Kasumi

She watched the new arrival slowly and expertly closed on the Zakera Ward's docking station. As soon as the clamps latched on the vessel and the airlock attached, the thief hefted her meager belongings and headed toward the airlock.

On her way, she examined her temporary home. Kasumi never really cared much for ships. They were a means for travel, and it was usually uncomfortable travel at that. She spent far too many nights as a stowaway in cold cargo holds to really appreciate them. But the Normandy was beautiful even to her uneducated eye. Her sleek lines and stealth capabilities reminded Kasumi of herself. She knew she shouldn't be so conceited, but she couldn't help the comparison. They were both built well for their jobs.

She slid inside the ship easy enough as some of the crew hurried out of the airlock, using her cloaking technology to keep from being discovered. According to the schematics she hacked from a Cerberus network, there should be a maintenance shaft located in the lab she could use to access the crew level and bypass the elevator.

She tiptoed through the CIC, careful to avoid bumping into anyone. Once no one was looking, she activated the door to the lab. The presence of a salarian inside startled her, but he didn't even look up to find who was at the door. He was mumbling something about an artificially intelligent virus, growing upset when he thought said virus could be toying with him.

Kasumi left him to work out that particularly scary prospect and headed through the maintenance shaft silently. She had difficulty moving her bag through. The large painting inside was bulky enough to get caught if she wasn't careful. But she wasn't about to leave that piece behind. It was too important.

She climbed out in a dark room and found herself surrounded by tall towers. There was a presence in this room, one she couldn't see. It creeped Kasumi out.

The next room was an empty med bay and just beyond that was the cafeteria. The crew quarters shouldn't be too far now. When she found it, Kasumi recoiled. There was no way she was going to stay in a room stuffed with others like a can of sardines. She preferred the isolation of a cargo hold to this situation.

The Normandy was spacious though, and Kasumi knew she could find a spot much nicer. She walked into a room marked Starboard Observation. It was practically empty, only littered with benches set up in odd places. This room wouldn't do either.

She went across the hall, leaning against the wall to avoid the passing crewmen. One door said Life Support over it. Kasumi didn't think she would like it in there either, so she didn't even try. That left her with the Port Observation. There wasn't much hope for this room. If it was anything like the starboard, she would be forced to actually camp out in the hold.

The doors opened, and she was pleasantly surprised by what she saw. Inside laid a nice bed surrounded on two sides by bookshelves and a footlocker. In the middle was a small bench where she could watch as the stars lazily moved across the large window. And to top it all off, a fully stocked bar was on the opposite wall from the bed with a visual stimulator next to it.

That cinched it. This would be her new room. She would just have to convince Shepard to let her keep it. That shouldn't prove to be too much of a problem.

Speaking of Shepard, her meet up with the man should be occurring soon. Kasumi quickly made it back to the airlock just in time to join up with an armored Shepard, a turian with a medical patch on the right side of his face, and the salarian she had passed earlier.

The trio called for a cab to take them to the security checkpoint. That gave Kasumi enough time to make it to her position before they get there. The cabs may be fast, but the back-ways and shortcuts she knew were faster. Sure enough, she arrived before them, watching as they stepped out of the skycar.

She typed a command into her omnitool which linked it with the advertisement below. "Commander Shepard," the thief said, hearing her words amplified by the speakers. "Enter the password and receive a free gift!"

"Silence is golden."

She had no doubts about who the commander was, but there was safety in following procedures.

"Good to finally meet you, Commander Shepard. Kasumi Goto. I'm a fan."

"Has Cerberus filled you in on the mission?" he asked.

They had done a decent job, and Kasumi gained access to their networks to fill in the blanks. It sounded like an impossible assignment, but she believed in her abilities to slip away and the commander's ability to beat the odds. Besides, she needed him to complete her mission.

"Honestly, I'm shocked they didn't come to see me sooner," Kasumi answered light-heartedly. "My fault for being so hard to find, I guess."

"What's with the password and sneaking around? Are you in trouble or something?"

She laughed softly. "I'm the best thief in the business, not the most famous. Need to watch my step to keep it that way. I also needed to make sure all this was legit. And I have no doubts now. You're the real Commander Shepard."

His hand went to his face, stroking his left cheek. "You can drop the 'commander' bit. I'm no longer in the Alliance military."

That was odd. His Cerberus files said he was a stout Alliance soldier. Why would he give up his rank? There was a story there.

"What brought you to Cerberus?" he asked.

The question brought her back to the present. "That's a bit of a story. Short version: they were looking for me, so I trailed them to find out why. Turns out they were looking for someone to join you on an important mission and were offering a serious signing bonus. I had a thing I need help with, so I made them a deal. And here we are."

Shepard sighed. "I assume this deal is something I should know about."

