A/N: Hey guys, finally, the next chapter... I do apologise for the long wait. A few months ago, I lost someone very close to me and it left me way down in the dumps. So... I think I'm back in the game. And I must say, writing is helping a lot to get my mind off things. Anyway, I hope I've made up for the long wait with this long chapter (I think it's the longest one so far?). Just a warning, there is some bad language up ahead, but I think my rating for this story sort of gave that away. I've also tried my best in terms of medical jargon and what not.

Please enjoy and feel free to leave some reviews - I do love those!

Tempest, Bridge, 16:17 Ship Time

Primus tilts her head to the side, something akin to a mocking smile pulling at her mouth. And then, her armoured shoulders tremble with laughter. The sound is strange to my ears. Who'd have thought these things were even capable of being happy, I think to myself. If this had been any other situation, I would have shared in the kett's amusement, for entirely different reasons, of course. Instead, Primus's laughter only grates on my already frayed nerves.

Beside me, Drack growls. "I don't like this," he grumbles under his breath.

I take a menacing step forward. "Look, I don't know about you, but I don't have time for bullshit."

Primus looks almost disgusted, her eyes narrowing.

"Oh, I'm sorry… did you not get that?" I taunt. "Let me help you out – I don't have time for you."

"You might want to change your mind," Primus leans in closer, like a threat ready to strike. I narrow my eyes, every muscle in my body growing taut.

"And why's that?"

"Because, from this point forward, you have a choice. Give me your asari, or die."

I imagine if I were a dog, my hackles would be raised sky-high by now. Primus seems to wait patiently, her chin raised in haughty fashion.

"What makes you think I'll just hand her over?"

"Perhaps I failed to make myself clear. Refuse my offer and you die," Primus growls. I've often heard people talk about that proverbial edge, that point of no return. Anger so overwhelming, that it pushes you over into that deep, dark abyss. When I clench my jaw, I feel myself tumble over that edge. A sneer pulls at my lips, my fists shaking with barely controlled rage.

"Before we continue with this conversation, let's just get one thing straight; don't fuck with my people. Threaten them and it'll be the last thing you do."

Primus levels me with an unflinching stare. I stand my ground, meeting her gaze with what I hope is an intimidating scowl. "I do not agree to your terms. My asari stays here, with me."

Primus scoffs. "I expected resistance. But, foolhardiness? Are you so willing to give up your life over some information?"

"What do you mean?"

"You are not aware?" Primus tilts her head, amused. "You see human, buried within the depths of your asari's mind, is the answer to unlocking Andromeda's secrets."

This brings me up short. Peebee has something in her mind? Andromeda's secrets… is it possible Peebee holds information connecting to the jardaan? My mind races with the possibilities; finding the jardaan, bringing peace to Andromeda… and that's just the beginning. What we could learn from them, it would set us ahead by hundreds of years. And within mere moments, Peebee has just become the single most important person in the Andromeda galaxy.

If the kett ever had to get their grimy, bony hands on this information…

"Invaluable, isn't it?" Primus murmurs, her eyes sparkling.

"Well, at least that's one thing we can agree on."

Primus smiles. "Then perhaps we can work together?"

I snort, crossing my arms. "And condemn yet another race to your sick beliefs? I don't think so, Primus. My decision remains as is."

A heavy silence follows. I don't dare break eye contact with Primus. "Tell me, Pathfinder, are humans prone to making mistakes?"

The vid transmission cuts out. I share a silent glance with Drack, my anger melting into caution. "Suvi, anything out there?"

Suvi shakes her head. "Nothing, Pathfinder. We're alone."

Drack flexes his shoulders with a grunt. "I don't know about you, but that sounded too much like a threat."

I swallow hard, my gaze darting to the bay window. Drack's right… that was a threat. The most blatant threat I had ever been dealt. And based on previous experience, the kett rather diligently follow through on their threats. Somehow, I highly doubt Primus is any different. In fact, she might even be worse than those before her. "Yeah and as far as threats are concerned, I didn't like that one. Kallo, set a course for the Nexus. Let's get the hell out of here."

