"Valor, you're early," Sparatus stated, his mandibles high.

"Traffic was good. What's going on, Sir? There are bodyguards everywhere."

"They're not important. I'm glad to see you," Sparatus said, catching her hand and raising it toward his face. It was an approximation of a borrowed human gesture, and he hoped she would recognize it. "I realize it hasn't been long, but I've... missed your company."

Shepard looked surprised. "So you had me dispatched here on false pretenses, just because you missed me, Actaion? I'm flattered."

"We have half an hour," he said, dipping his face to hers to kiss her. She parted her lips and moaned as he pressed his tongue into her mouth. He loved how receptive this human was to him. She was eager and enthusiastic, and he couldn't seem to get enough of her. Of course, it had to end soon. He couldn't afford to carry on with an alien long enough to risk getting caught at it, but in the mean time, it was so good and he couldn't help himself. He did have a legitimate reason for calling her to his home, and they'd get to that, but since she had arrived early, bedding her again was an opportunity he couldn't bring himself to pass up.

Garrus tapped a datapad against his palm, agitated and frustrated. Valor was with Sparatus again– solo. When he'd confronted the Executor about it and demanded to be allowed to join his partner, he'd gotten a severe dressing-down. The orders were for Shepard and they explicitly excluded any other officer. As he left, though, Pallin had offered him some sympathy. Sympathy. Which meant it wasn't all just his imagination, and there probably was something going on, or at the very least, the Councilor wanted there to be. The thing that really bothered him was that he couldn't tell whether Valor was lying to him about it or not. He didn't know which was worse. What was the Councilor playing at?

He couldn't answer that question and guessing was just making his plates creak with tension. The datapad in his hands– it contained a vid message for Valor. She had either ignored the call when it routed through to her bluewire, or she was using the 'tool for something else. Either way, he had a recording of the message and he couldn't decide whether to watch it or not. He'd clearly given her the impression that he was through prying into her personal life, but technically all he'd said was that he wouldn't decrypt all the files he'd taken from her miniature shipyard of mementos.

Screw it. Maybe it's important, he thought. If it was, maybe he could use it as an excuse to drop in and see what she was getting up to. He flicked the interface and played the vid marked "CTN D. Anderson," and a human male with dark hide and an Alliance uniform appeared.

"Not taking calls, huh?" the deep, rumbling voice that accompanied the image began. It almost sounded like the human had subharmonics, and Garrus wondered who this man was. The uniform indicated that he outranked her by a fair bit.

"Well, first of all, Valor, cut the crap. I don't like being called 'sir' on my personal account, and I gave you that contact information intentionally. If you're going to use it, respect my wishes.

"That first message you sent has me worrying about you. Doesn't sound like the Valor Shepard I know at all. But that second message sounds just like you when you're ready to push yourself through something awful for the greater good. Is it that bad? I'm surprised you're still posted with C-Sec, but I made some calls.

"I know you're working with a lot of aliens, and that's half the point of your post, but it can get tough. I have to wonder, though, is this about that sex vid scandal? I'm afraid that ugly bit of gossip is big news pretty much everywhere. I'm not even going to ask if there's any truth to it so I don't have to lie when Jack interrogates me about it again. I don't know why he assumes you'd talk to me more candidly than you do to him or Hannah, but he's certainly convinced. Maybe I should show him some of your messages sometime. It's a good thing you're more personable face-to-face, Valor.

"Anyway, I'm glad you contacted me. It's been a while since I reviewed your personnel file. Why haven't you been back to ICT? You should be N7 by now, but it looks like you have several more courses to complete. I guess that explains why I wasn't invited to a completion ceremony and why Hannah hasn't tried to flay me for sponsoring you in the first place. You know she will if you wash out. Hell, she probably will if you keep breaking records all the way to N7. There's no pleasing your mother.

"If I were you, I'd expect an invitation to finish those courses up in the near future. Don't turn it down, it won't come twice. Most special ops trainees from the Villa don't take a hiatus half as long as you have before washing out or making it all the way, so expect your instructors to be tough on you. They'll want to test your resolve and make sure you deserve to be there. I'm sure you can handle it.

