Kaidan glanced at the communicator, and blinked at the name. He opened the channel. "Liara."

"Kaidan." She smiled at him. "It's good to see your face."

"Your's too." He hesitated. "You're calling about Shepard, aren't you?"

Several expressions crossed her face before she resumed her calm composure. "Yes."

He shrugged. "I know he's alive."

"That's..." Liara sighed. "He was here, not long ago. We spoke. Garrus and Tali were with him."

"Oh." He looked away from the screen. "Sounds nice."

"It's really him."

"So I've heard." He looked down.

"I'm worried about him, Kaidan."

"Why would you possibly be worried about him?" Kaidan shook his head. "Is it the part where he came back from the dead, or the part where he's now working with a terrorist organization?"

"I think both situations are a lot more complicated than that." Liara sighed again. "Look at me, Kaidan."

It took more effort than it should have to meet her eyes. "What do you want, Liara?"

"I want..." She shook her head. "I've read his mind, Kaidan. But you were the only one I ever saw get inside his head. You know him better than anyone. He's..." She took a deep breath. "He's bringing me back some information later. What do I say to him?"

"I don't know. Just..." Kaidan rubbed his head. "Be you."

#

"Shepard." Michael blinked, and turned in the direction of the voice. An asari was walking toward him. A green one. Well, that was a first. "Shepard. I..." She hesitated a moment. "I don't suppose you remember me. I'm Shiala. We met on Feros during the geth attack. Saren had given me to the Thorian creature as a slave, and you killed it..." She gave him a shy smile. "And saved me."

"I try to remember everyone whose been in my head." He nodded.

Her smile broadened for a moment. "I promised to help Zhu's Hope recover. I'm actually here on Illium for just that purpose." She filled him in a little on the colony before getting to her point. "Some of the colonists had health problems as a result of the Thorian control. We hired a colonial survey group to do some medical scans." She glanced over her shoulder at one of the kiosk attendants. "But the medical contract apparently allows the company to perform invasive procedures without our consent. That's why I'm here."

"And is that why you're..." He spent a moment trying to come up with a polite way to phrase it before going with simplicity. "Green?"

She shrugged. "Those health problems I said were related to the Thorian control? This is mine. A few months after the Thorian died, my skin pigment changed. My biotic abilities are unstable as well. I'm also having vivid dreams..." She sighed. "About my time with the Thorian. It is..." She shook her head. "Disconcerting."

"And these scans?" He raised an eyebrow. Shiala filled him in quickly. Baria Frontiers had cut them a break that had turned out to be too good to be true. He nodded to her. "I'll see what I can do."

#

"I saw your conversation, human." The Baria Frontiers rep glared at him as he approached. "You're here to complain about the medical contracts those colonists from Feros signed." She sneered. "I suggest you leave. Your life is short enough. Do not waste what time you have bothering me."

This was off to a fantastic start. "Got a problem with humans?" He folded his arms.

"Not just humans. It's all of you." Her glare went past him to where his companions were waiting. "The salarians and turians are no better. The galaxy would be a better place if nobody but the asari had ever dragged themselves out of the primordial muck.

"And is there a reason for this dislike?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Where do I begin? With salarian researchers unleashing the rachni upon us, then unleashing the krogan to correct their mistake? Or the turians, so eager to bomb every problem away? Or humans, the new arrivals who already think they should be in charge? Every war that has plagued this galaxy has been caused by your people." She pointed at him. "My people's deaths are on your hands."

Now that was sounding a bit personal. "Whose deaths are we talking about, exactly?"

"The mother of my daughters was killed on the quarian homeworld during the initial geth uprising." She turned away from him. "My daughters died on the Citadel when the geth attacked. One worked in the Embassy as a receptionist. The other was a greeter for the Consort. I am not speaking in hypotheticals, human. The aliens will never be my allies. The best they can do is give me useful medical data."

He'd met the greeter for the Consort. And he'd been in the embassy on multiple occasions. Galaxy was a surprisingly small place. "Your bondmate was with the quarians. Your daughters worked with aliens every day at the Embassy and the Consort."

"And look what happened to them." She whirled on him, tears staining her face.

"You've suffered. I get that." He stood his ground. "But these colonists were trying to live peacefully. They've suffered, too. They lost family to the geth and the Thorian creature. Don't add to their anguish."

"Oh..." The asari took a deep breath, and collapsed backward to lean on the railing behind her. He sighed, and offered her a hand, pulling her back to her feet. "I'm..." She met his eyes. "Sending an amended contract. No more tests. No fees. There's enough grief in this galaxy. I don't need to add to it."

Michael nodded to her. He started to walk away, and then sighed. He turned back toward her. "I walked by the receptionist's desk in the embassy many times. Tyla always smiled. Made the place seem..." He gave an awkward shrug. "Warmer."

"Tyla." Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. She nodded, then turned and walked away.

