"Belki, what are you doing?"

The echo of gunfire along the training line faded away as Shrive started forward, the asari's eyes narrowed as they fixed upon one man at the end. The young batarian blinked at her, straightening as he lowered his pistol.

"Ma'am?"

"Lift your weapon again, and aim it," she ordered. The boy obeyed, holding the pistol out with one hand as he aimed it at the holographic target…sideways.

"Do you want to lose an eye?" Shrive demanded as she halted at his side. He scoffed a little.

"What?"

"Go ahead. Fire. Let us see it."

Grimacing a little in confusion, he set himself and began to pull the trigger. The holographic interface reported the scattered shots as they peppered over the target, and after three or four he halted.

"No, do not stop," Shrive ordered. "Keep firing."

The whole line was watching them in puzzled curiosity now. Belki shifted his stance a little, then resumed firing. After a dozen more shots his thermal overheated and reflexively he hit the release to pop it, the mechanism automatically ratcheting another into place.

The spent thermal spat out the side of the gun…exactly as designed. Unfortunately as the gun was being held at a cant, instead of sailing harmlessly away to the right, the thermal flipped directly toward the young batarian's face.

The white hot chunk of metal halted less than an inch from Belki's lower right eye, caught in a small biotic field. Shrive let him stare at it in shock a moment before she let it drop.

Reaching out, she pointedly grabbed his wrist and righted the weapon. "Vids lie," she said, looking at him but speaking to the whole line. "It may look cool when you hold your gun like that but no one is going to care how cool you might have looked when you're on the ground dead or blinded by a spent thermal. Not to mention you cannot aim or brace properly from that stance. Look at your cluster! Your target has a dozen holes scattered all over the place, none in a vital spot. You don't want to waste half your ammo trying to drop one target. There are only three points to aim at."

Taking the weapon from his hand she aimed and fired. The first shot landed on the target's waist. "Shield generator," she said.

Her next shot landed in the target's chest. "Heart."

The third, right in the middle of its forehead. "Brain."

Lowering her weapon, she then instructed. "Unless they are krogan. Then you aim for the hollow of the throat or the eyes. Remember, a krogan can take a shot directly to one heart and keep on coming."

She pressed the weapon back into Belki's hand and nodded. "Now resume."

As she stepped back the line began to fire again, and this time the boy was holding his weapon properly, one hand bracing the butt to keep it steady.

She caught sight of a form heading her direction and turned her head, nodding in greeting. "Teful?"

"Shrive," the older batarian told her, his face grim. She blinked at the expression.

"What is it?"

"There's been…an incident. At your home."

The door to the small prefab on the edge of the colony was standing open, a half dozen batarians clustered around. Shrive's face was grim as she stepped into the house, already smelling the thick odor of blood.

In the midst of the living room, indefinable shapes littered the floor, covered with a sheet that was already soaked. Stepping carefully around it, Shrive headed back toward the bedroom, one of the batarians nodding at her as she stepped past.

"She won't let anyone near her," he informed even as Shrive headed toward the corner by the bed.

Eír was sitting in the space between mattress and wall, her knees drawn up. One cheek and her shirt were smeared with red, and her skin was shimmering with biotics. The moment her lavender eyes lifted and spotted Shrive, she surged up, flinging her arms tightly around her as the biotic fire died.

Holding her just as tightly, Shrive could feel her trembling. "Eír…it's all right…what happened?"

"I killed him," Eír gasped in return. "He came in the bedroom, tried to shoot me…I didn't even think-"

As she broke off the batarian officer spoke up. "Apparently he broke in here. There are a few in the colony who aren't that…fond of having aliens here. Guess one decided to make an impression of his displeasure. Near as we can tell her biotics not only put him right through the door, they tore him into pieces. Wish I could say I was sorry but…he deserved it."

"He didn't hurt you?" Shrive asked. Eír shook her head, not loosening her grip.

She had never killed someone before. Animals, yes…but not an actual person. She had been conditioned for it, of course, and had very nearly killed Shrive herself in confusion about what she was feeling…but this was the first time the deed was actually done. Self-defense or not, conditioning or not, unless a person had no heart or soul, killing another sentient being was not something anyone ever took well the first time around.

