"Hey Jack," Shepard said into her Omni while she walked, "Where'd you go? I'm not sure why you left but call me when you get this. We aren't finished." A slow release of breath through her nose after she disconnected calmed her enough to let her feet lead her in a large circle through the forested estate grounds.

The curated copses appeared to be arranged to draw the eye into their depths, with footpaths and secluded seating areas where one could best appreciate a particular rock formation or listen to the sound of water. Paths meandering through areas with unsure footing sported clever stairs carved from natural rock and even miniature bridges over cuts in the earth; all guiding the observer so gently that no effort was required for anything but the contemplative thoughts that brought them there in the first place. The birds and insects may have sounded completely different on this world, but after a period of adjustment Shepard found them as pleasant as they'd ever been on Earth. It was, best of all, completely secluded and she'd spent many an hour moving quietly through the sun and shade; her destination always the silence of her inner self.

She wasn't sure she'd ever actually made it, but spinning uselessly around in your mind did get boring after awhile. Boring enough that she'd eventually go inside and do something about whatever was bothering her. Probably not what the T'Sonis envisioned when they built the place , she realized, which made her smile.

45 minutes or so of that spinning brought her back around to the house where she saw several vehicles crowding the drive. Her pace picked up to a jog, mind going far too quickly to bad conclusions, but she quickly recognized the badges of Council Security on people mulling about and it wasn't long before she spotted Councilor Tevos as well as Liara's father, Aethyta, making a slow walk toward their door, surrounded by staff.

When Tevos saw her she slowed and smiled that Mona Lisa smile Shepard had come to know so well. They approached one another and nodded in greeting, words as careful as their perpetual confidence dictated.

"Shepard," the Asari said with warmth.

"Tevos," Shepard replied, self-consciously zipping up the faded N7 hoodie she only wore when playing hermit-in-the-house. "I didn't expect you to come in person. Welcome."

"As luck would have it I was already on planet for other business," she replied before Aethyta, in poignant contrast, threw protocol to the wind with a hug that pulled Shepard to the tips of her toes.

"Heya kiddo! Congratulations! You pulled it off!"

Shepard couldn't help but hug her back and laugh as she was set back down, "I uh...think your daughter did most of the work there, Dad, but thanks just the same."

"How is Liara?" Tevos asked.

Shepard smiled and gestured toward the front door, then fell in step with the Councilor. "She's doing well. Been sore for a couple days but her physician says everything's fine."

Tevos nodded, shifting a wrapped gift from arm to arm before following Shepard inside, her staff settling outside to allow privacy. Once the door closed she spoke. "She is very young. That may be both the cause and the cure for what ails her."

Shepard nodded, the advice nearly identical to the physician's. "She'll be delighted to see you both," she said, motioning through the great room to the back porch. Aethyta headed off to see her daughter, but when Tevos didn't move, Shepard turned to meet her expectant gaze.

Tevos watched her for a long moment before speaking. "I prevaricated when I mentioned I had other business on Thessia, and I must apologize for intruding on this most intimate of times for your family. The truth is, you are the business that brought me here."

Shepard's eyes widened. "I'm the business, huh?" She crossed her arms defensively while her mind worked. There was only one thing that would bring the likes of Tevos to her door. "I think I already know what you are going to ask and the answer is no. I'm not going to Tuchanka."

Tevos smiled softly. "The internal conflict the Krogan are experiencing is troubling, yes," she began, but Shepard was shaking her head over and over in refusal until the Asari stopped speaking altogether.

A moment later Tevos tried again, this time with a steel undertone, "I need you to hear me."

"I'm sorry you wasted a trip, Councilor. I'm not changing my mind."

"Shepard," she began a third time, eyes hardening uncharacteristically. "This is not about the Krogan."

She blinked, her arms loosening themselves in surprise. "Alright. What's going on?"

Once Tevos seemed satisfied that she was listening, her chin lowered a bit from its imperious height. "There is much to relay. May we sit?"

"Of course. This way." She started striding down a hallway toward the library before bringing herself up short. "You've come a long way," she mused, "You need anything? I could use a drink, I think."