#

"Everything alright, Shepard?" Garrus clicked his mandibles.

"Yeah." Michael shook his head. "Just another guilt trip down memory lane. Let's go find Shiala."

#

"Alright, so we've got a lead on this justicar."

Jack raised an eyebrow at Michael. "You don't sound happy about it."

"We've got to go to a police station." He sighed.

She smirked. "You got a problem with cops?"

"They're assholes." Michael nodded. Garrus made a coughing sound. "Something in your throat, Vakarian?"

Tali snickered.

#

"Nice guns." The detective barely looked up from her desk. "Try not to use them in my district. What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for an asari warrior named Samara."

"If you've got a score to settle with Samara, take it somewhere else." She moved a datapad onto a stack. "I've got more than enough trouble here already."

Okay, if he was honest with himself, he'd have to admit that now he kind of wanted to meet this justicar. "I need to recruit Samara for my mission, then we'll be on our way."

"Justicars usually work alone, but they are drawn to impossible causes." Detective Anaya gave him an appraising look.

"She'll like our mission then." Jack smirked.

"If you're getting her out of my district, I'll get you to her ASAP. She's at the crime scene." She jerked her head at the fuss over by one of the bay doors.

"You're awfully anxious to get Samara out of your district."

Detective Anaya sighed. "My bosses want me to detain her. They're worried she'll cause some kind of cross-species incident. But her Justicar Code won't let her be taken into custody. If I try it, she'll have to kill me." She shrugged. "I have no interest in dying, so if you lure her away with some big noble cause before I have to carry out my orders, I'm thrilled to help you."

Michael blinked. "Your superiors are sending you to certain death for no good reason. You have a right to disobey."

"We can disobey suicidal orders?" Garrus clicked his mandibles. He turned toward Jack. "Why wasn't I told?"

"That's about twice a day." Jack nodded.

"Most of the time, I'm not being stupid about it." Michael glared at them over his shoulder. "I can't say the same for Anaya's superiors."

"I'm a cop, and I know my duty. I've been ordered to detain her and I will." Anaya met his eyes. "Unless I can get her to leave my district first."

"Point me in the right direction."

#

They had fought there way through a small group of mercenaries when someone threw yet another mercenary in their direction. The mercenary missed Jack, and hit the wall to land in a crumpled heap. "Those were my best troops." Michael looked up to see yet another mercenary pointing a gun at someone.

A woman, dressed in red and glowing blue, walked toward her, completely unconcerned. "Tell me what I need to know, and I will be gone from here. Where did you send her?"

"You think I'd betray her? She would hurt me in ways you can't imagine."

"The name of the ship." The red armored woman paced back and forth. "Your life hangs on the answer, Lieutenant."

"You can kill me, but one of us will take you down, Justicar." The mercenary raised her gun.

That proved to be a fatal mistake. The blue biotic energy around the justicar lashed out at a gesture, throwing the mercenary through the window to the ground below. The justicar leaped down after her, using her biotics to slow her fall. She landed a couple paces away, then walked toward the mercenary that was struggling to rise. One of the justicar's red high-heeled boots came down on the mercenary's throat. "What was the name of the ship she left on?"

"Go to hell."

"Find peace in the embrace of the goddess." The justicar twisted her leg, snapping the mercenary's neck. Then she looked up, and her eyes fell on them.

It had been a rather long time since he'd last run from a cop, but right now that urge was really starting to come back. Michael shrugged, and walked in her direction. It took a couple heartbeats before his companions followed. She turned to face them. "My name is Samara, a servant of the Justicar Code. My quarrel is with these Eclipse sisters, but I see well-armed people before me." She stepped away from the corpse and moved to a position that would give her a slightly greater advantage if they were stupid enough to pull weapons on her. "Are we friend? Or foe?"

That... Was a damn good question. "That merc was wounded and helpless. Do you just kill anyone who won't help you?"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "If my cause is important enough, yes. Are you different?"

"I can't say that I am." And if he looked over his shoulder, he'd probably find Garrus shaking his head.

"That is something we share. You are honest." She gave him an appraising look. "That is another." Well, she was a horrible judge of character. "How may I be of service to you?"

"I need you to help me take down the Collectors." No use beating around the bush.

"The Collectors are a worthy foe; I would relish testing myself against them. But I seek an incredibly dangerous fugitive." She met his eyes, then started pacing. Not a nervous pacing. More like a cat waiting for its prey to appear. "I cornered her here, but the Eclipse sisters smuggled her off-world. I must find the name of the ship she left on before the trail goes cold."

Detective Anaya's voice came from behind them. "I wish you were willing to go with the human, Justicar. I've been ordered to take you into custody if you won't leave."

Samara actually gave the detective a respectful nod. "You risk a great deal by following your orders, Detective. Fortunately, I will not have to resist. My code obligates me to cooperate with you for one day. After that, I must return to my investigation."

