AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys, back from vacation, and I've started work on that one-shot I was comissioned for. Regular schedule resumes for now, but be warned that I have registered for college while also applying for jobs. It's not impossible that I may need to cut the schedule down to once a week. I can't make any promises right now other than the promise that I won't stop. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Commander John Shepard

I lazily opened my eyes, and then sat up on my bed. Hm, that can't be right. Where's the pounding headache? And, why can I remember- oh, right. I've basically gotten a super liver. My eyes scanned the room and I saw Garrus laying on his stomach on the couch, one arm drooped over the side towards the floor. Plenty of empty cans along the table. Damn, he wasted no time in getting himself plastered last night. He really needed to just forget whatever was going on. Even if it was just for a short while. Note to self. Find out everything that's been going on with him, especially everything that's troubling him, help him talk about it, to come to terms with it. To help him move past it. After all, I'm sure my own death played no small part in it. I grunted as I pulled myself up from the bed and made my way towards my Turian friend. I leaned down and gently shook him.

"Come on, wake up buddy." He groaned.

"Don't talk so loud, dammit." He opened his eyes, slowly sitting up before slumping back against the couch, running a hand across his plated face, then scratching the back of his neck. His mouth and mandibles then opened wide and his tongue rolled out a bit as he yawned, stretching. He closed and smacked his lips together two times. "How the hell are you in such good shape? Cerberus give you a new liver?"

"More or less," I shrugged. My Omni-tool was pinged. It was a message from Jacob.

Shepard

EDI is holding this message until you and Garrus are up. Yesterday shook the crew up, you know that. What you may not know, is that a lot of the crew has a lot to thank Cerberus for. Things they can't look past from just words. Most of those who've been around longer approached me earlier this morning. They want you to know that yesterday, they got caught up in the heat of the moment. After sleeping it over, they're just not sure. They don't know what to make of most anything. Here's a hypothetical. If you or a family member had a rare disease, and you either didn't have the money to treat it, or people were just unable to treat it, and then an organization shows up, helps you, and all they ask is that you work for them, would it really be so easy to forget all of that with just words? Regardless of the truth they hold? I'm on your side here, Shepard, but I'm also on the side of good people. And the crew here is just that. They're sorry, and if true, they don't condone the actions you claim Cerberus has taken, which I personally am inclined to believe. But they don't want to believe it. It'll take a personal, first-person experience that convinces them. I hope you'll respect that. All they and I ask is that you understand and that you'll be willing to be friendly with them. Thanks.

Jacob

I took a deep breath.

"What is it?' Garrus asked. I twisted my arm so that he could read it himself. "I gotta admit. I understand, even though I don't really want to."

"Yeah, that's what I hate about it," I muttered. I looked at my Omni-tool again and noticed I had another message. Maybe I wouldn't be leaving my quarters in a bad mood. It was from Tali. A smile snuck across my face and Garrus raised a brow upon seeing it. Before he must have come to a realization.

Shepard,

Don't be too hard on yourself for accepting the deal. Your reasons are just, and the price, for now, at least, is reasonable. Just, be careful. As I'm sure you already know. Just, do it for me. Please.

Trying to be more pleasant, I'm surprised and interested in the new Normandy. I'm sure there's plenty I'd love to look over. And I'm very surprised to hear that Joker and Chakwas are on board. I'm sure it helps you a lot to have some familiar faces around. Please, give them both my greetings and that I hope both of them are doing well. I wish I could tell you where to find the others, but you'd have better luck finding them than me. I wish you were here. The more I hear about my upcoming mission, the more dangerous it sounds. But I'm not about to let myself die when you only just came back into my life. The fleet is going to be holding position by some comm buoys in Terminus for two days' time. Give me a call when you're able, and maybe we could talk a bit. But, not about that just yet.

-Tali

I was brought back to reality when Garrus faked a gag, "You're going to make me vomit."

I just ignored it.

"The fleet's in range of comm buoys and looks like they're still in their day cycle. She suggested I call when I'm able. Would be a nice way to surprise her about you."

"Go ahead," Garrus gestured.