"I need to get her out of here," Shrive told the officer.

"We'll need her to talk to later."

"Teful will know how to reach me," Shrive replied. He nodded.

"All right. Take her out through the back."

Shrive, gripping Eír's hand tightly, paused only long enough to gather a change of clothing before she wound her arm around her love's shoulders, ushering her out the back door. A neighbor, Mika, was hanging out of her door with curiosity. Seeing the pair she waved them forward and ushered them inside.

"Is she hurt?" she asked.

"No, just scared. Can we use your bathroom?"

"Of course!"

The batarian woman indicated the far door and Shrive urged Eír that direction, sitting her down before closing the door behind them.

Washing her face of blood and then helping her out of her clothes, Shrive kept looking at the other woman's eyes with concern. "Eír? It's all right. It's over now."

"He wanted to kill me…" Eír murmured in wonder, baffled. "Why…why would he do that?"

"Hatred is never rational," Shrive replied. "You know that."

"I just…I hit him and he came apart…the blood-"

"It wasn't your fault. You were just defending yourself," Shrive insisted. Cupping the other girl's face she stroked her thumbs over her cheeks. "It wasn't your fault."

Eír looked at her and something shifted in her eyes. Something dark that chilled Shrive to the bone. A faint smile appeared.

"Will Shepard do that?" Eír whispered almost longingly. "When I kill her, will she…"

"Eír!"

The younger asari blinked, then shuddered, grief coming over her face. "Oh…I can't believe…why did I say that…?"

As she broke down, Shrive hugged her tightly, possessively, fighting her own tears. "It's all right, Eír. It's all right…"

Bullets spat in a thick rain, singing against the wall as Shepard ducked back behind the corner, popping out a heat sink and slamming another one into place. "Goddamn heavy," she growled under her breath. "Garrus! I need you to draw its fire! Be careful!"

{Understood!}

Across the vast warehouse Garrus suddenly appeared from around his own cover, peppering the mech with shot. As it whirled to orient on him, Shepard darted out of cover and rushed up to it.

Her knife flashed out, slicing through the hydraulic feeds at the back of its waist as she ran past. Fluid spit onto the ground and the mech half sagged to one side, its shot going wild. It tried to turn and she darted back the other way, leaping up onto its back. Hauling her weight upward she grabbed hold of its head, planted her feet against its shoulders, and heaved.

The mech, head craned back, waved its huge arms wildly, firing blindly at the ceiling. Shepard's muscles bulged as she put all her strength into the pull, and she heard silicone and tubes reluctantly start to tear.

As the thing stumbled a little, Garrus ran out of cover, his grenade launcher in his hands. "Fire, Shepard!" he barked.

Instantly she released her grip, shoving off with her feet and flinging herself out of range as Garrus lobbed a shot right at the mech's wrenched neck.

The grenade hit and exploded in a bark of flame, the mech's head flying almost straight up into the air as its shoulders and part of one arm dissolved into shrapnel. Shepard rolled as she hit the ground, whipping back around with her pistol in hand, aimed at the thing. She lowered it a moment later as it was clear the mech was down for good, then nodded at Garrus.

"Come on, let's get up to that control room before he finds a hole to crawl into," the turian sniffed. As he stepped past the smoking mech, he kicked a piece of its torn framework away with a scowl.

Shepard reached the door of the control room, carefully peeking around. The fucker was standing at the controls, straining to see out the cracked and smoky window…no doubt trying to figure out where they were. Rounding the corner she had her pistol site fixed on his temple in a heartbeat.

"Don't move."

He gaped at her, then skipped backward a few steps, toward the far door. "Fuck that!"

As he turned to run, Garrus stepped in the door and landed the butt of his rifle right in the human man's chin. Grabbing hold of him as he stumbled, Garrus slammed him back into the wall. Shepard straightened with a cold grin.

"You were saying?'

"Aw, c'mon Shepard…we can talk about this!"

"Harkin, the only thing I want to talk about is business," Garrus snarled dangerously. "You helped a turian named Sidonis disappear. I need him to reappear."

"Yeah, I don't do that," Harkin grimaced. "That gets real dangerous in my line of work."

