A vigil had been held for Tiran Kandros. His body sent to the stars to rest. The members of his militia and APEX teams crowded into Hydroponics for a Turian feast as Sara Ryder watched. "They waited until most of the APEX teams could come back." Nakmor Kesh walked up next to her. "As far as Turians go Kandros was the one I liked the most."
"Kandros was one of the great ones." Sara whispered. "I wonder if my father would have had a vigil like this."
Kesh's mouth turned into a thin line. "Your father was a good man…"
"I sense a but coming," Sara frowned. "I know he is abrasive and not a people person but for all he did for getting the initiative up-"
"He deserves something. We honor our dead." Kesh looked at the young human, "and then we live."
"I hear the case for the sniper was closed." Sara replied.
"The Turian Pathfinder found no evidence indicating this is anything but a Collective move. It's taking the new militia leader all he has to keep the APEX teams in line. They want to go to Elaaden to this place called Cynopolis and take out this Charlatan." Kesh grunted.
Cynopolis? Sara thought to herself. Reyes is such a drama queen. She tried not to laugh at the reference, the humor still hadn't returned to her. She would not find this change cute or funny. "That's where the Collective is held up?"
"Supposedly," Kesh sighed.
"And did Morda say anything?" Sara pressed.
"Despite your actions we're still not back on Morda's good side. Addison has more details about the settlements on Elaaden." Kesh replied.
"We're going to need more alcohol if I have to talk to her." Sara grumbled.
Pathfinder, there is a collective agent here. The Asari from Draulir. SAM spoke on their internal channel. "I forgot something back at the Tempest." Sara piped up. "I'll be back."
The hallways in the Nexus seemed emptier than usual as she shadowed the Asari woman. Whoever she was wore no Collective items. She looked like any other regular citizen working her way through the station. Sara followed her until the Tram and watched as she took it towards the Headquarters. No doubt where Dixon waited for her.
Sara took the next tram down to follow her. The doors opened to minimum staff managing the station. It was bare bones as the others lined Hydroponics for the memorial. The militia headquarters was nearly empty as Sara set her eyes on the woman.
Hiding behind the desk nearby she noticed that a guard lay on the ground. He was still breathing so at least that meant whatever the Asari meant to do it was not to murder people.
"Dixon," the Asari hissed at the cell. "I'm here to get you out."
"Vouna, get the fuck out of here." Dixon growled from his cage.
"Not without you, asshole." The Asari crossed her arms and initiated a hack upon the cell.
"I'm here because I want to be. Put your tool down and get out of here and back to Cynopolis." Dixon ordered.
"The boss wants you back." Vouna retorted.
"Reyes can shove his own shit," Dixon spat back silencing his friend. "I can't go back there."
"Dix, why?" Vouna implored. "We started this all together. Come home."
"Tell Boss to watch his back. The big guy is coming," Dixon responded, "Boss can't stop it."
"SAM, record the audio." Sara whispered.
One step ahead of you, Pathfinder. SAM replied.
"The Shadow Broker isn't here in Andromeda," Vouna rolled her eyes. "Stop being a big baby and come help me. Goddess you humans are stubborn."
"God no, that bastard is back in the Milky Way… it's the other guy." Dix sighed.
"Dixon Charles Wolfram, I am opening this cell and you are coming with me. Virlan and Pax are waiting for us. This was the only opening I'll have until these idiots have something else to celebrate. Please don't waste your stupid life for something you didn't do." Vouna begged.
"The other guy paid me." Dixon said coldly.
"Asshole, we can have the rest of confession later." Vouna finally finished the hack and the door slid open. Dixon stared at the Asari. "Come on."
Whatever war that was waged internally the Asari one as he took her hand walking out of the cell. His legs unsure of what to do now that he had all the space in the world, "follow me."
Vouna and Dixon turned around to meet the barrel of Sara's gun. "Fancy meeting you here," She quipped.
The Asari stepped in front of her human friend. "Have you ever fought an Asari commando, Pathfinder?" Before Sara could respond she felt the pull of a singularity knock her off her feet. She was upside down as she saw the two of them make a run for the tram. Sara smiled to herself as SAM compensated for her floating and she focused her energy. She felt her biotics inside her snap into focus and fling her forward knocking Vouna and Dixon onto the ground.
The adept and the vanguard struggled as Dixon backed away from them. Vouna sent a biotic charge that knocked Sara off her feet and onto her back. "Holy shit." She said in pain before urging her body back up. She slammed her fist into the Asari's face knocking her against the wall close to the Tram.
"This is all your fucking fault," blood dribbled from Vouna's lips as she glared rearing up for another biotic assault. It was then Sara felt the butt of her own gun against her head, held by the man she had taunted in a cell.
"Ryder." Dixon said evenly. "You are going to let us go now."
"No the fuck I'm not." Sara retorted.
