Shepard stood silently in the airlock with Kaidan and Ashley. They were absolutely still, while the faint light of the ship's decontamination protocol washed over them. After standing still for what seemed like an eternity, the ship's VI finally registered their arrival.

"Logged. The Commanding Officer is aboard. XO Pressly stands relieved."

She addressed Joker at the ship's helm first. He told her the Normandy and its crew were prepared to set anchors aweigh. They were simply waiting for her mark. She then acknowledged him and backtracked down the bridge, continuing her preparations for departure. Walking by Pressly, he remarked in passing that several routes were already laid out for whatever course the Commander picked. She continued to climb atop her command deck overseeing the CIC, acknowledging him as well. Once at the top, she activated the ship's star map and had it pinpoint the system of Grissom. Then came the call.

"Come upstairs for dinner honey!"

I paused the game and turned my attention away from the TV.

"What?"

The voice came from the stairs again.

"We're going to start without you!"

I groaned and got up from the couch, not failing to stretch my arms as I did. As hard as it was to be peeled away from the game, I was grateful for the announcement, as I was feeling pret-ty hungry. I shuffled to the stairs and began my trek up. My legs must have fallen asleep with how long I had been playing, because every step I took felt like I had cement shoes on. Honest to god it felt like I was climbing Mount Everest.

I'm so out of shape.

Once I finally cleared the last step, I turned towards our living/dining room. Our Christmas tree, covered in all kinds of ornaments and lights occupied the room's crux, with a flat screen TV simulating a roasting fire adjacent to it. Across from the TV in the living area, I found our dinner nook to have a number of guests occupying it. My brother. My sister. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and family friends. There seemed to be too many people for the counter to support. My eyes were then quickly drawn to the large feast in front of them, where there was enough food to feed a third world country. Legs of honeyed ham, an entire fried turkey, bowls of gravy and stuffing, buttered mashed potatoes, an assortment of roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce, various breads and pudding. My mom stood in front of the stove holding a pot roast waiting for me to finish staring at the food.

"Could you be a dear and go grab your father? He's outside on the porch."

"On the porch?"

I looked not to the table with our guests but to the patio doors behind them. I then nodded to her in affirmation and started trudging toward it. The conversation of the table roared to life as I passed it. All kinds of talk radiated from it, from the totally mundane to the utterly scandalous. I slid the door open and entered the patio, closing it quickly behind me to shut out the noise. I wasn't really in the mood to hear about my cousin's affair with a married olympic swimmer or that my uncle wanted to quit his job to chase his dream in animal husbandry. With a sigh, I turned around from the door, only to find that the lights were off, and the porch pitch black. The starless midnight sky tonight only added to my blindness. I immediately squinted my eyes, searching for a figure that could be hiding in this black ink. After several seconds, my vision somewhat adjusted, and I caught his outline in a corner of the deck. He had his back turned, smoke rising above his head.

He's smoking?! He quit years ago! Or he said he did. That lying bastahd.

"Dad? What the hell are you doing out here?"

The man turned around, exhaling another cloud of smoke as he did. But despite how dark it was outside, and the amount of smoke obscuring his face, I could immediately tell it wasn't my father. And this was because I could see one distinct thing. Those eyes. His incredibly inhuman eyes. Cobalt. Cybernetic. Alien.

Then, out of my peripheries, I noticed movement. I turned left to face my attacker, swinging my right arm towards them in the process. My omni-blade resounded with a clang against the katana swinging downward, knocking it back. But the assailant immediately used the momentum from being knocked off balance to spin backwards, sending a strong kick to my midriff. It knocked the air out of my lungs and my feet off the ground.

Sailing through the air, I felt my back hit the railing of the porch. I subsequently flipped over it in one fluid motion and my eyes bulged as I realized I was beginning to fall. Looking back up to where I had just been, I could only see the cold, cobalt eyes of something inhuman staring back at me as I continued falling further and further.