Shepard glared at him. Harkin had always been an ass. The first time they'd met, she'd bounced his head off a bar when he'd tried to grab her ass. He'd been a dirty cop back then…now he was a dirty ex-cop. It explained his connections with C-Sec and how he had been able to avoid them so astutely.

"You know what else gets real dangerous, Harkin?" she pointed out, eyes narrowing. "Us."

"Tell me where Sidonis is or else we'll discover whether or not your knees can bend the other direction," Garrus threatened.

"Ok! Ok! Jesus, Vakarian, ease up! He's on the Citadel! Let me give him a call, arrange a meeting."

"No tricks," the turian glared before stepping back, shoving the man toward a console.

Shepard watched him warily as Harkin wiped a hand over his mouth, trying to regain his dignity a bit as he accessed the console. Garrus watching over his shoulder closely, he texted a message off.

Identity has been compromised. Meet agent at Garden Plaza, will issue new one. 1300 hours.

As he waited for a response he glanced around at Shepard. She saw the flicker of lewdness appear in his eyes even as he started to speak. "I see you still fill-"

"Your life depends on you not finishing that sentence," she warned. He blinked, then swallowed and nodded. A moment later the console blinked, and he looked back toward it.

"Ok, he'll be there," he said, half-stepping aside so Garrus could see the response. "All right, happy? You got what you wanted."

"Almost," Garrus told him. "There's also a little matter of a favor we owe Captain Bailey. Seems he's been looking for you for a while-"

"Oh fuck no!"

Garrus stepped aside a pace as Harkin stupidly turned to run again. Shepard stepped up, catching his arm and whirling him around.

He spun swinging, his fist lifting toward her face. The blow missed her as she leaned to one side, her own fist digging swift and hot into his gut. As he coughed, folding forward, she palmed the back of his head again and bounced it on the console.

He collapsed with a groan, and she straddled him, wrenching his arms back, before glancing up at Garrus with amusement.

"You'd think the fucker'd learn."

The turian sat nervously at the far end of the plaza. The crosshairs hovered over his skull as the scope zoomed in tight. Shepard's eye narrowed a little. "I see him," she told Garrus. He swiveled his own scope around to match hers, then nodded.

"Yeah, that's him," he said with a growl. "Too far to hit from this vantage. We have to bring him in closer."

Shepard straightened, lowering her sniper and shipping it as Garrus straightened. "You can go down to talk to him, get him to move this direction a bit more. Once he's in range I'll take the shot."

Looking out over the railing, she tilted her head from side to side to crack her neck before she suddenly whipped around. Garrus, taken completely by surprise, was on the ground even before he realized she was in motion. In less than the space of a single breath, he was pinned.

"Shepard! What the-"

"Shut the fuck up and listen to me," Shepard replied. "I'm not letting you snipe a man from the shadows like a fucking coward!"

Garrus gaped. "Wh-what? Shepard, he betrayed me, killed my men! He deserves to die! What would you do if someone killed your crew…killed Liara…?"

"I'd at least have the fucking balls to look them in the eye," Shepard shot back. "You want to do this, you look him in the fucking eye, Garrus! You don't know what happened. He drew you away, the mercs swept in to wipe out your team…I got that. How do you know they didn't put a fucking gun to his head?"

Garrus bore his teeth, lifting his head a little until the two of them were almost nose to nose. "Then he's a goddamn coward! I would have given my life before betraying my team!"

"And you're not a coward now? You want to lurk in the shadows and blow his brains out…you do that and I'm done with you. I don't work with craven children!"

"Shepard!" Garrus was shocked. She really thought he was a coward? "You know I'm not like that-"

"I'm starting to wonder," she replied. "You don't know the whole story, Garrus. You don't know why he did what he did. Maybe it wasn't his life threatened. Maybe they threatened his family. You don't know! You're willing to try and execute a man without all the facts!"

"I-…"

"I'm not trying to stop you," she said more softly. "I just want you to stop and think for a minute, all right? You're my friend. You're a good man, Garrus. No matter what he's done, what his motivation…if you let Sidonis change that in you then he's won regardless, dong ma?"

The turian looked up into her eyes, then nodded grimly. "All right, Shepard. We'll do it your way. I'll…talk to him first."

"Good."

