Notes:

Anam Cara - Soul Friend/Mate (Gaelic)

CGC - Center for Galactic Cooperation

Siame - "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian/Source: CDN)

SILC - Synthetic Intelligence Life Codes

Loose Ends

CGC, Widow System, Serpent Nebula – 4 May 2189

Ashley Williams shook her head and raised her hand, drawing everyone's attention. As the group around the table fell silent, she interjected, "We can skip that whole discussion, Councilor. I realize there are six Spectre teams here and only five locations, but we just got the Normandy back. Until Shepard called me, my plan was to depart on our shakedown cruise this morning… and then head to Earth for the annual V-E Day celebrations. I simply delayed our departure to attend this meeting, so I could decline in person… just in case you actually did need us."

"Which… we actually don't." Unlike everyone else who simply stared at Ashley in mute surprise, Shepard began to laugh. With a smirk on her face, she stated, "Legion went and changed things up on you, didn't he?"

"Why, yes..." Ashley grinned at her comrade-in-arms with a chuckle. "… yes, he did… new defensive and offensive systems interfaces, improved armoring… even a few new hand weapons in our armory for the ground teams." She shook her head. "All gifts, he said, for helping to ensure the SILC remained free."

"It's amazing how far they've come in such a short time, isn't it?" Shepard smiled softly and glanced at Prime Huulik. "The SILC are becoming more like organics every day. All of you have made amazing progress in developing your sense of self."

Tevos cleared her throat, bringing the discussion back on topic. "All right then. So, other than Shepard wanting to revisit the site of the Normandy's birth at Minuteman Station, do any of you have a request for a particular location? Otherwise, we'll just go around the table in order."

Lonar Maerun immediately spoke up. "If no one else minds, I would like to take the facility on Nepheron. Once our mission there is complete, I would appreciate the chance to reclaim a bit of Salarian history regarding the League of One hunters… by going to the site where Captain Varsinth's ID tag was located on a dead Cerberus soldier. Acceptable?"

"Any objections?" Tevos paused as she glanced around the table, to be answered only by silence. "Alright, then… Nepheron it is, Spectre Maerun. Then Binthu goes to Spectre Bau aboard Gurji's Promise, Firebase Glacier to Spectre Akril aboard the Nyocha, and Gellix goes to Spectre T'Dura aboard the Sondaj."

Quentius nodded in agreement as he picked up the dialogue. "You all know that the Council considers this our highest priority, at least for the moment… until some other renegade, mercenary or barbarian horde chooses to put our hard-earned peace at risk again. Please be quick, but do not forget discretion is the better part of valor." Looking to his own Spectre, he quietly added, "And you, Quintian, must be particularly careful. We cannot risk Aria T'Loak discovering our effort in the Terminus Systems."

"Understood, Councilor." The Spectre gave a quick nod. "She'll never know we were there."

"Thank you, Spectre Akril." Tevos sighed as she added, "It would most certainly be a welcome lull in activity if everyone can complete these missions without gaining any unwanted attention. Perhaps, once we succeed, everyone will simply… behave. At least for a few decades?" She glanced around the table and asked, "Any last questions before we adjourn?"

"No questions, but I do have another issue we need to discuss." Urdnot Jara's voice was loud in the otherwise silent room after Tevos asked her question. "The Huli." She smirked at the continued silence, watching the various expressions of those around the table, ranging from confusion, to bewilderment… maybe even a touch of fear at the mention of the fourth stealth vessel. From the looks, she knew they had forgotten all about that particular ship. "We've repaired her and claim the ship as salvage, seeing as no one else seemed interested in her at the time." Her gaze focused on Quentius as she continued, "In particular, the Turians running the Edessan facility at the time of the attack. If they were to claim her, it should have been done right then. By standard rules of salvage, no claim made now will be valid."

Quentius glowered at her, obviously displeased with the sudden change of direction of their discussion. Having no counterargument, he growled, "As much as I dislike it, I understand your position, Councilor. Just what do you expect to do with your new stealth ship?"