I started the call. From what I understand, Cerberus was providing everyone on the crew with higher priority extranet access. Paying the providers to have more up to date information and contact. The priorities all determine just how close to real-time one gets across the galaxy. But it also in part depends on where one lives. If you live on the Citadel, you only need basic, because so many news sources broadcast from there or at least broadcast there quickly. The station also has plenty of server farms that house plenty of websites so it's all still on the local net. But if you live on Omega, basic priority will mean your posts and communications with others could be weeks or even months delayed. The buoys can only transfer so much information at FTL at once. Luckily, once you're in a call, it's real time. With the priority, we have, however, and that she's in Terminus, it should only take a few minutes or so for the call to reach her.

It took ten minutes before the call was accepted. And during that time, Garrus had gone to get some hangover meds and probably take a piss, while grabbing a dextro protein bar for breakfast, and coming back up.

"Hi Shepard, you caught me just as I got onto my lunch break," she greeted.

"Got your message while I was still asleep. Woke up only a few minutes before I sent the call. Things alright? You got me a bit nervous about your mission." Tali sighed.

"I wasn't comfortable saying it in a text, but," Tali type on her Omni-tool for a moment. "On a secure direct line? It's in Geth space. Fortunately. I'm hoping to leak the coordinates to you, honestly. I've got an idea or two about that."

"Geth space? Fleet must have found something important. Well, you just say the word and I'll drop everything to go help." I could tell she smiled.

"I know. And thank you. How's the recruiting gone?" I glanced to the side towards Garrus, who was still silent and out of frame. I smirked.

"Very well. Zaeed we were able to pick up without any hassle, but Archangel was in a bit of trouble. We still haven't gotten Mordin Solus. As for Archangel, well, I think you'd love to meet him." I stretched my arm out and Garrus leaned in.

"Long time no see, Tali."

"Garrus?" Tali's eyes went wide. "What in the ancestors' names were you doing on Omega?"

"Just… trying to do some good."

"Well, it's good to see you."

EDI's chime went off.

"Apologies for the interruption, Commander, but Operative Lawson is insisting the ground team prepare to retrieve Professor Solus."

"Yeah… yeah, we probably should," I grumbled.

"Who was that?" Tali asked. Oh, shit. Not the time to explain to her there's an AI on board.

"I'll… tell you later. Sorry, but Mordin is sort of in the middle of a plague zone."

"Then I won't keep you. Good luck. And, Shepard?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm… looking forward to that talk too," she glanced down, likely blushing as bright as I was. And she chuckled awkwardly. Down boy.

"Alright, I'm leaving before this gets any worse," Garrus got up and began walking to the door.

"Bosh-Tet! I forgot you were here!" Tali pulled the front of her hood down over her eyes. I couldn't help laughing just a little. "And why are you laughing?"

"Sorry, sorry, just…" Garrus was chuckling as the door opened for him. "You're… never mind. We'll talk later." Yeah, I was definitely blushing. The great Commander Shepard, blushing as he awkwardly talks to a cute girl.

"R-right. Talk later." she gave a small wave with her three-fingered hand. The vid call ended. Alright, let's uh… get started. I got myself showered suited up in my armor, then got in the elevator for crew quarters. The door opened shortly after, and I remembered Jacob's message. I saw a few crewmembers who had removed the Cerberus logo wearing uniforms that still had it on. I took a deep breath, calming the initial surge of anger. They have their reasons, they don't want to believe what I told them. They'll come to believe eventually. I said nothing for now and kept a neutral face. I approached Gardner and made sure I gave nods to some of the crew eating. I didn't have time to sit down and chat.

"What can I get you?" Gardner asked.

"Just a protein bar." Gardner nodded and got one, handing it over. "Thanks. Maybe tomorrow I'll finally get to try out your cooking." That should be friendly enough for a start. Gardner grinned, confirming.

"I don't have much to work with, but I'll do the best I can for ya."

"Appreciated. Thanks." I began munching on the protein bar as I went back to the elevator for the armory. The fact Jacob wasn't present told me he was waiting by the airlock, or even just outside the ship. I got my weapons together and made my way to the airlock. Jacob, Miranda, Zaeed, and Garrus were all waiting. I was surprised that Garrus' armor still looked as intact as it was. I didn't need any verbal orders, we simply began moving out towards the transport bay that'll take us to the plague zone. Naturally, Garrus was walking at my side. We arrived to see a Turian guarding a door, rifle in hand with a whole lot of Quarantine warnings along the door to the transports. There was a human woman in front of the guard.

