Note: Hello, hope everyone is well. Thank you for the favorites and follows. Feedback is appreciated as always.

This chapter was written with the song All The Things That I've Done by the Killers in mind. (also the song Nov kicks on in the end)

Please enjoy Chapter Four: Rules of the Citadel

Mass Effect
"Foreign Relations"

Chapter Four: Rules of the Citadel

Seeing the Havincaw back to the Citadel was infinitely easier than the Reliant was. The Havincaw took a hit to the power grid which was easier to fix than fashioning an entirely new one and hoping the ship didn't blow up. All Nov wanted to do was get back to the Citadel and be with Sidda. When he did get back Sidda wasn't there.

"She is barely healed!" he barked to Sparatus angrily.

Sparatus knew that Nov wasn't going to take this well and was seemingly unbothered by it. The galactic situation was horrible, and he made a choice to send her. One that she agreed to. "I needed her. She's proven that she can rally anyone to her cause, and she gets shit done. We need Fedorian to sway get this summit moving."

Nov was angry and his expression reflected that. He loved Sidda but the timing on everything lately was terrible. She was always in danger when he wasn't there to protect her. It was frustrating him. "You placed my wife's life in danger. You should have waited for me."

Sparatus was clearly becoming irritated with the younger male but understood his point. "Pull yourself together, Spectre." he growled showing seasoned restraint. "I'm not proud of sending an injured soldier back into combat but we don't have the luxury of waiting. The choice was made. End of discussion. Do you understand me, Spectre Nov?"

Nov hadn't realized that once the dressing down began, he straightened his posture and stood at ease, the military conditioning took over. "Yes, Sir." He replied and Sparatus nodded. It had been a long time since he was in the military but once he learned it, it never went away.

Now that they were clear on how command worked Sparatus evaluated Nov. He looked mentally and physically exhausted. "Now, I suggest you get some rest, you've more than earned it and you look like hell."

He said it was a suggestion, but his tone said it was an order. Sparatus was his superior, as a Spectre he answered to him and the rest of the Council.

The Citadel was becoming increasingly more crowded. People from everywhere were fleeing their systems and seeking refuge here. Batarians were the first to arrive, then Turians, then Humans. There wasn't much space aside from the makeshift quarters on the docks. Nov's apartment was full to the brim, he offered it to his cousin and then to anyone else that needed it. Mostly the Reliant crew that hadn't been absorbed into the remaining 3rd Division ships. He had ten people crashing at his apartment, crowded, yes, but he wasn't about to turn them away.

Favia had been employed by Sparatus' office and had cooked up a massive batch of turnip mash and meat gravy. Easy to make in large quantities and she was able to feed everyone with it. "Hey," she greeted when he walked in and over or past the new occupants to his apartment. "I made dinner. You hungry?" He shook his head and looked tired. "Cal, you need to eat something."

"Fav, I'm fine." He snapped and she glared at him.

"No, you're grouchy, cousin, which means you're tired and hungry now sit down at eat." She ordered and he returned her glare but did as she told him. She sounded like his Aunt Lyta and he check his messages again, certain people he hadn't heard from worried him, he also didn't have anything additional from Sidda. Given the warzone that she was in meant he probably wouldn't hear anything until the buoys got unclogged. "Did you hear anything from your mother?"

She shook her head and dished him up a bowl of dinner. "Dad's still trying."

Nov didn't press and devoured the food she put in front of him. They were all in the same boat, they all had missing loved ones, they had all watched loved ones die. He didn't realize just how hungry he was until the bowl was empty. He ignored the satisfied look on her face then left to go shower and sleep. Food and shower managed to reiterate how tired he was, and he collapsed on the bed. His niece climbed up on to the bed and then climbed on him. "Nisia, if you're gonna be here you need to be quiet and still." He mumbled and the little girl settled down and hugged him tight.

Nov slept nearly ten hours, most Turians didn't sleep that long. When he woke up Nisia was gone and he heard nothing but silence in the next room. He looked to his right and sighed heavily, he missed Sidda. It had been far too long since they were together. The medical bay didn't count. He brought up the Omni-tool and checked messages. None from Sidda but two from Sparatus, one from his Uncle, one from Oraka, and three from Chellick. "Come on, Baby, where are you?" he muttered to himself. A pointless comment as she couldn't hear him and would surely message him if she could.

It was early when he got out of the house to meet with Sparatus. After a shower, clean clothes, rest, and food Nov felt better; not great since he still saw his mothers car explode with his cousin on board, his planet on fire, and a close friend dying in his arm every time he closed his eyes. The meeting had Oraka and Darius there discussing next moves.

"The Reliant has been deemed unsalvageable. She'll be stripped for parts and most of her crew will go to the Havincaw once that ship is repaired." Darius said and looked at Oraka. Oraka was technically the commander of the remaining 3rd Division but he didn't seem to mind that Darius was doing most of the talking. Darius was a legend and probably the highest-ranking fleet commander left next to Coronati.

"Any word from, Sidda?" Nov asked as he leaned against the wall casually. His question was aimed at Sparatus.

"No." he answered and Oraka knew something about that.

"Several comm buoys between the Citadel, Palaven, and Earth have been destroyed. I deployed the Defiant and the Currazza to replace them." Oraka explained.

Nov wanted to be deployed on one of the ships out to Palaven but he was on thin enough ice with Sparatus as it was. Any more ships added to Palaven would just be an addition to the disaster and they couldn't afford to waste the resources.

"Cal, I need you to work with C-Sec. The situation on the Citadel is fine for now but the criminal element will make itself known." The Councilor said as Nov seemed to be in a much better mood this time.

"Standard siege op…got it." He replied. Turians trained for everything including what happens during a siege. This wasn't a siege but it had a lot of desperate people trapped with people who would take advantage of that.

