Author's Note: I am overwhelmed by the response this has gotten so far. Thank you for showing interest in my crazy idea! I hope to keep updating often.

2185
Illium

"I'd like to talk privately with Samara," the Doctor said when they got back to the police station. "Could I do that, Detective Anaya?"

Anaya looked over at Samara, who had taken a seat on a nearby ledge and folded her knees up to her chest. "There's an interrogation room nearby," the younger asari said. "I promise not to lock you in."

"That'll do," the Doctor said. "Assuming, of course, that Samara is amenable to a private conversation."

Samara hopped down from the ledge. "Yes, of course," she said. "If I am going to be working with you, it would be good to get to know you better."

"This way," Anaya said, leading them into a small room and then leaving them alone.

Samara took up the same position she'd had outside, sitting on the table, knees pulled to her chest. It wasn't a sign of fear or discomfort, the Doctor could tell. She was still completely at ease. Nerves of steel, that one.

"I did not catch your name," she said.

"Just call me the Doctor," he replied.

"Should I be telling you to call me the Justicar, then?" Samara asked, her voice taking on a hint of amusement. It was the most emotion she'd displayed yet.

"If you like," he said. "But I'm fine with just calling you Samara, since you seem to prefer that."

Samara inclined her head in acknowledgment.

"So," he said, starting to pace around the room. "Tell me more about justicars."

"We are individuals who have forsworn family, children, and worldly possessions apart from some weapons and armor. We travel asari space righting wrongs, as defined by the ancient code we have each memorized."

"From what I understand, Illium is dominated by asari, but is not actually considered asari space."

"My quarry fled to this place," Samara said. "I am sworn to hunt her down, and I will follow anywhere she goes. It is rare for a justicar to leave asari space, but I must follow my oath. If I suffer for it, I will accept that."

"Hm. Your Justicar Code is very strict," the Doctor commented, continuing to pace.

"It may seem so to you, but this is my oath. The expedient path may be fast and simple; that does not make it the right path."

"That, I can agree with," the Doctor said, pointing a finger at her. "Although I have been known to make hasty decisions when necessary. To save worlds."

"Are you in the business of saving worlds, then?" Samara asked. "I had heard the name Shepard before. I doubt there are many who haven't."

"Yes, saved the Citadel, stopped the geth invasion, then disappeared for two years," the Doctor said. "Everyone in the universe knows Shepard."

"Are you jealous of Shepard?" Samara asked, tilting her head to the side.

"What, me? No. Never." The Doctor paused. "Well, maybe a little. I'm used to being the one everyone knows by name."

"Just 'the Doctor'," Samara said.

"Yes."

"I've never heard of you."

The Doctor bit back the urge to tell the whole truth. Let it all spill out. But he was there to find Shepard, and so Shepard needed to hear the truth first.

"Not important right now," he said, after a long moment of silence. "I'll explain later. I'm here, as in here talking to you, because Liara T'Soni thought it might do me some good."

"I know her," Samara said. "The daughter of the traitor Benezia. She is here on Illium. She spoke with you?"

"She's the one person in this universe that I trust," the Doctor said.

Samara blinked. "Interesting," she said, but didn't elaborate. "Is that why you are joining Shepard?"

"In a way," the Doctor replied after considering it for a minute. "Generally speaking, this is the sort of thing I get involved in. But it was Liara who convinced me that Shepard was worth helping."

"Why did you hesitate?" Samara asked.

"I don't like guns," the Doctor said flatly. "I hate the mindset that guns give people. It makes it easy to solve problems in the wrong way. Causes senseless violence, destruction, pain and sorrow. There's enough of that in the universe without an idiot with a gun adding to it."

"That may be true," Samara said, "but out here in the Traverse, lawlessness reigns, and not carrying a gun simply makes it easier for the mercenaries to loot your corpse. I think that if you are to help Shepard… you must get used to guns."

"I'll never get used to guns," the Doctor said. "But … maybe … I can put up with random acts of violence. For a time."

Shepard entered the police station with Garrus and Tali, and walked over to Detective Anaya. The asari rose to greet her. "They're in one of the interrogation rooms," she said, walking to the back. A door opened in front of her, and Samara and Doctor Smith exited.

"I've got the name of the ship," Shepard said to Samara. "Your fugitive left here two days ago on the AML Demeter."

"Shepard, you impress me. You fulfilled your part of the bargain, and I will fulfill mine," Samara said with a nod. "I am ready to leave immediately, if that will satisfy your superiors, Detective?"

"You're free to go, Justicar. It has been an honor having you in my station." Detective Anaya paused. "And it's nice you didn't kill me, too."