"You can't keep me out! I live in there!" the woman demanded.

"I'm doing you a favor lady. You go in, the guards will cut you down," the Turian shrugged.

"But everything I own is in that apartment!"

"Look, I told you to get lost. The whole zone is quarantined, and no one gets in," he repeated.

"I'm human, you ass! Humans can't get the plague! Just let me in before looters get all of my things!"

"But you could carry that shit out around you and infect the rest of the station. Not taking any chances," The Turian argued.

"You one of Aria's men?" I asked.

"Sort of. She's not wasting or risking her own men guarding it, hired smaller times like myself," the Turian breathed, annoyed with the woman.

"She tell you about someone like me going in?"

"If she told someone, ain't me. Must have been during someone else's shift," he shrugged. "Far as I'm concerned though, no one's gotten the go-ahead yet." Ugh, guess Omega does things less than half-assed. Unless it's trying to take out a damn vigilante.

"Look, I'm trying to find Mordin Solus. It's very important."

"The doc, eh? Crazy bastard opened a clinic there a few months ago. The Blue Suns weren't too happy about it. From what I hear, the Salarian's trying to deal with the plague. Wish him luck, but the area is still locked down. Our orders are to wait until the plague or the Suns kill everyone, then go in and clean up."

"No one other than Mordin even trying to cure it?" I raised a brow, surprised. Omega just really doesn't give a shit does it?

"This is Omega. No one else is smart enough. And those who are, are working with the gangs to cook up crazy ass new drugs, weapons, whatever. They sure as hell don't care enough to cure something."

"Anyone have a clue how a disease crossed the Dextro-levo barrier?"

"Artificial has to be," the Turian shrugged. "It either got loose in there, or it's being tested. Humans and Vorcha are immune. And the Vorcha just because no disease fucks them over. Since all the Vorcha brainpower combined barely adds up to a pile of shit, they sure as hell aren't responsible. Whoever is, is probably human." I raised a brow again, turning to Miranda.

"Does Cerberus know anything about that?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Besides, Cerberus would test it in a lab, not Omega. It wouldn't be worth it."

"Hm," I turned back, not ruling out that it is Cerberus, just not within Miranda's knowledge.

"The fuck do the Suns care about the district?" Zaeed questioned.

"They ran it. Well, used to. Plague hit them hard, most of their men in the area being Turian. The Vorcha are trying to move in now, seeing a perfect little spawning ground, killing field, whatever."

"Great, that'll be fun," Garrus remarked sarcastically.

"Listen, pal, you and your guys are stuck here until it's all over, right? Then you have clean-up duty afterward. That'll be messy. And could take weeks. Look at me, look at my squad. Armed, armored, well trained. We're professionals. Professionals solve problems. Let us in, we'll get it all sorted." The Turian took a moment to mull it over.

"Fuck it… why not? Quarantine is more to keep infected in any way. I'll let em know you're coming in. Tram will take you over," he shrugged.

"You're letting them through but not me?!" The woman exclaimed.

"He's got a fucking rocket launcher, lady. You don't. Get lost." It was a struggle to not chuckle as he let us through.

"Helmets on. Seal yourselves up. Garrus, double for you. You're the only one of us who can get sick, so we don't want you getting a breach."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Once everyone was fully sealed, we got in the tram and waited. When it arrived about fifteen minutes later, we simply got out and made our way into the district. More quarantine warnings, scattered crates, and boxes. And then a barricade, some Turians, also fully sealed, guarding it.

"You're clear. Go around," one of them pointed to a doorway. I suppose they change shifts using a decon chamber somewhere either here or back on the other side of the tramway. On the other side of the barricade were a dozen or so more guards. They let us pass into the district proper. The Gozu district, as the sign overhead read.

"Careful, Blue Suns and Vorcha are shooting anything that moves," one of them warned. Our weapons were ready. And just as we were coming down a staircase, there was a pair of Blue Suns. Talking to each other seems. With my Mattock, I put two rounds into the skull of one while Zaeed fired a burst from his Vindicator into the other. There were fires. As we got closer, I saw exactly what I expected. Bodies. Burning em all.