"I realize being handed over to C-Sec as a warrant officer wasn't your idea, but I'm glad to see you've made something of it. Shepard is a name people on the Citadel are beginning to recognize, even the important people. And C-Sec has nothing but praise for your work. I'd say that's a job well done. Don't let the tabloid gossip get to you.

"Keep your chin up. The Alliance hasn't forgotten you, Valor."

Playback ended and Garrus tossed the datapad onto Shepard's desk. It sounded like she had reached out to a friendly superior officer fairly recently. Was it about the sex tape? Shepard hadn't seemed particularly distraught over it, even if she clearly wasn't pleased by the event. And why was working with aliens such a big deal? He dismissed Anderson's comment as the man's own bias. Valor was a natural, and she was clever enough to adapt her body language to suit the species of the being she was interacting with. A lot of humans tried to do that, but Valor's attempt was the only instance of complete success he'd witnessed.

Well, whatever Valor was up to, he had work to do. Their solve rate had taken a nose dive since the skycar accident and it sounded like he might not have a partner much longer anyway.

Valor tugged her hair into a simple ponytail, annoyed that she hadn't fully anticipated the extent of Sparatus's infatuation with her. She swiped some eyeliner, lipstick and mascara onto her face– and she was lucky she had that much with her. Reapplying her perfume would have to wait until she got to her locker at C-Sec unless she stopped by her apartment before going back to work.

It shouldn't matter. The only person who was watching her that closely was Garrus, and she'd barely seen him as she headed out on the Councilor's call– he was late again. Even if he noticed her scent was different than usual, maybe he'd believe she'd merely forgotten her perfume that morning. Garrus was uncomfortably observant and resourceful, though and even if he didn't catch her lack of perfume, he'd probably notice that she was wearing her hair differently and confront her about it– not that he had any right to. Well, Sparatus had lost half her hairpins. She couldn't possibly recreate the neat twist she'd been wearing earlier. Checking her appearance one final time, she left the refresher. She was far from finished with this call, though she wasn't supposed to know that yet. And sure enough, Sparatus was waiting for her in the office– tense and agitated.

"That's not the look of a satisfied man," she ventured. "Did I do something wrong, Actaion?"

"No, it's not you," he said with a flick of his wrist. "I actually did call you here for a legitimate reason, Valor. Sometime yesterday, someone managed to break in here, steal several sculptures and... a certain painting, and get away without leaving a trace. My security people are investigating, but considering your warnings, I thought having a more... objective expert might be prudent."

"I'm happy to help. Could it be a political rival? An enemy? I doubt many people know you have valuable art in your home so... Was there anything that connected the pieces that are missing?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of, other than they're all in my collection and are all some of my favorites."

"That might suggest it was done by someone who knows you pretty well, Sir."

"I know. But who? And what message are they sending me? They took the painting of you, Valor. Do they know about us? Could they?"

"Unless you've told someone, I doubt anyone could know that. It was probably a coincidence, not part of a message. Having a painting of a naked human is scandalous enough even if you're not carrying on with one."

"I'm glad you understand the gravity of the situation."

"Sir, it's possible... that the theft was carried out, or at least directed by the person responsible for breaching your security in the first place. He or she had unfettered access to all your personal data, so maybe that's how he knew what to take. It's also possible this hacker is working for someone."

"Find my property, Shepard. Leave the hacker to me. I have a team of experts dealing with that right now. I need that painting back, and I can't exactly trust just anyone with that task."

"Alright. I'll pull some C-Sec resources, but I'll keep it quiet, off the books as much as I can. When I find what I'm looking for, I'd like to offer my assistance to your team."

Before he could respond, Sparatus's virtual assistant flitted into the room, drawing an irritated hiss from the Councilor. "What is it?" he snapped at the drone. Shepard let her expression openly show shock she didn't feel. While in motion, the drone displayed the model standard glowing orb, but when it came to rest, it was programmed to project a pretty, demure turian female. Currently, that pretty face was nowhere in evidence and Cypher's chattering turian skull had acquired the body of a shapely young girl. It looked even better than she had imagined.

