Hannah Shepard, SSV Orizaba, Private Quarters

She drummed her fingers on her desk as she stared at her desk's holoscreen. She didn't particularly want to make the call that she needed to make. If possible, she would much rather jumped naked out the airlock, or jump into traffic. Maybe even tell Hestalia her mallina were drooping.

Actually, no. That last one, while it would, in fact, get her killed, it would a long gruesome and painful death.

Hannah took a breath and hit the call button.

"Mom?" Jane popped into view almost immediately. "What's up?"

"You must be in an Alliance system," Hannah smirked. "Didn't think you would be right there. Kinda hoped I would get to leave a message or something."

"Yeah, cutting through a jump point. Have a lead on some batarian terrorists, though I suppose that is saying the same thing twice," Jane scowled darkly.

"Jane, I taught you better than that," Hannah scowled right back.

"Yeah, sure. The moment I meet a batarian that isn't trying to kill or enslave me or anybody else, I'll not kill them right back," Even through the quarian visor, Hannah could see the anger in her daughter. "That aside, what did you need? I doubt you called to berate me about my blatant racism."

"Yes, I suppose I did," Hannah sighed. Jane's anger was an issue for another day. "Your brother is about to get drug into some serious shit."

Hannah looked at Jane for a long moment.

Jane looked right back.

Then…"Okay mom, you are going to need to give me more information than that," Jane snorted as she rolled her hand, urging Hannah to continue. "John gets drug into shit as naturally as breathing."

"That's...true, I suppose," Hannah rubbed her forehead for a moment. "Alright, I have some information that you are not going to like, and I need you to not get the way that you get."

Jane sat for a moment as she stared sarcastically. "What do you mean, 'get, how I get'."

"It has to do with your biological father," Hannah said. The words tasted foul, just to speak them. "He is going to get John into a personal vendetta, and I need you to be prepared to bail him out."

Jane...went perfectly still. Unnaturally so, in fact. The, slowly, she reached up and removed the visor from her quarian helmet.

Hannah...shuddered. When she looked at Jane, she didn't see her sweet, maybe a little brash and homicidal Jane. She saw...nothing.

Jane stared at Hannah blankly for a moment, occasionally blinking. Her face was slack, still. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that her eye were open and moving, Hannah would have thought she was dead.

"I'm sorry," Jane said at last. Her voice was just as flat and emotionless as her expression. "You will have to repeat that."

"Dammit," Hannah pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. "I'm not particularly thrilled with this either, Jane. But your biological father is with your brother. Your brother, of course, doesn't know. I didn't tell him, or you, because, to be honest, John is going to need his skill, and your father is one of the best I have ever seen."

"Don't...don't call him that," Jane blinked as her forehead crinkled slightly. "Please, don't say 'father'. Hestalia is my father."

"Alright," Hannah let out a breath. "I need you to do this Jane. John is going to need him if he is going to come back alive. You can kick his ass or whatever, later, do you understand?"

"Umm…" Jane looked down, assumingly at her desk for a moment before looking back at Hannah. "No, not particularly. I honestly don't know what to do."

Hannah frowned a moment. There was a note under Jane's tone. It sounded...stretched. Like a wire pulled too tight, and was straining, unsure if it wanted to snap or not.

"I'll watch him," Jane said finally. "I'll make sure Jay-Jay gets what he needs and comes home. Beyond that…." Jane shrugged.

"That's all I can ask for," Hannah bowed her head. "I'm sorry Jane. I didn't want you or John getting Involved in this. It's why I hid you away from him. Why I never talked about him."

"I understand, mom," Jane smiled a painful smile. "You...went through a lot. You got hurt, badly. I want to hurt him back, but Jay-Jay is more important."

"Thank you, Janey," Hannah took a deep shuddering breath. She fought back the tears that threatened to explode from her. Thirty years of pent up anger, and pain, and...everything. But now was not the time. "His name is…."

Zaeed Massani, SR-2 Normandy, Port Cargo Bay

"Found you!" Zaeed growled as a sick smile spread across his scarred face. "I fucking found you."

Finally. More than twenty years of searching. Digging. Hunting. He pulled himself out of hell, stitched his head together. He threw away everything for this fucking moment. EVERYTHING!

Everything… Zaeed closed his eyes for a moment. He did. He just let it all go. He had a chance. A choice. Even after the shuttle. After the shooting. The other things that happened to her. She gave him a chance.

And he threw it all away.

He still saw it sometimes. When he was almost asleep. At the bottom of a bottle. Everytime he almost died. He saw the hand. The pleading look as she begged him. 'Stay with me' she said. 'We need you'.

And he threw it all away.

Now here he was. He was an old man. An old mercenary. Full of hate and regret. He was on the ship, and mission commanded by his son! But he said nothing. There was nothing to say. He had been given his chance. And instead.

He threw it all away.

