I was setting course, when Joker told me Hackett wanted to talk to me, that he was routing the call through to the comms room.

Weird.

"I have a difficult assignment, Shepard. You're the only one I trust to get it done."

I straightened, nodding to his projected image. Waiting for him to continue.

"There's a criminal leader named Darius in the Skyllian Verge who controls most of the raider activity. I'd like you to negotiate a cease-fire with him."

"Makes sense. I know Darius- There's no way he'd respect an Alliance negotiator."

"Good. You know him. With that, and your achievements, you present a strong image that Darius has to respect. Show him that the Alliance won't back down. Show him he'd do better to make peace while he can."

"I'll do what I can." I dipped my head, accepting the mission. "Just send me the coordinates. We'll head there first."

"Excellent. Shepard, I appreciate your help." A pause, while he looked at a datapad. "I'm also transmitting the background for this negotiation. Fifth Fleet out."

I touched my ear piece, linking directly to Joker. "Change of plans. I'm inputting a new set of coordinates."

When I was done, he responded. "Got them. Headed that way now, Shepard."

I addressed my team next. "Change of plans. We're taking a bit of a detour. Hackett wants me to do something, so you've got some more time to get your things ready to go before we head toward Noveria. It will be a solo mission. I will be able to show you, but I need you all to keep it to yourselves. This isn't supposed to go beyond me and Hackett."

Various acknowledgments and agreements met my words.

After fighting a thresher maw, I found myself at the facility.

I paused just outside the door, tapping into the abilities of my wolf totem to see their auras through the walls, then headed inside.

He was standing up on the balcony, his men on the stairs and in the two side rooms. Waiting for the signal to attack if this meeting went south.

"Viridian!" He called out, arms spread wide at the sight of me.

I mimicked him. "Darius!"

"When the Alliance reached out for a negotiation, I didn't think it would be you."

"What can I say? They like to outsource through me." I hopped up on one of the crates, crossing my ankles and back on my hands.

"What do you know about the deal?" He was relaxed, leaning on his elbows on the ledge of the balcony wall.

I hummed thoughtfully. "I... know that the Alliance wants mining rights. I... know that the Alliance knows you're the guy to deal with. I... know that they won't get those rights unless you get what you want. So, what can I do you for, Darius?"

"For one, I'd prefer you call me 'Lord Darius' or 'your lordship'." He laughed, but it was clear he was serious.

"Of course, of course." I grinned, leaning forward, hands on knees. "What can I do for you, Lord Darius?"

"You know my demands. But you know what? I just thought of a new one." I wasn't going to like this was I? "I want you, Viridian, to beg me to sign this treaty."

I kept my expression fixed in place. "And you think I'll do that? C'mon, you know me better than that." I tsked.

He was taken aback, his eyes widening before narrowing to slits. "You know you have to-"

"I don't know that. What I do know is-" I used what my grandmother called the fade step, disappearing from where I was sitting and reappearing behind Darius. "I'm walking out of here, but you aren't." His body dropped to the floor with a loud thud. Addressing the rest of the men in the building as they poured out into the open, I said. "Look. You can go or you can die. One or the other, my guys. I'm fine with either."

They chose to leave. A wise decision.

Once back on the ship, I headed toward the comms room and called Hackett.

"Yeah, it's been taken care of." I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. "Your men shouldn't have any problem now."

"Thank you, Shepard. Hackett out."

I walked out, blowing out a loud gust of air.

"Everything okay, Shepard?" Kaidan asked, pausing. He'd just come up the stairs.

"Yeah. I'm used to missions like that." My fingers itched to run through my hair, but I kept the urge at bay. "Say, I'm curious. What made you join the Alliance?"

"I read a lot of those books when I was a kid. Where the hero goes to space to prove himself worthy of a woman he loves." He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Or, you know. For justice."

"Sounds like a romantic way to view things." I murmured as we walked to where he was usually stationed, taking a seat in one of the two chairs there.