"Yes, Pathfinder. ETA to the Nexus nine hours," Kallo confirms over his shoulder.

"Good. Give me ship-wide comms."

Kallo taps at his HUD. "You're good to go."

"This is Ryder. I need all squad members to report to the meeting room. We've got trouble."

Tempest, Meeting Room, 16:35 Ship time

I watch my squad as they process the news. Liam clenches his jaw, eyes blazing with anger. This I expected; Liam's always made his distaste for the kett obvious. In fact, if it were up to Liam, the Tempest would be scouring every inch of the Andromeda galaxy in an effort to rid us of the bony bastards. My gaze flicks to Vetra, her eyes staring into seemingly nothing. Compared to Liam, she looks a lot more composed. When I notice the slight twitch to her mandibles, I know it's just a façade. Although Vetra is very much family orientated, she would never admit to her feelings.

My gaze lingers on Jaal, his eyes shining with unshed tears. Beneath his mask of guilt, I detect a rage-filled storm, just brimming under the surface. But, this is a different kind of anger, I realise. This is not the white-hot flash of anger that accompanies one in battle. No, that would have been much easier to deal with. Instead, what plagues Jaal is the lingering kind of anger; the one that slowly and very methodically eats away at you.

When my gaze finally lands on Cora, I find her watching me, her eyes cold and calculating.

"So, what do we do?" Liam demands.

Without breaking eye contact with me, Cora offers an icy reply. "That's not up to us. The ball is in her court."

I shrug, meeting Cora's stare head-on. "Then we prepare for her serve."

"That's like playing blind," Cora scoffs. "Let's face it, Scott. We've just stumbled into another war with the kett."

I narrow my eyes, already sensing where Cora's going with this. "I'm not denying that, Cora. But, we have no other choice."

Vetra clears her throat and leans forward into Cora's line of vision. "I think it's safe to assume that whatever Peebee found on Kadara, outweighs any fact."

Jaal hums in agreement. "Yes, Vetra is right. If what Primus says is true, then Peebee carries with her the most important information in this galaxy. I would say that that is enough to fight for."

"If it leads us to the jardaan, then I agree," Liam pipes in, his eyes sparkling with the thought of a new adventure. I nod with a sigh, relieved at the general consensus of my squad. Well, at least that's one thing off my back, I think.

Now, the part I've been dreading… "Jaal?" I ask softly. Jaal almost timidly finds my gaze. "What exactly happened?"

Jaal lifts his hand to the old scar on his cheek, fingers nervously scratching at the healed flesh. "It was the strangest thing I had ever seen… some sort of remnant humanoid figure. It was very weak and it seemed utterly harmless. In fact, before it lashed out, it tried to speak with Peebee."

My heart leaps into my throat as I throw Jaal a frown. "Lashed out?"

Jaal averts my eyes. "When Peebee scanned the figure, it… its fingers drove into her skull. By the time I reached her side, the humanoid detonated."

I drop my head and reach out to lean over the vidcom terminal. I try to dispel the images of Peebee getting hurt, my mind racing with scenarios leading to much darker outcomes. Come on, Scott, pull yourself together. This could have been so much worse, I think to myself. But, this is Peebee… and Peebee's family.

Well, that and more… she's home.

I pinch the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. "Alright, well… what do we have, SAM?"

I am in the process of analysing Ms B'Sayle's data. However, it would appear as if this humanoid was acting as an OSD.

Drack flashes a sneer in my direction. "So that kett bastard was telling the truth."

I nod to myself, a sense of purpose flooding my entire being. We have something to work from. It's not much, but it's a sure start. "Is it possible that this remnant transferred whatever information it had, to Peebee?"

Based on the type of injury sustained and its location, it is highly probable that the humanoid shared its information with Ms B'Sayle.

"Thanks, SAM. Keep me updated."

Of course, Pathfinder.

Cora moves into a parade rest position, her amber eyes hard. "So, we've established what Primus is after. But, what comes next? How do we prepare ourselves?"