"I won't be able to release you that soon."

"You won't be able to stop me."

That didn't have the smell of something that was going to end well. "I"ll get the name of that ship." They both turned to look at Michael.

"Do that, and I will join you." Samara nodded. "Then the Code will be satisfied."

"Do you have any leads?" No use retaking ground she'd already conquered.

"The volus merchant, Pitne For, is tied to this. Eclipse mercs are preparing to kill him." Samara started following Anaya. "Get the truth out of him. He may know a way into the Eclipse base."

#

"No..." Garrus clicked his mandibles. He looked up from the data kiosk. "It appears Illium does not have a law specifically outlawing biotically juggling volus."

"Something tells me that's about to change." Zaeed shook his head. "Quickly."

"Told you." Jack folded her arms and gave Michael a challenging look.

"It's irrelevant." Michael shook his head. "It's not juggling unless you have at least three, and we don't have time to go find you more."

"Huh." Garrus clicked his mandibles again.

"What?"

"Illium actually does have a law specifically outlawing juggling krogan, biotically or otherwise."

"Seriously?" Grunt pushed him out of the way to look at the kiosk, then began downloading the information to his omnitool.

"Yeah, I'm going to want more information on that later." Michael nodded.

"Is it outlawing krogan performing juggling acts, or the juggling of krogan?" Tali tilted her head.

"I don't think that even matters at this point in the conversation." Jacob pinched the bridge of his nose.

Michael patted him on the shoulder. "Now you're starting to catch on."

Thane sighed. "I just have to keep reminding myself." He shook his head. "I volunteered for this."

#

"...what that much methane would even do to your digestive system." Kasumi said. "But I fairly sure it would make the ship's janitorial staff mutiny."

"And you're not supposed to eat them when they are cooperating." Michael nodded to grunt. "He gave up the pass card."

"Yeah, but..."

"Grunt." Michael pointed. "Things to shoot."

"Heh." Grunt drew his shotgun. "I. Am. Krogan."

#

Whoever was hiding in this room was doing a fairly terrible job. Michael could actually hear her breathing. He entered, flanked by Jack and Garrus. Then he drew his sidearm.

"Wait, stop." The mercenary held up her hand. "I didn't fire my weapon once. I pretended to because the other Eclipse sisters were watching, but I didn't really shoot."

Michael just stared at her for a moment. He lowered his sidearm, but kept watching her. Jack just waved a hand. "You're in an enemy uniform, and I'm going to kill you."

"I'm not one of them. I'm new. I thought being Elnora the mercenary would be cool..." She shook her head. "But I didn't know what they were really like."

It had been some time since someone had put that much effort into insulting his intelligence. Maybe she thought human lifespans meant he'd actually been born yesterday? Michael sighed. And her fingers were creeping toward her weapon. He lifted his own sidearm again. "You chose your side, Elnora. And you lost."

"Screw that, bastard." She went for the gun. "And screw you."

He and Garrus both shot her at the same time Jack's biotic blast hit. The results were... "I feel really bad for whoever has to clean that up."

"Just like old times." Garrus shrugged as he holstered his weapon.

#

"Well, it's not the information Samara needs." Michael glanced down at the datapad. "But it proves our volus friend is a criminal. Maybe Detective Anaya can use this." He offered the datapad to Garrus.

"Why are you handing it to me?"

"I'm allergic to willingly handing information over to the police." Michael shrugged.

"We are on this mission to find information..." Tali tilted her head. "To hand over to a Justicar."

"Achoo." Michael nodded.

"I miss working with professionals." Zaeed sighed.

"Now Zaeed..." Michael reloaded. "That hurts my feeling."

"We are professionals." Miranda narrowed her eyes.

"No." Michael narrowed his eyes, then gestured at her. "Professionals wear armor."

"Jack isn't wearing armor." Miranda arched an eyebrow at him.

"She's a psychopath." Michael shrugged. "What's your excuse?" Jack laughed. Michael met Miranda's eyes. "Wear armor next mission, or I'm taping a target to your ass."

#

A volus turned from a snack kiosk and walked toward them. It bounced off Michael, then stumbled backwards. For a moment, Michael thought the volus was actually going to do it again. Then it looked up. "I am a biotic god. I think things - and they happen. Fear me, lesser creatures, for I am biotics made flesh." The volus started to glow. A little.

"I really don't knwo what drugs you're on..." Michael shook his head. "But I'm considering asking you to share."

"You will regret your scandalous words. I am a great wind that will sweep all before me like a..." The volus lifted its hands, then looked at them a moment before shaking his head. "A great wind. A great biotic wind." It paced. "Yes, the asari injecting so many drugs into me was terrifying. But then I began to smell my greatness. They may laugh when I fall over, but they don't know what I know in my head. That I know that I am amazingly powerful. Fear me." The volus gestured at Jack, who fortunately was too busy staring dumbfounded to take offense. It went on about taking revenge on Pitne For, and then finally gave them something a little bit useful. "The leader of these mercenaries is in the next room. "I shall toss Wasea about like a rag doll."

