A/N

It has been a while.

~Enjoy

Chapter 23: The Oomari

Kyson's POV

Twice now he had been kicked in the ass by Tali making him answer the door. This time it was John informing him it was time to wake up. They had been waiting for two hours.

"How long have we been out?" asked Kyson as he scratched his head. He couldn't suppress a giant yawn.

"You got forty-five to be down in the lobby. We need to talk with Asa and the other elders. This stuff with Khoshekh isn't over." said the commander.

"Huh? Well, yeah. I mean Kerris is still out there ain't he?" said Kyson.

"That is part of it. Be ready..." John stopped as he yawned. Kyson shrugged his shoulders.

"We will be." he said. John waved as he walked away. Kyson shut the door with a shiver. It was still cold compared to being on the Normandy.

"Tali, it's time to wake up." he said by the bedding. Tali didn't move as he called her name again.

"If I have to go down there and get you, I risk falling asleep again." said Kyson as he scratched at his belly.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" came the sleepy reply from under the blanket.

"Not really but we are still needed." he said sadly. Tali was spared another ten minutes as Kyson found what he needed to brush his teeth. All of the amenities were improvised ahead of time due to their relatively small size in this place.

"Wake up, Tali." he said a little more briskly. Tali just rolled over. It was down to thirty some minutes until they had to be ready. Kyson jumped on the bedding next to her.

"I don't wanna get up!" griped Tali as Kyson tried to rip the blanket from her. That proved difficult.

"I'm cold, tired, and hungry. Let go of this blanket unless you want another rib broken." snapped Tali as she used her feet to keep him at bay.

"I'll manage." he replied as he rolled to the side using the blanket to hide his movement. Tali kicked out from under the cover meeting nothing but air. The next second she was over his shoulder. She was pounding at his back with closed fists.

"Put me down!" she shouted. Kyson walked over to the shower and turned it on.

"Okay." he said as he walked into the hot water.

The rest of the preparations went smoother now that Tali was no longer cold. She had her suit back on while Kyson was fitting his last gauntlet on. He looked at Tali with a wide smile that had a cigarette hanging from it. He had his goggles resting on his forehead like many times before.

"Ready?" he asked. He was ready to get a move on. The sooner they got out of here and back to their room on the Normandy. He felt a thousand times lighter this morning. There was a side effect though. All of the wounds from the past week were making themselves known. Walking hurt.

"Ready." said Tali as she took an offered arm. They walked out of their room together ready to go home. A quick ride down the elevator led them to the lobby.

"Keelah." said Tali with embarrassment. All of the elders of the Oomari were waiting and not patiently. Several of them were bickering about lack of punctuality while others tapped their feet. Shepard looked even more upset, he must have been buying time for them. John looked right at him with a slight smirk.

"Here they are! Well good mornin' to ya!" said Shepard with an overly cheerful voice that made Kyson wince.

"Don't you two just look right as rain? Get good sleep?" added Liara for added effect. Kyson knew the buck had been passed making him groaned.

"Sorry for the wait. It was the first real sleep I have gotten in what has felt like years. I hope you will forgive us." said Kyson trying to be diplomatic as possible.

"I can only imagine. The darkness takes a toll on the host not to mention the fighting you have been doing. I say it is well excused." said Asa-fum kindly. Kyson thanked him as he walked out of the elevator with Tali.

"Now that everyone is present. We will show you what you need to know. Please follow us." said the great lion as he began to walk. Those gathered began to follow whilst talking amongst themselves. Kyson was trying to get a word in with John but he seemed distracted. Kyson looked over at a room that seemed to be a storage closet. An Oomari was standing outside shaking his head.

"What's wrong with him?" asked John. Kyson could see a cat in white clothes and yellow fur.

"My best man. Passed out drunk on the job can you believe that? Almost a hundred years of nearly perfect service. What got into him?" asked the apparent owner of the hotel.

"Is this the first time ever?" asked John with a shocked look. The man had been very dedicated.

"Yeah. This isn't like him at all. I should call his bondmate about this." said the owner.