And the eyes and the porch I had just been on continued to become further and further. I fell for what seemed like ages. The suspense was almost tortuous. I couldn't bare the suspense any longer. So I twisted my body around to face the ground, bringing my arms to my face, shutting my eyes, expecting impact at any moment. But I just kept falling. More falling. Gathering my courage and peeking an eye open in conjunction, I was surprised to find no grass below me. In fact, there was nothing below me at all. Just darkness. Cold nothingness. A vast void. I was aghast.

This-wait. Is this-

I was blasted with a deafening scream.

I shut my eyes when the sound assaulted my ears, the unpleasant cacophony that came after it sounding like nails being dragged along a chalkboard. Immediately after I shut them, textures, shapes, images, pictures, scenes, worlds flitted by one after another. The incoherent chattering/screams of long forgotten races accompanied them. The chaotic nature of the message pervaded my brain, snaked through my every thought. The sounds and images slithering through my head were too much, and I screamed in horror only to find no sound leave my mouth.

A yellow star, a blood red backdrop, a black world. Then...nothing.

My eyes shot open with the message's end.

A nightmare.

I stared at the bright white ceiling above me.

Just another one of those nightmares.

I continued staring for several more minutes before I asked myself the most important question.

Where am I?

I slowly turned my head to the right. Doctor Chakwas was at her desk, typing away on the computer in front of her. I then turned my head left. The rest of the beds in the medbay were empty. I then discretely turned myself over under the covers, burying my face in my pillow so I no longer had to look at the fiction around me. There was only one thing I wanted to think about at this particular moment.

Why was I falling?

...I was falling because Kai Leng kicked me. Off a porch. The Illusive man was there too. Why were they there? Was that ominous foreshadowing? Am I prescient now? Am I scared because I just ratted them out?

Breathing shallowly into the fabric of my pillow, I attempted to reconstruct what else had happened in my sleep.

I...my mom. My family. It was dinner. Everyone was there for Christmas dinner. Oh my god...it's Christmas.

My breathing became heavier. It had been twelve days since I woke up on Eden Prime. I knew that because I counted every single one that passed. And last time this happened...I could only arrive at one conclusion.

These 'dreams' and time must be parallel. The first time I had one of these was the morning we left the Citadel. Three days after the Geth attack. Three days from when I was last in my room at school. Now twelve days later and, boom, another nightmare. Exam day was the thirteenth. Twelve days later would be Christmas Day exactly.

I hoped it was just a coincidence. Some freakish dream that had no pertaining to what was going on. No pertaining to what my senses perceived around me. Or maybe the nightmare was just my subconscious telling me what I could currently be missing.

That bastard.

Or maybe...just maybe...what I saw really was what I was missing. Christmas time back home. Winter break, opening presents, seeing my family. Missing everything while I was stuck here. Life was just going on as normal back home. Without me.

But I was there. In the dream...but was I really? Did I just insert myself there in my mind? Or was there a clone of me just wandering around? ...Could I be the clone? Or could there be no version of me there at all? If there wasn't, were they worrying? Did they care if I was missing at all? Were they even aware if I ever existed?

I exhaled heavily into the fabric of the pillow.

Of course they would.

But something started to well inside my chest.

Am I insane? What the hell am I even talking about. It doesn't even matter if they did or not. Because I'm here. I'm stuck HERE...nothing back home matters when I'm currently stuck HERE, right now...and how did I end up here again?

I racked my brains for literally whatever could have happened the night before I awoke. I was just studying. Sitting in my room flipping through a text book. No parties. No hallucinogens. No radioactive or sci-fiesque experiments I just happened to be in the vicinity of. No gods or omniscient beings throwing me through the annals of time.

Wait. No. I've definitely tripped before. Man that shit was cray...but that was months ago. There's no way in hell drugs could have done something like this. Have this strong an effect on my senses. And it was nothing like what's happening now...so. What the hell is wrong with me? Two weeks. Two Freakin weeks I've been stuck. This isn't a nifty little adventure anymore. Ha! What the hell? It never was!