"Yes, please," came the tired reply from someone who normally seemed immune to fatigue.

With a smile Shepard moved to the bar, pouring a glass of Thessian wine for Tevos and a scotch neat for herself before leading the august leader back to a room that smelled of dust and paper despite being immaculate.

Tevos paid her surroundings little mind, settling readily into a chair and putting the package in her lap so she could accept the proffered glass.

When Shepard took a chair opposite her, Tevos began. "I know you have refused to share," she said simply. "I'm asking you to reconsider. You would fully understand the challenges ahead."

Shepard's brow furrowed. "Is this about the Convergence?"

"Yes it is," she replied while looking at Shepard hopefully. When she didn't relent, Tevos tilted her head sadly, then added, "You haven't put in a request for the cure. Why is that?"

She shrugged and took a sip of her 15 year old single malt. She could withdraw from the communal thoughtlink at will, unlike the rest of the affected members, which is why the cure was so important for them. "Didn't seem necessary," Was her only response.

Tevos nodded and relaxed pensively into her chair, drink untouched. "Allow me to bring you up to date, then, though I would remind you of your oath of secrecy on this matter."

At Shepard's nod she continued, "When the cure was first introduced, roughly a quarter million people departed the Convergence. It is a large number, until you take into account the fact that there were over 5 million people who survived the assault on the Citadel as well as the infection process. While there were some predictable issues with the dissemination of restricted information it was handled expediently."

Shepard nodded again, remembering the string of disappearances and deaths that filled the news cycle a couple of years prior. While Liara all but confirmed they were Convergence related, Shepard now knew from the most reliable of sources that it was true.

"I thought for sure the cat was out of the bag," Shepard admitted. "But the whole thing really did disappear. Don't know how you managed it."

"The deaths were unfortunate," Tevos sighed regretfully, "But the example they set kept the rest of the excommunicated in line." Her eyes met Shepard's meaningfully, "Until now."

Excommunicated. Shepard felt a deep sense of unease at the word. While a very precise description for the separation of someone from the groupthink, it rang harshly of negative religious connotations. "What's happened?" she asked again, refusing to be distracted by personal bias.

Tevos spoke slowly, revealing a rare uncertainty in her expression. "As I mentioned, the percentage of those who elected for treatment is small when compared to those who chose to stay. They stayed...I stayed…because together we have helped achieve a level of peace and prosperity for the galaxy that hasn't been seen before. As the date to the cure approached we found ourselves asking why it had to end?"

"Because everyone will eventually realize you've been manipulating Council policy using state secrets," Shepard injected without pause. "When the galactic governments find out that their own people have given you peeks at their hand there'll be hell to pay."

"Yes," Tevos agreed softly before sipping. "But the results are...compelling, don't you think? Will the inevitable penalties for our actions be less if we disbanded? There's much we can still accomplish."

Shepard considered before answering, her eyes locked on the Asari's. "When you were infected you had no choice but to carry on. The galaxy required leadership and you gave it. Continuing the charade after the cure is a choice, though, so...yes, I think the penalties would have been lessened if you stopped."

"We disagree," she said simply. "There are many in power, many whose secrets were used to produce favorable actions, who would be embarrassed by the knowledge of their complicity. Forgiveness is rare in politics, no matter how pure the motives may have been. In fact, we feel that if there is to be any protection for those involved in our activities it will originate most effectively from within the Convergence itself."

Shepard raised her eyebrows but shrugged. "Look, I see what you're saying, but you understand you're setting yourselves up for a fight, right? If you don't work with the authorities and admit what you've done you could be forced to defend yourself against every race in the galaxy. Not even five million people would fare well against those odds."

Tevos was nodding all the while. "We considered that and have a plan. A plan that is now meeting some unanticipated complications."

"Which is why you're here." Shepard posited with a rise of one brow while crossing her legs. "So?" she asked, punctuating the question with a hand, "What do you need from me?"