"You are not going to fire him are you?" asked Liara.

"No, just gonna make sure he is okay. You guys are welcome back anytime, ya hear?" said the owner before collecting his employee. Kyson made himself scarce as they moved on but as he looked to where he thought Tali was, Dehara was in her place. She was stooping low so her eyes were level with his as they moved.

"You know this means I can never trust you." said Kyson as the foul taste of the drink he had given the Oomari attendant came back.

"And I would say that is a very good idea." said Dehara with a toothy smile. Kyson frowned at her for messing with him. She was more than likely the reason Tali was all distraught last night as well.

"What are you two talking about?" asked Liara who had been listening in.

"Nothing." said Dehara and Kyson at the same time. Kyson now scowled which only seemed to make the cat smile more if possible.

[Nothing?] Asked Tali as she reached out to him internally. Kyson could feel her caution.

[She sent a wretched drink for me last night. I think it was some kind of joke.] He replied.

[Ah, then that would explain the drunk guy in the closet. She is a very forward person, Dehara.] Thought Tali.

Kyson grunted as they moved out of the building. The boisterous sounds of people living their daily lives filled his ears as they moved. The only cats that didn't tower over the group were the children who seemed to stand at the same height as Liara. Several ran up to them with wide eyes of wonder.

"I have always wanted to meet aliens! Hello!" said one child while the others began to crowd around. Kyson smiled as he answered the questions of the children and their parents while the slowly made progress.

"Where are going?" asked Kyson as they began to break free of the crowds.

"To this cities control hub." said Asa. The group had fallen quiet as everyone seemed to have something on their minds. IT wasn't until Liara let out a small gasp that Kyson woke up from his ruminations.

"That structure. We have seen many more of them. John do you remember all of these we found?" said Liara in excitement. Kyson couldn't help but smile for her. This was Liara's way of decompressing. Her old passion of finding out the secrets of the past.

"I remember but if they call this thing a control station then the structures we saw were made by our hosts." said John who sounded just as excited as Liara. Even Tali began to comment on the twenty five foot tall pyramid in front of them. Kyson had never seen one before.

It was very beautiful to look at though. The outer 'skin' of the building had a shimmering black hue to it. When light hit it, bursts of colors rippled across.

"You are right. These are what make it possible to observe the universe. Each one of these is a listening station." said Jekko.

"We learned how to tame the very stone that make up the planets. We use these stations in order to make astral bodies our eyes and ears. Entire solar systems are connected by these nodes making dynamic telescopes and listening arrays. We have found out how to use the stars at antennas!" laughed one of the Oomari leaders. They were very proud of their ability to control vast resources.

So was Kyson and Tali.

"Whoa." was all the couple could say together. Kyson tried to imagine the power used for such a task. How many planets had these things? How many moons had been tapped as giant eyes in the heavens?

The old looking Oomari with the staff shuffled up to the pyramid and began to stare at it. With several soft thuds felt under Kyson's feet the wall in front of them slid down into the ground revealing a passage further down. Soft purple light illuminated the ramp. Liara was stuttering as they began to walk inside.

Kyson felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as they began to wind down a spiral. It felt like the curvature was gaining in circumference before it shortened again opening up into a massive sphere.

"Is there one of these under every pyramid?" asked Liara in awe. The sphere they were standing in had to be a hundred feet in diameter.

"Some of the nodes are smaller in size. The smallest nodes below the pyramids are just big enough for someone like Asa. But many are like this." said Jekko Who strode out into the center. The cat took a deep breath. (A Silent Sea: by ' .sn')

"This is how we watch the stars." said the black cat as he arched his neck up. The entire sphere began to explode with light revealing images of the stars. Kyson could feel a bit of vertigo as he looked down and saw galaxies. The heaven moved around them simulating being in space. Their own milky way came into focus. It was exactly like the galaxy map but with details never seen before. You could almost feel the space dust as you moved around the image.