Something started to well in my chest.

...God...why can't this just end already? ... Because I can't do this anymore-I can't DO THIS. JESUS CHRIST I'M FUCKING INSANE. I see ugly ass ALIENS everywhere I go. I've even been shot. And it actually fuckin hurt. Like a lot. That couldn't have been fake. And even if all this was...I'm tired of it. I definitely can't put up with Shepard's annoying SHIT anymore.

My eyes started to get watery.

I'm insane. I think I'm in a video game. Mom. Dad. My brother. My sister. My do- Oh my god. I don't even remember their names.

I let out a pitiful laugh that became muffled in my pillow.

I don't even remember the names of my own family. My OWN name.

The cushion I was buried in started to become damp.

I'm never going to see them again. Am I? Never going to know what happens for the rest of my life. What happens in theirs. My friends, my future, my-I don't want this. I didn't ASK for this...did I? You always like to pretend what would happen if you suddenly got thrown into a work of fiction. How cool it would be to interact with the characters and become a trusted member of the group. But it's nothing like you imagined at all is it? I can't stay here. There has to be a way out. There-

The waterworks started to slow.

Ha. Suicide? What. Use a grenade? A shot to the head? What the fuck brain. I'm not a bitch.

Then I put more thought into it. More thought rather into what I was currently doing.

And wow. This is what it's come to. Here I am. Hiding under my covers. Crying into a pillow. Like I'm a teenage girl. That's exactly what I'm doing right now...what the fuck. Man up. Get over yourself you little bitch.

I blinked away the last tear.

We already went over this whole thing asshole. Stop Saren. Stop Sovereign. Then you get to go home. THAT was the deal.

I was right. I shifted myself onto my back again and stared at the ceiling.

Make the best of what you got right now. I mean...you're on a fucking SPACE SHIP. You got nothing to complain about. And to be frank, you should be currently asking not why you're here but why you're HERE. In this bed.

That thought got me back on track.

Why the hell am I in the Normandy? In the med bay?...so before the nightmare was that talent window and before that was...oh dude. I passed out didn't I-

"I see you've come to your senses."

I jerked my head toward the doctor.

"Oh...yeah."

"We were worried about you. You've taken quite a few blows to the head since you've come aboard."

"Blow to the head?" I blurted unintentionally.

"Quite so. Apparently someone tried to bludgeon you. And succeeded. I'm afraid I don't know the exact details. You would have to ask Mr. Vakarian, he's the one who brought you to medical attention."

I sat up in my bed and did a double take of my surroundings. We were definitely in the Normandy. Definitely not some hospital. Doctor Chakwas saw my obvious confusion and continued to elaborate.

"He brought you to an infirmary located in the Headquarters of Citadel Security. You were left there to recuperate from your injury. After you failed to wake up the next day, it was decided to transfer you aboard the Normandy as we were scheduled to depart the following morning."

A whole day?! What the hell? How-Wait. If I was out cold and already cared for...she could have just left me in C-Sec. Why did Shepard bring me along? Did someone make a case for me? Convince her they needed me? There's no way she would ha-

"Oh, speaking of whom, there goes Mr. Vakarian now. Since it seems your suffering mild amnesia, you can ask him more about the incident once you're back on your feet."

"Oh don't worry about it Doc, I'm feeling fine." I pulled off my covers and sat upright in the bed. "Thanks for-"

"Don't you dare!" We locked eyes. The contempt she had on her face. How her eyes pierced my soul. I felt myself already shrinking back into bed before she opened her mouth to speak again. "I'm not letting you run off again like you did last time! You were seriously injured and could have hemorrhaged leaving my care like you did. I'm fairly surprised you're still functioning as you are. Although I wouldn't be surprised if permanent damage was done to your memory or cognition with how much blunt trauma your head has endured. So you'll remain in this room until I deem you fit enough to leave it, am I understood?"

"Yes ma'am," I replied meekly, avoiding her gaze. I quietly laid back down on the cot and slid the covers back over me.