Now he knew where the bastard was. The man who did this to him. Who cut him out. Shot him. Left him for dead. Made him to make a choice.

Now though...now he had another choice. His son needed him for once. The great soldier, the human Spectre, the man that literally came back from the dead, needed him.

And now...he was going to ask that boy, that man. To help him. He needed this man dead. He felt it so deep in him, that it was all he had. But, again...he had a choice.

So, he chose.

He threw it all away. Again.

Kasumi Goto, SR-2 Normandy, Port Observation Deck

"Keji…" Kasumi blinked away tears as she looked at the picture. It was the only physical picture she had of him. Of, herself, even. It was on earth. The two of them had snuck past all the guards, and security measures and climbed to the very top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The city was lit up in the background as she jumped on Keji's back. He was startled, and laughing as she laughed with him. Her mouth was open and her eyes sparkled along with his as she took the picture.

But Keji was gone.

What he found...she had no idea what it was. But it was terrible. A secret so dangerous that somebody came for it. Tortured him for it. Ripped his greybox from Keji's head, for it.

She knew the bastard's name. She had always known it. He didn't hide it. In fact, he almost bragged about it.

Because he needed her. She was the key to opening the greybox and getting the secret. A secret so dangerous that Keji let himself be tortured to death to prevent it from getting into other hands.

She had her chance. She knew where he was going to be, and when. She could get her revenge. But, more importantly, she had the chance to get the greybox back. It was all that was left of her lover. All his important memories were locked away in it. She could see him again. Remember that he loved her, how it felt to be held by him.

It was the deal she had made with Cerberus. Find him. Make him pay. Get the greybox. Shepard promised. He was a good man. He would honor his word.

And...he was a warrior in a way she never was or would be. He was a damned unstoppable storm. More than an arrow, he was a missile that she could fire at her enemy and watch him burn.

She also had a choice.

Shepard had become more. He was kind, polite. He teased her, made fun of her. Helped her, played with her. He made her his friend, while she wanted him as a mere tool.

She could ask for his help and he would give it, without regard to himself.

Or she could...let it go.

She had a choice.

But...no. She did not have a choice.

Mordin Solus, SR-2 Normandy, Science Bay

Not good.

Not good at all.

Captured. Maelon was bright student. Smart. Very smart. Not as smart as Mordin, of course, but not the point. Point was that Maelon was captured.

Not krogan. That was the first thought. Maelon was a smart scientist. Little too sensitive. Kinda stupid though. No street smarts. Not a soldier. Terrible spy. Shouldn't have let him on genophage team to be honest. But done is done.

Issue at hand was that Maelon was captured.

Probably was to be sold to krogan. They would want him. Last of the genophage team, other than Mordin himself.

And Kirrahe. But Kirrahe was a cloaca, so, might as well be dead.

Current location and name of kidnappers, known. Odds of arriving before given to krogan, abysmally low.

Clandestine operation. Get in, find location of Maelon, then mount rescue. Didn't have to do it. Probably shouldn't to be honest. Dangerous. But...his project. His responsibility.

Only one person that can help.

Shepard.

Low subtlety. Tended to prefer brute force. Not always the case. Extensive STG file indicated sound strategic mind. Sister far better, but Shepard adapted in the field far better than anybody Mordin had ever seen. Almost Salarian.

Yes. Must request for assistance. Would go alone, but difficult to infiltrate enemy base, locate information and use said information in time to mount a rescue. Will need help.

Could go to STG. But...no. STG probably decide elimination safer than extraction. Wouldn't be wrong. Probably safer. However, Mordin's responsibility.

Going to have to discuss with Shepard.

John, SR-2 Normandy, Crew Deck

Ah. Few things were as relaxing as a nice mug of hot tea. Some tea, some time when the galaxy wasn't going to implode at any moment unless he did something, a nice book...Only thing that could make the moment better was to have Tali next to him.

Oh wait! He did!

Looking down at the quarian in question, John couldn't help but smile. She was his. His family loved her, as any right thinking sentient should. And now he was being accepted by her people. Finally, things were going well for him. He didn't feel like he was playing a dangerous and exhausting game of catch-up.

"What are you grinning at?" Tali giggled as she glanced up at him. She was working on a shield modulator, trying to coax more power, more efficiently, for John's armor. 'Seeing as how you get shot up so much', she had said.

And she wasn't really wrong. But still...she hadn't needed to say it like that.

"Just happy to have a break with you," John leaned against her slightly. He could feel the deep purr start in the back of her throat. He loved that sound. Of course...the growl had its own merits….

"John, you are simply adorable," Tali reached up and patted him lightly on the cheek. "Just don't forget that we need to finish this suicide mission against the enemy from beyond space and time so we can come back and be Bonded. Married...Bind-Married...You know what I mean."

"I do," John laughed. "You're being a bit more open in public than normal. I'm a little impressed."