"Our only option is to inform the Nexus… for now," I offer, hoping Cora will accept my decision. At a time like this, I can't afford to have my SIC at opposing ends with me. And Cora's end seems very far away.

With a slow nod, Cora makes to leave. Liam purses his lips in a low whistle. "She's definitely not happy."

"There's nothing to be done about that. In war, your only option is your best option," Drack mutters, shooting me a lopsided grin.

I release a shuddering breath, thankful for Drack's support. No one said this was going to be easy. And almost a year down the line, I'm still learning. But, whatever Cora's issue is, it needs to be cleared out of the way. After all, she's right… we've just entered into another war with the kett.

"Yeah, and one way or another, we've got your back," Vetra adds, a small smile pulling at her mandibles. I return Vetra's smile with one of my own, nodding in silent appreciation.

Tempest, Med Bay, 17:01 Ship Time

When I finally make my way down to the med bay, Lexi pins me with a withering glare. "It's a bad habit, you know," she mutters.

I play the part of confusion and raise my eyebrows in a questioning manner. I know where Lexi's going with this. I'd be stupid if I didn't.

"Leaving them to fight on their own," Lexi elaborates with a frustrated sigh. And for the second time in one day, the shame hits me in hot, unrelenting waves. Against my own volition, I recall images of mom fighting a losing battle, her physical form fading by the day. Memories of Sara jump to the forefront, her prone form for so many weeks still a haunting image.

Watching the people you care for struggle against such an intangible foe… it's draining, it's frightening, but mostly, it just leaves an overwhelming sense of worthlessness. After a while, it becomes a heavy blanket over your shoulders. Maybe that's why I avoided Sara? And maybe it's the same reason I've been avoiding Peebee?

Lexi places a soft hand on my shoulder, her anger gone. She meets my gaze and smiles. "Scott, it's alright to feel like that."

"Feel like what?"

Lexi scoffs. "I'm a doctor, Scott. You don't think I see this kind of behaviour every day? It's normal, it's… human. Well, for you, at least. Fighting that good fight, staying positive… it's draining. But, no matter what your head tells you, you can't give up. You have to stay strong. Not for yourself, but for them. They need your strength, more than you know."

I shake my head, trying and failing to keep the tears at bay. "I just… I hate feeling so helpless. When mom was diagnosed with AEND, there was nothing any of us could do. Watching her fade away like she did, it was torture. And when Sara was in that coma, I avoided her because… because it was like seeing mom all over again. How do you fight that, Lexi? How do you stay strong?"

Lexi takes a deep breath, her eyes sparkling. "Come on. Someone's been waiting to hear from you."

Lexi leads me to the only occupied medical bed, where a seemingly asleep Peebee lies motionless on her back. A strip of neatly wrapped bandages encircles Peebee's head, the black of her asari marking stark against the white. A rather crude-looking shoulder immobilizer holds Peebee's left arm in place. It hits me then, like the heavy gravity of Ekuna back home. Peebee's always trying to mask her vulnerability, whether it's behind a witty retort, or her blasé attitude, she's never been willing to show that side of her. I know – I've always known – that deep down, Peebee is soft at heart, a romantic in search of the next big adventure. As much as she tried to fight it off, she's always been vulnerable. And now, as my eyes roam over the planes of her body, I realise just how small she is.

A fierce need to protect her slams into me and I reach out to clasp her good hand. "Peebee…" I whisper.

Lexi taps furiously at her datapad for a few seconds. "Alright, Peebee sustained multiple fractures to her scapula and humerus. She also suffered a nasty compound fracture to her clavicle, which required surgery."

"Badly broken shoulder, got it."

"Hm, I'm impressed," Lexi raises her eyebrows in surprise.

I shrug, my thumb drawing soft circles over Peebee's hand. "I've had my fair share of broken bones… you said surgery?"

Lexi meets my gaze with a smile. "It's alright, Scott. It was quick and painless. The fractures will heal over time, as will the wound on her forehead, but…" Lexi trails off, her eyes leaving the datapad in her hands. "Scott…"

I swallow hard, my heart jumping into my throat. "What is it, Lexi?"