The Spectre office was the same layout no matter where they were. There were 70 active Spectres and only half were on the Citadel at the current moment, the rest were scattered or unaccounted for. There was no one in the office with him except his little helper for the day. Nisia was his partner for a little while.

"Come here, Kiddo, teach you to be a Spectre in no time." He said and sat the little girl in his lap. "VI: run facial recognition, criminal database – all, over the past 72 hours entering and exiting the Citadel."

"What are you doing?" The three-year-old girl asked as she watch but didn't understand what he was telling the VI to do.

"Looking for all the bad people on the Citadel." He answered. With a station the size of the Citadel it was going to be tough, but it was better than trying to it in a city on a planet. They were relegated to a small place with only certain ways on or off.

"Why?"

"Because it's very dangerous for them to be on the station with everything that's going on."

Before long the computer was tallying countless individuals and it didn't even scratch the surface. Nov stared at the never-ending list a sighed. "Yeah…this'll take a while."

Nisia wasn't fussy, she'd always been a quiet kid and watched him work while sitting on his lap. Mostly she was watching the quick scanning of images across the screen. She didn't understand what she was seeing but she was curious for a three-year-old.

The list compiled so far had over 300 names and Nov shook his head. "Fucking impossible task." He muttered. "Don't tell your mom I said that. VI: Filter violent crimes, Organized crime, Extortion, and Theft."

"Spectres recruiting a little young?" a familiar voice asked from behind him.

Nov turned to see Chellick. "Nah…Fav needed me to watch her for a few hours." He answered and stood holding his niece on his hip. "Nisia, this is my friend Decian."

Chellick gave a half smile to the little girl. "Hi."

Nisia hid her face from him like most little kids around strangers would. Nov chuckled lightly and put her down. "Go play." He told her and held his hand out to his friend. "Congratulations, Captain Chellick."

Chellick, passed over for Executor last year and a Lieutenant at the time, was now a Captain…one rung down from Executor. "Thank you." He responded. Like most promotions it was a blessing and a curse. He felt both on a daily basis now. "Sifting through the Citadel yearbook?"

Nov chuckled. "Filtering down through who is still on the station and who needs to be thrown off."

"And which ones that have been smuggled on that we don't know about."

Nov gave him a glare. "Thank you for explaining the difficulty of my job."

Chellick laughed. "Are you kidding, this is my job."

"You were a grunt, then a Detective, then a Lieutenant, and now a Captain…you only have to do the shit you want to do." He chuckled and Chellick laughed with him.

"If only that were true." He said truthfully. To be honest as a Captain he had less freedom then he thought he would. "How many are you up to?"

"Too many. 600 or so."

"Lucky you have a VI to help you." He said. "And your junior Spectre recruit." There was silence as Chellick could tell he was putting on a brave face. "You hear from Sid?"

Nov was trying to not think about Sidda and Rylo but that didn't stop him from checking any messages he could. "Not yet. Oraka said comm buoys were destroyed and he'd sent ships to replace them."

"What about Grissom Academy?" Nov looked at him sharply. "David."

Nov was a legal guardian and he did manage to receive a message from the academy saying that everyone was as safe as they could be. "I got the mass message. David is a genius so he's still there working on Tech for the Alliance."

It was past time for Chellick to get to work. "Alright, well, duty calls. I'll leave you to your mountain of Citadel's finest."

"You coming for drinks later?" he called after him.

"I'll be there. I think Alenko is joining us too." Chellick called back. "Let me know when you have that list down to a more manageable size and I'll give you guys to help clear it." Sidda had Bailey he had Chellick.

Purgatory seemed to not exist by the Presidium records, it was a place that seemed to be better suited for the Wards but instead it was located with the Citadel elite. It was the closest place for Nov to get a drink and he promised the demoralized crew of the Reliant he'd buy them a round. Those who wanted a drink were there, twenty of them and he also spied Chellick and Kaidan at the bar.

He looked around the bar and found that he missed the life of a nightclub. It was more fun with Sidda but he'd make do now.

"Spectre Nov." the crew greeted and stood to show their respects.

"It's just Cal, guys."

He slapped the shoulders of Chellick and Kaidan found a seat between them, flagging down the cute Asari bartender. She was a pretty Asari maiden with deep purple skin and white highlights. "Their drinks are on me." He said putting his credit chit down and tapping it with a finger.

She took it and looked behind him to the Turian group as she opened the tab. "That's generous. Commanding officer?" she asked with a flirty tone and a smile.

Nov shook his head. "Nope." He didn't say anything about being a Spectre.

The bartender shrugged and gave him a flirty smile. "Still handsome."

Chellick and Kaidan rolled their eyes. Nov was a chick magnet. "I don't think he can go anywhere without the prettiest thing in the bar hitting on him." Chellick muttered.

"Well, when you're irresistible, you're just irresistible." He smirked and turned his attention to the pretty Asari as Chellick and Kaidan gave loud derisive scoffs to the blatant comment. "What's your name?"

"Zula."

"Zula. I'm Cal, this is Decian, and that's Kaidan." He introduced. "These fine people behind me are of the now defunct but valiant PFS Reliant. They get anything they want. These two urchins are on their own."

She giggled to his charisma. "What'll you have, Cal?"

"Do you have any Rellus?"

"A '76."

Nov made a face. It was better than nothing but the '53 was best. "Better than nothing. One for these two as well. Care to give it a try, Kaidan?"

Some Humans could handle a little dextro but Kaidan wasn't wanting to try it. As a medic he knew what would happen if he had a bad reaction. "No thank you…I don't need to be sick." He replied and looked to the Asari. "Just a beer will be fine."

"Nov." a female voice greeted making him turn. It was Kovir from the Reliant. She looked different cleaned up from the smokey, burning Reliant. Still she was 5'7", grey skin, Palaven blue paint, and blue eyes.

"Lieutenant Kovir," Nov greeted. "welcome. You look different."