"Councilor, apologies, but master Rilulan urgently wishes to speak with you. He's waiting in the hall," the drone announced, unaware that anything was amiss.

"Let him in," Sparatus said, emphatically flicking his wrist at the VI as it spun to do his bidding. "That is another affront and attack on my private life I look forward to rewarding in kind," he said, noticing her apparent surprise. "Except Rilulan's team can't even find the problem with the damned thing, so I don't have any confidence in their ability to find the responsible party."

"That's a calling card, Sir. The hacker I mentioned…."

"Discuss it later, with Rilulan– after you find my property," Sparatus dismissed, his eyes on the door.

"Rilulan?" Shepard questioned. She already knew who the man was, but she shouldn't, so she had to play dumb.

"My head of electronic security. Don't introduce yourself, I want to hear what he has to say first."

Shepard carefully prevented her lip from curling in disdain. It didn't matter. She had suffered the Councilor's company for this, the slight was insignificant if it built the illusion that she respected his authority.

"Sir," a short, dark turian urgently greeted as he strode into the room. "We've had a breakthrough."

"Excellent news. Tell me about it."

"Well, first of all," the tech began, glancing questioningly at Shepard before continuing, "whoever supposedly fixed the first breach left the systems wide open for the theft. Either they're the individual responsible for everything, or they're part of the team who is."

"What proof of that do you have?" Sparatus demanded, shifting his stance a little. Shepard ignored the fact that his new position put him at a better angle to attack or subdue her. "That individual is someone I trust," he continued. "That individual also warned me that the fix was temporary and incomplete. My schedule prevented thoroughness."

"I'm not sure I'd go that far, Sir," Shepard chipped in, catching Sparatus's gaze when he glanced sharply at her. "But I did warn you that I wasn't finished and the system needed immediate attention."

"It was her?" Rilulan said in disbelief, immediately producing a firearm and leveling it on Shepard's chest. The instant he moved, she prepared her biotic barriers, but kept them low enough to be almost unnoticeable. She couldn't tell whether the turians flanking her had caught the action or not. Probably not, since most turians tended to forget humans were capable of biotics. "Call C-Sec, Sir. She's responsible," Rilulan insisted, his hands steady.

Sparatus stamped his foot, drawing Rilulan's attention for a split second. The guy was obviously an amateur if he was so easily distracted. "She is C-Sec, Rilulan," Sparatus informed the tech. "Put that away immediately. Unless you have solid proof that Shepard is behind this, you'd be wise to stop accusing her."

"Sir," Rilulan acknowledged, reluctantly returning his pistol to its place on his belt.

"Did you figure out where the attack was launched from?" Shepard asked, drawing the immediate and full attention of both turians. She felt small in their presence, even though Rilulan was short for his species. Instead of being intimidating, it was invigorating. She knew she was more than a match for these aliens. And even better, they'd never see her for what she truly was, so they'd underestimate her until the end.

"Uh, no. We're still trying to trace it back," Rilulan admitted.

"Get back to it, Rilulan," Sparatus said by way of dismissal. Rilulan respectfully withdrew.

"I had no idea you trusted me so much," Valor said when the door slid shut.

"Nor did I," Sparatus snapped. "Is what he said true, Valor?" he demanded, aggressively stepping toward her.

She held her ground, refusing to show submission. "I'm not working with any hacker to harass you, Councilor. As to the rest, I admitted openly that my patch wasn't going to hold. I don't think I'd describe it as 'leaving the system wide open' for someone else to exploit, but that's a matter of colorful phrasing and opinion."

"You did tell me to fix it properly as soon as possible. If your partner hadn't shown up, maybe this wouldn't have happened," he muttered.

"Well, I doubt Garrus is behind it," she stated, knowing that's not really what Sparatus was implying. "He lacks this kind of finesse."