Lexi frowns. "There was some swelling on her brain, a common result of head trauma… Due to this injury, Peebee's been displaying signs of being in a coma."

I try to swallow past the lump in my throat. "She's… she's comatose?"

Lexi approaches me, her eyes glistening. "I'm afraid so."

I drop my gaze to Peebee's face, my mind reeling. I barely notice Lexi's hand on my shoulder, my entire being focused on Peebee's closed eyes. "How long?"

Lexi clears her throat. "It depends on the injury. Some last a few weeks and others… others are permanent."

"What about that remnant? Jaal said it did something to her…"

"I would have to concur with SAM's hypothesis. The location of the injury is far from random. Whatever that thing did to her, it was fully intentional. It's almost as if it knew exactly what to do." Lexi's grip on my shoulder grows tighter, until she's turning me to face her. I drop my gaze to the floor, all too desperate to avoid her searching eyes. "Scott, listen… Peebee's vitals are good. She's a fighter, this one. She will get through this."

Lexi tilts my chin up with a gentle touch. I try to school my features into something resembling determination when I realise how pathetic I must look. "You know, for all that bravado, you really are soft at heart," Lexi says with a smile.

I return her smile with a sad one of my own. "My one weakness."

"No," Lexi shakes her head, seemingly affronted at my words. "Not a weakness. It's a strength."

In the next moment, catching me completely off-guard, Lexi reaches up to place a soft kiss against my forehead. The act is so motherly in nature, so reminiscent of another who would console my fears in the same manner, that it leaves my heart swelling with warmth. "Thank you, Lexi."

"Now, spend some time with her. Doctor's orders," Lexi steps back with a pointed look, a mock frown pulling at her brow.

I lift my hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm not about to out-rule you."

"Wise choice," Lexi disappears with a chuckle. Taking a deep breath, I turn to face Peebee. I reach for the nearest chair and take a seat close to Peebee's head.

Slowly, I touch a hand to the side of her face. "Peebee?"

Nothing.

What exactly were you expecting? I chastise myself. With the tip of my fingers, I draw a soft line down the side of Peebee's face. My fingers stop over her lips, her soft breath whispering over my flesh. I imagine her green gaze meeting mine, her eyes sparkling. My breath catches in my throat at the image and I shake my head.

What would Sara say about her love-struck little brother? That aside, how can one person make another feel this way? I think back to the many flings I shared with… well, so many women. I had always thought myself the no-strings-attached kind of guy, the smooth talker always in search of the next woman. Back then, living my life on the Citadel meant having fun. It was a meaningless period in my life, just before my post stationed at the Arcturus relay. It wasn't until my first, nearly fatal run-in with a group of mercenaries that my life took a drastic turn. All too suddenly, my universe became much larger than the Citadel and its many sensual promises. Death seems to have a funny way of delivering lessons and mine came in the form of a merciless krogan and a gunshot wound to the chest. The fact that I'm alive, here right now, still baffles me.

Everything happens for a reason; you either walk away from it a little smarter, or more ignorant than before.

Dad always used to say that humans were born into ignorance. And sometimes, it took more than just a gentle nudge to see past that.

And maybe it took moving to another galaxy to change my ways. But, even that wasn't my gentle nudge. No… that seemed to come a little later. I remember it clearly, the memory seemingly burnt into my mind's eye; pinned to the ground, staring up at the most beautiful green eyes the Andromeda galaxy has to offer.

Even back then I was already enamoured with Peebee, I chuckle to myself. When I draw a light path over Peebee's patched-up shoulder, my smile falters. All at once, my thoughts spin out of control and guilt snatches me up in her sickly fingers. This could have been worse. And it's all my fault.

My wisecracking Pathfinder days are over. There's an entire colony depending on me. If I'm supposed to be the symbol of hope for my people, I need to start acting like it. I lift Peebee's good hand to my mouth.

"It stops now, Peebee. I promise."

The story will really be kicking off after this chapter - I have a theory as to the whole jardaan-kett-angara thing, but we'll only be delving into that a little later. Until next time :)