"Plague control at its most basic," Zaeed remarked. Least we couldn't smell it. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I relaxed as I then saw that it was a body slumped against the wall. Coughing, rocking, slightly. Batarian. He wasn't wearing armor, just clothes, so a civilian here. A part of me was still rather… cautious. Well, he's by what seems like the way forward, and he's a victim. Should really talk to him. Try to help, see if he knows anything. We got closer, his skin was rashed, small boils look like too. He was coughing with a blood covered shirt and collar.

"Human… should have guessed," he struggled to keep his gaze on us. He coughed again. "Bad enough you infect us. Now you lack the decency to wait until I die before you steal my shit."

"Do I look like a common looter? Come on, you need help," I got down to a knee. He raised a Carnifex.

"Get away from me! Your kind has done too much already!" He wheezed. "Your plague did this! Your feigned pity is the final insult!" I backed away slightly, and he lowered the gun.

"I don't know if a human caused this, but I'm here to fix it. Hell, I'm with a Turian after all. And believe me, I've got quite a few bones to pick with Batarians too. But far as I can tell, you weren't there. Help me find Mordin Solus, we'll put an end to the plague."

"Humans looking for the Human sympathizer. I hope the Vorcha burn him and his clinic down," the Batarian tried to growl. "I hope" he began coughing much more violently. Blood coming out this time. I got back down, took some medi-gel, and injected it into his chest. It'll go to his lungs, his throat, and close off whatever's making it so hard to breathe. Won't cure it, but it'll buy time. He took a deeper, clearer breath.

"It's only Medi-gel, but it's better than nothing."

"You… you helped me. Why?" he questioned.

"Bloody boy scout," Zaeed chuckled. I just ignored it.

"It's what I do," I shrugged. "If I can help Mordin cure this, I will."

"You sound… sincere. Maybe it's the fever, but… what do I have to lose?" the Batarian murmured. "Mordin has a clinic on the far side of the district. He's taking in refugees, offering to help the infected. I was afraid to go to him. He's dangerous."

"What makes a doctor worse than a plague?" Garrus asked.

"The Suns tried to press him for protection money. He stunned them with some kind of toxin, then gunned them down. He's more than a Doctor. Doctor's don't execute people then display the bodies as a warning."

"Brutal, but that sounds STG alright," I mused. "Thanks. When I reach the clinic, I'll send someone for you."

"Thank you," the Batarian coughed. "My time runs short, but, at least I have some flicker of hope for my final hours. Good luck, human." I gave the Batarian a nod as he tried to rest, and we moved forward. A plaza was ahead, and I peeked a corner to see Blue Suns on guard duty at a barricade. I was against a building with an upper level, fortunately, so I signaled for us to move up and in there. We stayed low to make sure they didn't spot us. I counted down, and then we all stood and opened fire from above. There was a squad's worth of Suns, and we took them by surprise, gunning them down. Broke through whatever shields they had, and their bodies fell to the floor. Some were obviously Turian, but others we couldn't tell if they were Batarian or Humans, thanks to all of them fully sealing themselves up. We went back down and started to go around the barricade when I saw a locked apartment door that the Suns had, at least for a small while, been trying to open up. Survivors? Fortunately, it was an easy hack and the door opened. I heard a feminine gasp, before a shush.

"Hear that? Got survivors."

"Hear what?" Garrus asked.

"I didn't hear it. Must have been the upgrades," Jacob remarked. Well, ain't that nice. I put my weapon away.

"Lawson, Taylor, guard the door." We went down into the apartment itself. "Don't be afraid. We're here to help. The Blue Suns outside are gone." I called out. A man and a woman stood from behind a pair of shelves in the large bedroom area.

"Oh thank god, you're human," the woman began.

"When we heard that door open, we thought they found us. The Blue Suns are killing all Humans they can find. Even their own," the man revealed. Must just be blaming all humans.

"Well, you're safe now. We're on our way to find Mordin. You can follow behind, we'll clear the way," I offered.

"A doctor with military grade mechs helping people for free. Not on Omega," the man grumbled. The mechs are new info. "Vorcha try to muscle in, he kills them all without the mechs. Blue Suns learn he's sheltering humans, try to burn down the clinic, killed them too. Went right back to work."

"It's better than staying locked in your apartment. You'll be just fine so long as you follow behind. Wait for gunfire to stop, move up. The woman put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"We need to try," she whispered. The man took a deep breath.