He sat, too. "Maybe I was a romantic, in the beginning. But I thought about it after Brain Camp- ah, sorry. 'Biotic Acclimation and Temperance training'." I remembered hearing about that place. "I'm not looking for 'the dream'. I just want to do some good. see what's out there." He blinked, eyes widening a little. "Sorry if I got too informal. Protocol wasn't a big focus back in BAaT."

I leaned forward, chin in hand, head tilted. The picture of curiosity. "Tell me about it."

"'Biotic Acclimation and Temperance' didn't last past the airlock. To the kids they hauled it, it was 'Brain Camp'. Sorry, 'hauled in' is unkind. We were 'encouraged to commit to an evaluation of our abilities, so an understanding of biotics could be compiled'. There are worse results of 'accidental' exposure to element zero in the womb. Beats the brain tumors some kids grew up with."

"Yeah, I heard about that. How companies would arrange 'accidents' to expose people to element zero." It was coming back to me. The things Nihlus used to say about humans and element zero.

"There was never any proof of that. It's not what happened in my case, anyway. My mother was downwind of a transport crash. It was before there were human biotics. A little after the discovery of the Martian ruins. It only gets iffy around '63, when Conatix was running out of first-gen subjects. Until then, they'd relied on accidents. Bunch of guys in suits show up at your door after school. Next thing you know, you're out on JumpZero."

"That's a long way from home." I mused. "What was it like?"

"The grand gateway to humanity looks a lot better in the vids. Anyway. This was supposed to be about the reason I joined the Alliance, not a bull session about stuff that happened years ago."

"I mean, you know so much about me, but I know so little about you. It's nice to get a little glimpse of the man at my back."

"I understand. I won't let you down."

I laughed. I couldn't help it.

Standing, I shook my head, grinning. "You say protocol wasn't a big thing in BAaT, and yet that's all you're about with me. One day, Kaidan. I'll get you to talk to me like a normal person one day. Mark my words."

"You..." He stood, as well, hesitating. "I know you said you don't do formal, but... You make a habit of getting this personal with everyone?"

I covered my mouth to stifle my laugh. "I try to, yeah. So far, you've been one of the most difficult to get to know. But I do want to talk to you one on one again. I like talking to you."

"I'll, uh- I'll need some time to process that, Shepard." A strange expression crossed his face. "But yeah, I'd like that."

"Take your time, then, LT."

With that, I went into my room, still chuckling quietly to myself.

The trip to Noveria would take a while, so I settled in for a catch-up session.

Heyo. I greeted, letting my hair down before flopping down on my bed. How's it going?

Viridian! It's been so long. My cousin squealed.

Perse!

Nothing is going on with me. Just sitting at home with Pandora and Melinoe, and Zorua. A pause. I pictured her taking a drink of her tea. Fill me in on what's happened since you talked to mom.

And I did just that. Every detail.

I think Kaidan likes you.

I- I hesitated, thinking a moment.

Do you like him?

I... I think I do, yeah. I mean, it's nothing like with her or that instant connection with Shiala, but... it feels like the spring sun when he looks at me sometimes. That look he gets in his eye. It's weird, but nice.

Ooo. Maybe it's time to try dating again.

He's my subordinate. There's rules against that.

Hmm. Maybe, since you're a Spectre, plus you're not actually in the Alliance, those rules don't apply to you. Why don't you try talking to him?

When I do, he always ends up asking me if I talk to everyone the way I do him. Which I don't understand. I don't think I talk to him any differently.

Let me take a look. Maybe you're just too close to it.

I took a deep breath, creating a copy of my memories and letting it slide into the collective. Then, I waited for the verdict.

I- Coupled with the fact that you told him before any of the rest of your team, and that last conversation you literally just had, I think you do treat him differently. I could say the same for Garrus, though, too. You take him almost everywhere. How do you feel about him?

I sat with that for a few minutes, before slowly responding. I'm not sure. But you know my motivation. I'm keeping an eye on him and looking to see if he'd be cut out for it. The same thing Nihlus had done for me. But all of that aside, Kaidan shares dad's name. Only difference is pronunciation. I can't date him, for that reason alone.