"Must be the absence of a burning ship." She replied and he chuckled. Some may think it callous but there was no other way to deal with the situation and come out sane. "And it's Enya."

"Cal." He said with a smile and introduced her to the two he was with. "This is Decian Chellick and Kiadan Alenko. Guys, this is the best Comm officer I've ever met…not a half bad tech too." Chellick looked her up and down and found himself thoroughly attracted to her.

"That's a hell of a compliment coming from him." Kaidan commented. "What are you having, Lieutenant?"

"Enya please, and whatever you are." She said but altered her comment to specify the Turians. "Actually, whatever they are having."

Nov grinned and nodded. "Zula," he called to the bartender. "another Rellus here for the good Lieutenant."

"So, are you Spectres as well?" she asked to Kaidan and Chellick.

"He is, I'm not." Chellick commented and gestured to Kaidan. "Citadel Security at your service, Miss."

"And he's a captain too." Kaidan offered.

For the next hour everyone managed to relax even with all that was going on. Chellick and Kaidan hit it off better than expected and were trading stories. One of the funny stories was Sidda back from the dead and scaring the hell out of Chellick in his office.

Zula set another glass of what he was drinking down in front of him and he gave her a puzzled expression. "I didn't order another." Nov commented as he was positive that he hadn't had enough to drink to impair him memory.

"It's from her." She pointed across the lower bar to a VIP section of the Club.

Nov looked to see who his admirer was and promptly rolled his eyes when he recognized the Asari pirate Queen. "Keep it." He told her and got up to go and greet her in person. As a Spectre, he was allowed to be armed so when the guards attempted to pat him down, he did the same thing he did on Omega. "Touch me and I'll break your arm." He warned firmly.

Aria giggled. Normally, a female's giggle was music to his ears but not hers. Everything about her he disliked. "Callus Nov. Same as always."

The guard let him pass without a fuss and Nov signed heavily. "Aria T'Loak. I really hoping to never see you again."

"And yet here you are. Did you like my drink?"

"I assumed it came with a debt…no thanks." He replied bitterly. "What the hell are you doing on the Citadel?" His question was legitimate, when he ran his facial recognition, she didn't show up and that was wrong on several levels.

"Cerberus pushed me off of Omega." She answered simply but sounded more than a little irritated with it.

"Pirate Queen finally got unseated…can't say I'm sorry about that." He commented and wondered how she got onto the Citadel in the first place. Mob Boss or Gangster she should have thrown a zillion red flags and been turned away. Someone looked the other way or smuggled her onboard. "How'd the Illusive Man pull it off? Appeal to the masses that hate you?"

She scoffed. "Deceit, distraction, and a big fucking army."

Aria was going to try to use him just like she didn't last time and he wasn't having it this time. This was his world, not hers. "I don't know how you got onboard but now that you are here know that I'm gonna be keeping an eye on you. No antics or I'll come down on you."

Aria found Nov appealing but he clearly didn't like her which was something that Aria liked even more. "Oh, please, that's not why I bought you a drink. I hear your wife is off saving the galaxy. I can't get Omega back if the Reapers have exterminated everyone. Rather not rule the ashes." Nov was silent as he listened to her. "The Eclipse, Blood Pack, and Blue Suns…I kept them all in line but now they are running amok. Unite them under my banner and your wife is free to use them as she sees fit."

Nov hawked a laugh. "Unite three armies under you so you can rule the Terminus…fuck you, Aria."

"Don't be so short sighted, Callus." She admonished in her condescendingly sweet tone. "Speak with Narl for the Blood Pack, Jona Sedaris, the leader of the Eclipse, is in C-Sec custody, and the Blue Suns leader is Darner Vosque. Bring them all under my command and your wife is free to use them as she sees fit."

"What the hell do you get out of it?" he asked not buying that she was doing this to just help kill Reapers. "I'm not going to put Sid in debt to you and I won't live under your thumb."

"A favor you or she can return later." She said and could see how angry he was getting. "Come now, Callus, you're smart…you see the value in this. That's what I like about you."

Nov weighed the information, the additional help from mercenaries would be a great benefit however, the cost if they couldn't keep them in hand would compound the problem. He sighed but didn't give her the satisfaction of a straight answer. "I'll think on it." He said and began to backway from her. "And keep your drinks." He said and left her presence.

Chellick and Kaidan eyed him the entire time he was talking to the Asari who bought him a drink. Nov was normally happy to accept an Asari buying him a drink but right now he didn't look so happy about it. As he conversed with her it wasn't clear it wasn't a friendly meeting.

"How'd that go?" Chellick asked as he returned to them.

"I feel like a need a shower." Nov replied and felt the need to shudder.

"An Asari you don't like?" Kaidan inquired.

Nov had to remember that Kaidan wasn't with Sidda on Omega, so he didn't' have the esteemed pleasure of meeting Aria T'Loak. "That one is a piece of work. She wants me to put the Blue Suns, Blood Pack, and Eclipse all under her command so we can use them against the Reapers. It's a good idea but I don't trust her." He said and gestured to a table that cleared up. "The Blood Pack contact is Narl."

"Sounds Batarian." Kaidan commented as they sat down.

"Probably." He said and went on. "Someone named Jona Sederis leads the Eclipse."

"Sederis…that sounds familiar." Chellick said taking a swig from his drink.

"Should. Sounds Asari and Aria said she's in C-Sec custody, so you get to look into that for me, Captain Chellick." He chuckled.

"Lucky me." He replied with a chuckle. "And the Blue Suns winner is?"

"Someone named Darner Vosque. What I wouldn't give for Massani or Miss Impressive right now." He said and looked across the bar to Zula and the young Lieutenant from the Reliant. "I'll handle the Blue Suns."

"Great, stick me with the Batarian." Kaidan joked.

"Could be worse." Nov commented and spared a glance to Aria, he could just shoot her and not have too much trouble. The Council might camp up his ass but it might just be worth it. "Could be dealing with the unseated Pirate Queen of Omega."