Sparatus ignored her and rummaged in his desk, eventually producing a datapad. "I've prepared a file for you. It's everything that might be relevant about the sculptures. One of them is made of a rare metal, so it might not be too difficult to locate. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions. I'll make sure the VI knows to put your calls through, but don't abuse that privilege."

"I think you know me better than that, Actaion. Thank you. If that's all, I'll get down to the docks and make sure the art doesn't get off the Citadel, assuming it's not too late already."

"Actually, there is one more thing. Your partner seemed... territorial when he came here. What's your relationship with him?"

Shepard's temper flared. Was she so obvious? No, of course this was Garrus's fault, too. She checked her anger and frustration. She couldn't just tell Sparatus to keep his spiky, noseless face out of her business, unfortunately. "Professional," she tightly answered. "We work well together but for some reason I unnerve him and I believe he resents that I had my post at C-Sec handed to me. He can't decide whether he wants to catch me up to no good or if he wants to protect me."

"That sounds... unprofessional, Valor. It seems like a confusing relationship."

"He is confused. His lack of clarity does not damage my professionalism," she pointed out, her tone far colder and harder than she had intended.

"Of course. Forgive my prying. My bodyguards noticed his name on the house log and pointed out that he's a skilled sniper. If he had cause to resent me, I might be worried."

"He has no motive to threaten you, Sir, even if he knew. And I believe he'd sooner cut his own throat than attack you, even if that weren't the case. He speaks highly of you," she lied. Garrus had never spoken of Sparatus as anything other than a bureaucrat– one of the main reasons bad guys got out of cells, or worse– never set foot in one.

"Ah, yes, respect for rank. Maybe it's time I take a trip back to Palaven. I'm spending so much time around aliens that I'm forgetting what my own people are truly like."

"Perish the thought," Shepard said, wondering if she might be suffering the same affliction, considering how Garrus had affected her. She tapped her fingers to her chest and lined up her heels, excusing herself silently. Sparatus didn't so much as glance at her, which suited her well enough.

Shepard did indeed head to the docks, and she used what power C-Sec granted her to impose additional inspections of outgoing cargo. It was important that if Sparatus had someone look into her actions, she didn't do anything that would raise any flags. Once she had applied the proper mix of bribes, authority and threats, she disrupted surveillance and went to the storage unit where the art was stowed. Donning gloves and using a doctored ID badge, she entered the container. The movers had done an excellent job of ensuring everything was properly packed and undamaged– everything was even labeled. She opened one of the smaller crates and lifted out the delicate sculpture. It reminded her of a lopsided cabbage, but the important thing about it was that it was hollow, and the layers of 'leaves' made it difficult to see inside without specific effort.

She carefully laid out items from her many belt compartments. Most were far from standard-issue. Within a few minutes, she had assembled a reasonably powerful and compact explosive– one which would slide easily into the sculpture. She set the countdown for six weeks, just in case she didn't get an opportunity to remotely detonate it sooner. The rest of her plans were far more subtle.

She'd been studying the keepers since she arrived on the Citadel and the only useful thing she'd determined was a list of substances, structural configurations, or electronic devices that often resulted in their presence for 'cleanup.' Usually that meant serious remodeling, sometimes even demolition. Of course, it didn't happen frequently, and it was difficult to be certain exactly what had caused the keepers to act the way they did, but she had gone over the records very carefully and she was confident she had enough information. She had already used Council resources to order upgraded superstructure braces to be mounted under several buildings in Sparatus's neighborhood. Braces that were treated with several of the materials on the list.

The work wouldn't be done for a while, yet, and when it was, it would likely take the keepers some time to react, but when they removed the braces, the structures would be seriously destabilized. All she had to do is place a small charge that would detonate when two conditions were met: the braces were removed, and Sparatus was present at home. If she did it right, the keepers would be blamed for the collapse, and there would be no deeper investigation. If she didn't, Sparatus would still be dead and no one would be able to connect her to the incident, anyway.

