"Commander Shepard is a... unique creature, to say the least. Part of a species so young, and yet she carries the wisdom of an avid Asari. Tactful, too. Somehow, she knows exactly where I'm going and when I will be there. If I'm ahead, it isn't by much. She's always on my trail. Always."

"I can sense you are coming up with a plan."

"Matriarch, you know me all too well. However, this plan is a lot more extreme than my usual approach. It definitely requires some planning, and some history."

"What do you mean by history, Saren?"

"She will never stop following me. No matter what diversion I leave her, which Geth confronts her, or how fast Sovereign can fly... She will never stop hunting me. If I can't make her stop, then I need to make her stop herself."

"Stop herself? You know just as well as I do that she will never stop- not until you are dead."

"Yes, I am aware of that. However, even the most stubborn minds can be convinced. Not too long ago, there was an incident in the Citadel. Someone created a scanner that could be used to create VI personalities of anything- inanimate, or human. It was proven successful when a human soldier used it to disguise himself as a Turian guard at C-Sec to access secured files and sell them on the black market. To this day, he was never caught... At least not by C-Sec."

"You don't mean to tell me-"

"How could I pass up on technology like that? So, I found him, and took the scanner. Some force was used, but we ultimately made a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"He begged me to spare his life, so I made a bargain. He went back to C-Sec in his disguise, and retrieved more paperwork for me. Not just any paperwork, mind you... Shepard's background. Everything she accomplished with The Alliance, it's all here. Her mission to Akouze, her report on Eden Prime, and even some of her more questionable achievements. Tell me, Benezia... Were you aware that our 'white knight' Commander used to be part of a gang back on Earth?"

"I did not know that, but how is that going to help you?"

"Easy. Her report mentions a particular crime she committed with a fellow gang member by the name of Tristan Winterhardt. He and she had warrants out for their arrest for pulling a gun on a C-Sec officer who they reported was sexually harassing one of their gang-mates. The officer said he was frisking her to search for weapons. Eventually, the charges were dropped due to the whole thing being just one big "he said, she said" incident."

"And this is going to help you how?"

"She joined the gang at a young age in an attempt to get herself off the streets. Both of her parents are dead, though her report never mentions how they passed. She then joined The Alliance at eighteen to leave her gang life behind. I did a little more digging, and discovered that she and Tristan were best friends. Both of them were practically leaders of that gang, though Shepard never actively participated in any crimes. Shepard was usually on the sidelines watching, on look-out, or facilitated in their getaways. Tristan joined the gang because his older brother... influenced him. His brother was killed by a member of a rival gang a year later."

"I still don't see how this is going to-"

"Matriarch, let me finish."

"I'm sorry, sir. Continue."

"Shepard wasn't the only one that joined The Alliance. Tristan joined about a year after she did- right after his brother died. Tristan is still alive, and I know exactly where he is. He's on a small vessel orbiting the Local Cluster, training soldiers how to be field medics. He's a doctor now. Doctor Winterhardt. Their base is on Luna, and they're expected to land within the next five hours."

"Is that where we are heading, sir?"

"Yes. I need to meet this Tristan fellow and ask a few questions of my own."