"You have an admirer." Chellick commented changing the subject and subtly gesturing to the female comm officer who was very curious about the group of males.

Kovir was attractive, resourceful, and smart. She was young too and looked strong…all the things Turian males looked for in a mate. "All yours." Nov said. There was no one else he wanted by his mate and he would settle for nothing else.

"She's not looking at me." Chellick chuckled but found the young officer attractive, incredibly attractive.

"Give it a try anyway." Nov replied with a wry smile. "Kaidan, why don't you go and turn on the charm for that bartender…she's been looking at you."

Kaidan made a face, he knew he was fairly attractive by human standards but shy and Zula wasn't flirting with anyone but Nov. Asari magnet he was. "And flirting with you."

Nov laughed, Kaidan hadn't learned about being around Nov. He was that one guy in the group that got all the action. "They all flirt with me but I'm taken so go have some fun." He said and then cocked his head. "Wait, have you ever had an Asari?"

Kaidan blushed and it was visible in the low light. "No." he answered in the boyish, shy tone that made both Nov and Chellick chuckle.

Not surprising from someone like him. Quiet and reserved. Not the party animal that Nov. He really was a younger, nicer Cerrus. "I recommend it." He smirked. Asari were fun and he recommended everyone should try it. "Go on." He recommended his wingmen get laid and wished he had Sidda with him right now. She was fun to drink with and to play with afterward.

Chellick did make a successful attempt at talking to Kovir and Kaidan…at least tried with Zula. After his encounter with Aria, Nov stopped drinking. The area was no longer safe, so he made sure the Reliant crew got what they deserved and his friends were safe. He checked his omni-tool praying to get a message but there was still nothing.

The refugee dock was somewhere Nov didn't like. It was a painful place to be full of reminders of the current reality. All different species were crammed in with nowhere else to go. The Memorial Wall he avoided like the plague, he didn't need a further reminder of who he'd lost but it was something that could help him…just not right now, he wasn't ready for that.

This was a mercenary den, he found elements of each major one including the Blue Suns. He didn't know who Darner Vosque was but a quick search from the database drummed up a description and a semi-clear image of him. Human male around Sidda's age. Nov wasn't in armor but he wore casual Marine duty uniform. Technically, he wasn't in the military anymore but it was best not to parade around like a Spectre. Sidda and Saren were the most famous Spectre's in the galaxy followed by Nihlus and maybe now Kaidan. He wasn't looking for fame, he just wanted to do his job well.

He looked over the disparate people and sighed. Too many humans fit the description and he didn't want to make an assumption.

"Wow," a deep voice came from his right. A tall, human male, with no hair leaned casually against the stacked crates. "Aria wasn't kidding. A Council Spectre and husband of the great Commander Shepard on a leash." Nov's manner stayed aggressive especially after the mention of Sidda. "She promised Shepard but the Turian prodigy will work."

Nov was a relatively new Spectre but his reputation was clear. "Vosque?" he questioned, deciding right away that he didn't like him. He radiated arrogance but it was too soon to see how dangerous he was, if at all.

The man grunted a reply and stood up straight. It was hard to intimidate someone who was 6'7" and looked like an evolved raptor so Vosque's strutting attempt was met by a thoroughly unimpressed Nov. "Tell Aria that I'll commit my men after you take care of the General who's being a pain in my ass."

Nov's hackles went up at the mention of taking care of a General. "What General?"

"Turian fossil out of retirement to make my life hell. Take care of the thorn in my side and the Blue Suns will fall in under Aria…so long I get her blue ass in bed with me." Vosque smirked.

Nov managed to keep himself in check and not kill him on the spot. He needed information not a dead body. What was Aria up to and who was the General? "Who?"

"Oraka."

Nov managed to not snap his neck right there but he thought really hard about it. The Oraka he was referring to was Oraka the elder, though he thought he had been retired. Whatever Aria was up to he wanted to squash it on principle now. "I'll look into it." By the time Nov left Vosque he was seeing red, he wanted to snap his neck and string Aria from the ceiling.

He wanted to kill Aria but he followed up on things first, he needed to know more before he succumbed to his rage. "Kaidan, where are you?" he practically demanded into the Omni-tool.

"At the office."

Spectre office, perfect. "You meet with Narl yet?"

"Just about to."

It was a great help that he had people who were competent around him. Once of them was Chellick handling the Eclipse angle and Kaidan to take the thankless job of the Blood Pack. "Before you do I need you to run a location ASAP. Septimus Oraka. Turian general. O-r-a-k-a."

Kaidan rolled the chair across the deck to the console he needed and punched it in quickly. "I have a Caelius Oraka. Captain of the Pontius."

"Not him. That's his son. I think the Blue Suns are gunning for him."

Kaidan was now looking at passes. The scans made automatically by C-Sec, the security program tracked Ident Chips. "Got it. Last known location per Ident Chip: Presidium Commons, section 52."

"Perfect. Thank you." He said and hustled onto the elevator for the commons.

Something in Nov's voice made Kaidan suspicious. "Cal, do you need back-up?"

He didn't know what he had at the moment, so he waited. "No…not yet anyway. Nov, out."

Chellick did manage to go home with young Lieutenant Kovir. It had been a while since he'd woken up with a female in his bed. At least one that wasn't related to a cover or duty. Enya was sweet, the kind you'd take to meet the parents. Chellick wasn't opposed to getting married but he was a cop and had been for a long time. Not only was he a cop but he worked the worst places on the Citadel and had worked in every Ward. It was now a matter of principle; he didn't want to put a family in danger. Even when he was in the military it just wasn't safe. Chellick didn't serve the mandatory fifteen years, he only made it to seven. He was a cop as a civilian and he was a cop in the military. After seven years as Military Police he was stationed on Magna and was jumped by a group of soldiers in the middle of the night. The attack was brutal and they shattered his right spur. A simple mistake he made ended his military service in a medical discharge and still served as the basis for him not getting married. But things were changing, even in the middle of a War, he really liked Enya.