"Yeah… yeah, you're right. We'll follow behind soon." I gave them a nod, and we left the apartment, moving ahead. Behind the Blue Suns barricade was a hallway that also split off towards a staircase up. Looked like just a single level over our heads. Probably better odds than just along the lower level. So, we went up. Good thing too. We heard gunfire, the beginning of a skirmish between the Suns and Vorcha. Barely a handful of Suns, while there were over a dozen Vorcha.

"Focus fire on the Vorcha. If the Suns won't be grateful, hopefully, the Vorcha will off them for us," I ordered. We again stood and rained gunfire. Always aiming for the head. A wave of Vorcha reinforcements came through, but they just had all eyes on the Blue Suns right in front of them, not some unknown assailant out of sight. Sure as hell not going to complain. Still, the Blue Suns didn't last long, and the remaining Vorcha screeched before turning their attention to us. Two trying to charge up a staircase in front of us, though we took him down right away. Before long, the Vorcha were all dead. We got back down to the lower level. I noticed the carcasses of a few Varren, showing signs of infection, but with limbs having been cut off, and other signs that the Vorcha had been eating the dead Varren. I don't doubt they've eaten looters and Blue Suns either.

Shortly, we passed through another set of doors leading to a lower level and saw a display reading "Clinic," with an arrow pointing to the right. Convenient. We lowered our weapons, but kept them out for now, following the path directed by the sign. We came to an abandoned storefront that had been turned into a makeshift guard post. A human with a rifle and two LOKI mechs behind him on standby. Upon seeing us, the man immediately lowered his weapon.

"You're not Blue Suns, and you're not Vorcha. I'll let you in, but no funny business inside." I responded just by stowing my weapon on my back, the others following suit. We entered, seeing what was essentially a smaller hospital emergency room. Though instead of seats and couches, mostly there were cots with sick on it. There were some seats for Human refugees, but not too many. Could be that most of the Humans are just working rather than waiting. Like the two working reception behind the counter on our left.

"You're not sick, and you're not refugees. Here to help?" The man asked.

"However we can."

"Thank god, need all the help we can get. Mordin's around here somewhere, probably in the back. Please, find him."

"Professor, we're running low on Ciproxin," the woman behind the counter asked into an intercom. It chimed back. The voice that responded was clearly Salarian.

"Use Malanarin. Plenty on hand. Almost as good. Causes cramping in Batarians. Supplement with butemerol." Doesn't fluff his sentences it seems. Says all that needs to be said. Sounds familiar. The doc was still talking, though. "Cenzonine is the catalyst. Bonds to genetic markers. Hard to find. Expensive to mass produce. Why not heplacore?"

"Sorry, he does this. Just-" the woman began.

"No, no, no. Too unstable. Inconsistent results. Demozane better option. No. Demozane toxic to humans. Not an option. Not an option." Damn, knows all this stuff off the top of his head? Well, Salarians do have damn good memory. We just went down the hallway the receptionist pointed to. A few more cots. Some sick, Salarian, Batarian, Turian, an Asari or two. Some though, same species, not sick. The doc's voice helped us find him. He was working on a patient. The Turian on the examination table was still alive, though unconscious. A heartbeat monitor going steady.

"Professor Mordin Solus?" He had light brown/red skin, with a more bleached looking white around his mouth and where, if he was human, his nose would be. He had wrinkles along his chin, and one of the two horns on his head was missing. He was wearing what seemed like a cross between a Doctor's medical get-up, and armor. Mostly white, but with a red stripe down the middle, and a white arc extension to the armor around his chest like one would see on Salarian armors. And finally, some form of… brace? Thing? That extended from his armor around and behind his neck. Without a word, the doctor activated and raised his Omni-tool. Scanning Garrus.

"Turian physiology resilient with simple immunobooster." He handed a needle with the contents to Garrus. Take it, safe from the plague in case of suit breach."

"Works for me." Garrus shrugged and put it into his armor's system, allowing it to distribute it like medi-gel.

"Now to greetings, human. Curious. Don't recognize you from area. Too well-armed to be refugees. No mercenary uniform. Quarantine still in effect." Mordin began walking over to a terminal, still looking at us. He began working at it, looking at the screen. "Here for something else. Vorcha? Crew to clean them out? Unlikely. Vorcha a symptom, not a cause." He was starting to talk quite a lot faster. I opened my mouth to speak, but he was already back at it. "The plague? Investigating possible use as bio-weapon?" he was off the terminal now and walking back to his patient. "No. Too many guns, not enough data equipment. Soldiers, not scientists. Yes, yes," his brow furrowed.