"Yes," Valern chimed in. "What are your plans for this vessel?" He blinked rapidly as he continued, "I must admit… even with all the Krogan have done for us since the Reaper threat became known, I have to wonder what will keep you all occupied now that there is peace." He hesitated only briefly before throwing caution to the wind, continuing, "To be fair, you must agree that finishing the Reaper War could not possibly have changed the true warrior nature of most of your people… and your possession of a stealth ship gives me great pause…"

Much to everyone's surprise, Jara did not explode in anger. Having prepared herself for just such a reaction, she remained calm, glancing at Shepard for only a moment before letting her eyes roam the table once more. "We have done our best to meet all your demands… both fair and not so fair… over the centuries since the Genophage was unleashed upon my people. Now, we have a cure and under the leadership of Urdnot Wrex, we will grow. We will expand…"

Quentius went to interrupt and Jara glared at him across the table, silencing him with nothing more than a look as she continued, "Just as every race within the Council has done, throughout recorded history! Who at this table can say they have not sought out new worlds or opened a new colony since learning of the Council and occupying an office on the Citadel… and, now, the CGC?" After a brief moment of silence, Jara continued, "That's what I thought. The Krogan now have a seat at the table and will no longer be treated as subservient, so our proposal is this – I nominate Hailot Jatok as a Spectre, to captain the Huli, under the direction of the Council."

Before any of the surprised Councilors could respond, Jara drew a deep breath and looked directly at Shepard, asking, "Jatok leads your second team… Do you trust his judgement?"

"I… well, shit." Caught off-guard, Shepard chuckled. "Yes… I do… without reservation." She shook her head and shrugged. Looking around the table, a grin on her face, she continued, "And I would second the nomination… under one condition."

Jara's eyes narrowed as she glared at the Spectre she had assumed to be her friend and supporter. "And just what would that be?"

"Easy, Jara… I don't think you'll have any problem with my counter," Shepard smiled. "Let us finish these missions first… because I may need my second team before this is over and done with. Then, once they are complete, you don't just get Jat…" She paused to make eye contact with every single person sitting around the table before adding, "If all those involved agree, Jat gets to take his whole damned squad as his first team."

Jara's eyes immediately brightened. "Immediately ready for deployment, because they already work together… quite well, at that!"

"Yes…" Shepard's attention shifted to the four primary Councilors as she finished, "A made-to-order Spectre team, ready to deploy as soon as they familiarize themselves with the operations procedures of their new ship. Personally, I approve… but I don't have a vote."

Huffing, Quentius replied, "No, you don't… but I do." Surprising everyone, he looked to Jara and stated, "I agree… as unexpected as this whole conversation is, I find no fault. Hailot Jatok would make an acceptable candidate. I vote yes."

Tevos' brow wrinkled as she looked at her Human Spectre. "But, Shepard… What will you do for a second team? How long will it take you to replace them?"

"Honestly? I'm not sure I'll need to." Her brow wrinkling in thought, Shepard pursed her lips and ran her fingers through her hair. "If everything goes as we hope, I genuinely believe the last of the major threats will be gone and, from here on out, we'll only have routine enforcement actions. I won't need a second team for that." She shrugged and added, "And, if it comes right down to it, with House T'Soni at my back, I always have a number of spare commando teams I can count on to assist any time I ask… and we all practice together anytime we're home on Thessia, so we wouldn't even need them on the Knight Shade full-time to stay proficient."

"Agreed," spouted Valern. "I also say yes."

Tevos huffed, "I haven't even called for a vote on the issue yet, and I already have two responses! A bit of patience, please?"

At this point, Dominic Osoba laughingly responded, "Then just call it, Tevos… I'm fairly sure it's going to be unanimous, so just be done with it so we can all get on with our day."

"Oh… fine!" Tevos gave them all a resigned stare before tapping the question out onto the voting console. Within seconds, every response came back without a single dissenting vote. "Urdnot Jara… the Council has made its decision." She turned to Shepard and asked, "As soon as you return from your mission, could you please have Hailot Jatok report to us… so he can formally accept or decline the position of Council Spectre?"

Shepard looked around the table, meeting everyone's eyes as she responded, "I will… and I'll also find out if anyone on his team wants to stay with me, so he can start thinking about who he might want to fill any positions that end up vacant. I honestly expect everyone to go with him, but who knows? I'll let you all know how it shakes out as soon as I can."

"Thank you, Shepard." Quentius flexed his mandibles as he shifted his gaze to the Krogan Councilor. "And congratulations, Jara. I can honestly say I never saw this day coming… but I also won't deny it's well earned."

"And about damned time," she growled. Collecting herself, Jara continued, "I apologize… even I can see that sounded ungrateful… and was uncalled for. Thank you, Quentius… and thank you… all of you… for trusting the Krogan enough to give us the chance we need to prove ourselves. I promise you will not regret it… not this time."