Tevos' face turned toward the window as she spoke, the blueness of the light reflecting on her face only intensifying the radiant purple of her skin. "It was inevitable that someone, somewhere would begin to notice patterns belonging to a large group of disparate people performing similar activities across the galaxy. We had hoped to obfuscate our work until we were ready to announce what we've become, publicly, but it may have happened sooner than we liked."

She turned to gaze at Shepard directly. "One of our highest level members, in charge of some of the more sensitive aspects of our activities has gone missing, Shepard, and I need you to find him."

Shepards eyes narrowed in thought before confusion set in. Confusion and no little bit of humor. "You have over 5 million people who can communicate just by thinking and one of you still managed to get lost?"

Tevos' lip curled disapprovingly. "Joke if you like, but the galaxy is a big place. There is a range outside of which sharing becomes impossible, as you well know."

Shepard tempered the grin spreading across her cheeks. "Right, sorry. How long have they been missing? Is it possible they've just gotten stranded somewhere?"

The asari shook her head in the negative. "I wouldn't have come to you if we hadn't explored all other options. This isn't a matter of someone taking a weekend for themselves or breaking down in a shuttle. He's been missing for over two standard weeks from an urban location where there should be clues. There are none and that is worrying. We fear he's been taken."

"And you had no hint this person was wanting to leave the group via the share? Could they have just given themselves the cure?" As the Councilor shook her head again, Shepard pressed her. "You're that sure?"

"Even if there were some way to deceive us through the share," Tevos explained, her gaze steady, "There's no chance he would do so."

"Who is it? Anyone I know?"

"Yes. Former Councilor Valern."

Shepard sucked in a breath, eyes widening as she took her own moment to look out the window. "As a former Councilor he's got a permanently assigned security detail. They gone too?"

"Only one. Both he and Valern disappeared while they were on duty. You understand our concern."

"Was the guard that also disappeared in the Convergence as well?"

"Correct."

Worry wrinkled Shepard's brow at that point. "It's unlikely he could disappear like that without his security personnel's knowledge…..or participation." She turned, leveling a look at the woman again. "Have you considered that angle?"

"We have. The rest of them have been rigorously interviewed regarding their activities that day, and their reports have been verified." There was something strange about the way the consummate politician uttered the final sentence. Something flat.

"Really?" She countered, letting the tingle in her guts that so rarely led her astray take her by the hand, "By whom?"

Tevos seemed pleased with her answer. She folded her hands across the the package in her lap, seemed to realize she'd forgotten to give it to her, set it on the table beside her, then grasped the arms of her chair with delicate hands. "This is the crux of the problem. Valern's escort was entirely Salarian."

That old sinking feeling was back. "Don't tell me they were on Sur'Kesh."

"They were, and that's why we require your help in particular."

Her eyes closed and she shook her head in frustration while saying, "So you think a former member of the Convergence spilled the beans and the Salarian government may be behind Valern's disappearance?" She scoffed then in disbelief. "I'm not sure what I can do for you, Councilor, but I don't think there's a planet in the galaxy that would be less comfortable with my presence." They both paused before Shepard added an embarrassed, "Well, maybe Khar'Shan, but you know..."

Tevos smiled softly and dropped her eyes with a sad nod of understanding before returning to topic. "Their government's lack of cooperation isn't a roadblock if the investigator is a Spectre."

"Well, I can't be the only Spectre in the Convergence, " she protested. There was another on the Citadel when it was taken, surely. she thought to herself. Yes, Jondum Bau, and he's a Salarian to boot! But just as suddenly as his name came to mind she recalled him and his entire team throwing in with the war effort after she and Kasumi assisted him with the Hanar diplomats' indoctrination. He wouldn't have been onboard, after all.

"I'm afraid you are," Was all the Asari said and from the look on her face Shepard could see she wished it were otherwise.

"You haven't promoted any in 5 years?" Came her incredulous reply.