"We have been watching the heavens for almost two hundred thousand years. What we learned early on was a simple fact. If you want to move great distances, you need things of great power. We simplified this by using the planets themselves as the power for these observation stations." continued Jekko as smile white triangles began to glow all across the galaxy. There were thousands scattered to every corner of the mapped stars.

"That is amazing, how did you travel to so many systems?" asked Kyson. For many of the markers were in places yet discovered by the current races.

"Time. We advanced quickly compared to the current races fighting now. What time it took Humanity to make its first step on the moon we already had twenty three colonies and the Citadel under our control. We were not so different when it came to politics. We only found two other races before we had to seclude ourselves from the galactic community." said Asa who waved his hands bringing forth Images of the presidium filled with plants never before seen by the Normandy crew.

"You said Khoshekh was the reason you went into hiding. Not the Reapers." said John.

"You are right. We found that we had become too powerful too quickly. We believe this is why that terrible darkness came down on us. But it wasn't all sorrow." said Asa as he motioned his arms again. Noveria came up in the center of the sphere. A beautiful ball of ice and rock.

"This planet we visited only twice was chosen to be our refuge from the prying eyes of Khoshekh. Our own people never knew this place existed when we made the call to turn it into our over glorified safe house. We started with only a million people here. A mere fraction of the several billion that fought to the end against Khoshekh." added Jekko.

"Their memories have never been forgotten nor shall they ever be." said the fierce looking Oomari woman who had suggested killing Kyson outright.

"Indeed. Out brothers and sister long ago fought their final battle never knowing that there were any more of us left, hiding away. They believed they had fought to every last man, woman, and child." said Asa with a heavy heart.

"You didn't have the ability to fight back did you?" asked Kyson. None of the cats could reply.

"The chamber, the evolution to see Khoshekh, all of this came long after your people perished." stated Kyson as he gained the bigger picture.

"Yes, our entire people wept for generations as they swore vengeance for their home. This burning hate led us to the advancements we have now. But, time always does strange things to a people. We began to become comfortable." said Asa. The image of Noveria became hollow as a vast network of caves leading to cities and towns deep in the rock.

"Over the years, we began to realize the threat of the Reapers and how the other races we had left behind stood no chance against their might. So we began trying to look inward for strength. We had an isolated world where we could learn all of your tech and improve upon it with ease. We began to grow in ways we never could foresee." said Jekko as he brought the cities in close for more detail.

"We began to split into factions as we tried to hold onto our identities. We missed the surface, we wished our dead would have slept easily. So twelve cities were formed in honor of our personal aspects as a race. Each elder belongs to one. I, Asa-fum am the elected leader of the Warriors." said the great Lion.

"Not the 'War Enclave' or the 'Military'?" asked Kyson wondering why such a blanket term was used.

"It works for us. We are a race with wide extremes like you Humans. We differ in so many ways it sometimes astounds us even. Where our fur may take colors beyond the imagination our physical differences are even farther. These 'tribes' represent this." said Asa with a smile.

"Then you must have reached a very comfortable balance to be here this long." said Liara with admiration.

"We have worked very hard to stay in peace. It has come at the cost of our home and our families long ago. No one here has forgotten why we are still alive. Kyson was finding this all very fascinating and all but he had another question.

"I was watching the people work on the way down here. They seem to work as if everyone knows exactly what to do at all times. Why is that?" he asked. He had found it unnerving how efficient the Oomari ran their commerce when around one another. Most of the noises were from people talking and laughing but the stores were nearly silent yet packed with people.

"That is very astute yet you and Tali already know the answer to this." said Dehara who spoke for the first time since the hotel.

"We are a race with psionic capabilities, in simple terms we can speak to each other using our thoughts." said Jekko with a devious smile.

"That sounds damn useful. I bet any battles you wage are very quick aren't they?" asked John who looked very impressed.

"Very, most of our battles when we still used spears were decided with the armies lined up and only thoughts flew while the soldiers awaited orders. Everybody walked away from some of those, but most were bloody affairs. But there are those of us who can use infrasonic abilities as well. Sounds so subtle that they change what another person sees. This is why no one sees us on the surface at port Han'shan. It is good sport messing with those nefarious business leaders!" laughed Asa along with the Oomari.