Minuteman Station, At Large, Horse Head Nebula – 5 May 2189

"So, this is where it all started." Liara wasn't sure how she felt about boarding the space station where Shepard had been resurrected. It pulled forth memories accompanied by an entire spectrum of emotions… from soul-crushing sadness and desperation, through guilt and pain, to betrayal and finally… joyful reunion. To actually be standing on the deck made Liara's knees feel weak… and she almost felt as if she was about to vomit.

"Hey." Shepard's hand suddenly gripped her forearm, a swell of devotion and encouragement flooding through the link. "It had to start somewhere… and we couldn't have asked for a better ending."

Even though Liara's words did not have the inflection of a question, Miranda responded anyway, to correct any misconceptions. "Started? Perhaps… but that depends on how you define the start. Many cells, scattered all over the galaxy, were involved in research for Project Lazarus, which was then consolidated at Lazarus Station, where I led a core group of scientists to put it all together. We never dreamed the Illusive Man – upon seeing the astronomical price tag that came along with it – would actually fund the proposal … but he did… without hesitation."

"For security reasons, we shuttled everything here and there, keeping the entire operation on the move, to prevent anyone from knowing where Shepard's body actually was at any given time. The entire program was conducted with our highest level of security protocols." She shook her head as she continued, "But, try as we might, the program was still compromised… from the inside… twice. Maybe three, depending on how you count them."

"What?" Even Shepard was surprised by that statement. "There were more incidents? Prior to you waking me prematurely on Lazarus to bring me here?"

"Don't you remember when you woke… asking about Liara? When we had to put you back under?" Miranda growled, "You were nowhere near ready to even be conscious… you were in shock and experiencing what should have been mind-numbing pain. Even under extreme duress and nearing heart failure, you were always concerned first about Liara, with no thought whatsoever about yourself."

"But… you made it through." She turned, a devoted smile on her face as she reached out both hands, one towards Liara, one towards Shepard. As they each took one, she continued, "He may have been a bastard, but Jack Harper believed in you, Shepard. He honestly believed you were the only person who could save Humanity… and he was right."

Shepard also had mixed emotions, and she directed an appreciative smirk at Miranda even as she huffed, "Yeah… and if only he hadn't been such a damned egomaniacal asshole, as visionary, founder and director of an incredibly violent and xenophobic terrorism organization the likes of Cerberus, we might have actually gotten along." She paused only a moment, to absorb the shock and surprise on the faces of her two companions, before adding with a soft chuckle, "Or not."

"So, that and the actual attack on Lazarus both involved Wilson… and could be counted either together or independently…" Liara's forehead wrinkled in curiosity and misplaced concern, given that the event was long since concluded, without consequence to Shepard's eventual survival and resurrection. "So, what was the other event?"

Extremely solemn, Miranda dropped their hands, turned to the side and stared blankly across the room for a moment, before crossing her arms in front of her, dropping her head with a sigh and starting a monologue. "The third occurred at Lazarus… which was actually our first compromise… a year before Wilson's betrayal of the program to the Blue Suns. Obviously, you know we created clones of you… strictly for the purpose of reaping the necessary body parts to complete your reconstruction. And, while the Salarians had perfected those processes centuries ago, they had never tried a complete reconstruction, as we were forced to attempt with you, Shepard. So, we made back-ups, just in case we needed to try more than once."

She turned back abruptly and met the Spectre's eyes. "We had five clones, fully grown, in stasis…" A slight smile, full of the glory of achievement, crossed her face as she continued. "Turns out I do good work, so we only needed one… meaning we should have had four extras." She shook her head as she added, "Except one was stolen."

"What?" Shepard's eyes flew open wide. "Was that who we ran into on Orestes Station?"

"No…" Miranda's lips drew into a tight line. "We immediately tracked down the clone's stasis pod… and terminated it before they had a chance to awaken it… leaving only three. Our biggest mistake was killing the clone before we discovering who helped her."

"So that explains one and, no matter how she got free, the second was killed on Orestes…" Shepard's brow knit in contemplation before she asked, "… so, what happened to the others? Were they destroyed as well, at the end of the project?"