"Professor, please, relax. Let me explain," I halted him before he could continue. He stared back at me, his full attention. "I'm Commander Shepard, and I came here to find you. I'm on a mission critical to the Galaxy's survival, and I need your help."

"Commander Shepard? Dead. Faked death not unlikely. Long-term undercover. Mission? No, too busy. Clinic understaffed. Plague spreading too fast. Who sent you?"

"A privately owned and funded group of asshats who prefer to keep themselves unknown, but asshats I don't have much choice other than to accept their help."

"Clearly not Alliance. Not private and respected by Commander. Related to plague? Doesn't affect humans. Human-centric interest. Few human groups would know me. Equipment suggests military origin. Not Alliance standard. Spectres not Human organization nor private. Terra Firma too unstable. Only one option. Cerberus sent you. Unexpected."

"I'm surprised, Mordin," I crossed my arms over my chest. "I only ever learned they existed when they began shooting at me two years ago." I couldn't help but notice Miranda scoff and shake her head.

"Crossed paths on occasion. Thought they only worked with Humans," Mordin remarked, eying Garrus, who was leaning against the wall. "Turian involvement surprising. Racial tension with humans. Unlikely to help human-centric organization."

"I'm an old friend of Shepard's, professor. And besides, what's going on here is bigger than Human interests. We all have to work together to take down the Collectors. And the one's pulling their strings," Garrus explained. Mordin put a hand to his chin, the other arm around his lower torso. Thinking.

"Collectors? Interesting. Plague hitting these slums is engineered. Collectors one of few groups with technology to design it. Our goals may be similar. But, must stop plague first. Already have a cure. Need to distribute it at environmental control center. Vorcha guarding it. Need to kill them.

"Consider it done. Where do we get to it?" There was the sound of something powering down. Vents shutting down, red emergency lights turning on. Mordin looked around as it happened.

"That's a bad noise," Garrus mused. Mordin got on his Omni-tool.

"Vorcha have shut down environmental systems. Trying to kill everyone. Need to get power back on before district suffocates. Here," Mordin handed a vial to me. Filled with a dark blue liquid. "Take plague cure. One more thing, Daniel. One of my assistants. Went into Vorcha territory. Looking for victims. Hasn't come back."

"I'll keep an eye out for him."

"Thank you," Mordin grinned. "Told him not to go. But he's smart. Bright future. I hope."

"And before we get moving, there was a sick Batarian near the entrance to the neighborhood. Told him I'd send someone for him when I got here."

"Hm, risky. Blue Suns and Vorcha still battling. Assume back along same route you took?" I nodded in response. "Will see what I can do. Should be safer. Way to environmental control center, other entrance to clinic. Not the one you took." We got a move on, leading the professor behind. We got towards a plaza to find Vorcha standing around, clawing at one another. Even saw one bite out the throat of the other. And fortunately, their backs were to us.

"Garrus, stay right here. Jacob, Miranda, take the debris pile in the middle. Zaeed, check the corner down there for hostiles. If not, move as needed to engage those here. I'll take the other wall just here." We got moving quietly, keeping ourselves low. I took a closer look at the Vorcha themselves. One began sniffing the air. The same one which had a flamethrower and fuel tank on its back.

"Garrus, shoot the tank. Jacob, Miranda, get a biotic detonation on a group further back. And, go!" The Vorcha had just begun to turn to see what he was smelling when a round impacted the fuel tank, causing it to detonate, turning him, and his buddy beside him into meaty chunks.

"Could use some help over 'ere!" Zaeed called out.

"On my way," I answered, moving along the wall to him.

"Take the wall on the other side, I'll cover your ass," the merc suggested. I nodded, and just as he turned the corner to open fire, I ducked and ran to the wall he pointed out. Just as I heard a violent dark energy detonation from the biotics. Killing more Vorcha. There were about half a dozen though snarling and opening fire along the alley Zaeed and I were in. Fortunately, they weren't that accurate, and it gave us some chance to open fire, putting rounds right into their brains. Slowly, surely, whittling them down. And it helped as the others had less and less to shoot, letting them help us out. Eventually, we overwhelmed them and took it down. Allowing us to move along to the upper levels. It took us about three levels up before we heard muffled yelling. Muffled enough to block the translator, revealing some of the words being Batarian, and another voice, that of a Human's.