Tali froze for a moment and blinked.

"Oh…." Tali slowly lowered her hand and looked around.

There were a few off duty crew. A pair were talking about something by the sleeper pods. One was arguing animatedly with Sargent Gardner. And another was at the other end of the table from them eating what looked like Blast-Ohs.

They were all paying attention to them.

Of course they were trying to not look like they were paying attention. But still….

"Hey...Shep…" Kasumi cleared her throat as she decloaked next to the table, facing the couple. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything...lascivious."

"Nah," John shrugged. "Don't think I can be lascivious while wearing pants."

"John!" Tali laughed, slapping at his arm.

"Heh," Kasumi almost faked a smile as she looked at her feet for a moment. "Hey...you know that personal mission I needed to do?"

"I remember," John nodded. "Found a lead?"

"Yeah, I know where he is gonna be," Kasumi took a deep breath. "Look...this man...he murdered the one I loved. Brutally. He is a horrid man. What I need is Kenji's greybox. It's important. He died keeping some sort of Alliance secret safe. But…"

John waited for a moment then nodded slightly. "But, if possible, you want him eliminated."

"Yes!" Kasumi ground out behind gritted teeth. "I...I want him to suffer. But, the greybox is more important."

"Shepard!" Zaeed stepped off the elevator, stomping over to the table. He all but ignored Kasumi as he loomed over John. "I found the bastard! We need to kill him, now! Before he slips away again! He's using a different name, but I paid the right guys. He'll be in the open!"

"Alright…" John raised an eyebrow. "Do you know what kind of timetable we're looking at?"

"Soon," Zaeed nodded as he began pacing back and forth with restless energy. "I've been working toward this for more than twenty fucking years. Now I have the fucker in my sights!"

John nodded as he turned to Kasumi. "What about you?"

"Small window as well," Kasumi swallowed. "Shep...I need this…."

"Dammit!" Zaeed almost shove the thief back as he leaned in. "I don't give a fuck about what ever knick-knack you need to give yourself the jollies. I have a man that needs to fucking die!"

"Get in line!" Kasumi shouted. She did shove the mercenary back. "You aren't the only one to have their life ruined! I had one person I loved! One person that actually gave a shit about me! And the things they….I need him Dead!"

"Commander," Mordin blinked, seemingly surprised as he stepped out of the medical bay. "Good timing. Need to speak to you. Life in danger. Maelon. Student of mine. Worked on the genophage project. He was kidnapped. Need assistance. Know who kidnappers were, where they will be. Need to infiltrate and retrieve information that will give us location. Need this, Shepard. My responsibility."

"Motherfuck," Zaeed slammed his fist on the table. The impact making Tali jump slightly as she moved closer to John. "I don't care about your frog! I've been hunting this ass for almost as long as your people fucking live!"

"Rude, and unnecessary," Mordin frowned slightly. "Petty revenge? Unimportant. Maelon. Still alive. Need help to keep him that way. If your target lives, then he can be found again. Maelon? Only lives once."

"If they crack Keji's greybox," Kasumi's quiet voice almost sounded louder than Zaeed's shouting. "Then the Alliance will fall apart. That was why he died. I...we, need it back before that happens."

"Greybox?" Mardin sniffed. "Memory storage device. Needs incredibly difficult cypher. Impossible to break without key. The danger of anybody cracking it in less than a thousand years, less than one percent."

"Don't tell me the odds, Mordin," Kasumi glared at the salarian. "I don't know when I will have another chance at this!"

"Again, not important," Mordin's eyes narrowed. "Still will have chance later. Maelon dies, then it is over. No second chances at life."

"Whoa! Okay!" John stood, holding up his hands. "Calm down. You all have important things that need doing. We can get them done. All of them. Maelon is still alive, in theory, so that has precedence."

"God, fucking dammit," Zaeed stepped close, his chest nearly touching John's as he stared him in the eye. "I need this, boy. You can't understand. I am not wasting twenty years!"

"Zaeed," Tali's voice growled as the sound of a pistol charging cut through the room. "You will back off. Or I swear I will send you to the Ancestors before you can blink."

"He's right, Zaeed," Kasumi said. The frustration and anger welled up behind her words. "Keji wouldn't want a life lost when it can be saved."

The mercenary's eye twitched as he slowly stepped back. He glanced at Tali, who never took her gun off of him.

"Shepard," Mordin cut in. "Possibility that Maelon is already dead is decent. All I need right now is to get the information. If I can find the location I can mount a rescue on my own. If it is too late...then I can get revenge later."

John continued to stare at Zaeed for a moment before blinking and looking first at Kasumi, then Mordin. "Alright, you three. Tell me who we are going after."

They all spoke as one, to the shock of each other, as much as much as John.

"""Donovan Hock!"""

Asari Lexicon

Mallina: Word for an asari's head crest of semi-flexible cartilage that grow into shape