Tevos sighed patiently. "It's not as simple as you suggest. Elections have been held for almost all Council positions in that time and while the Convergence maintained some of those seats we couldn't keep them all. Valern's replacement by Esheel is an example of that. There must be a vote for new Spectre applicants, as you undoubtedly recall, and circumstances are such that no Convergence members have been accepted." She went silent for a moment, her head tilting compassionately. "I am truly sorry for this, but we have no other alternative."

Now it was Shepard's turn to sigh and she took another drink; a longer drink that burned the back of her throat. "What will you do if it's true?" Shepard finally asked. "What if they know?"

Tevos met Shepard's gaze for a long, long moment and she could feel the Asari's concern radiating from her. "Things will become...complicated."

Her wife had just pitched a fit to get her out of helping Grunt, an act that could have clear repercussions on the galaxy, and yet here she was considering intervening in another political shitshow. The thought made her stomach tie itself in knots.

She stood and paced to the window, fingertips massaging one temple. "I don't appreciate being dragged into this. You can't even legally call this a Spectre mission. I wouldn't be working for the Council, I'd be working for you. Give me one good reason I should agree."

The asari arched a brow reluctantly but after a moment under Shepard's heavy stare seemed to resign herself to the answer. "Because you are one of us, Shepard. Once word gets out there will be widespread medical testing to find any remaining potential 'agents'. You too will be held accountable, if not for direct activity on our behalf then for your silence."

Shepard's eyes flashed at the words and she felt that same temple begin to pound with anger.

Tevos saw it in her and held up a calming hand. "And yes, I understand why this is upsetting to you," she said with a voice made of sweet cream. "Do you think I want to give you ultimatums? This should be a day for celebration. A day to revel in the birth of your first child." When she didn't answer, Tevos added, "At least you have the opportunity to intervene, rather than react too late."

Shepard looked away from her then and back out the window, preferring the vision of the wind through the branches to the face of the woman kicking down the front door of her paradise. "It sure sounds pretty late to me. Are there any resources on Sur'Kesh I can actually use?" she snapped. "Anyone I can contact for intel?"

She heard a sound of relief from behind her that was as close to a chuckle as she could recall hearing from the staid politician. "You're not universally hated there, you know," Tevos said with a touch of fondness. "There will always be people on the wrong side of history, but the Salarian people honor your accomplishments in the war just like everyone else."

Her head swivelled to look at the Asari, irritation swelling nonetheless. "I'll take that as a yes," she growled.

Tevos nodded and Shepard downed her drink, sucking on her lower lip audibly afterward. "Christ," lifting an arm to prop against the vertical windowsill, "What am I gonna tell Liara?"

Tevos rose as well and smoothed her dress. "Perhaps you can start by saying that instead of saving an entire galaxy, you need only save one man."

The Counselor didn't stay but apparently Aethyta had. When Shepard stepped back outside she found the unflappable Asari commando sitting quietly as the grave before she felt Liara's harsh glare turn to her instead.

"You agreed to this?" Liara asked with pain in her voice. "Why would you help them? If you had any defense to offer once the galaxy knows about them, it disappears the moment you accept Spectre status."

Shepard had forgotten that Aethyta was a member of the Convergence, which meant she would have known about her talk with Tevos as it was happening, and the remembrance was like a splash of cold water. She turned to her father-in-law with narrowed eyes and asked, "Why did you tell her?"

Both of them spoke at once then, Aethyta in self-defence and Liara in attack.

"She's my daughter and a Shadow Broker…." Aethyta began.

"You'd have kept this from me?" Liara cried.

Shepard shushed them both to keep Athena from waking, which didn't improve any moods. "No...look...that's not..." she started before running a hand through her hair. "Listen," she tried again, "All I meant was I wanted the chance to talk to my wife about this on my own, okay?" It was then she noticed that Tali and Garrus along with the kids were gone. Ignoring the pair of upset faces still regarding her she asked, "Where'd everybody go?"

"I told 'em we had some private things to discuss," Aethyta said flatly, "Proof I wasn't netblasting the whole goddess blessed world?"

"They've gone to their rooms for naptime," Liara chimed in with a look of barely soothed hurt. "Tali said the little ones were getting cranky, anyway."