"Please! Listen to me!" the man shouted.

"You hear what they're saying?" Garrus asked.

"Only the human," I answered. "Let's put a stop to it." We lined up along the door, then opened it, storming in. There was a man on the floor with vials on the ground, the same vials as Mordin had given us. Three Batarians staring down at him, one with a gun trained on him.

"Back away, Human. We have no quarrel with you," the lead, the one with the gun, growled.

"Please! I'm telling the truth! I work for Mordin at the clinic. I came here to help you!" The man, Daniel, turned to look at us. He had a black eye. A young man, early twenties maybe.

"And what the hell is in those vials, huh? You're spreading the plague virus!"

"Put that weapon down. We just came from the clinic ourselves. Got a vial just like that."

"So you're also spreading it. One more step and I kill your friend," the Batarian growled.

"Take a deep breath, and think this through. You're scared shitless, yeah. The Vorcha, the plague, who wouldn't be? But this man isn't to blame. Why would he go into Vorcha territory to spread the plague? They're immune." The two Batarians without guns glanced at each other.

"He's right. It doesn't make any sense." The one with a gun took another moment.

"If we release him, we can go?"

"You can." The lead Batarian lowered his gun, so I lowered mine, the others following suit.

"Human nobility…" the Batarian began. "I wasn't sure such a thing existed."

"Omega isn't really the place to judge a whole species. If I judged all Batarians for Elysium, you'd already be corpses on the floor," I countered.

"Hm…" The Batarian went into thought while he and the others brushed past, leaving. Daniel stood, gathering his things.

"Thank you. I thought they were going to…" he gulped. "To kill me. Did Mordin send you?"

"Yeah. He could really use the help. Too many patients, not enough volunteers."

"Ok. I'll…" he took another deep breath. "I'll go right away. Thanks, again. I owe you… well… everything."

"The way back to the clinic should be clear. We need to keep moving."

"Good luck," Daniel wished as we took our leave. Soon we reached the Environmental control center, a large building in a large, open sector with giant fans built into the side. Fans that currently, were not spinning. And Vorcha scrounging around the catwalks. Garrus and I took position with our snipers, lined up shots on two of the three we could see, and then Zaeed took a knee in the center, taking aim with his Vindicator. Garrus and I fired, while Zaeed fired a burst. All three Vorcha went down.

"Nice shot," Garrus hummed.

"It was nothing. Should see what I can pull off with one of those rifles you got," Zaeed shrugged off.

"Well, no way that's all of em, and they all know someone's here. Move up, get ready," I ordered. As more of the catwalk came into view, we got eyes on just two more Vorcha watching for us. And then missiles heading our way. Everyone dove out of the way and braced for the detonations. Our shields absorbing the shrapnel. Fortunately, they weren't homing, so just a sidestep as soon as they fire is all we need. We got back up, spreading out, and Garrus and I quickly took them both down as the next volley was fired. We took position against the low wall that looks over to the Environmental control center, finding we had elevation on half a dozen Vorcha guards. Even when they took cover, we still saw the back of their heads. This made them extremely easy pickings. When the area was clear, we made our way down and around the makeshift barricades, entering the control center. First, part warehouse, part shuttle bay that the engineers would use. Then, just up some stairs into the control center itself. We opened the door, a squad of Vorcha surrounding the machines. One was squatting in the back, visibly shitting. More things I never needed to see in my life. One Vorcha, wearing a Blood Pack tattoo on its shoulder, and with bloody hands and bloody mouth snarled, but didn't have its weapon out yet.

"You no come here! We shut down machines! Break fans! Everyone choke and die! Then Collectors make us strong!" Well, we know who's responsible, and we know why the Vorcha are doing this. Not like we can talk them out of this. So, I fired, straight into the Vorcha's forehead. He went limp as a hole appeared, and he fell over. The other Vorcha snarled, getting up and starting to shoot. Even the one who was shitting, a log just flopping down as he ran towards us. Not with a gun, just trying to claw us to pieces, I suppose. The other Vorcha with guns were smart enough to be in cover but still left themselves as easier targets, as we were just barely outnumbering them now. We pushed our advantage, taking them down.