Cerberus obviously failed to mention it to him. "Yeah, I guess it slipped their minds. I'm looking for my old partner's graybox. A man named Donovan Hock took it, and I'm planning to get it back."

"And I'm guessing you don't want to explain whatever you have planned in such a public place."

"I would appreciate it."

"We'll get it done. Don't worry about that."

She smiled at him. "It'll be fun. And if we're lucky, you won't even have to draw your gun."

He laughed, drawing some eyes curious about the man laughing at an advertisement. "I've been told I am very lucky with escaping bullets, not keeping my gun holstered."

Kasumi shut down the advertisement station. "We should probably wrap this up," she said louder than before, drawing the team's attention to her position on the catwalk overhead. "You look pretty silly standing there talking to an advertisement."

"Thanks," he answered easily. "Enough people think I'm crazy as is. Welcome aboard. Go ahead and bring you equipment, and we'll get you settled."

She couldn't help the smile that grew across her face. "Oh, I already picked a room out. I just need to unpack. See you on the ship, Shepard."

Except Kasumi didn't head back to the ship. She turned her cloak back on and maneuvered off the catwalk. She bypassed the C-Sec checkpoint (they had scanning technology even she couldn't fool) and caught up with the group on the other side. If Kasumi was going on a mission with nearly impossible odds, she wanted to know more about the man she would be following.

Shepard moved through the ward, stopping at the various shops to check their merchandise. He amazed her as he charmed the shop owners into giving him discounts at each of their stores. All it took was recording a little advertisement that had most of the shops spouting the same twelve words as you entered: "I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite store on the Citadel."

Once his shopping spree was over, Shepard called for a cab to take him to the Presidium. Unfortunately, the central ring of the Citadel had tighter security than the wards. They weren't impossible to dodge, but it was more time consuming. She would have to risk the cab if she wanted to keep up with his team.

Kasumi had lost them by the time she arrived and circumvented the scanners. She had an idea where Shep was going though. Supposedly, he was instrumental in putting Anderson on the Council. If the extranet news about humanity's councilor were true, then Shepard would most likely be heading there.

Sure enough, she caught them just before they entered his office. She rushed in, sliding just behind the salarian.

Inside, Councilor Anderson was in a meeting with the other Citadel Council members. Kasumi was in awe. She was standing in the same room as four of the most powerful people in the galaxy, and they were here to discuss Shepard. She knew his reputation as the Savior of the Citadel, but never did she think he commanded this much influence. Suddenly the store discounts that surprised her before became insignificant.

The Council members couldn't deny his effect either. Even after they criticized him about his fixation on the Reapers and working with "an avowed enemy of the Council" as the asari put it, they still gave him back his Spectre status before wishing him well and signing off.

Afterwards, Anderson and Shep went and talked quietly. They were mostly catching up (What? Curiosity may have killed many cats, but it helped Kasumi stay very much alive). It was mostly amicable. Anderson showed less hostility than the thief assumed he would, though there was one point where the Councilor withheld information about a Kaiden Alenko. She noticed Shepard's shoulders slump in response, and his voice was heavy with guilt when he said he understood.

They left Anderson's office shortly after that, but, before they got to a cab station, Shepard said, "You two go on ahead. I have some personal business I need to take care of before I go back."

The salarian and turian nodded and left him without saying a word. Kasumi, however, stayed on Shep, her interest piqued. He ducked into a clothing store, made a few purchases, and changed into a nondescript shirt and jeans. He asked the clerk for the rest of his merchandise and armor to be delivered to the Normandy and gave the attendant the docking number.

Then, he was off again. For a while, it seemed Shep was just taking an easy stroll through the Presidium, weaving in and out of side paths and alleys before ending up on the same street he was on. If she didn't know better, Kasumi would think he had made her. But that was impossible. Her cloak was nearly perfect. There was no way he had seen her.

Finally, Shepard stopped in front of a treatment center, checking to make sure it was the correct place, and walked inside. A quick extranet search told Kasumi they specialized in post-traumatic stress disorder. He didn't seem to have PTSD. So why was he here?

"May I help you?" a smiling asari asked him from behind the reception desk.

"Yes. I'm looking for a Talitha Jefferson."

The asari's smile remained, but her eyes widened in either surprise or fear. "Talitha Jefferson has a restricted visitor list. The last person who tried to spend time with her nearly lost a large chunk of her hair. I'm afraid we can't allow you to see her unless she is okay-"

"REX!" a loud, singsong voice yelled from down the hall.

Almost immediately after the yell, Shep was nearly tackled by young woman. He quickly regained his footing before lifting this attacker and spinning her.

"Rex, I've missed you!" the young woman said once they stopped.

Shep's smile nearly split his face. "I missed you too, Tal." He turned to the receptionist. "Do you think it's okay for me to visit with her now?"

