Thank you all for reading! We're taking a bit of a turn into the second act here - I hope you'll hang with me for this part of the ride!

Nassana Dantius. Shepard vividly remembered being sent on a wild goose chase by the asari, hunting her "kidnapped" sister, when in reality the sister had been involved with mercs and had tried to kill Shepard, which had not gone well for her. Nassana had been something less than broken up with grief when Shepard reported the results of the "rescue".

Now here they were, facing off again, at the top of a penthouse Nassana had thought secure enough to keep her safe, waiting for the appearance of Thane Krios, the assassin Cerberus had sent Shepard to recruit. From what she'd seen on her way up the tower, he was quite skilled at his job.

Naturally, Nassana thought Shepard's presence here was all about her; it was incomprehensible to her that someone should go to all this effort to get to her without wanting to come after her personally. Of course, what Nassana thought was very much a moot point: As she ranted at Shepard, a sound was heard from the ceiling above, one of Nassana's commandos nervously pointing a gun up at it.

Then a figure dropped soundlessly through a hole where a ceiling tile had been just a moment ago. He broke the neck of one guard, punched another in the throat, caving in his windpipe, and shot two others, seamlessly, all before Nassana had a chance to move. He caught Nassana in his arms, holding her still, and then shot her in the stomach. Carefully, almost gently, he laid her back over the control panel as her life ebbed from her. Without making a move toward Shepard or her team, or even so much as looking at them, he folded his hands and studied Nassana carefully.

"This is our guy?" Grunt asked into the silence. "Good." The krogan always liked an efficient killing machine.

Shepard wasn't so sure. The assassin's studied lack of acknowledgement of their presence worried her. "I was hoping to talk to you," she said to him.

He spoke at last, without looking up at her, his voice deep and rough, but mellifluous at the same time. "I apologize. One moment, please: Prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken."

She watched him as he finished his prayer, only now recognizing the intent focus for what it was. Shepard had never objected to religion amongst her subordinates as long as it didn't cause them to hesitate on the battlefield, and it was clear that Thane Krios had no trouble with that. She'd seen few drell in her career, and knew very little about them or their culture. If the assassin had to pray after every kill, that must take some time on a battlefield, she thought. Or perhaps he waited till the end and prayed over them all at once, as he had here.

But Shepard had to admit it seemed like wasted effort. Nassana had been trouble; no hesitation in her, either. Killing her had been a mercy to all those she might have encountered in the future. So Shepard had to ask, "She certainly was wicked. But do you really think she deserves your prayers?"

Thane glanced up at her, his eyes pure, solid black, but somehow still expressive. "Not for her. For me." Spreading out his hands, slender and long-fingered, he said, "The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone." He tilted his head to the side, studying Shepard unhurriedly. "Take you, for instance. All this destruction, this chaos. I was curious to see how far you would go to find me. Well … here I am."

He seemed perfectly calm, not tense or concerned by the presence of a heavily armed human with a krogan and a salarian, equally heavily armed, as backup. Shepard wondered if he knew who she was and why she was there already. "Did you know I was coming?"

"I didn't. Not until you marched in the front door and started shooting." Something that might have been a smile played across his face. "You saw the strength of Nassana's guard force—she had become paranoid, afraid one of her sisters would kill her. You were a valuable distraction."

"Glad I could help."

"I don't imagine you came just for the entertainment of shooting your way through two towers full of mercenaries."

"No. I didn't. I came to ask you to join me on a mission."

"Indeed?"

Shepard nodded. "You've heard of the Collectors?"

"By reputation." His interest had been piqued by the name, she could see. "What about them?"

"They're attacking human colonies—Freedom's Progress was their handiwork, among others. I intend to stop them."

He did smile at that. "I knew rumors of your death must have been exaggerated. It's a pleasure to meet you, Commander Shepard."

"You know who I am?"

"It is difficult to avoid your likeness. Also, who else would shoot their way up here in order to offer me employment?" The smile faded and he looked at her intently. "Attacking the Collectors will require passing through the Omega 4 relay. No ship has ever returned from doing so."

Shepard shrugged. Time enough to worry about that when they saw what was on the other side preventing them from returning. "They told me it was impossible to get to Ilos, too."

"A fair point. You have built a career on performing the impossible," Thane acknowledged. "So you would like me to protect humans I've never met, from aliens no one knows anything about, by going to a place no one has ever returned from?"

"Succinctly put," Mordin commented.

Shepard smiled. "That's about the size of it, yes."

Thane hesitated before continuing, "This was to be my last job. I'm dying. Low survival odds don't concern me; the abduction of your colonists does."

Well, didn't that just take the cake, Cerberus sending her to recruit a dying man. Could she afford to bring him on her ship? Was it even worth recruiting him? "You're dying? Are you contagious? How long do you have?"

"I am not contagious. If you are interested in further details, we can discuss it on your ship. I can promise the problem will not affect my work."

"Is there anything we can do?" Shepard thought of Dr. Chakwas. Perhaps she or Mordin would be able to come up with a cure, or at least a palliative, for whatever Thane was ill with.

He shook his head in a contained but certain negative. "Just giving me this opportunity is enough." Turning, he looked out the window where the sun was just coming up, orange light shining across his face. "The universe is a dark place. I am trying to make it brighter before I die." Looking around him at the carnage, he added, "Many innocents died today because I wasn't fast enough to prevent it. I must atone for that." Thane held out his hand and Shepard shook it. His skin was smooth and cool to the touch, his handshake firm. "I will work for you, Shepard. No charge."

"Welcome aboard."