She read over the data pad the requisitions officer had just handed her. The order for new maintenance equipment submitted by the Gunnery Chief Williams had been approved. It was a request she had seen filled out personally in fact. With the amount of weaponry they had already collected over the course of their mission so far, they would certainly need them. She moved her eyes further down the list.

The surplus of rations and dextro-protein food appeared to have been delivered on schedule as well. Which was fortunate as Vakarian and Tali had already gone through the emergency rations kept for the dextro's they might find adrift in space. Even without including their food in the ledger though, she still would have balked at the amount they now carried. That is, if she wasn't already aware of how much food that Krogan Wrex went through in one day alone.

She continued to scroll down the list.

"-and Tali has been extremely helpful down in engineering. The insights she can already make on the ship's systems are simply astounding. I swear, she might already know more about the Tantalus drive core than the rest of my team."

She looked up from the data pad in her hand to Lieutenant Adams. He was sitting next to Pressly, who seemed extremely apathetic about what their chief engineer had to say. She couldn't help but share the sentiment. The meeting had droned on for much longer than she would have liked. The Normandy had already departed the Citadel over an hour ago and still needed a plot for their first course of action. Yet here they all were, still in the conference room, still discussing trivial affairs that she didn't need to know about. Kaidan seemed to sense her frustration.

"So everything's good in engineering?"

"Aside from a small maintenance issue that's currently being resolved, the Normandy's engineering department has nothing else to report."

"Great," she cut in. "Officer Fantum, do you have the expense report for this list? Has everything on it been accounted for?"

"Yes ma'am. Although the Alliance didn't get the medigel Doctor Chakwas ordered for our dextro-friendly crew members in time, I was able to acquire some through my other channels out of own pocket."

"Good work. I'll be sure they reimburse you. Is that it?"

The four men in the room seemed to nod their heads in agreement.

"Alright. Dismissed."

She motioned for Kaidan to stay as the rest left the room. He made a curious look as to why before walking back towards her.

"Kaidan. You said you...saw him one last time before we left...How was he?"

"Oh. Uh, last I saw him, he seemed to be doing okay. Not well enough to walk around or anything like that but he was conscious. Apparently Emerson had even been to see him just an hour before me. And actually, get this. You know how Fredericks was always bragging about seeing the Consort? Apparently he never actually had. He had only lined up a visit from one of her 'acolytes'. Had it scheduled during his next visit upon the Citadel. But because of his...condition, he ended up missing it. Or he would have if Emerson hadn't told the Consort's office about what had happened to him. They're apparently going to visit the hospital tomorrow and do something really special for him. You should've seen Frederick's face as he told me."

"Glad to hear he's doing better."

Kaidan paused for a moment and slightly frowned. "You should have visited him before we left Commander. It would have meant a lot to him."

"Noted. Thank you for giving me an update on his status. You're dismissed Lieutenant."

She knew he wanted to push the topic but he pursed his lips instead and gave a half-hearted salute. She followed him out moments later. She didn't want to discuss the marine. She almost didn't ask about him. His brush with death was still too recent.

"Hey Commander, we have a call from Alliance command coming in. Should I put them on hold?"

"I'll be right there," she replied over her earpiece.

We're properly equipped. Everyone's rested...Saren. We're coming for you, you son of a bitch.

"Commander, Ms. Al-Jilani's story on you just aired. She shouldn't have ambushed you like that, but you handled yourself well. She came across as a raving idiot."

"Thank you Admiral."

"She did accuse you of publicly assaulting her. While there were no witnesses, apparently she got hold of footage from a camera in C-Sec. However, it's quality was grainy at best. Couldn't make out much of it."

"Like you said sir, she was a raving idiot."

"Alright Commander. Just be sure to take further care when dealing with these situations in the future."

There wouldn't be any situations in the future with the clear message she sent to the reporter.

"Don't have to tell me twice...sir."

"As for the real reason I'm calling. Commander, your information on Geth in the Armstrong Cluster was accurate. Half a marine division was lost in the process but we were able to clear out the outposts they had in the region. It's alarming they had any at all, let alone four."