"Well… I obviously left before the final disposition, so I'm not one-hundred percent sure but, I did do some digging after discovering the Orestes clone was alive… and free. It turns out, following the Collector missions, Jack Harper decided to wake all three of those remaining… hoping beyond hope they would actually be people and not inanimate biological blobs without a mind of their own." She scowled as she added, "Obviously, it turned out he was right… igniting all kinds of discussion concerning the ethics of creation… but he never gave a damn about other peoples' opinions. He had created biological life and wasn't about to give them up so easily."

Liara scowled at the prospect. "So, there are two remaining clones on the loose in the galaxy?"

"No. The three that still lived were forced into the Project Phoenix program… always hidden behind the Dragoon helm, so no one would realize what they were." Both Liara and Shepard were surprised when Miranda suddenly laughed. "The Illusive Man, in all his arrogance, never considered the possibility they would be so much like you, Shepard… even without the back-up memory infusions! Turns out, he decided to implement indoctrination techniques into their training, but his plan to instill loyalty had quite the opposite effect. A number of the operatives defected… led by you-know-who!" She shrugged, adding, "One never made it out, killed during their attempted escape. And with the second now dead on Orestes…"

Shepard finished the thought for her. "There is the possibility of one more being out there, all depending on if she managed to survive the war or not."

Miranda nodded. "Yes… with, I have to assume, your knack for staying alive against all odds. Our only comfort comes from the fact that we have not heard even a single rumor regarding a Shepard imposter or look-alike out there."

"But we haven't really looked, either," Liara growled. "Once we're back aboard ship, Riana and I will need to develop a few… discreet… queries, to see what we can dig up."

Gellix, Arrae System, Minos Wasteland – 5 May 2189

Moises T'Dura had been a Spectre for a long time… she had stopped counting years after the first century… but being granted a ship like the Sondaj was something she had never anticipated. She had always liked working alone – with no desire to be surrounded by a large crew – but she didn't know how to say 'no' to such an honor, so had accepted command of the ship anyway, against her personal wishes. She was first and foremost a Spectre… and good Spectres completed the mission assigned, one way or another. She also had no desire to disappoint Councilor Tevos, who was as much a friend as she was her superior.

On the side of her accepting the ship, there was Shepard and the Quarian Rebellion. The Human had loaned her that Sentinel, Captain Tanni, and the entire team that came along with her… and Moises had discovered she appreciated working with them for the assault on the Moreh. Working with such a good, solid team that trained and worked so well together had turned out to be an enjoyable experience… as much as a wartime assault could be considered such, anyway.

Following the Council meeting, she had spoken briefly with Shepard, who had given her rather sage advice for someone who had only existed in the galaxy for thirty-five years – a mere child by Asari standards. A smile crossed her face as she thought about her Human friend. Mo… The Andromeda survey ships were designed to fly with only three main crew positions – a pilot, a science officer and an engineer – that's it. Yes, a weapons position was added… but should be completely unnecessary in stealth missions. Plus, you're used to working alone, so you don't necessarily need a ground team. If you like to work solo, by all means… work solo. To be the best Spectre you can be, you have to be you. Put together your basic flight crew and go; learn the ship's capabilities first… and then decide how you want to use her. Thankfully, it's peacetime, so there's no hurry.

They had laughed when T'Dura asked about getting Livos Tanni again, knowing the commando would never leave House T'Soni... but the joking request had prompted Shepard to offer up a couple of names as potential engineers. Monty Hushon now sat – walked, actually – in that position as he moved about engineering, carefully monitoring the drive core as Moises prepared to deploy. All scans indicated the station was intact and fully functional… with occupants… so the ship remained in full stealth mode. It was critical that Monty keep the drive cool and the stealth system running at optimum, so they could keep the exterior heat signature from giving away their presence as they descended for a drop off, a mere kilometer from the facility.

The Salarian pilot, Lazum Tolado, had approached at sunset, piloting the craft like he had designed it himself, and T'Dura had jumped off the ramp as he slowed to a hover. Giving a quick wave before activating her cloak, she immediately set out for the facility. The mountainous terrain would have been difficult to traverse, had it not been for her biotics, but also provided excellent cover for her crossing. It was easy enough to bypass the entry codes on one of the exterior doors and slip inside; apparently few, if any, were moving about in the mid-night hours. The rescued ex-Cerberus scientists had provided a full schematic of the facility, which T'Dura had studied in great detail during their transit to the Arrae System, so she moved quickly, in total silence, to the observation position she had selected.