She got to her feet, offering her hand to help him up. As he rose she smirked. "I knew you had to have sense in there somewhere, Vakarian."

He gave her a withering look, but couldn't hide the faint smirk. Clapping him on the shoulder she then pointed. "There's an alleyway just to the north. I'll go down, talk him into it. Then you two can chat."

Shepard knew a beaten man when she saw one, and watching Sidonis across the plaza…it was clear he was a beaten man. Catching his eye she gestured at him, stepping back toward the alleyway. She could see the wary expression on his face but he was also desperate.

He'll be weighing this, she thought, watching him. I'm human, not turian. That'll put him a little at ease…question is, at ease enough to trust me?

She had her answer only a few moments later as he finally rose and headed her way. Stepping back into the alley she leaned against one wall, waiting until he'd entered.

"Fade sent me," she said, straightening. Sidonis nodded weakly.

"Where's he want me to go? He said he was correcting my identity…"

"He is, we should have a new name fully set up for you in a few minutes." As she spoke she took a step to the left. It seemed a casual enough movement but it put her between him and the exit for the alley.

"Does he know who compromised my-"

He cut off as Garrus rounded the corner, pistol aimed at his face. If it was possible for a turian to go pale, Sidonis did as his eyes widened, his back plastering to the wall.

"Please…no, please…" he sputtered. Shepard gave Garrus a stern look, then looked at the frightened man they'd lured in.

"Calm down," she told him. "You two need to have a talk."

Stepping away but staying within quick lunge reach, Shepard half-watched the two men, and half-watched the entrance to the alley to make sure they weren't about to be 'interrupted'.

"Garrus, please..." Sidonis urged. "I…I can't tell you how sorry I am-"

"Not as sorry as you deserve to be," Garrus snarled. "Good men, Sidonis. Good men are dead because of you!"

"You think I don't know that? They were my friends, Garrus…I…I see them whenever I close my eyes. Their voices haunt me-"

"Why," Garrus urged angrily. "Just…just tell me why!"

"I wasn't strong enough," the other man murmured. "They got to me, cornered me. Threatened…I was…"

"That's it? They just threatened you? You are a goddamn coward!"

"Garrus," Shepard warned, hearing the tension in his voice. Mandibles working furiously, he took a deep breath, his eyes fixed to his enemy.

"Give me one reason you don't deserve to die for what you did. Right here, right now."

Sidonis took a shuddering breath, then forced himself to look at his former friend. "There isn't a reason to give," he said softly. "I made a mistake, and it's haunted me since. I was frightened…but you're right. That isn't an excuse. Truth is…I don't deserve to be alive, not after what I've done. You're right, Garrus. I…looked up to you. I looked up to them. I finally had a purpose in life, I was doing something good and…well. There aren't any words. Just…"

He sighed heavily, lowering his head. "I understand," he murmured. "It doesn't make it right, but know that I am sorry."

Shepard could see Garrus wrestling with himself. Turning toward the two she drew her own pistol and stepped forward, pressing it against Sidonis's head. "Step back, Garrus," she said neutrally.

The turian straightened with a blink. "Shepard, what are you doing?"

"He confessed," she told him calmly. "He had no good excuse. You've had your trial. He deserves execution. Justice needs to be met. My hands are bloody enough, I'll do it."

"What?" Garrus blinked at her. Ruthless and hotheaded as she could be, he would never have expected her to do something like this. Stepping forward he lowered his own gun, taking hold of her arm and hoping that she wouldn't decide to shoot him too in response. "Shepard, stop."

"Why?" she asked, never taking her eyes off of Sidonis. Despite the weight of Garrus's hand on her arm, she did not lower her pistol. "He's guilty. Deserves to die, right? What does it matter if you do it or I do it?"

"Because it isn't right! This isn't justice!" Garrus blurted, then blinked. His hand slipped away from her arm and he looked down. Shepard lifted her brows, then lowered her gun.

"Get out of here, Sidonis," she told him. "Go on."

The man blinked at her, then nodded. Turning, he headed down the alley, soon vanishing from sight. Shipping her pistol she looked at Garrus. After a moment, his mandibles tightened and he looked up at her.