"So you can alter what we see? Then you don't need all of the active camo and cloaks we have?" asked John who was becoming increasingly curious.

"No, many of us need the tech. One out of two of our children can speak with their minds, while three in four can use infrasound and all of this is to differing degrees. There is no constant in ability. The same goes for those who can feel the influences of Khoshekh. Some can see if for what it is while others only feel its presence." said Jekko. Kyson looked at Dehara. He tried to reach out with his mind by relaxing his stance and taking a slow steady breath.

[Can you always hear my thoughts?] He asked aloud in his head.

[Not always.] Said Tali in response. Kyson began to wonder if Dehara had spoken to him in his mind the other night or if he was just so worn out...

[I did speak to you Kyson. I was testing your bond with Tali. I cannot always hear what you are thinking yet you will need to learn how to shield your thoughts as well.] Replied Dehara. Kyson could feel Tali recoil in her mind from the surprise.

[Why can Tali and I do this?] Asked Kyson as knew emotions he had never encountered before began to cross from Dehara.

[We do not know. That is my purpose here, to study your bond. It is doing things that we once believed only our race had.] Thought Dehara before Kyson could feel her leave.

"So your race does have a large amount of abilities many of which our peoples would kill to have." said Tali. The elders laughed.

"These abilities have their own problems. But we can understand why they would be coveted." said Jekko. Kyson just kept staring at Dehara.

"Why is our bond being studied?" asked Kyson aloud. He watched as Dehara put a paw on her face. Kyson smiled because it wasn't something the cat didn't want to talk about.

"Ah, that is a fair question. But I was hoping to speak with you and Tali in private about that." said Asa with a warm smile still on his features.

"This is my family, go ahead please." replied the young engineer.

"Very well. The Quarians have always been a point of interest for use here. The bonding force that keeps such a tight hold of the mind of a Quarian mate is very profound compared to many races that has come before. The Protheans could share chemical memories through touch. They encompass felling to smells in a single memory whereas the Rachni use something similar. Yet we still don't understand how they can communicate over vast distances without anything to project their wills." said Asa who nodded to Jekko to pick up the explanation.

"Even with this though Oomari can do this easily by just...I don't know 'project' what's going on inside of our heads? We know how and why but even we still can't find the exact reasons why. The Asari tend to use something similar to us by reaching out with their nervous system in a way sharing through touch and sound. What makes the Quarians so special to use is how they have an inborn sense of empathy." said Jekko as he used the sphere to bring up two Asari joining their minds.

"Empathy, it is a strange thing that when put against science and tech seems to confound all of the numbers. Before, only the race with this ability could initiate such bonds hence Asari reaching out and using random genetic code from other races. Quarians are in between the abilities of the Asari and others like Turians and Humans. That is what makes things so interesting for you two. Neither of you by any reason should be able to bond like you do. Tali, all of the hallmarks of your races understanding of the bond should be just as you were told as a child. The same should go for Kyson yet you go farther." said the black cat.

"Many have boded with Quarians before they got exiled from their home. It was not to extraordinary for them to 'mate' with another race but none have ever spoken with their minds so openly. That is also what spared your life Kyson." said the aggressive female cat from before.

"You wanted me axed from the beginning." said Kyson with a small curl of the lip in aggression.

"I said so only for the safety of my people. I am Salleck, the representative of the engineer commission. Or 'tribe' if you prefer." said the woman. Kyson nodded to her only out of respect for her trade.

"So any ideas as to why Tali and I can use psionics?" he asked. The woman seemed to shrug her massive shoulders.

"Nope, that is why we persist to be perplexed." she admitted leaving Kyson to feel awkward. Why was he becoming nothing but a galactic oddity?

"It might have to do with Khoshekh once again. But that is something we can look into further at a later date. It is time for some food." said Asa as he clapped his paws together making the sphere go dark and the lights in the hall to come back on.

"That sounds great!" said John with a bright smile, Kyson could even feel his stomach turning in knots.