"Good morning, Captain." The desk Sergeant greeted as he walked into the C-Sec office.

"Sergeant." He greeted with a brief nod as he passed. He then stopped and backed up remembering the name from the night before. "Simcoe, can you pull a name for me? Jona Sederis."

The name sounded Asari and he put the computer to work. The file came up quickly and had a special tag on it. "Murder, Organized Crime, drug running, more murder…" Simcoe said. "File's tagged to Commander Bailey."

"Forward it to my office. Thank you."

Sederis' file was like reading the Citadel's Uniformed Justice Code. She had everything from petty crimes to murder and abduction. Wanted on Thessia, Illium, and Taetrus…and she led the Citadel's pack of Eclipse. She was caught by a lucky Port Authority officer almost a week ago. Ten minutes after the initial search on her name the comm in his office rang to life. It was Bailey.

Chellick almost expected the call. Normally, when an officer had a file flagged it was set to notify that officer when someone made an inquiry. "Armando." He greeted flatly.

"Decian, what's your interest on Sederis?" he asked bluntly. Bailey didn't sugarcoat anything, and he got right to the point.

"Someone's pushing to release her."

"Christ, you too?" he said and Chellick didn't both to hide the irritation. "Who?"

"Spectre request. Yours?" he answered and left Nov's name out of it.

"Council." Chellick made a face. Aria had her fingers in a lot of pies apparently. "Do not release her, Captain, I mean it. Tell what ever Spectre that's asking to shove it…I've done the same thing to the Council."

Chellick snorted. "Trying to set a record for time between promotion and demotion?" Bailey grumbled a response and Chellick chuckled. "I'm not releasing anyone. Don't worry."

"I'll keep you posted, Captain."

Kaidan worried about the call from Nov, he could handle himself in any situation but the Blue Suns were dangerous, if they were going against a Turian General it could mean a fight for Nov. Kaidan didn't really like the idea of dealing with the Blood Pack but to keep busy he helped.

"What the fuck is this? We were expecting Shepard, who the fuck are you?" the Batarian said and Kaidan sighed.

"You get me. Narl?" he replied, coolly.

"Who are you?"

Kaidan's glare remained and he found himself wondering just how he got himself roped into this. Right place, right time…drinking with Nov. "Alenko. Sent by Aria by way of Nov."

"Ahh…Aria's other Turian obsession." Narl said with a laugh and Kaidan made a face to reflect the confusion to his comment. 'Other Turian obsession' made him curious but he tabled that until later.

"Are you Narl?" Kaidan repeated and the Batarian grumbled.

"Yes," he answered and hurried Kaidan toward him and into the room. "now we don't have much time."

Kaidan resisted the rush and shoved Narl off him. "What are you talking about?"

"You're late and you're not Shepard so we need to sell this." Narl said sharply. "Put your hands behind your back." Kaidan went on the defensive and resisted even more. "Just trust me. You're Kaidan Alenko, second human Spectre right?"

"This better be up and up or I'll be your worst nightmare." He threatened and Narl accepted that he was probably serious.

"Fine. I apologize in advance." He replied and go in front of him and punched him across the face.

The hit was hard enough to bloody his mouth and Kaidan glared at him. "Maybe I should have brought the back up." He muttered and his biotics flared to the attack but Kaidan kept control.

Narl held up his hands trying to calm the biotic. "Relax. I need to show you as a prisoner. Now work with me on this."

The Presidium Commons were beautiful and the gave the appearance that everything was normal even though the universe was crumbling around them. Nov liked the view from the Commons but right now he was looking for one thing in particular: a Turian who looked like Caelius.

"Bang, you're dead." A woman said as he exited the lift. He recognized the voice and sighed before turning around.

"Well if it isn't Miss Impressive." He commented and sure enough leaning against the wall as if she was waiting for him was Isla Devereaux. "Thought I saw your face flash across my screen earlier."

"You did." She said and he looked down at her both surprised and not surprised she clocked him looking into the Citadel's criminal element. "Think I don't have my own security measures in place for when someone runs facial recognition on me?"

Nov rolled his eyes; she was a criminal but got a free pass because she was on the straight and narrow now. He hated it when the bad guys were on the same tech level as he was. "What do you want, Isla?"

She gestured for him to walk with her. They moved down the walkway and to an area away from other people. "Darner Vosque."

"And how do you know that I'm-…" he trailed off and shook his head in disbelief. "how in the hell did you tag the line? It's encrypted."

She gave a half sly smile and folded her arms across her chest. "You're not the only techy in the house." She replied and read his expression. He was getting angry with her. "Relax. It'll purge itself after a half hour. I can help you with this."

His expression narrowed. Rather than telling her to take a hike he thought that having a Blue Suns insider would be helpful. "How?"

"The Blue Suns rely on weapons deals. Biggest source of income is private security, that's why Zaeed started it." She said and Nov motioned her to move it along.

"I know the mission statement, move on."

"Fine, smart ass. Since the leadership shake up with Shepard a few months back that left the moron Vosque in charge and he doesn't have the clout any of the other ones did. Now we have the Reapers, weapons dealers willing to work with Vosque dropped to zero so they ramped up on raiding C-Sec supply shipments." She explained. The Blue Suns had always raided C-Sec shipments but now it was full time. The Reapers had been in the galaxy for four days and had already made a giant mess. "Oraka stomped on them pretty hard two days ago and now the Suns are desperate for weapons."

Nov had been under the impression that she and the Blue Suns were at odds so the next question didn't sound quite so dumb in his head. "How do you know this?"

"How do you think Archangel go his information on Omega?" she answered with a scoff sounding like he missed an obvious clue. "Vosque wants Oraka assassinated and Aria wants you to do it."