Well, whatever you decide, we're here to support you. Remember that. And, Her clap bled into her thoughts, making me laugh. I'm glad to hear from you. It really makes mom, auntie, and grandma happy, too, when you check in. Especially that you're doing it so often, now, too. When do you think you'll be able to swing a visit, do you think? I'll be going home in a few weeks, myself.

I'm not sure. But I do know that I'd love to bring my friends. I'd need to take special precautions, of course, but that's what I really want to do. At any rate, it'll have to wait until we catch Saren. That's the most pressing matter.

Understandable. I pictured her nodding. I just hope that it's not too far out. It's been a little over ten years since we last saw you.

How did it go from a happy reunion to me potentially having a crush, all the way to me maybe visiting, and stopping at how long it's been since I got here? I popped up off the bed, exasperated. I'll catch you later.

Byeee! She giggled, the connection ending there.

Kaidan and I literally bumped into each other in my haste to get away from my room. Like the whole conversation hadn't taken place in my head.

"Sorry." I held up my hands, taking a step back.

"Sorry." His eyes scanned my face, frowning. "Are you okay?"

"I- Yeah. I just got done talking to my cousin." I rolled my eyes, running a hand through my hair. "She was poking into-" I hesitated. "what I've been up to. She's good at getting people to talk. One of her specialties."

"Specialties?"

"Yeah. We all have at least one thing we excel at, before any kind of training. Hers is getting people to open up. Comes with being part elf." My voice lowered at that last part as I shrugged.

"What's yours?"

"I never miss." I said.

He arched a brow, skeptical.

I took my hair tie from around my wrist, holding it up. My eyes scanned the room.

"Watch. I'm gonna get this to snag on that life pod." A point toward the one across from us, the one easily in view, yet still far enough that it wouldn't be easy.

I threw it, not even looking, and heard his intake of breath. Just as I'd said- it was caught on something small, a flaw in the outer design of the pod.

"I never miss." I repeated, shrugging when his eyes went back to me. "I can also get through any crowd easily. Sounds dumb in theory, but in practice, it makes it a hell of a lot easier to follow someone when there's a sea of people between you and the target."

He shook his head. "Is there anything you can't do?"

Garrus walked past us when I laughed, nodding. "Go deep enough into the ocean where my toes can no longer touch the bottom. That sends me into a panic attack." Another shrug. "We have no idea why, really. Just does."

"You're afraid of the ocean?"

"Oh, no. I love the ocean. I love being in it. Just. So much of the ocean hasn't been discovered, and there's no telling what's down there. It-" A shudder ran through me, and I took a few seconds to focus on my breathing. "I just can't do it." A forced laugh.

The two exchanged glances.

"Hey." I snapped my fingers. "I'm right here. If you have concerns about me, there's no need to look at each other, when I'm standing right in front of you."

"Sorry." They said at the same time.

Joker came over comms right then, saying we were getting close to Noveria.

I clapped my hands. "I'm excited. I can't wait to be back there."

"'Back there'?" Garrus tilted his head. "You've been there before?"

"Oh, yeah. Loads of times. Anoleis is gonna be so pissed. I've heard he got a new secretary since the last time I was there. I wonder if she's been filled in on my shenanigans."

"Shenanigans?" Kaidan asked, amused.

They both were.

"Yeah." I laughed, remembering. "There was one time I put salt in his coffee. Another, I put a long cylindrical can in one of his drawers. I thought he was going to have a heart attack when he opened it." I bit my lip to try to hold back a cackle like an evil witch. "It was full of those fake snakes that jump out. He freaked out. It was great. And there's loads of other things."

"Doesn't he... run the main station on Noveria?" Garrus tilted his head, blinking at me.

"About to dock, Shepard." Joker again.

"Time to go annoy me a salarian..." I singsonged, heading over to the bridge.