The plan was for her to sit one full day, observing the station and its occupants, to determine the Council's future course of action in relation to this facility. Having been previously abandoned, Cerberus had shown no new interest in the lab after the scientists had once again eluded capture. Probably would have eventually claimed it back, had the remnants of the organization not been eliminated after the war. As the next day crawled by, T'Dura waited patiently and observed, quickly realizing the ex-Cerberus scientists had modified the station to a perfect home, where a fairly sizeable group could easily start over and build a new life.

Shepard had asked her to be watchful; following the war, she had lost track of Jacob Taylor and the scientist, Dr Brynn Cole, and told her she wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they had returned there, especially now, with the threat posed by Cerberus defunct. Armed with that information, T'Dura was not surprised to find the facility filled with families, simply going about their daily routines and living their lives. What ultimately did surprise Moises was who led them – and it was most definitely not Brynn Cole. As soon as the observation period lapsed and she could sneak out under cover of darkness, Spectre T'Dura returned to the Sondaj, flew to the nearest communications buoy, and placed a call to Shepard.

Nepheron, Columbia, Voyager Cluster – 6 May 2189

Newly confirmed Salarian Spectre Lonar Maerun huffed in quiet exasperation at the results of his science officer's scans of the barren planet above which Nalotir was orbiting. While it was true that Cerberus once had an extensive underground research station here, it had been cleansed and abandoned as a result of Commander Shepard leading her ground team into the place; she had eliminated what proved to be a large contingent of enhanced Cerberus soldiers and had retrieved – before the computer could completely flash the database – most of their scientist's research concerning the methodology of enslaving Thorian creepers and Rachni.

The illegal genetic research by Cerberus on this planet had been directly connected to their research on Binthu, in the neighboring Yangtze System. Maerun shuddered to think of what the Illusive Man could have unleashed on the galaxy in addition to the many enemies created by the Reapers. I suppose all that is left here now is to check out the site where Captain Varsinth's ID was located.

As he was preparing to issue the relocation order, Comms Officer Dirlaeon Sordel glanced over his shoulder. "Sir, Spectre Bau aboard Gurji's Promise is requesting a status report."

Sitting a bit straighter in his command chair, Maerun quickly drafted a short dispatch, looked at Sordel and said, "Send this, Corporal, and request a receipt confirmation… 'Nepheron facility abandoned. Preparing to follow up on League of One'."

Within a few minutes, Sordel addressed the Spectre once again. "Sir, Spectre Bau is on comms."

"Put him through, Corporal."

In moments, Jondum Bau's image coalesced above the display projectors. "Ah, my old friend! It appears we have been graced with good fortune. Of the three abandoned Cerberus sites on Binthu, I have discovered one has become home to a contingent of Blue Suns soldiers. It mainly consists of Turians, but there appears to be a few Batarians among them as well, just to keep things interesting. Would you care to join us for the assault? Our combined ground teams should be able to convince them to leave without too much trouble."

Maerun chuckled. "It certainly sounds more exciting than the hunt for a long-dead Captain. At max FTL, I can be there in…" He paused briefly as he calculated the flight time. "… just over five hours, including intra-system travel. Besides, I can always return to the League of One site once we are finished with Council business; it certainly isn't going anywhere."

"Excellent… excellent!" Bau's smile accompanied a rapid blink of his eyelids. "We will continue to perform surveillance while we await your arrival. Safe flight, Spectre Maerun."

As Bau's image cross-faded into that of the planet about which Nalotir was orbiting, Maerun addressed his navigator and the pilot seated beside him. "Lieutenant Bentas, lay in a course for the Yangtze System. Pilot Lintez, break orbit. Go to FTL as soon Bentas provides you with a course to follow… we have some Blue Suns to evict from planet Binthu." Spectre Maerun leaned back in his chair, enjoying the forward view as the curve of Nepheron's surface was replaced by distant stars and wispy clouds of gas.

As soon as Lintez made the jump to FTL, Maerun stood from his chair and quickly left the flight deck, intending to grab a bite to eat, then rest during a portion of their travel time.

Binthu, Yangtze, Voyager Cluster – 7 May 2189

Having reached the edge of the Yangtze System, Nalotir decelerated rapidly from FTL in a quickly dissipating cloud of blue-tinged energy waves. After the Salarian pilot banked around to a new heading, Nalotir disappeared like a bullet fired from a gun. Spectre Maerun intended to discharge the static charge from the drive core over Renshato, the small gas-giant orbiting close to the system's sun. The subsequent flight to Binthu would take only thirty minutes.