"The Charlatan has a soft spot for you even after all this." Dixon sounded defeated. "Vouna, stand down."
"What the fuck, Dix?" Vouna accused.
"Do you want to tell the Charlatan you killed Sara Ryder?" He looked evenly at her. Vouna looked like a wounded animal as she backed towards the Tram. "Come on Dix."
Dixon circled around the Pathfinder until the gun was carefully placed on her forehead. "Vouna, go." He implored his friend who took one look at him and then ran into the Tram. She would disappear into the crowd. "The security cameras are back online. If you had let me get to the Tram I might of lived. The big guy is always watching."
"The Benefactor," Sara said finally.
"If she only let me rot in a cell," He sighed. "They were going to kill me anyway since I'm technically the first real murderer in the Nexus history. No exile for the exile." The gears of the Tram sprung to life as Vouna made her getaway.
"At this point he'll probably kill you too." Dixon replied.
"Why did you kill Kandros?" Sara asked as Dixon put the gun down. From the distance she could hear security making its way to them.
"Kandros asked too many questions, the Big Guy needed him gone." Dixon shrugged. "And he always gets what he wants."
She thought of the disc, perhaps he held the key. "Do you know the Cipher?" She begged.
"Zenari couldn't find it either." Dixon responded. "He was displeased with her performance. She was supposed to steer him away from all this."
"Is Zenari dead?" Sara turned sheet white. "Where is the cipher?"
"Reyes Vidal stole it from the Shadow Broker." Dixon smirked. He circled around her like a predator. "If you only sided with us maybe we could have of avoided all of this."
"What about Zenari?" She spat.
"Benefactor doesn't like lose ends." He looked up over her shoulder and gave her a small smile.
Sara felt the vibration from the gun shot as it passed her shoulder and hit Dixon straight in head. The blood from his body splattered on her pristine Andromeda Initiative clothing. She watched as his body sagged and fell to the floor. As Director Tann and several members of Nexus security came up behind her.
One of them leaned down and checked his pulse. "He's dead."
"Good." Tann growled before turning to Sara. "Pathfinders Quarters, NOW."
Sara sat on the couch opposite her father's uniform. Silence filled the room as she waited. She had been there for about an hour. Tann was content to make her squirm. Despite all she had done for this cluster he still could not find any redeeming qualities but there were always more things to put on her shoulders. The door finally opened and Tann was followed by Kesh and Addision. Kesh's lips pursed and face flushed from obvious yelling. Sara could only speculate as to what the argument might have been about.
"Pathfinder Ryder," Director Tann said as courtesly as he could. "The Asari agent escaped the station."
"Wolfram said her name was Vouna." Sara offered.
"She is an agent of the Collective and they are going to be feeling the hammer of the Initiative shortly." Addison scowled at her.
"There is a lot of property damage that will take us a while to fix." Kesh crossed her arms, already thinking of all the new tasks the fight had brought on her. "We'll need to take some people off colony duty."
"You've caused us a lot of problems with this, Sara Ryder." Tann sighed.
"He had information that i-"
"You disobeyed a direct order." Tann interrupted. "Avitus Rix was given charge of this investigation. You interrogated his witness, and let a criminal escape because of your careless behavior. You even returned here without any information regarding the comm. Buoy you were ordered to find."
Sara gulped. She had meant to send a very vague report. She had no intention of letting them find out her deal with Sloane. "It wasn't at the coordinates provided and we scanned the sector."
"You should have scanned harder." He dismissed her claim. "After much debate we have decided disciplinary actions. You are grounded." Sara could hear her father's voice in her head as Tann spoke. This was exactly what he would have done too. She always wanted to fly too far. "You are on temporary leave of absence. Publically you are merely taking a break, but you are confined to this station. If you break or sneak off again you will be stripped of your Pathfinder title and exiled."
From the look Kesh gave him Sara didn't think the last part of this was known to her. "Understood?" Addision said calmly. "You will report to my division in the morning. While you are suspended from Pathfinder duties we have use for you in engineering."
"What about my crew?" Sara asked. The last thing she wanted was them to be punished for her deeds.
"The Pathfinder Sarrisa Theris will be given command of the Tempest." Tann explained. "SAM will not be removed as per usual protocol unless you commit more infractions. Cora Harper remains second in command. Scott Ryder has been added to their official roster and they are set to go back to Suurico to trace the Quarian signal."
"Can I at least see them off?" She asked.
"They are cleared to leave at 0800 hours." Kesh replied before anyone could cut her off. "I'll escort you."
Tann eyed the Krogan suspiciously as he frowned. "Thank you, Kesh." Sara replied politely.
"We'll have quarters prepared for you here." Addision explained.
"I'll just crash in Peebee's apartment." Sara interrupted.
"Fair enough, dismissed Pathfinder." Tann waved his hand at her and she stood up. The weight of her hear sinking into her body. She could almost feel her father's disappointment in her emininating from his gear.