"I'm glad to hear the Fifth Fleet was successful in their attack sir. If the Geth had even one of those bases still standing, I can't imagine the havoc they would have dealt."

"That's just it Commander. They weren't the only ones in the region. Once our teams accomplished their objectives, we found that the outposts seemed a little small for the scale of attack the Geth were planning. We looked into it and apparently they still retain their main base of operations in the region. Upon further digging, our scouts found several Geth cruisers patrolling the space of Grissom. We speculate their main base of operations is located in that system."

"And what would you have us do sir?"

Why did he call? The Fifth Fleet could easily handle a handful of ships.

"Normally I would send the fleet in to mop up the remaining Geth but we're afraid there's a larger Geth fleet waiting outside the system. If we attack, we might find ourselves fighting an uphill battle. That's why I've come to you Commander. With the Normandy, you can sneak by the Geth's patrols undetected, hit their main base of operations, and get out before the Geth are any wiser."

"We'll set course for Grissom immediately sir."

"Glad to hear it Shepard. Good luck. Fifth Fleet out."

One Relay Jump later...

The Geth hit the floor one after another. Rockets flew over their heads. Shards of shrapnel shot pass their mid-riffs. Shepard released another burst of biotic energy from her hand. It threw the robot in front of her several feet in the opposite direction. Following it up, she vaulted over the crate brandishing her shotgun and let a volley loose at it. White liquid sprayed from where the bullets made contact. She crouched where she was and spun around. She no longer heard enemy fire, but one can never be too sure. She activated her omni-tool and waved it in a circular motion. It detected no other hard suits in the area besides her team. And more importantly for that matter, no other Geth.

"Clear!"

She looked toward her squad who were all emerging from cover, aside from Wrex who had no need for it.

"Wrex! I want you to sweep the top floor for any remaining Geth. Williams, cover his ass! Kaidan you're with me. I have a feeling there's more behind this door over here." She motioned to the locked doorway in the far corner of the room. "Tali, get it open."

"Right away Commander!" the Quarian piped up.

She figured the Geth must have killed the original inhabitants of the building as it was the standard design of practically every structure found in the Traverse, aside from the various Geth equipment that had been moved in. The first giveaway was that the entry room was pressurized for those entering from a vacuum. Synthetics like the Geth wouldn't need to bother with that. They're had been a single Geth there however that had been in for an unpleasant surprise.

Then they entered the base's main chamber, reinforcing that it was another standard Traverse structure. It's main room was supported by several columns, with a series of crates scattered throughout it, just like the standard model. The only difference being the amount of Geth fabrications inside it. But like every other standard para-military compound in the region, there was still the staircase in the corner that led to the balcony overseeing the entire room. Usually used by crime lords to oversee their operation and as a convenient vantage point in the event of an attack.

"Got it!"

She had her gun raised as soon as she heard the door let out a hiss. Luckily, they found nothing on the other side. The absence of gunfire from up top meant that Wrex and Ashley hadn't run into anything either. Shepard holstered her gun and motioned for Tali to access the Geth terminal at the far side of the small room.

Lucky us.

She looted the other containers in the room with Kaidan as Tali accessed whatever information might be on it. Whatever she found could be the next big step in locating the rogue Spectre and his Geth allies.

One step closer to finding the Conduit.

She glanced back over to the Quarian when she heard her gasp. Walking toward the console and Tali, she saw another Quarian on the screen. Singing. A crowd sat before her, soaking in her mournful melody.

"Is this really the best time to be watching an opera vid Tali?" Kaidan asked over her shoulder.

"What?" she said in shock. "No! It just came on!"

"Really." Shepard replied unconvinced.

"I...yes! I was bypassing firewalls when this just appeared on the screen! According to the registered comm buoys this console's using, it's broadcasting to several places beyond the Perseus Veil...to the Geth."

The vid flickered off just seconds after she said this and the console's screen once again displayed gibberish.