Without a word, she lifted her eyebrows, giving him an expression of concern. He nodded once, clearing his throat.

"Ok," he said simply. Shepard gave him a small smile, then lightly gripped his upper arm.

"Ok."

As they headed across the docks toward the Normandy, Shepard nodded toward Thane who was lingering nearby, looking out the huge windows. Giving Garrus a gesture she broke off from his side and headed to the drell.

"Thane, you all right? Get things straightened out?" she asked.

He glanced at her, then over at Garrus as the turian disappeared into the airlock, before returning his gaze to the human woman. "We…had a good long talk," he told her. "It will be some time before anything is truly…straightened out, as you say, but it is a start. I have you to thank for that."

"I'm just glad things turned out all right," Shepard replied.

"You…are a very interesting person, Commander," he told her, meeting her eyes. "You are hard and gruff, never afraid to hit, to shoot, to jump into the fray. Yet you look out for the best interests of those around you, even those you have no reason to help…and every reason not to."

She snorted, shaking her head. "I'm not interesting, Thane. I'm just a soldier, another meat-head."

"I have met meat-heads before, siha. You are…different."

"Siha?" Shepard asked warily. When he just looked at her, she hmmed suspiciously. Before she could speak again, however, her ear-bud came to life.

{Commander, Miranda.}

"What is it, Miranda?" she asked, half-turning as she touched the bud.

{Commander, David is awake and communicative. He was asking to see you.}

"I'm on the dock. I'll be right in. Shepard out."

"Go and see to the boy, Shepard," Thane told her. "I will return aboard shortly. I just…need to think for a little while."

Nodding, she gave him a companionable clap on the shoulder, and headed for the airlock. Once inside she only took enough time to shed her hard-suit and stow it before she aimed for the infirmary.

Helen greeted her the moment she stepped in, gesturing toward the man sitting on one of the further bio-beds. "He's stable and out of pain," she reported. "He seems to be in good enough spirits, almost cheerful, but he hasn't stopped talking about you since he opened his eyes."

Stepping past, Shepard walked over to the young man on the bed. Some patches on his skull and arms were still healing, angry red where the leads had been plugged, but he smiled as he saw her, guileless joy shining in his eyes.

"Hello, David," she smiled back.

"Hello," he greeted. "You are the one that made it quiet. You are the Shepard."

"Just…Shepard. No 'the'," she chuckled. "You're the one that really did it, David. We couldn't have stopped the AI without your help."

"No…you fought him. You were stronger than I was."

His face fell a little, and he lowered his gaze, rubbing at the marks on his arms. Shepard shook her head, going over and sitting beside him.

"No," she said softly to him. "You were very strong, David. You are a hero."

He blinked at her, then smiled a little. "I am?"

"Definitely," she told him.

He grinned, then announced, "I liked the blue girl. She was pretty."

"Yeah, you can say that twice," Del smirked. "That was Liara."

"Liara. She was very nice to me. Is she here?"

"No, she had to…go back to work," Shepard told him. "David, we're going to take you to a school. Nice people, nice teachers, students who are smart like you are. Perhaps when you get there Li and I can come and visit you."

"That would be nice," he told her. "Do they do math?"

"They do. Math, and biotics, and science, and sociology…anything you could want to learn. They'll take care of you."

He nodded, looking at some vague point a few feet in front of him. "Gavin is in trouble, isn't he?"

"Yes," Shepard told him gently. "He's in…a lot of trouble."

He nodded again, then shifted. "I think I will sleep now. I don't want to talk anymore."

"I understand," she murmured, then got to her feet, watching as he curled up with his back to her. She felt her anger rise at his brother again. How he could hurt an innocent like that…one that depended on him? She would never comprehend it.

The Normandy had departed the Citadel on course for Grissom Academy, and the hour was growing late. Shepard, her face reddened, strode out of the lift and across the hall into the Nest, a wry smirk twisting her lips. She had a cup of tea in one hand, and on her shoulder, Rat held on to a few strands of her hair, completely nonplussed.

"She's not going to speak to me for weeks," Shepard lamented to herself as she entered her quarters, striding down past her office, plucking the rodent off her shoulder and slipping her back into her habitat. Wiping a hand over her face she heard her omni-tool chime and glanced at it. Lifting a brow she strode over to the open floor in front of the bed and activated the projector.