Now she just needed to 'find' the stolen art, detect and defuse the bomb she had just planted– or not– and, assuming the timid bastards on the operation oversight board did their damned jobs, run the bust that would put a stop to genetic experimentation, and the influx of illegal leather, organs, and 'organic' remedies on the Citadel's black market. She had no plan of action to deal with Garrus, but right now, everything seemed within her ability to handle. She'd come up with something. Perhaps the bust would afford her the opportunity she needed. It was all coming back together.

The thing Nihlus liked best about the Citadel was that it was always the same. Predictability on such a sweeping scale usually chafed, but in select cases, such as his many mandatory visits to the political, social, and economic hub of the galaxy, it was efficient. Since he had little choice about being here, at least the time wasted could be mitigated by careful planning.

It wasn't often that he, or any Spectre, received orders to report in person for mission assignment, though it wasn't unheard of. Usually those missions were very personal, and he'd made a point of familiarizing himself with recent events in Councilor Sparatus's life as he traveled. Something was definitely going on, but he hadn't been able to isolate what exactly. Nihlus chose to take that as a good sign.

After a thorough scan, security granted him entry to the Citadel tower. He hadn't announced who he was here to see, so Sparatus probably wouldn't be alerted to his arrival. Ah, predictability, he smugly mused. When working, Sparatus had very poor situational awareness and Nihlus found great amusement in exploiting that failing. He silenced his steps as he neared the Councilor's office. The doors were wide open– as they should be unless a sensitive conversation was transpiring within. Other cultures didn't seem to understand the significant impact the perception of privacy and secrecy had on the corruptibility of those in power.

As expected, Sparatus was engrossed in his work and Nihlus was able to get within a dozen paces of him without detection. Decorum demanded he stop there, so he did. It was shameful that a man wielding so much power would allow his instincts to deteriorate to such a state.

"Councilor, you asked to speak with me?" Nihlus's voice sharply cut through the room, obviously jarring Sparatus from his thoughts. The Councilor is learning to control his reaction to an unexpected visitor better at least, he thought. He walked deeper into the office and stopped a respectful distance from the Councilor's desk.

"Nihlus," Sparatus greeted, the flustered tone in his subharmonics belying his attempt to appear calm and collected. Well, the attempt was worth something, at least. "I didn't expect you so soon," the Councilor continued.

"My last assignment concluded abruptly and I was already on my way to the Citadel when your request came through," Nihlus explained. Whatever he thought of the Councilor, he had a job to do. The time for games was over. "I'm up for routine psychological and loyalty evaluation."

"Ah, yes. I'm sure your results are more than satisfactory." Sparatus clicked his talons and pulled a prepared datapad from his desk, clearly unconcerned. Well, it was just a routine precaution, and considering the training most Spectres had, it was a formality to protect the Council if someone went rogue more than an actual screening process.

Nihlus accepted the tablet, but didn't look away from Sparatus. "I've been targeted by a hacker," the Councilor began. "My personal accounts were compromised– everything. I called in a... personal friend in C-Sec to address the problem at first, but after the second attack, I had my own tech experts run some analyses and it seems that the method Shepard used to 'fix' the first problem cleared the way for the next attack."

Nihlus flicked his mandibles, suddenly curious. He'd heard of a human by that name. "That wouldn't be Valor Shepard, would it?" he asked.

"As it happens, yes. Why? Do you know something about her?"

"I've never met her... But Saren knows her. Hates her, honestly, even more than most humans. I didn't get the impression she had done anything to deserve that, though. I'll look into it."

"No need," Sparatus said, dismissing the idea with a flick of his talons. "She did warn me that she hadn't had time to fix the breach properly. It's not her fault I didn't listen."

Nihlus wasn't convinced, and though he didn't know the Councilor well, he found it odd that Sparatus wasn't suspicious. There was more to this. "If she was working with the hacker," he began, "she would have said something like that to cover her involvement. It's not even very imaginative." Sparatus's dark look convinced him to change tracks. "Do you want an interrogation of Shepard, or am I after the hacker?"