While enroute, Maerun contacted Spectre Bau aboard Gurji's Promise, informing him he was in the system and would be joining him shortly. Rather than wait, Bau briefed him on what to expect. "Cerberus abandoned three research centers on the planet; we retrieved a fair amount of seemingly random data from Sites One and Three."

Bau continued while referring to a datapad. "Blue Suns appropriated the Site Two research center… I hypothesize it was the least damaged of those Commander Shepard assaulted in 2183." With a small laugh, he added, "Blue Suns won't waste time or creds cleaning up a place, but they will rebuild needed defenses."

Maerun frowned. "Shepard's reports from that time indicated all three were equipped with a pair of heavy defense turrets… one each on either side of the main entrance. I imagine you're going to tell me the Suns installed new ones."

"Unfortunate, but true… and more capable than those used in 2183. Unless we can neutralize those turrets, access to the facility is… problematic."

Maerun thought for a moment before replying with a thin smile. "We're carrying an Alliance M35 Mako in lieu of a shuttlecraft."

"I have a UT-47A on board… surely a pair of cannons would be preferable to…"

Maerun interrupted Bau. "They can only be utilized while airborne, Spectre. The Mako's single mass accelerator cannon mangles anything it hits… and can be fired from cover. Take out one turret, then target and eliminate the other. That will be the easy part. Getting inside and eliminating a bunch of mercs will be more difficult."

"Nothing we haven't done before, Maerun. I will finalize our strike plan. As soon as you're in orbit alongside me, we can deploy planet-side and strike."

Gellix, Arrae System, Minos Wasteland – 7 May 2189

Between finding nothing of value at Minuteman Station that Miranda wasn't already aware of and the mysterious call from Moises, Shepard and Liara were quite eager to depart the station and head to Gellix, leaving any additional data collection to the Shadow Broker team. After a day's travel, Shepard and Liara received the full briefing from Moises, regarding everything she had observed while at the science station.

Shepard sighed quietly and pursed her lips, finally responding, "I find I face a dilemma similar to Samara's, with the conflict between her Code and working with my crew during the Collector War. I have no Third Oath of Subsumation to ease my conscience… and we can't just storm the facility and kill them all, with no justification, so we only have one choice."

"I can't believe this is happening." Liara had sat in dumbfounded silence as Moises told them what she discovered… until now. Her unsettled gaze landed on her bondmate as she said, "You actually want to go in and talk to them… talk to her, don't you."

Even though it wasn't a question, Samantha met the eyes of her Anam Cara and answered quietly, "We have to… Don't we?"

"Yes." A frown crossed Liara's face as she released a resigned sigh. "I suppose we do."

"Want me to go first?" T'Dura looked solemnly at the troubled couple before her. "I can feel her out for you. See what she's thinking… that kind of thing."

Shepard smiled in thanks for the offer, but politely declined. "No… but thank you. This is something I have to do in person, however… disconcerting… it may be."

"If that's what you desire, Shepard." Moises rubbed her brow in thought before continuing, "But you don't mind if I come along for the ride… just for my own peace of mind? The three of us…" giving Liara a nod as she finished, "… together?"

"You are most welcome to join us, Moises," Liara answered, reaching over to take Samantha's hand as she continued, "Having an independent opinion from someone we both trust with our lives might not be a bad idea."

Science Lab, Gellix, Arrae System – 7 May 2189

A young man met them at the entry hatch, giving them a polite nod. "Welcome to Renaissance Station, Spectres… and you, Doctor T'Soni. Your reputations most definitely precede you. I am Earnest Litza, the station's administrator, and, seeing the entire galaxy owes you its gratitude, you have caught us rather unprepared for such an unexpected visit. Our only wish would have been that you had given us advance notice of your arrival, so we could have arranged a more appropriate welcome for a group such as yourselves."

As the man spoke, Shepard's eyes studied the entrance hall; she saw no indications of hostile intent, though she did make a mental note of a pair of newly installed defensive turrets that she didn't remember from their previous… visit… to the science lab.

"You have no cause for concern, Spectre Shepard…" The man paused, his lips pressing together in a straight line before he continued, "but I do realize me saying so carries absolutely no weight in your judgement, so let's just get on with it, shall we? Would you like a tour?"