Liara appeared electronically in the middle of the room, looking sheepish. "I am sorry, Shepard," she said. "I did not realize until I had already sent the call how late it was. I…did not wake you?"

"No, I was just getting some tea," she replied, smirking. Liara lifted an eyebrow.

"What is so amusing?"

Shepard chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, as it was so late and all, I took Rat down with me when I went to get my tea…"

Liara's face brightened with realization. "Let me guess. Miranda."

"The woman's always up before the crack of dawn, I figured she'd be in the sack," Shepard defended. "There I am, pouring my tea and next thing I know Miranda is there wanting to discuss the communication she had with the Academy. I tried to keep my right side turned toward her but sure enough, she spotted Rat and next thing I know, she's on the far end of the galley, spouting curses even I didn't know existed!"

Liara giggled, then shook her head. "I suppose I should not laugh-"

"No, you seriously should," Shepard grinned. "It was funny as fucking hell, though I don't think she sees it that way. I promised I'd keep Rat away from her."

Liara giggled again. Del smiled at her. "Well, I'm just hoping that she doesn't try and wreak some horrible vengeance upon me. Anyway. I wasn't expecting a call from you this soon. Not that I'm complaining, but…everything ok?"

"Oh…yes, everything is all right," Liara replied. "I just wanted to let you know that we have received the schematics, and Sydney is quite confident we will be able to develop and implement the upgrades within the next couple of weeks. It is just a matter of getting the resources to the Folly. She…also sent me word that she will be returning here within a day or two…and she is bringing a guest."

"A guest?" Shepard asked, her brows knitting. "I trust Syd but…the fewer people that know where you are the better."

Liara smiled slightly. "I know you want to protect me, Shepard, but you either trust Sydney or you do not. If you did not, she and her men would not be here at all."

Shepard grumbled, a scowl on her face, before she nodded once. "What'd she say about this 'guest'."

"Only that her name is Deirdre Navis," Liara told her. "She seems to think she could be valuable. What she did not tell me is that she is asari and brings a great deal of monetary resources to the table."

"Your broker talents dredged that up, I suppose?"

"Not exactly. The name Navis is quite famous on Thessia. Her family line is extensive and wealthy. They have great influence and I suppose you would call them…celebrities. Deirdre's grandmother was one of the pivotal heroes of the Krogan Rebellions…I would not recommend Navis go anywhere near Wrex. Tevos, the asari Councilor, has ties to the Navis family as well."

"Hmm," Shepard reluctantly nodded. Such a resource could indeed be valuable, and she really did trust Sydney…she just didn't like taking risks with Liara's safety, even small ones.

"I will be fine, Shepard," Liara promised softly. "I…should let you rest. I will talk to you again soon."

"Yeah," Shepard sighed. "All right, Tianlán. Sweet dreams."

"To you too," the asari murmured, before the call disconnected and her image vanished. Lowering her arm, Shepard's shoulders slumped, weariness settling over her like a cloak.

Feron paused in the doorway as Liara regarded the holographic image of Shepard in front of her, not wishing to interrupt.

"Yeah," Shepard sighed. "All right, Tianlán. Sweet dreams."

"To you too," the asari murmured, before disconnecting. The moment Shepard's image vanished, Liara's whole being seemed to slump ever so slightly. She lowered her head, rubbing the bridge of her nose lightly.

"You all right?" Feron asked tentatively. She turned and looked at him, then sighed.

"I am fine, Feron," she told him. "I just…I am fine."

He didn't press, although he knew better. He also knew there was no cure for what was bothering her, save miraculously transporting the human commander into this room. "Ori finally has a handle on that power transfer problem," he told her. "The new reports also came in from Nos Astra, Fekel, Derbis and Tuchanka."

"Thank you, Feron. I will go over them as soon as I get a chance."

"You should rest first. Get something to eat," he told her. "I am not going to be the one to explain to Commander Shepard why you are an exhausted, gaunt wreck the next time she sees you."

Liara smiled tiredly at him. "I will try. Thank you Feron."

He inclined his head in a nod, then turned and walked out, sighing as he rubbed a hand over his head.