"...Finish up here."

"...alright Shepard."

"Commander, we're all cleared."

She brought her hand to her helmet's radio. "Alright you two, meet us back down on the first floor."

"Roger that."

A single minute passed before Tali chirped up again.

"I got something! Some encrypted data files. It'll take some time but I think I can crack them if I just have a few more minutes!"

"Don't have the time. Download them and get ready to go." She turned around to Ashley and Wrex who had just rejoined the group. "We're done here, move out." She raised a connection to the Normandy next. "Joker, get ready to pick us up at these coordinates. We're ready for exfil."

"...Glad to hear it Commander. Was just about to call you actually. The Geth in the area don't seem too fond of you killing their buddies. A couple cruiser sized vessels are headed our way."

"Get here on the double!"

The ascent from the moon's surface was largely uneventful despite their small window of time. After sitting idly in the Mako for several minutes, Joker brought the ship down and she gunned the Mako into the ship's garage. Joker exited the moon's orbit just seconds later. As they exited the vehicle, it was the Quarian who had been tinkering on her omni-tool since they had climbed into the vehicle that spoke up.

"Shepard! I need to talk to you."

The rest of her squad went on with their business.

"Did you find something?"

"I was able to access some of the data we found on that Geth control node. And I wanted to ask you if I could get a copy of it."

"Tell me what you found first."

"A majority of the files are still encrypted, but from what I've gathered, this data could give us new insight into how the Geth have evolved! Information on how they've changed over the past centuries!"

"And I'm guessing you want to give this information to your people."

"Yes! These files have information that could be vital in our efforts in understanding the Geth. It could be instrumental in retaking our home world!"

"So if I were to give you this data, your pilgrimage would end wouldn't it? You'd return to the Quarian flotilla?"

"Not right away! I'll stay with you for as long as it takes to stop Saren. But my people need this!"

"This is an Alliance outfit. I would have to run it past Alliance high command first."

"Oh...alright. But please, do you think you can convince them to allow me a copy?"

"We'll see Tali." And with that, she turned and walked away toward the garage elevator.

"We're increasing patrols in the Armstrong cluster to make sure they don't establish another foothold in the region. Nice job Shepard. You saved a lot of lives on this mission."

"Thank you Admiral."

"And as for the information you recovered. Our analysts are already piecing through the information as we speak. They strongly believe it will help our efforts in combating the Geth."

"Permission to speak Admiral."

"Granted, Commander."

She bit her tongue. Shepard had second thoughts about requesting permission.

Giving away vital intel to a foreign government. Because an alien asked. What the hell am I-

"Shepard? You can speak freely with me."

She let out a sigh.

"The Quarian crew member on my ship that recovered the information wishes to get a copy of the data. She wants to bring it back to the Quarian fleet for similar reasons."

"If you have no qualms about this Commander, then I defer to your judgment. If she was the one to recover the data in the first place, I see no problem with her keeping a copy."

"...Alright sir."

"Again, good work Commander. Hackett out."

The Quarian let out a squeal and hugged her when she handed over the data disk. And Shepard grimaced as she did. After what seemed like an eternity, the Quarian let go.

"Shepard...I can't express to you how grateful I am for this."

"I think you've done a pretty good job," Shepard said while brushing off her shirt.

"With this information, who knows what we'll find in regards to the Geth!"

"So...I assume you'll be leaving next time we dock?"

"For my people, the Pilgrimage is what proves we are willing to give of ourselves for the greater good. And for mine, I happened to come across a group attempting to stop the Geth from finding a Prothean weapon of mass destruction. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this now?"

"...right," Shepard replied.

"I'll be with you until the end Commander!"

"...until the end," Shepard muttered back as she began to walk away.

"Is there a problem Doc?" I asked as the doors to the medbay suddenly slid open again. Chakwas hadn't even been gone a minute before-

"No, just me Shield. Doctor Chakwas said you wanted a word."

