Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect

AN: As requested by Zaara the black, hope you enjoy it.

Mass Fiction

Episode 11: The Pot and the Kettle

It was lunch time aboard the Normandy as Jacob watched the various crew eat and mingle with one another, he himself enjoying his third coffee of the day. He sat apart from most of the crew, who tended to give him his space. Not really out of nervous fear as they did with Miranda, but more out of a respectful courtesy.

Jacob, while approachable, was not much of a talker. He was a strict military man, adhering to discipline and procedure that at times were more lax aboard this Cerberus vessel than an Alliance one. He wasn't unfriendly, but he never really thought superior officers should be too casual with the crew. That kind of behavior might have been seen as favoritism, or the crew might get the idea that he could "let things slide".

An officer should be respected and a little feared. That was what his sergeant had always told him and it was a philosophy he agreed with for the most part. He liked to think of himself as a happy medium to Miranda's cold professionalism and Shepard's big brother mentality, a mentality that he was still trying to get use too. Still, it was hard to argue with Shepard's way of command. The crew adored him and seemed to work harder just to not disappoint him rather than from a fear of reprisal. And despite the few volatile personalities within the ground team, he had managed to keep them in line and working together…for now.

Grunt was willing to behave so far, although he had noticed that he was becoming restless and irritable lately. Jack kept to herself, which he supposed would have to be good enough considering who she was. Massani was in it for money but also revenge, not the most stable oath of loyalty, but at least he was fighting for something. Then there was Krios.

Almost as if thinking of the Drell conjured him from thin air, Thane appeared with an empty lunch tray as he headed to Gardner's station. Jacob's eyes followed him as he made his way through the deck, nodding to the crew members as he passed before depositing his tray in the receptacle and taking a moment to answer a question from the Mess Sergeant.

Jacob continued to eye the Drell as Kelly got a hold of him. Watching as the assassin patiently answered the slew of questions the yeoman pelted him with, his arms behind his back and a neutral expression on his face. For a moment Jacob almost felt sorry for him, Chambers was if nothing else persistent. Eventually a rather dejected looking yeoman was forced to let the Drell go, apparently having gotten little out of the mysterious assassin. Thane remained under Jacob's scrutiny until finally disappearing from view, probably headed back to Life Support.

"I should probably get back to work too," Jacob thought as he finished his coffee and headed for the elevator.

Pressing the button for the lift, Jacob couldn't help but stare down the door to what had become Thane's quarters.

"Of all the people the Illusive Man to suggest, why an assassin? Contract killers don't operate out of loyalty. For all we know he could have been hired to kill Shepard and we just let him stay in the Life Support Room," Jacob thought continuing to glare at the door.

"Going up sir," a voice said snapping Jacob out of his trance.

Turning, he saw Kelly standing in the elevator holding the door, a somewhat perplexed look on her face.

"Sorry, my mind was someplace else," Jacob said stepping onto the lift, "thanks for holding the door Chambers."

"Not a problem sir," Kelly said with a small smile. "Was there something you wanted to speak to Thane about," she pried.

"No."

"Oh…it just seemed…"

"Just mulling a few things over Yeoman… that's all," Jacob said in a tone indicating that the conversation was over.

"Of course sir," Kelly said as the doors opened.

Jacob watched Kelly head to her terminal and let a quiet sigh escape him as he walked towards the armory. He didn't want to be rude, but sometimes she just kept pushing and he was definitely not in the mood to be poked and prodded. Nothing against the girl, but aside from mercs and assassins, shrinks were right up there on his list of people he didn't trust.

The doors to the armory opened greeting Jacob to the sight of Thane testing the weight of a Carnifex Hand Cannon.

"Can I help you," Jacob asked crossing his arms.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Thane said placing the weapon back on the table and adjusting his coat. "I felt that perhaps we could clear the air so to speak."

"Didn't realize we needed to," Jacob said walking to his work bench.

"Neither did I. But after a week of being watched going to and from the mess hall, one starts to think that there may be an underlying hint of hostility."

"Saw that did you," Jacob asked, his calm tone masking genuine surprise.

"My training under the Hanar allows me to perceive even the slightest of details. That coupled with my species own unique memory recollection affords me a more precise view of the galaxy. Suffice to say, I see a lot of things."

"So what exactly do you want," Jacob asked, cautious of exactly where this conversation was going.

"As I said, I felt we needed to clear the air between us. When I first arrived on this ship you were apprehensive of having someone of my profession join your team."

"As I said, I'm not a fan of mercenaries or assassins. People loyal until the credits run out or until they get a better offer are not the kind of people I like watching my back."

"A concern which is moot considering I've lent Shepard my services for free."

"The concern is whether or not you're here to help Shepard at all," Jacob said bristling, "you let Shepard and his team barrel through a building full of mercs just to use them as a distraction. Who's to say you wouldn't offer your services for free just to get close to your mark?"

Thane took a moment to regard those words, his face giving away nothing except neutral contemplation.

"I see. This is not merely distrust in mercenaries," Thane said putting his hands behind his back, "this is distrust in me."

"Don't flatter yourself," Jacob snorted, "there's an entire deck of people on this ship I don't exactly trust. But each of them wants something, revenge, information, or just the next bigger and badder opponent to cut their teeth on."

"And yet Shepard trusts them all despite any signs that he shouldn't. The same trust he extends to you despite what others may think."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

"You work for an organization that many humans and nonhumans alike see as xenophobic terrorists. An organization whose morality is at best ambiguous and at worst nonexistent. An organization that has come into conflict with Shepard on more than one occasion if the extranet is to be believed. He should for all intents and purposes not trust you or those you work for."

"I doubt that Shepard really trusts the Illusive Man or Cerberus," Jacob said smirking remembering Shepard's first talk with his boss.

"But he does place his trust in you," Thane said gesturing to Jacob, "because he sees beyond the Cerberus operative. He sees the man trying to help people."

"And what do you see," Jacob asked unsure if he wanted an answer.

"I see someone who is trying to make the galaxy a brighter place, but in doing so, knows that they had to do what was necessary, more than what was right. I see myself," Thane said candidly.

"Do you have any regrets," Jacob asked quietly.

"At the end of my life, it seems that regret is all that I have."

"Guess we're not so different after all."

"Indeed."

Despite telling myself I wasn't going to play it, I got the ME3 demo and now the only way I could want this game more is if the case was made out of chocolate. As of right now I have three more chapters planned. One with Tali, the finale and the epilogue. As always if you have an idea, review and request and I'll see what I can do. Until next time read and review people.