He sighed the irritation away; she still hadn't answered his question. "I'll ask it again: How do you know that?"

Her glare reminded him of the look that Sidda would give him when he was missing the point. "Still have ties to the Suns, Cal, I'm not kidding about this. Aria was bad news on Omega and she's even worse here. The Suns need a leader not a maniac. You help me take out Vosque and I'll guarantee you the most versatile merc band in the universe at your fingertips."

He thought about it, Aria didn't tell him everything and Vosque wasn't much better. Isla, as irritating as she was to him sometimes, had been extremely helpful. What really struck him was the fact that Aria wanted him to kill a general just to prove her point and get him out of the way. "You want to take over the Suns."

"Zaeed started it he deserves to lead it." She replied and Nov gave her a nod.

"Alright, I'll help." He said but felt the need to confront Aria. He wasn't about to used by her and he wanted to make a point. "Come with me."

When Nov entered Purgatory he was pissed and walked right through Aria's guard. If there was one person in the galaxy that she was leery of it was Nov and right now he was about to demonstrate it. She had two guards, both of them were rendered on the floor and useless in less than 30 seconds by the angry Spectre and then he was within striking distance. She was almost to her feet after his blitz attack and felt a hard punch across her face that knocked her back to the couch.

"You want me to kill a General?" he roared as he put the full weight of his body on her and his right hand around her throat. "Filthy fucking whore!" he added only that came out in Turian.

The Turian guard tried to get up and Isla put her right foot on his back and pushed him back down. "I'd stay there if I were you." She said calmly but Nov's attack had been so brutal and so sudden he was dazed and confused anyway.

Aria wasn't surprised by much in life, not anymore, but she was surprised by this. "I gave you the chance to save his life." Aria strained out and started to glow blue.

"Try it and I'll break your neck." He threatened through a low menacing growl. He was strong enough and had a good enough grip that her biotics would probably get her killed. "If anything happen to Septimus Oraka, I will kill you. You say Omega had one rule? Well the Citadel has one rule: Don't fuck with me, Aria." Not only did he have the skill to back up his threat, as a Spectre…he had the authority.

Aside from the music still playing the club had their attention on the commotion in the VIP corner. Isla did as intended and watched his back. When the club's bouncers approached, she dismissed them calmly. "Spectre business, gentlemen, go back to work." She said with a sweet and very calm tone. "Run along now, Boys." She encouraged sounding a little more forceful. Isla was armed but didn't advertise it.

It was getting harder to breath, Nov knew Asari anatomy well enough to know the quickest way to choke them. When he released her after making his point the weight of him disappeared too and she could breathe again. "Be very careful, Callus." She coughed trying to compose herself.

Anything less than complete obedience at this point was foolish on her part and Nov went the next step. "You want to go head to head with me…fine." He commented and tapped the secure line to C-Sec. "Decian, freeze any and all assets associated with Aria T'Loak and alias' then launch an investigation into how the hell she got on the station. Spectre authorization; Nov 117 Zeta."

She was beyond angry and glared at him in such a way part of him nearly cringed. "You will regret this." She promised and Nov prepared himself to receive whatever she was going to do. Someone needed to put Aria in her place…it just so happened to be him.

There was one thing he was certain of and had been for a long time. "Aria, I regret every second I've known you." He hissed back and left her in the embarrassing audience he made.

The murmurs in Purgatory were loud enough to be heard as Nov and Isla quickly left the Club. Some of it was typical chatter about what just happened and some girls swooning over the angry Spectre. Isla just shook her head as she followed him outside and to the car they came in.

"That was quite the spectacle. You sure that was wise?" she asked as Nov came down from being pissed as hell. He glared at her and she chuckled. "You know, you are a lot like Garrus…a dangerous hot-head." He glared at her again. "He would do this kind of thing a lot on Omega, nearly got him killed a few times."

She knew how to push his buttons and it really didn't take much. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, Devereaux." He clipped back. "Or is it Vakarian now?" the comment was meant to be a jab at their relationship but when she shrugged and paused. "Wait…is it?"

She chuckled to how fast he went from mad to curious. "That so hard to believe?"

His expression reflected bewilderment and surprise. "When?"

"Last month. You're not the only Turian/Human couple anymore." She said and changed the subject back to her initial question. "You didn't answer my question. Do you think that was wise?"

"Probably not." He replied. Aria, despite his low opinion of her, could back up everything she threatened. He knew he made the galaxies worst enemy by his display but…his point was well received. "Now I need to find Oraka the Younger."

"Well…just because I do actually like you…kind of and would rather not have to explain to Shepard why you died I'm gonna tag along and watch your back."

If there was ever a time he needed someone to watch his back it was now. On Omega he had the shanghaied help of Gavorn, at least Isla's motives were clear. "Appreciate it." His mind also went to people on Omega he knew and cared for on some level. Gavorn and Nyreen to be specific. He needed to get in contact with them. "Where is Garrus anyway?"

"Palaven." She said and he had to snort at that.

"Well, if he's here Sid'll find him. That's where Sparatus sent her." He said and Isla gave him a strange look. Garrus and Sidda did have an uncanny knack for finding each other no matter the situation. His comm beeped to life and it was Chellick.

"What the hell was that about?" the Captain asked.

"Just making a point. Meet me Pontius' dock."

"You do know that C-Sec has received seven calls about a so-called Spectre roughing up an Asari in Purgatory."

"Yep, it's me and I'll explain later."

Caelius was on his way back to the Pontius when Nov hurriedly approached him. He was the image of his father but shorter and had blue eyes. "Caelius," he called and the Captain stopped to see who it was. It was Nov. A spectre he barely knew calling him by a first name, he was so used to no one calling him Caelius, it was always 'sir' and 'Captain'. "where's your dad?"

The odd question was reflected on his face. "What?"

"Where is your father?" Nov repeated with a clear inflection on each word.