I'm sorry, Sara SAM whispered on their private channel as she walked through the halls of pathfinders.
"Leave of absence," Sara shrugged to her surrounding crew on the Tempest. They formed a half moon in the meeting area.
"You could have asked for help, ya?" Liam grumbled.
"This isn't fair!" Peebee's energy went between wanting to kick things and anger. "They can't just-"
"They can just, I'm just shocked they are letting you keep SAM." Cora replied.
"Sarissa will be taking over in the morning." Sara's voice sounded like sweetness, "bet you are thrilled." She didn't mean to be cruel, but the verbal slap landed hard on her second in command's face.
"That's not-"
"This will not be the same without you," Jaal frowned. "I do not wish to be under this Sarissa."
"She's good if you guys keep her honest." Sara offered but it didn't abate Jaal's frown.
"It won't be the same without you." Vetra murmured.
"I'll be back before you know it." Sara tried sound better than she felt. "It will be like you don't have to worry about me charging head first into the Kett."
"Or flying us to sketchy planets," Kallo tried to make light of the situation.
"See!" Sara smirked. "It will give me time to find some plants that Suvi can actually lick."
"That will never be not weird," Liam cracked a smile.
"It was for science," Suvi giggled.
"Ah yes, 'science' it was." If she didn't know better she could have sworn that Vetra was as amused by all this as she was.
Everyone filed out but Gil. He leaned against the window his face filled with concern. "Penny for your thoughts, Gil?" Sara walked over to her best friend.
"I don't like it. You not being here… it feels wrong. The buoy wasn't there why send us back out there? It makes no sense." Gil grumbled.
"You haven't slept have you?" Sara looked him over.
"Says the other insomniac," Gil made light.
"Maybe it is out there and we didn't look hard enough," Sara didn't like lying to him, but she was like Dixon now. She had her people to protect. If the Big Guy came for her she would make her the only link that needed to be severed. "Maybe I drove you guys too hard and we missed it." She wrapped him into a hug. "Promise me you'll take care of Scott?"
The flush he had on his face was worth it. "If he'll let me." Gil answered hesitantly.
"Give him some time. It's been a shock for him since he woke up," Sara shrugged. "I'll see you guys soon enough."
"Take care, Ryder." Gil hugged her back fiercely.
"Take care, Gil." She squeezed him in return.
Inside of the Pathfinder's quarters her twin brother waited. He had her model ships packed into a bag as he paced the floor. The room looked barren without her items in it. As she thought it might have looked with her father in there. He was a man of clean angles and military precision. He never cared for the homey feel that the Ryder twins had preferred. Sara briefly wondered how Kandros would have fared as a Pathfinder. She liked to think that it would have been as filled out and loved as his apartment had been.
"Hey little brother," Sara greeted him as she walked into the room. "Thanks for packing up my toys."
"You are missing the Alliance Dreadnaught." Scott stopped his pacing and looked at her."I don't like this."
"I know." She replied softly.
"I really, really don't like the thought of being sent out there without you." Scott added. "I-"
"I had to do it without you. You can do this, Scott. You were born to travel the stars." Sara walked over and took her brother's hands into hers. "Besides someone has to make sure everyone laughs."
"Fine, but once you are off your leave we have some Pathfinding to do." Scott wrapped his large arms around her and lifted her off the ground. "I love you little sister."
"Oh, god you are so gross." She giggled in his ear. "Love you too booger eater."
Sara wrapped her jacket closer around her as she watched the Tempest take off from the docks. She sent her wishes to her friends for an easy journey. After she watched the tiny dot of the Tempest fade further and further into the distance she finally went to PeeBee's apartment.
The word 'mess' didn't appropriately describe the place. It looked derelict and messy. As if the apocalypse rolled in to this tiny little apartment. "SAM?" Sara asked once she knew she was alone.
Yes, Pathfinder? SAM spoke on their private channel.
"I need you to delete all my father's audio logs involving the Shadow Broker, The Benefactor, and Doctor Liara T'soni. Wait… I want to hear the last one with her again."
Affirmative, Pathfinder. He queued up the audio file.
"Hello, Alec, This is Liara, T'Soni and the year is 2186. I don't know if you'll even receive this message, but we corresponded years ago. I remember you spoke about a plan to settle Andromeda. I don't know if your arks made it out of the milky way… but the worst has happened here. I fear that the civilization you remember, the people of the Milky Way as you knew them, could be gone forever. You may be all that's left. Please, don't forget us. Keep us alive in your hearts, and tell your children of the wonders that once were. On behalf of the crew of the Normandy-SR,2" This is Dr. Liara T'soni signing off."
Sara pulled the disc from Zenari out of her Normandy SR-2 model. The circuits were still unlocked, and the first layer of decryption handled. She ran her hand over the surface, her resolve steeling inside her.
Everything she needed to solve this mystery was in the hands of Reyes Vidal.