The group then split up with most of the leaders saying how much they enjoyed meeting Shepard and the crew. A few even gave words of advice to Kyson about how to stay away from the influences of Khoshekh in the future. Kyson took all of the advice in stride before being led to a restaurant. The group was now the four Normandy crew, Asa, Jekko and the old cat with the staff. Dehara was bringing up the rear. Two more cats waited in front of the establishment with wide grins.

"Welcome to our parents little shop!" said the identical cats.

"Bez, Lez! Good to see you again" said John with open arms. Kyson watched as the twins began to banter about.

"This really is good luck." said Bez.

"The best luck indeed! To have the most famous people in the whole galaxy in front of us!" said Lez.

"So, Kyson. How does it feel to be the living example for an entire race to keep existing?" asked Lez. Kyson looked at John who looked like he tried to swallow a melon whole.

"Uh, what?" asked the young N7.

"You are the first example for our people in thousands of years. You are a reminder to all Oomari why we live the way we do. Every man, woman, and child saw the recording of you in the chamber. You give us hope that others can fight back and win against Khoshekh!" said Bez with excitement. Kyson looked at Tali with horror.

"Everyone in this place saw the things I've gone done?" he asked to everyone in fear.

"You give us hope Kyson..." said Asa with a hint of reverence. Kyson shook his head denying it.

"Are you fucking insane? You saw the things I have done, the pain I caused damn it! I may have come to terms but no one should ever hold what I have done in respect. I am a wretch damn you...I am nothing to be admired." he said with clenched teeth. Jekko shook his head.

"You are wrong. Everyone makes a mess of things as they grow up. You did horrible things this is true yet you never stopped seeking redemption. Even when Khoshekh sought to control you with the memories you wished buried. Even more, Tali and your friends stood by you and would have to your dying breath. This is all admirable. It is the very things we would do for our own. It makes us pleased that others can do the same." said Jekko with a warm smile. The cat even put a heavy paw on Kyson's shoulder.

"I'd go into the thick of battle with every single one of you knowing you fought with more than a simple objective, but with a heart." finished the historian. Kyson didn't know what to say he was so taken aback by the display of trust and emotion.

"I...thank you." he said sheepishly. Jekko just nodded before leading his way towards the wonderful smells of food.

"I think you made a friend." said John with a smile.

"Just trying to follow your example." said Kyson with an 'aw shucks' shuffle.

"Keep it up, it comes in handy. Now let's eat! I am freakin' starvin'." said the commander. The team began to sit on plush pillows which his back hated but any chairs were way too tall.

"Is it true that Kyson and Tali bond like we do Asa?" asked Bez with excitement in his voice.

"It is true. They bond just like we do." said Asa as he took his place at the head of the table.

"The mind talk thingy? Yeah." said Tali in confirmation.

"No! Not just that, the mating part. We Oomari only mate once, normally having only one child. We advance quickly yet reproduce slowly. A balance I guess that is for the better." said Lez. Tali seemed to become more animated.

"So that is why you are so curious. Kyson and I are so similar to you? That would be very interesting." admitted Tali.

The group talked more about the more intricate parts of the Oomari. Kyson becoming most interested not in the Engineers but their 'Art Guild' which sounded much like a mash between the engineers and the philosophers. The food was brought out with the cats all rubbing their hands together excitedly. Kyson hardly noticed.

Many things were starting to make sense for him. His closeness with Tali along with their abilities. It was kind of cool in some ways yet terrifying in others. He was not worried about how connected he was with his woman but it was so strange how permanent it really had become. It was going to be an adventure for damn sure. He got distracted when something scurried across his hand.

"What the shit was that?" asked Kyson as he checked around him for any sign of what touched him. Dehara who was sitting next to him held up a small furry creature that began to squeal in fear.

"That's a Rauqslan!" laughed Tali in excitement. The little mole like creature had a teal coat of fur and a blob like body with a nub for a tail.

"A what?" asked Shepard. Kyson was equally confused.

"They are the small creatures we used to make our Reaulks out of!They taste great as well." said Tali.