"No, no interrogation," the Councilor snapped. "I don't have any proof that she did anything wrong and I can't see any motive."

"She's the obvious suspect, Councilor," Nihlus pointed out.

"I disagree. Both she, and my own tech expert agreed that the attack came from, or was routed through, Omega. Shepard gave me a description of the individual she believes is behind this. I want you to find him."

"And when I do find him?" Nihlus asked. Omega wasn't his kind of place. But then again, neither was the Citadel. Ships and stations were fine, but it was rugged, newly-established colonies, mining outposts, and alien wilderness where he was truly in his element. Sadly, most of his duties as a Spectre took him far from his favorite places.

"Do whatever you have to in order to permanently stop him," the Councilor instructed. "Before you do that, I want you to determine his motives and identify anyone working with him. If he actually is on Omega, he's got to have accomplices."

"Why's that?"

"Some of my... personal possessions were taken a few days ago. The existing security breach was utilized."

"Again, it seems Shepard is the prime suspect. I'd like to at least interview her."

"Your suspicion is getting tiresome. Shepard isn't the issue," Sparatus dismissed.

"Then perhaps I should focus on recovering your property. I assume it was valuable."

Sparatus flicked his talons. "The cost isn't relevant, they're irreplaceable," he simply answered. "But I have Shepard working to recover them."

"You trust her that much?" Nihlus asked in disbelief. Something was definitely going on here. At a guess, the Councilor was probably having an affair with the human and had gotten emotionally attached.

"Why shouldn't I? Any political motives she might have would be damaged by making an enemy of me, and as impressive as her service record is, she honestly doesn't seem to have any ambition at all. But, assuming there was a reason to distrust her... showing her that I'm suspicious would make it that much harder to catch her in the act, don't you think?"

"Alright," Nihlus said, willing to indulge the Councilor's folly. Shepard was still his prime suspect, but the hacker, if he existed, might admit to working with her. That would be easier than convincing Sparatus to let him interrogate a lover. "I'm going to need more information," he said. It seemed that the Councilor believed there might have been political motives behind the burglary.

"It's all right there," Sparatus said, flicking a mandible toward the datapad in his hand.

Nihlus took a step back, clearly showing that his next statement was a request. "I'm sure the details are accurate, but if you'll spare me a few minutes, maybe we can uncover a relevant bit of information you might have overlooked."

Sparatus was agitated, but he conceded, "What do you want to know?"

"First, what was stolen?"

"A painting and several sculptures," Sparatus brusquely answered.

"Just art?" Nihlus asked, surprised. He'd heard of the Councilor's appreciation for alien art, but for someone to take nothing but art from a wealthy and influential turian's home was more than odd. It had to be motivated by a political agenda.

"Most of the pieces had... sentimental value. And the painting... it could cause an embarrassing situation in the wrong hands."

Now he was getting somewhere. "Do you have any images of the missing items?"

"Of course. However, as I stated, Lieutenant Shepard is handling the theft."

"Lieutenant? That's a military rank, I assume. I thought you said she was with C-Sec now."

"She's on loan from the Systems Alliance. She's more skilled and more... versatile than anyone else in C-Sec," Sparatus stated, looking surprised that he'd spoken the compliment aloud.

"That's... highly irregular."

"The humans are vying for more galactic influence. I believe they intend to put Shepard forward as a candidate for Spectre status. She'll never make it. She has no political acumen and she's already sabotaged her case beyond repair."

"I see." Nihlus kept his expression carefully neutral. That was all the confirmation he needed. A liaison with Sparatus would guarantee his opposition to the potential proposal of allowing her to be assessed for Spectre status. It was a pity. From what he had heard of her, Shepard would have made a good Spectre, and seeing Saren's reaction to not only a human, but that human joining the ranks would have been priceless. But Sparatus couldn't risk being accused of favoring her because she had been his lover. It would take extreme circumstances for her to gain the needed unanimous support of the Council. "I'll contact you if I have any further questions. Thank you, Councilor."