Shepard's expression hardened, the muscles in her jaw flexing as she tried to decide if this whole thing was a charade… a stalling tactic for who knows what. Earnest was a good judge of body language and immediately continued, "Please, Spectre Shepard… this is our home. A peaceful facility, with a number of families. We have children here! Yes, there are defensive cannons, but we're in space with no protective military in the area. More than one group of pirates or mercenaries have thought… rather unsuccessfully, I might add, to take this station. Every single adult now living here fought in the war, well enough to survive the Reapers, so would-be thieves found us to not be the soft target they anticipated… and quickly moved on."

Shepard was about to respond when Moises cut in. "That almost sounded like a threat, Litza."

"No! Absolutely not!" His eyes opening wide, Earnest spread his arms apart with the palms of his hands facing them as he sputtered, "I'm just explaining the purpose of the new defensive cannons Shepard is eyeballing! I will emphasize, again, that we wish you no harm. I swear it!" He glanced nervously between the three imposing figures before him. "I honestly don't know how I can prove anything to you… and I don't even know why you're here. I suppose I should have asked that first, before offering to show you around." He let out a huff and squared his shoulders. "So, Spectres… What do you want from me? From us? From Renaissance Station? Tell me, and it's yours."

Shepard drew a deep breath to calm her jittery nerves and answered tersely, "Your director. Where is she?"

"Ah." Earnest's shoulders sagged almost imperceptibly. "So, you think you know about her, do you? Well, I can guarantee you don't know anything. Not anything real, anyway. It's highly likely she is not the person you believe her to be, and she's more than happy to speak with you… but the station director, Adrien Burns, is predisposed at the moment. An issue with one of the atmospheric regulators in Greenhouse 3 has her undivided attention. I recommend we begin the tour I offered you and she'll join us as soon as she's able."

"Sure… and why don't we start the tour at Greenhouse 3?" Shepard cocked an eyebrow at the distraught administrator.

"Spectre, please…" Litza let out an exasperated sigh. "I did say undivided attention, did I not? Have you looked at the cold piece of rock we call home? Those greenhouses, quite literally, are our lifeblood! Director Burns will finish what she's doing and join us. Honestly, that's the best I can offer without risking the welfare of our colony."

With a quick mental prod from Liara, Shepard gave in. "Fine. Show us what you've got, Litza."

"Excellent." The relief oozed through his voice as he gave a quick nod and began to walk. "Right this way, please."

The station hadn't changed much in the time since Jacob and Brynn had occupied the space, but Shepard and Liara hadn't seen the living facilities during their rather… harried … previous visit, having been rushed out by the mass arrival of Cerberus reinforcements. The Illusive Man had seriously wanted all the scientists back… and that event may well have been what finally triggered his change of heart regarding Shepard's usefulness to his cause. Both Shepard and Liara remembered the final surge by the Cerberus troops… that loud, amplified voice shouting, "Take out Shepard!" … and the oversized Atlas that nearly did them in with a final rocket salvo that had sent them both tumbling across the landing pad.

Liara had edged closer and she reached out to grip Samantha's hand as they walked. Shepard responded by turning her head and smiling at the Asari who walked at her side. {It's all good, Li. We made it out, just like we always seem to do.}

"And this is our orphanage." The Administrator's voice interrupted their quick exchange and focused their attention on a huge opening before them, looking down upon a large courtyard in the middle of the station. "The area to the left is the dorm, each hallway with a designated monitor, who also acts as councilor, parent, teacher, or friend… depending on the age and need of the child at the time. We're somewhat limited on staff, but we do what we can for them." Earnest smiled sadly.

"An orphanage?" Liara stared down at the numerous children of all ages, playing in the courtyard. "How many are here? Where did they all come from?"

"Our current count is only 52… but they come from everywhere. Many of our residents brought them with… not wanting to leave them behind with dead parents at their feet." Earnest smiled softly and added, "We've had some adopted by families who have arrived… and stayed here… and we've managed to locate relatives and surviving family for over 80 of our little refugees and gotten them back to where they belong. It's an ongoing effort…" His grin faded as he finished, "But there are still just so many, even so long after the war."

He would have continued but a door swished open, accompanied by the sound of rapid footsteps echoing down the passageway as a rather familiar voice rang in from behind them. "Hello, Spectre Shepard. I'm Adrien Burns. Sorry to have kept you waiting."

16