"Alright, EDI? How do I get this place online again?" I questioned.

"Start with the central control system. You should see it at the far end of the room. You can inject the cure and reinitialize the system there," the AI answered. It was as simple as flipping a switch from off to on. Literally. "Link me into the systems so I may provide a conduit for the cure into the air." I simply linked my Omni-tool to the main console, and then a slot raised and opened. "Pour the contents inside." I did just that. "Now you must reactivate the fans. They have been individually deactivated at their controls at the left and right sides of the room. They too are closest to the back wall that you are now at."

"Understood. No splitting up today. We push through as one. There were catwalks on both sides, and Vorcha scrambling across them. Some already making their way to this platform. We just waited, letting them come to us. Mowing them down. Vorcha, it seems, are anything but patient. We started to our right, climbing over the bodies of Vorcha not willing to wait when they would have had a superior position. We were simply able to stroll down, maybe scavenge some Thermal clips, and reactivate the fan, flipping the switch. We had to hold position, however, Vorcha, likely reinforcements from the other side, were now charging us. But again, we had a superior position, and they were coming to us. They were the ones deciding to move down an open line of fire. We simply put them down and moved along to the other fan. Air was blowing hard through the control center, with only one of the two fans online. It just wasn't an even flow being spread out. It wasn't slowing us down, however. Most of it was along the ceiling. We strolled over, flipped the switch, and all was well.

"Let's get back to Mordin. Now maybe he'll be willing to sign on."

Commander John Shepard

The crew and I strode back into Mordin's clinic. People still lay on cots, but they didn't seem to be on death's door anymore. Just resting. Others were sitting up; other cots were empty. Overall, the atmosphere was one of relief. Even saw the couple who had followed us behind. Which, they were eager to thank us. Even the Batarian we helped. We made our way to Mordin's examination room. While he had yet to turn back, it was obvious he knew we were there. Daniel was helping move some items around.

"Environmental systems engaged. Airborne viral levels dropping. Patients improving. Vorcha retreating." Mordin turned. He was grinning. "Well done, Shepard. Thank you."

"And thank you from me, as well," Daniel wrung his hands. "Those Batarians would have killed me. For a second there…" he wiped sweat from his forehead. "I thought you were going to shoot them anyway."

"I keep my word," I shrugged.

"Merciful of you. Risky. Would have killed them myself," Mordin added nonchalantly. Daniel though was clearly taken by surprise.

"Professor, how could you say that? You're a doctor! You believe in helping people!"

"Lots of ways to help people. Sometimes heal patients. Like doctor. Sometimes execute dangerous people. Like Archangel," Mordin gesture towards Garrus.

"How-" Garrus began.

"Simple. Turian. Same height. Same build. Same armor, though damaged. Marksman. Mercenaries claim Archangel died in explosion. Body not recovered. Explosive damage to armor. Upon scan, explosive wounds to body, body treated for explosive wounds. Glad to see you alive."

"But-what-Archangel? How-" Daniel sputtered. Then he just sighed and left. A hand on his head, as if there was a headache.

"Good kid. Bit naive. He'll learn. Letting him take over the clinic. Should be able to handle it now that Vorcha are gone." Ah, I notice that word choice.

"Take it that means you'll join us?"

"Yes, gladly! Unexpected to be working with Cerberus. Many surprises."

"You have no idea," Garrus chuckled.

"Just need to finish up here at the clinic. Won't take long. Meet you at your ship. Looking forward to it." I transferred the docking information.

"See you on the Normandy, Professor."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Few things about this one I just want to talk about. First, and arguably, least important, the bit with the comm buoy explanation? Trying to fit in the kinds of things we take for granted in the game. A reminder about the comm buoy system as described in the codex and everything, how I think we often expect too much of it. That kinda thing. Second, everything to do with the message Jacob sent and the reasons for it. I spoke with my editors the day last chapter was posted, and, well, yeah, having so many turn away from Cerberus so quickly isn't the right thing to do narratively, nor is it that realistic. I'd explain again here but you'd just be reading part of Jacob's message again. Anyways, that's all I can think of that I need to say here, so hope you enjoyed, see y'all in the next one.