I propped myself up from where I was and turned to face him. "Yeah, glad you could stop by. Uh...I guess I should just get straight to the point then? Last thing I remember doing was leaving Flux with you before everything becomes a blur. She said I was...attacked. So I guess my question is...what happened?"

"Glad your mind's still relatively intact. I don't know much about Human physiology but with the amount of punishment your head's taken since we've been on this mission, I'm sure even a Krogan would be feeling a little woozy by now."

"Yeah, that's what they keep telling me..."

The Turian dragged over a stool and took a seat besides my bed. "Two Humans tried to jump us in an alleyway. Snuck up quietly, almost didn't hear them. You were knocked out before I was able to stop them. I rendered my assailant unconscious shortly after, but that just caused the other to pull a gun. I had to shoot him before he could do the same."

"Damn. Scary stuff...I guess better them than us though, huh? In any case, thanks for not letting them mug me...not that they would've gotten much."

I have, what, 350 credits to my name after our last few missions? Probably less after Flux-

"They weren't muggers. Not that I knew at the time. I brought you and the remaining perp to C-Sec. You were put in the clinic and I threw our mugger into a cell. Went to report the incident to Chellick. That's when things got fishy. Before I knew it, someone had paid bail and got him out. I literally turned my back for one moment and he was gone." He spread all three of his talons apart as he said it.

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"What you're doing with your fingers there."

"Oh this?" He repeated the action with his hand again. "It's used as an expression for when someone quickly leaves your company."

"Interesting," I genuinely replied. Then I steered us back on topic. "Back to the story though...what's fishy about that though? Who paid bail?"

"We don't know. And that's just it Shield. We don't have 'bail' at C-Sec. We don't just drop charges with credits. As much as I hate them, there's procedures to go by. But he was let out by someone before an incident report was even filed. And when we checked who signed his release, there wasn't even a log for it."

"Woah. So your saying he had connections in C-Sec? That someone just let him walk out? Does that mean you guys have a mole?"

"Apparently. And while that warrants further investigation, it gets worse. The very next day, they found him dead in a dumpster, behind some restaurant in the Wards."

"Oh shit."

"Exactly. So I just wanted to ask Shield...what exactly did you do before you came aboard the Normandy? You said that you worked for the Broker...did you piss off any criminal syndicates before you came here? I don't exactly know much about your past. I don't think any of us do. But if you were in any sort of trouble before we all crossed paths...I might be able to help you if you told me."

My face hardened. "...did Shepard put you up to this?"

"No. Although I mentioned this to her, I'm just here asking for myself. I've seen this happen before Shield. Someone borrows a little too much money and can't pay it off. Or they dabble in affairs most would want to keep private. So they send in their lackeys to send a message. They make a mistake, cops get involved, and they wash their hands of the whole business. Cut ties. Permanently."

"Garrus, I don't owe anyone money."

...Not that I know of...

"-And I can't recall stepping on anyone's toes recently-"

...actually-

"Then is there anything else you can think of? Those men weren't just ordinary thieves. They were obviously acting on the orders of someone big...big enough to buy off rats in C-Sec. Someone who might have a problem with your work with the Broker? ...maybe even the Broker himself?" He muttered the last word like it was fact.

I just replied that, "...I honestly have no idea who could have sent them."

But now that I thought about it...I did. Humans working for what could be a conspiracy that spanned even C-Sec? That stank of one organization in particular. One that I had just pissed off. I forgot the Turian was a trained investigator though. Just by looking at me, he could tell that I was withholding something. I was sure of it. And he didn't fail to make it clear that he did.

"Look. I understand if you don't want us to get involved in your personal affairs. But if this could affect our mission then-"

"I'll tell Shepard about it when I get out of here alright?" He looked up with my interruption. And he looked annoyed. Probably with how I was cutting him out of the 'investigation'. "Or hell, she can come in here to ask me about it herself. But all I know for sure Garrus is that it won't affect our mission. I promise...alright?"

...Could I really make that promise though?