"Do these things live somewhere else besides here as well?" asked Liara. Tali nodded.

"They belong to Rannoch, they live under the desert plains. They were used as food and clothing." said the Quarian. Kyson looked at Tali's ornamental head dressing and began to understand this as well.

"I guess they were on several planets. Your work as well?" asked Kyson to Dehara.

"No, we found them on Rannoch and loved them. They were around long before the Quarians as you know them today. We found the planet too hot for our liking and left it be. We did keep these little fellas though." she said before putting the squealing Rauqslan in her mouth. A loud crunch silenced the little creature which brought Dehara great joy as she chewed the creature. Liara looked sick while John had wide eyes. Even Tali cringed.

"Uh, taste good?" asked Kyson not knowing what else to say.

"Mmm-hmm." growled Dehara. More of the little creatures were brought out still alive along with other cooked meats and pastas. Kyson watched as the other cats let the Rauqslan run around on the table and laughing as the helpless creatures tried to escape.

"Enough! Playing with our food in front of guests is rude in the extreme!" said Asa with a roar of rage mixed with embarrassment. The cats sat down and hung their heads in shame.

"Please excuse these children." said Asa with a loud huff of disapproval. Another small Rauqslan was still loose and ran in front of Jekko who lunged out with his muzzle and snatched it up.

Asa-fum rolled his eyes giving up. Kyson saw Jekko wink at Liara who seemed to be holding back a smile. The rest of the food was amazing yet Kyson found it safe not to ask what it was. His stomach told him it was fine. Once dinner was over everyone left for yet another destination. It was an observation room back at the entrance to the cave.

Kyson watched as the city became a beautiful landscape once again from the elevator. He loved how the colors played. It had been an adventure. But he had the feeling their time here was coming to a close.

"This place, it is kinda crazy." said Tali as she took his hand when walking.

"Yeah, many mysteries still shroud this place but I think it is a funny place." said Kyson with an easy smile.

"How so?" asked Tali.

"It's just how these Oomari act is all. Very formal yet the act drops the moment food shows up. They speak bluntly yet love to play games with your mind in subtle ways. They are a very relaxed yet fearsome bunch. It almost feels like they are nothing but a cosmic paradox." he laughed.

"You think so? It reminds me of you in a few ways. They work hard almost every waking moment yet laugh whenever they can. They joke freely along with concern for you feelings. Very complex social structure that even I want to know more about." said Tali. Kyson nodded as they went into the observation room.

"I'm glad you like us, Kyson and Tali. We have hearing that is exceptional as well." said the lion with another smile. Kyson nodded with matching smile.

"Now that you know what we are and have seen Khoshekh for what it is? We now come down to the big moment. Commander Shepard, we have a proposition." said Asa becoming very serious.

Shepard began to smile wryly.

"There is always a catch isn't there." said John.

"I am aware that you lost a crew member. Ashley Williams am I right?" asked Asa. Kyson felt his gut lurch a bit.

"Yes, Kerris killed her right before we came down here." deadpanned the commander.

"Then I suggest you Dehara with you." said the great cat. Kyson looked at Dehara who was standing at attention and looking very regal in her own right.

"Wouldn't that risk your people?" asked Liara who pointed out the obvious.

"It would, but I believe it necessary. She is the best candidate we have to offer." said Asa proudly.

"What he really means is that he was going to ask for volunteers but decided he didn't want me to go." quipped Jekko with a hint of resentment.

"You couldn't be of any help. You can't see beyond you dream of trying the different fish of the other worlds." snapped Dehara. Jekko's fur stood on end as anger took over the black cat.

"I resent that. I just would take the opportunity to sample the foods as a byproduct of my service." griped the indignant Jekko.

"Get over it Jekko. Now, would you do this for us Commander? Dehara is more than well equipped for this fight against the Reapers." pushed the lion. Kyson could see the commander mulling it over as he began to circle Dehara and sized the cat up.