"The Normandy is docked near the main trading floor," Shepard said. "I'll see you aboard."

Samara brought her gaze up to rest on Shepard's face. "I must be sworn to your service, so that I am never forced to choose between your orders and the Code."

Shepard had no idea what that meant, exactly, but she nodded in acceptance of this caveat.

Samara concentrated for a minute, and then her eyes opened wide and turned a bright blue, almost white. Channeling biotic energy? She knelt and bent her head.

Detective Anaya stood, seeming fascinated by what she was seeing. Doctor Smith also seemed fascinated, his eyes wide as he watched Samara.

"By the Code, I will serve you, Shepard. Your choices are my choices, your morals are my morals. Your wishes are my code." Biotic blue energy surrounded her, brighter than it had been in the warehouse where she'd killed the Eclipse mercenaries.

Samara stood, her eyes flashing to that blue-white again before returning to normal, as the biotic glow faded.

"I never thought I'd see a justicar swear an oath like that," Detective Anaya said wonderingly.

"If you make me do anything extremely dishonorable, I may need to kill you when I am released from my oath," Samara added.

Justicars are weird. Shepard was awed by the level of trust Samara was giving her, and she felt as though it must show on her face. "I can see that this is a very important act, Samara. Thank you."

Samara nodded. "Truly, the life of a justicar can get lonely. I admit, I am looking forward to serving with a company of honorable heroes. Shall we return to your ship?"

"I need to speak to the detective," Shepard said.

Detective Anaya had returned to her seat and looked up at Shepard. "Thanks for getting Samara out of my district. I can tell my granddaughters about meeting a justicar. And you've just upped my chances of living long enough to have grandkids."

Shepard reached for the notepad she'd picked up earlier. "I have proof that Eclipse killed the volus merchant." She placed it on Anaya's desk.

"Let's see what you've got there," Anaya said, picking it up and looking at the contents. "Interesting, but I can't verify it. It would be inadmissible."

"I vouch for Shepard and any evidence she brings forward," Samara said, watching the proceedings.

Anaya thought for a minute. "I accept the judgment of the justicar."

"Just like that?" Doctor Smith asked. "One word from Samara and you change your mind?"

"Asari run this planet," Anaya replied, "and no asari doubts a justicar and lives to tell the tale." She nodded to Shepard. "Thanks, Shepard. I wasn't sure about trusting a stranger - and a human, at that. But you came through. It's a shame this Elnora escaped, but I'll get her. At least you've put her on the run."

Shepard winced, cursing herself for letting Elnora go again. She should have paid more attention to what Pitne For had told her about Eclipse - every one of them kills someone to earn their uniform. And Elnora had been in uniform.

"Okay, enough with all the congratulations. I've still got a spiraling crime rate."

Shepard wasn't done yet. "I have proof that Pitne For smuggled in red sand and illegal weapons tech." She was glad she could nail that bastard, at least.

"I'll send in some officers to arrest him and his cohorts," Anaya said. "This is a big help, Shepard. I can't do much to thank you, but we do have a small discretionary bounty fund. Take this."

Shepard nodded and accepted the funds. "Shall we go, Samara?" She paused. "Doctor Smith?"

"I am ready, Shepard," Samara said.

"I've got something in Liara's office," Doctor Smith said.

"It's mostly on the way back to the Normandy," Shepard said, considering. "Samara, we'll meet you at the Normandy."

"Of course, Shepard."

"So, Doctor Smith," Tali said as they walked back, "do you know anything about that blue box in Liara's office?"

"It's mine, actually," he said casually.

"Yours?" Shepard said. "So what is it? Tali said it was giving off dark energy."

"Or something like dark energy," Tali added.

"It's my ship," Doctor Smith replied.

"Your what?" human, turian, and quarian voices asked in unison.

"How can that be a ship?" Tali said. "There's no engine. No life support. It's not big enough for a crew."

"The TARDIS doesn't need a crew. Just me."

"The what? That's the name of your ship?" Shepard would have felt sorry for Tali, trying so hard to grasp for something she could understand, if she wasn't feeling the exact same way at that moment.

"No, that's what she is. She doesn't have a name like your, uh, Normandy."

"Will you start making some sense, Doctor Smith!"

"Actually, it's just the Doctor," the man said.

"Okay, 'just the Doctor,'" Shepard said, exasperated. "You're telling me that a blue box that can fit inside someone's office is a ship. That's piloted only by you. I hope you'll forgive me for not just taking your word on that."

Doctor Smith - the Doctor - actually grinned at that. Like it was Christmas morning. "Oh no, I would never expect you to just take my word. I'm happy to show you."