Garrus got up from where he was sitting. "I'll tell her that." Then he turned around one last time before exiting the med bay. "But Shield. If we're going to be a team, we're going to have to trust one other. We can't afford to keep secrets to ourselves. The mission's too important for that."

"Gotcha," I muttered laying back down in bed. I heard the med bay doors slide close behind him. I stared at the sterile white ceiling of the room for several minutes before closing my eyes. I had been laying in bed for so long that I had been itching to just get up and run about the ship. But at the moment, I felt tired. Everything in my body felt heavy. Everything was just getting too heavy.

Codex Entry:

C-Sec Investigations Office

Camera Access BQ-15CS-7158-0185

DC: Ugh, my head.

*Door slides open. Turian enters*

DC: Garrus? I thought you resigned.

GV: I did. And nice to see you too Chellick.

*Garrus tosses object onto his desk. Chellick picks it up.*

DC: What's this?

GV: Sorry, meant to give it to you last night. It's the package you wanted from the Krogan.

DC: Krogan? What are you talking about Garrus?

GV: ...you don't remember? Talking about it at Flux? Setting up the hand off?

DC: Flux?...Oh spirits. I don't remember anything from that night. Don't tell me it was Jax-

GV: I believe it was.

DC: Dammit. I wasn't talking loud enough for everyone to hear was I?

GV: Oh no. I don't think you would have even brought it up if it wasn't for my associate.

DC: Oh...right. I think I remember now. The Human you brought in.

GV: Yes, who I might add, was attacked afterwards by your thug.

*Chellick is unraveling the package while Garrus continues speaking.*

DC: Spirits...you're telling me I asked you to pick up the weapon mods?

GV: They're what you wanted weren't they?

DC: Yes they are. But you're telling me I asked you to do this? Last night?

GV: That's correct.

*Detective Chellick groans*

DC: And you're telling me the deal went wrong? That you scared off my only lead-

GV: Maybe. The Humans who attacked us shortly after didn't seem like regular thieves. Weren't deterred by our firearms.

DC: Humans? That doesn't sound like Jax. Only hires Turians. Heard him say that they're more 'professional.'

GV: Well then. That makes things a little more interesting.

DC: But aside from your muggers in the alley, the deal went fine?

GV: Correct. Exchanged the credits for the mods and walked away, no questions asked.

DC: Great.

*Detective Chellick hangs his head for a moment*

DC:...Did I do anything else stupid last night?

GV: Oh, just the usual.

*Detective sighs.*

DC: Well I suppose I should thank you then.

GV: You should thank the Human in the infirmary. He's the one who made the whole thing happen.

DC: Wonderful. I guess I'll have to once he's conscious.

GV: And before I forget, now that you have those mods, you no longer need to put that poor girl in danger.

DC: Girl? Who do you mean?

GV: Uh, you know...oh damn...what was her name...

DC: Are you talking about Jenna?

GV: That's the one.

DC: I'll concede to that. I'll tell her she's done her job.

GV: Appreciate it Chellick. Catch you around.

DC: Don't be a stranger Vakarian.

*Video ends.*

Found nothing that implicates us. Continue monitoring both individuals for further developments.

(Look what I just pulled from one of their servers Gellix. Thought you might be interested.)

Author's Notes:

So this chapter was kind of difficult to write. Kind of at a weird transition in the story. Oh right! Before I forget, its the story's Two Month Anniversary! We finally finished Act 1: Throwdown on Therum, and now we move onward, to Act 2: Traversing the Traverse! And although my OCD wish that I got the 20th Chapter and broke 100k for this occasion, I'm glad I even got this far. Thanks for the support for all of you who've been reading and I hope this story continues to entertain. Back to the chapter, it's a little disjointed I know, wished I had a little more time to sort it out. Had some ambiguous time lapses between transitions but I didn't want to miss the story's birthday. So here we are. In any case, next week should fare better.

In the Next Chapter: Time is ticking. A Fight against fate. Who'll end up on top?

Tune in next time on Mass Effective: A Hero Made!