"You are big, most likely strong but what make you so ready to face the Reapers? Please forgive my misgivings but you have more than likely trained for the powers of Khoshekh, not the war we face currently." said John who began to sound a bit scathing. Kyson looked at Asa and the old cat with the staff that still had yet to say a word. Neither moved to shelter Dehara.

"I have trained for the past one hundred and twenty five years for this day. Many of us have trained for a fight against either the Reapers or Khoshekh, Commander." said Dehara calmly.

"Yet you have never left this planet. You have never conversed with any race formally until the past cycle. I can see how your people have explored our different cultures. This will no longer be practice or simulation." said John with a grim look. Dehara looked at Asa with the first hint of nervousness.

"I am ready." said Dehara. John slammed his clenched right hand into his left.

"That doesn't answer my question." said John. Dehara began to glance around the room for help. Kyson found himself almost pitying the poor creature. This was a side he had not seen of the Oomari yet. Maybe they weren't so flippant after all.

"I know I'm ready because I am the best there is here. Those who become large in stature and strength seldom have the ability to use psionics. Even fewer can see Khoshekh for what it is. That is the trade off for those who are strong of body. We have to rely on our bodies and cunning, not the blessings of our evolution." said Dehara who seemed to gain courage.

"I have many who can do that already. Why would I want a potential beacon to warn Khoshekh that an unfinished business it left behind still exists?" asked Shepard who now was sounding plain cross. This meeting was not going to the cat's plan it seemed.

"I have mastered every trait we have as a race. I have made my pilgrimages to the twelve tribes, learned their thinking and their strengths. I have full control of both psionic and infrasonic. I can slip in and out of battle like the shadows we have hid from all of this time." said Dehara who was becoming upset herself.

"Now we are getting somewhere. But I need more. Just because you have prepared doesn't change how much of a rookie you will be out there. Not to mention a shock to those you will fight with. Can you conduct yourself in a polite manner? I can't have you starting fights for I was given insight by the twins on your people. You tend to very idealistic." said John with a smirk. Dehara looked shaken now.

"I commend your views on hard work, following passions and love. But I fear you views on war to be concerning. It shows a lack of restraint." finished John with a hard look. Dehara just stood there shocked.

"I don't understand..." said the leopard who looked dumbfounded.

"Asa-fum, am I right that when engaged with an enemy there is no turning back. Once committed you are to give no mercy, non-quarter none so ever?" asked John. Asa nodded his massive head in confirmation.

"Yes. We are a very strong people who value victory before mercy. You are concerned that we will try and take back what was ours if you defeat the Reapers?" asked the lion. John nodded.

"You are very wise not to trust us merely on our hospitality. That is why I have another gift for you. If you allow Dehara a place on the Normandy, we will dispatch ten thousand of our own for when you look to taking back Earth." said Asa. Kyson thought about how giant invisible cats could be a plus as they discretely took out entire legions of Reaper troops.

"Can you promise me you will not flood our races with your advancements when this is over?" asked John leaving Kyson very confused. There were so many great things the Oomari had done in the ways of communication it was still leaving him in awe. Even Asa-fum looked confused.

"What do you mean, commander?" said the lion.

"That chamber. It is a vile thing, though necessary. No one should be able to view another person's soul like that. I have never seen someone so violated before. You make it so no one's mind is safe." growled John. Kyson could see that everyone was completely caught off guard by Shepard's reaction to the events of the past day.

"Commander, I am sorry you feel that way. I have wondered what it would be like for the races out there today had such a technology. I did not see how it could be a dangerous thing for we are so connected here." admitted Asa. John just stared at the cat.

"You have my word that we will not interfere before the time is right." said Asa while giving a deep bow.

"Thank you. Dehara, welcome to the crew." said John before walking off leaving the group. Liara looked shocked.

"I...that isn't like him at all." said Liara as she looked at Dehara. The cat just looked out at the city with a heavy look.

"It is okay Liara. He is right in what he says. We here were just so excited to help. So curious of the events before us we seemed to have cast practicality aside." said Dehara with a heavy sigh.

A/N

I am still busy with life but I have not stopped writing!

Review as you will as always.

~RJ