Caelius didn't care who it was that was asking, he loved his father and would protect him. "I don't know." He answered. Not a lie, he was somewhere on the station, but he was quick on the uptake…a Spectre was asking and the other Turian with him was a C-Sec officer. "Why? What happened?"

"We have a Blue Suns problem."

"Clarify." He ordered suspiciously.

"You dad has been squeezing the Blue Suns a bit hard lately, ordinarily I wouldn't care but it's pissed them off enough that they tried to get me to kill him." Nov explained.

Caelius went from mildly suspicious to hackles up in less than a second and squared up with Nov. "Why you?" he demanded in his Commanding officer tone.

He'd given him the wrong idea but then again he didn't know Caelius Oraka that well. "Because Aria T'Loak thinks she owns me. Not anymore, I gave her a lesson she won't soon forget but I do get to look over my shoulder for a little while or she'll stick a knife in my back."

Caelius was growing impatient and Isla could see it. "We need to get your father secure before that idiot Vosque does something stupid." she commented furthering the conversation. "Where is he?"

They had sufficiently convinced him there was a threat, if they were wrong that was fine…if they weren't…he would protect his father. "I'm not sure."

"Call him up."

Caelius was protective of his father and only with so far with more a detailed explanation. Now he was in the Turian Spectre office with Nov, a human Specter named Kaidan, a C-Sec Captain named Chellick, and a human female he wasn't sure about.

"I want to know what is going on right now." Caelius said in a calm tone that sounded a lot like a demand.

"It appears the Blue Suns are angry with me, son." His father said with a grin sounding proud of that.

"I told you to be careful." Caelius admonished. His father had been through a lot over the past five years or so and even became an alcoholic. He was sober now but the damage to his reputation had been done. Now he was out of retirement because the Reapers and he had something to prove.

His heart was in the right place. Over the past few years he wasn't the best example of a Turian officer and he'd been forced to retire after an incident with the Asari consort but he was an adult and a General and there was a war on. "I've been in the military longer than you've been alive, Son, stop mothering me."

Caelius was just as stubborn as he father but he took after his mother. He had an arrogant streak and a sarcastic tongue. "Someone has to." He snarked.

His father glared sharply at him and went from General to Dad is less than a second. "Enough!" he barked in the fatherly tone making his son fall silent. "Now what did you have in mind and who is this?" he asked gesturing to the only female in the room.

"Isla." She introduced simply.

"Isla is former Blue Suns but don't let that color your opinion of her…she's really much meaner than she looks." Nov said and Isla gave him an expression that clearly wasn't exclusive to Sidda when he was being a pain in the ass. "She works with us now." he said with a chuckle and went into the first question General Oraka had asked. "The plan is to keep you under guard and handle Vosque…permanently."

"What about Aria?" Kaidan asked.

"Oh, she's figuring out how to stab me in the back but I don't think she'll be stupid enough to try and push her luck just yet." Nov replied and Chellick gave him and odd expression. He really wanted to know just what he did to Aria.

"I'm still a little unclear as to why she wanted you to kill my father." Caelius said and Nov offered a mild shrug.

"I kinda screwed her on Omega." Nov said and then clarified when he received the odd looks from everyone. "Not literally. I used her power to make sure people didn't get mugged and she…took my liberal use of her name as a job application. Now she's taking advantage of the situation and save her skin while moving up in the world of crime bosses."

"Exactly how are you going to 'handle Vosque permanently'?" Chellick asked sounding a little afraid of the answer. "Actually, you know what, as a C-Sec officer in good standing I may not want to see or hear this until the Executor drops it on my desk. If you'll excuse me, General, Captain. Cal, if you get into trouble call me."

Caelius' Omni-tool chirped and he glared down at it. "So what are you planning on doing?" he asked sound more than a little testy and ignoring the Omni-tool.

"Caelius, you should go." The General said as his Omni-tool chirped again. "You're supposed to depart."

Caelius wanted to protest but he was already past the designated departure time. The Pontius needed to be on their way but he'd ordered them to hold off when Nov appeared with distressing news. "Not until I know you are no longer in danger."

"I'll be fine. I have two Spectres watching over me." He said and Caelius sighed heavily. Caelius' protest was interrupted by another chirp. He growled and sharply tapped the device, there were four missed messages from Acadas and two from his first officer. He couldn't put it off much longer, the Pontius had a schedule to keep and he was an hour late. "Caelius, go."

The younger Turian sighed with an irritable sound. "Fine." He relented and looked from his father to Nov. "I'm trusting you. I hope you understand that." Nov understood and gave the officer a nod. He lost family on Rylo and tried not the think about it.

When he left Kaidan and Isla moved into the planning stage and away from Oraka and Nov. "You'll have to forgive him." Oraka said referring to his somewhat prickly son. "It's been just the two of us for a long time and he feels the need to protect me. After my behavior a few years ago it doesn't surprise me. He has an arrogant streak that he gets from his mother but his heart is in the right place."

The admiration Oraka had for his son was sincere and it uplifted Nov to a degree. "I don't know him that well but I do know that he saved a lot of people when Rylo was attacked. People call him a hero." The Reliant survived the initial fight because of him.

Oraka was extremely proud of the person his son had become, his reputation had been tarnished by his actions but, to Caelius' credit, he never complained about it. "My son has never been big on the hero worship but he does care for his comrades." Caelius was hard to handle at times and many didn't get along with him. It was done right or it wasn't done at all and he had no issue telling you all about it. "I will do as you ask, and you can handle the Spectre business any way you wish. But I will not hide from Aria, my son may not believe it but I can handle myself."

Nov hadn't realized it but he was standing before the General as he had been conditioned. Hands behind his back and a respectful posture. "I believe you can, Sir." He said respectfully. Oraka had been in the military since the Relay 314 Incident and was an exceptionally good leader even if he'd been forced into retirement. "I won't let anyone get the drop on you. Least of all mercenaries and a Pirate queen I can't get rid of."

