," Anderson stood up from his desk and walked over to hand her another datapad. "This came in from Admiral Hackett yesterday. The Alliance is sending fleets out to take out the rest of the pockets of Geth. There has been no indication on their movement that they are retreating back to the Veil. It seems a bit…unusual."

Zalena remained quiet as she scanned over the memo requesting her aid. "With Saren gone, you'd think they would have no reason to be here," She finally broke her silence.

"That was my assumption too."

"Why didn't Hackett reach out to me directly?" It seemed a bit odd that the admiral made no attempts to speak with her like he did while she was pursuing Saren. She helped him every time he asked without hesitation. She had other responsibilities, but she never would forget her roots and he knew that.

"I wanted to ask you myself, Shepard," Her former Captain's words rang true and soft. "As a favor. I know your assignment was to head to Arcturus for a final check-in with the Normandy since the mission is over. I have approved an indefinite extension and the admiral signed off on it."

The news clutched her interest greatly. She quickly looked up at him in confusion. "Sir?" The idea of her having the Normandy at her will was not what she expected at all today.

The man gently smiled at her by the surprise. "I know I told you before when you were going after the Saren that the ship was yours. She has served you well and I don't think I want to turn her over to anyone else. I know that you will take great care of her, Shepard."

"I'm truly honored, sir," Zalena staggered with her response, the shock still didn't wear off. "I will advise my crew that we are going Geth hunting."

Anderson nodded his head then returned to his desk. "Is there anything else that you need from me, Commander?"

Zalena thought back to her earlier conversation that morning with Alenko. "I wanted to speak with you about the asari that confronted us out on the Presidium: Diplomat T'Zemi. I received word today from C-Sec that they lost her body to Sovereign's attack before the neuro scan could be completed. Her behavior was out of pattern compared to others that I have encountered that followed Saren."

Her sudden change in their subject baffled him. "Speak your mind, Shepard. You know I will always listen to what you have to say."

"Thank you, sir," She relaxed her composure a bit, then continued, "Those that I encountered had some close tie to Saren right before I engaged them and the timing was current as well. The timeframe between Saren's last arrival to the Citadel and the date of the attack is very lengthy compared to the others. Plus, at the time, he was on Ilos. I don't see how he could maintain a hold that powerful so far away."

"I reviewed the data you put in your report from the test subjects on Virmire," The captain was up to speed on everything. "Saren's indoctrination…did she behave like the salarians?"

She thought for a second. "One salarian did mimic her behavior. He was desperate to flee his cell despite his impaired mental status."

"With Saren gone, hopefully, we won't have to worry about this."

"I think Sovereign played into it, sir," Shepard pursued her own conclusion. "There are more Reapers out there."

"Don't think that I don't believe you, Shepard. You know that you always have my support." He could see the look of frustration all over her face. She wanted to know the answer and yet, was tasked to do something else. "Tell you what. You focus on the Geth and I'll see what else I can find about the diplomat. With my name in the running for the council, I may have some pull."

"Never thought you be the one to play politics," Zalena grinned.

This aroused a chuckle from her old CO. "You put me there, remember that."

"Better you than Udina."

"Good luck on telling him that."

"He still won't talk to you?"

Anderson laughed again. "He comes down once in awhile to 'check on me' and to brag about how much support he's getting to put him on the council."

Shepard lifted her eyebrow. "Really?"

"Per the polls, I'm well in the lead," He stated matter-of-factly.

"Good. I'd rather have you there, then him."

"Just focus on the little things, Shepard and I'll focus on the big picture."

"Thank you, sir."

"You are now dismissed, Commander. See you in a few months."

"Next shore leave, drinks are on you, Captain."