Shepard sat roughly in a chair and entwined her fingers with a sigh, only looking at Liara when she was ready to speak. "Honey, I'm in a tough spot here. If I'd known this was coming I'd have told all of them to take the cure and leave me out of it."

Aethyta started to speak and Shepard spoke over her, "But since I didn't have any choice in that I have to consider what's best for this family, especially since everything we've done...everything you've done, babe, has been to take scrutiny away from us, to give us the space we need to raise Athena in peace and quiet. Do you really want to jump back into the spotlight with this bombshell? Or should I just do this one thing to either protect us entirely or buy us the time we need to adjust?" She looked to Aethyta then even as she still spoke to her beloved. "Because I think Tevos is right. When the time comes to tally the cost I'm damned whether I act or not."

"This isn't what I wanted...what any of us wanted," Aethyta regretfully intoned. "You gotta know that."

Shepard's lip curled wryly, "I know it wasn't, and truth be told I could've kept in better contact. That being said," she began, "Just what the hell are you guys doing? I would have thought you'd cure yourselves the second it became available."

"That's...tough to explain," the Matriarch replied with a sideways glance at her daughter. "And I'm not sure how much you wanna to know, given the circumstances."

"Is that a joke?" Liara asked with a bitter tone. "We need to know what we're dealing with...what Shepard might encounter on Sur'Kesh, who she's up against. We need to know everything, father."

"That's the Shadow Broker talking," Aethyta grimaced, "But there's still a few things you don't know, little wing. That you can't know."

"And why is that?" Liara countered with suspicious eyes. "We aren't the enemy. We wouldn't ever hurt you, you know that. If you still can't talk to us that means you're doing something you probably shouldn't."

Aethyta pursed her lips and shook her head. "Not something we shouldn't. Something you're just not ready for. Not yet."

"I think we're able to make that decision for ourselves," Shepard said calmly.

"Great," Aethyta huffed, "Share when you're ready. Then you can explain it to her."

"Why do you two keep asking that when you already know my answer!" Shepard exclaimed. "What's so damned important that you can't just tell us?"

"Because I don't have a damn year to walk you through it, that's why!" Aethyta answered. "There's layers here, Shepard. Layers and layers and if you don't see it all you don't see it at all." She looked back and forth between them. "Do you trust me? Have I done anything to make you doubt my intentions?" When they didn't answer in the affirmative she continued, "What I can tell you is that what we're doing is mind blowing. It's galaxy changing and it can belong to you, both of you...if you just reach out and take it!"

"Father," Liara said after a moment of consideration, "You know what you sound like, don't you?"

"What's that?"

"A dust peddler. A madwoman. Some kind of...cultist. If it were me you were trying to convince I'd have even more doubts about sharing than before."

Her father's eyes hardened, but she chuckled just the same. "And you wonder why I kept quiet."

"Look," Shepard interjected impatiently, "Just...give me whatever you have on Valern and whoever you suspect gave him up. Can we start there? If he's been gone two weeks we may not have much time left."

"You'll get what you need as soon as you accept reinstatement, which should already be in your box," she said tersely, jaw working in frustration. "Let me know if you have any other questions or need resources of any kind and I'll make it happen."

Shepard met Liara's heavy gaze and could feel her worry from three feet away. She put all of the love she had for the woman into her eyes and they shared it between between them, letting it outgrow the sad, foreboding sense of deja-vu that filled the air. "It's okay babe," she said lightly, "How hard could this be? I either find him or I don't."

Aethyta rose from her seat, ostensibly to give them their space, but Shepard stopped her with a hard look. "Oh no. You're not going anywhere," she said.

"Is that right?" came the doubtful reply.

"Yeah, it is," she said firmly while returning her eyes to Liara's blue ones. "I'm gonna go find your Councilor and you're gonna stay here and help your daughter figure out how the hell to get us out of whatever's coming down on your head."

Liara nodded, turning to her father with analytical concern. "Yes," she agreed, "It appears we have a great deal to discuss."

The aged Asari sat back down and Shepard stood to prepare.