|22|


"We're moving her to the lower level," Kaidan heard the scientist say as they escorted the woman in her wheelchair down the ramp and into a waiting lift. "We need her closer to the core, and maybe the next time we can purge it from her," the scientist droned on as Kaidan felt for Braith's hand on the wheelchair he walked alongside…The last effort had left her deteriorated, mentally, and as for her physical state she was too weak to walk on her own.

"I don't know if I can do that again, Kaidan," her whisper was so low, he had to bend his ear to her face while they stepped inside the lift and stopped, turning her wheels.

"You didn't do what you did before, Shepard," Kaidan said, worried, "….That was more than just seizures…. The last time you kicked out the lights in the room…This time it was far more powerful….I'm going to have to check in with Lothiraxl's portmother to affirm them it was a sound effort to get you free….Of what they want…" He could see she was tired and falling to sleep against the headrest of the wheelchair, "….You want some more of the Phedyl….Or something stronger to put you out?" She said nothing as the lift lowered.

"We can hook her up to aminos, electrolytes, everything, Major, but there's still going to be some time before it lets her imbibe what you suggested…All these years she's been suppressing it with what her self-prescribed treatment's been," the doctor beside him stated, "….Whatever took her from the crashed Citadel part is pissed and doesn't want to be suppressed anymore…It's like being drugged and put to sleep every time it wakes up, and screaming before the liquor gets poured on top of it…."

"That's probably frustrating," Kaidan said, the door opening and they wheeling her out….

"Kaidan," a third presence behind him spoke, "…If we don't get it out before the city starts its cycle downward, we're facing something a little more drastic….We might have to just hook her in."

"She's not a battery," Kaidan said, moving the wheelchair down the next set of silver halls, "…We'll get as close as we can without giving her to the damn thing."

"There has to be a way to transfer what's stored in her body out and into Lothiraxl, back where it belongs, otherwise they'll likely both be destroyed and then where will we be?"

"Floating in deep water without a way out….What are we going to do when Surr comes up to demand what's the hold up for?"

"I'll talk to it….They'll understand the sensitivity of the situation…In the meantime, feed her and give her liquids so she doesn't look so weak," Kaidan said, and they went into a new room with glass walls, moved her from the wheelchair into a comfortable bed, hooked her into the new console of sensors, and shut low the lights…..And as they left, small blue tendrils of light licked out from her fingers, grasping for what these couldn't reach before falling back inside.