"Shepard." Garrus was clearly trying not to laugh. "This guy couldn't tie his bootlaces, much less fight."

"I will tear her apart. My biotics are unstoppable."

Michael pointed. "Charge."

"An ill wind blows upon Wasea, captain of the Eclipse sisters. After me." When the volus turned, Michael adjusted his trajectory just slightly. The volus hit the wall, bounced off, then shook itself. "But..." It shook its head again. "Great wind. Biotic god. I'm..." It turned back toward Michael. "What was I saying? I'm..." It started stumbling back in the direction they'd come from. "I'm tired." It pitched forward, and lay in a boneless heap.

"Sleep well." Thane stepped past him. "And dream of bulbous women."

#

Wasea did the thing where she talked and ranted as though she stood a chance. Then she started biotically throwing things at them. That kind of hurt his feelings, so he shot her a few times. Grunt actually picked up a mercenary and used her to hit another mercenary, which Jack apparently found hilarious. Maybe he should discourage those two teaming up. Or maybe he should make some popcorn.

Michael found a datapad on the desk. "Got the ship name." He looked up. "Kasumi, you almost done stealing their shit?"

"Five more minutes." She called over from somewhere on his right.

"We'll meet you back at Anaya's office."

"You know..." Garrus shook his head. "I keep forgetting she's there."

#

Samara was sitting cross-legged atop the short wall behind Anaya's desk, apparently meditating. "I've got the name of the ship. Your fugitive left here two days ago on the AML Demeter."

"Shepard, you impress me." Samara nodded to him. "You fulfilled your part of the bargain, and I will fulfill mine." She jumped down, then turned to look at Anaya. "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. And it's nice you didn't kill me, too." Dammit, she was bringing the number of cops he liked up to four.

There was one small snag. "You're sworn to follow a code that dictates your decisions. But I'm running a military operation."

She nodded. "You wonder if I will refuse to follow orders because of my code?"

"I can't allow that to happen."

"By agreeing to follow you, I am compelled to swear the most difficult of justicar oaths - the Third Oath of Subsumation. After I do, your orders will override the Code. You should know, however, that I'll still give you my opinion if the situation warrants."

"You and everybody else on the ship." Michael shrugged. "Including the ship. The Normandy is docked near the main trading floor. I'll see you aboard."

Her eyes suddenly glowed, and then, to his shock, she dropped to her knees, all but pressing her forehead against the floor. Blue energy glowed around her. "By the Code, I will serve you, Shepard. Your choices are my choices, your morals are my morals. Your wishes are my code." She rose once more.

"I never thought I'd see a justicar swear an oath like that." Anaya's eyes were practically falling out of her head.

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

"Well, you'll be a great asset to our mission." Michael nodded. "I'm excited to have you along." Keeping a straight face was slightly more difficult than it should have been.

"I am glad to hear it. I will fight by your side, kill your enemies, and protect your friends. Shall we return to your ship?"

"Yeah, sure. Just need to drop some stuff off for Anaya here." Michael gestured at Garrus, who handed her the datapads they'd found.

#

"No." Garrus clicked his mandibles.

"I didn't say anything."

"You were attempting to come up with a smart ass way of requested the rest of us swear that oath." Garrus turned to look at Michael.

"Well..." Michael nodded. "Yeah."

"No."

"You're taking some of the fun out of this elevator ride." Michael sighed. "Let's go get that information for Liara, and go blow up a planet."

"I'm going to need some context for the latter part of that statement." Garrus shook his head.

Michael shrugged, and said nothing.

#

"Thank you, Shepard." Liara smiled at him.

Michael glanced back over his shoulder, and noted that her assistant's desk was vacant. Then he shrugged. "You uh..." He gestured. "Missed a little bit of secretary when you were cleaning up."

"Oh." Liara's eyes widened a little. "Thank you."

"Liara..." He hesitated. "Look I've got a galaxy to save and all but..." He met her eyes. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."

"You have a galaxy to save." She smiled.

"And a friend who may need my help." He nodded. "Call."

"I..." She nodded. "I will."

#

"Something wrong, Commander?" Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Sure." Michael glanced at him. "Why do you ask?"

Jacob glanced back over his shoulder at the bar they just left. "You just shot a man in the foot."

"He was just saying hi to an old friend." Garrus clicked his mandibles. "What's that Earth saying? 'You only hurt the ones you love'."

Michael turned to glare at him, and then sighed. Tali snickered. "Just realized threatening him would send entirely the wrong message in this context?"

He nodded. "Alright. I'm tired of this planet. Moving on."