Oraka nodded and snorted a chuckle. "You're Tiber Nov's son, aren't you?" he asked but it was more like a comment. He already knew the answer and the Spectre fidgeted with body language that suggested he was uncomfortable with the topic. "I served with him a long time ago. I swear you look just like him." He said and stepped close enough to extend his hand to him. "Your father was a terrible soldier but a good friend."

He shook his head but wore a skeptical expression. "I have a hard time believing my father was friends with a General."

Oraka chuckled. "I wasn't a General at the time."

Handling Vosque and the Blue Suns was shockingly simple, he wasn't the same caliber as Vido and Kuril. He talked a big game but when it came down to it Isla was too much for him to stand up to. Then again Isla was the exact opposite of him, she talked the talk and walked the walk, this was the same person who was the Omega Blue Suns go to for interrogations, the same person who handed Archangel the means to nearly wipe them all out, turn on them, and still survive. Once the ranks of the Suns heard that she was moving against Vosque he was deposed easily but it wasn't for herself. Isla's goal of taking over the Blue Suns wasn't because she wanted to lead it. The only person that should lead the Suns was the man who started it, her friend and mentor Zaeed Massani.

Nov cursed when he saw Zaeed show up after having Vosque arrested and escorted away to be kicked off the Citadel. His program to find all the criminals on the station clearly missed a few…a few big ones.

Nov didn't escape the consequences of confronting Aria. He was summoned to Tevos' office so she could admonish him. Tevos was an Asari matron but she acted like a matriarch, right now she was angry…angry at him. Normally with an angry Asari he'd pour on the charm but here…he just didn't have it in him. As an insight into himself he'd grown quite a bit.

She was pacing in front of him. The thought of a Spectre boldly flexing his authority angered her. "You don't have the right, Nov. She is an Asari citizen and you will retract that investigation." She ordered and Nov quietly stood his ground.

"No." he replied flatly.

The gall of this male standing before with such a casual demeanor angered her further. "Excuse me?" she demanded in the tone that all politicians used when they were 'offended'. "Who do you think you are?"

"I'm a Spectre, Ma'am, and I'm doing my job." He answered firmly. "Councilor, if you are aiding a known criminal by smuggling her on board or protecting her-…"

"How dare you!" growled loudly and stepped closer to him.

Like Sidda, Nov didn't pussy-foot around. The Spectre's clearly weren't immune to corruption and neither was a council. Part of his job was the oversee both. "You selected me to protect Council Space, well, I'm gonna do that. If you don't like it, fire me and enjoy explaining to the Council why."

Nov was probably the best Spectre the Council had ever found but right now Tevos was regretting adding him to the ranks…no matter how correct he was. "You have a lot of nerve." She hissed in reply.

"Yeah, I know," he said sharply. His confidence was a weapon and despite the implication he didn't come off as arrogant. "but you are worse. Aria is dangerous…extremely dangerous and you are protecting her."

"You do not understand how-…"

"If she had something on you let me handle that and kick her off the station before she gets a lot of people killed." He said and Tevos sighed. She'd never liked Aria but she'd known her for a while. "You have the authority to eject her from the station."

Tevos thought about it but her response wasn't what he wanted to hear. She said she'd think on it and kicked him out of her office with the promise of brig time if he didn't comply. Rather than fight her on it he did as asked. It was going to bite him in the ass but that was a problem for another day.

The meeting with Tevos could have gone better but it didn't. Aria had some sort of relationship – personal or professional – with her that he could figure out. Tevos ordered him to drop the investigation and he refused. More to come on that. They'd arrived at an impasse and Sparatus sent him a mandatory appointment before he even got home.

Home was a little less crowded today, the members of the Reliant crew that were crashing with him had been assigned to different ships. Most left on the Pontius with Oraka but that didn't mean his apartment was clear. Chellick and Kaidan were present when he got there and having a lively conversation with Favia over what dinner was. All Nov wanted was Sidda, even a message from her would do him some good but there was still nothing. He sat down on the couch and put his feet up on the table as he tapped his Omni-tool. Music in the apartment turned on at a lower level and to one of Sidda's favorite songs.

"So how'd the staff meeting go?" Nov asked as Isla entered his apartment.

She giggled softly. "To be expected." She replied and Nov gestured to the chair across from him. "And as promised, the Blue Suns are at your disposal."

"The ones that don't fall in line are dropped on their ass." Zaeed added and Nov allowed a snort.

"Chellick and Kaidan managed to get the other two united under Aria."

"Blood Pack is almost completely Vorcha and Krogan now. They say Aria showed them how to get on the station undetected so who knows how many of them are scurrying about." Kaidan commented offering Zaeed and Isla a beer.

"Wonderful." Chellick groaned derisively. "Sederis…in all her lunacy…is going to die in jail. Bailey will kill her them himself before letting her out. I did go around her though to her underling. Shifty Salarian but he was smart enough to make the deal with Aria himself so…"

"Mission accomplished." Nov finished. "When Sid get's back I get to present her with a pissed off Pirate Queen with two Terminus merc bands as an army and you two kids with the Blue Suns."

"You know your tussle with Aria was recorded and has gone viral." Chellick informed with a smirk.

"Yey." Nov droned. "Sparatus already wants to see me in his officer first thing in the morning. In addition to getting chewed out over Tevos add Aria to make my life miserable. I thought marrying a Human meant that my days of angering Asari were over."

Kaidan raised his beer, whatever else had happened they proved one thing…they worked well together. "To teamwork," he began and looked at Nov. "and one badass Spectre." He'd always admired Sidda as a Spectre but Nov was something else entirely. He was scary good at everything at that included quelling a Crime Boss while getting her what she wanted and what they wanted.

"Here, here." Isla added with a smile that was gorgeous on her. "Callus Nov, King of the Citadel." She added obviously referring to his Citadel's one rule.