The asari nodded her head, staring at the two wide-eyed.

Tal nearly dragged Shepard to her room, the still cloaked Kasumi jogging behind just to keep up. Once they got inside, she pushed him down into a chair, bounced excitedly on her bed, and riddled Shep with questions.

"What happened to you? Why were you gone for so long? I heard you were dead. You didn't die did you? Does this mean you get your money back? What happened to your scar?"

"Talitha, Talitha," Shepard said calmly, stopping the young woman's rapid questioning. "Slow down and give me a chance to tell you.

"My ship was attacked two years ago, and I was hurt really bad. I was in a coma. Do you know what a coma is?"

Talitha nodded. "It's kinda like you're asleep for a long time."

"Something like that. Well, I was in that coma for two years. I was pretty burned up too. They had to replace some of my skin. When they fixed my face… when they put new skin… Let's just say you can't clone scars."

She reached out and touched the left side of his face just under the cheekbone. Kasumi guessed that was the place where the scar was.

"I like you better without the scar," Tal said. "It makes you look more like… more like you, Rex."

Shep softly patted her hand with his own. "So now you know what I've been going for two years. Now, tell me what's been happening with you."

Talitha broke into a long winded and excited speech about everything that has happened to her: how she met a new friend who got better and moved out, how she got a haircut she didn't like over a year ago, how she thought the food had turned for the worse for a few months before they got a new cook. There were minute details no one should have been able to remember, and yet Tal did.

Kasumi realized what was odd about the woman. She acted much younger than her age suggested. It was like a pre-teen was in a twenty-something body. As she stood against the wall of the room and watching her, Kasumi wondered what Talitha's story was, why she was like this.

Eventually, she was out of stories to tell. Shepard took the opportunity to turn the conversation to a more serious topic.

"I hear you nearly ripped someone's hair out, Tal."

The young woman wilted in front of him. "I didn't want to see her."

"Why not? I thought you liked visitors."

She shrugged.

"Talitha, please look at me." She was reluctant, but, when she did, Shepard continued. "Why did you attack her?

It seemed like minutes passed. He just sat there, watching her and waiting for an answer. Tal began to shift more and more uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Because seeing her, seeing anyone, reminded me that you stopped coming," Tal blurted, finally relenting. Kasumi could see the tears start to gather. "I thought I did something wrong. I thought you hated me."

Shep wasted no time, quickly rising from the chair, sitting next to her, and pulling her into a hug. "No, no, no," he cooed, kissing the top of her head. "I could never hate you, Talitha. You're part of my family."

The young woman cried into his shirt, almost two years of repressed fears and anxiety spilling out all at once. Shepard just held her, letting her know that he was there.

Kasumi felt very out of place. This was a special moment between the two, and she was intruding.

Once Tal's tears finally ceased, Shepard spoke in soft yet earnest tones. "I need you to understand something. I'm a soldier, Talitha. I go out into the galaxy and fight to protect those that need protecting. I put my life on the line almost every day. There may come a time where I don't come back, that I fall in the line of duty."

The young woman shook her head forcefully. "No, no, no…"

"Yes, Tal. It could happen. But I want you to know I'll always love you, even if I'm no longer around. And I'll always be with you."

"How…" she stammered, fighting back sobs. "How can you be with me if you aren't…?"

Shepard took a moment before answering the question. "Have I affected your life in some way? Sent it down some path you might not have found yourself?"

Talitha looked at him. Her red, water eyes spoke only one word: "Duh."

He laughed. "Well, just never forget that, and as long as you don't, I will always be a part of you, just like you're a part of me."

She didn't look convinced, but, before she could respond, a large yawn silenced her. Her eyes drooped like she could fall asleep right there on Shep's shoulder.

"Come on, Tal," he said soothingly. "You've had a big day. Get some sleep. I'll come back as soon as I can."

"You promise?" she asked dozily as she climbed between the sheets.

"I promise."

Then, Shepard left the young woman's room and exited the building. He stopped abruptly just inside an alley.

"You can turn off your cloak now, Kasumi."

She froze. There was no way he knew she was here. How could he?

"The doors stayed open longer than they usually do, like another person was leaving the room after us," he answered her unspoken question. "Plus, I noticed the shimmer of your cloak as I tried to lose you in those back alleys."

Kasumi brought up her omnitool and became visible again. "I'm impressed, Shep. Most people wouldn't notice stuff like that."

He smiled at her. "I'm an infiltrator too, Kasumi. I know about hiding in dark places and staying unseen. I was trying to get whoever was following me to attack by giving walking through secluded areas. When you didn't, I figured it must be you, and you just wanted to get a feel for the man leading this mission."

"Why didn't you say anything before if you knew I was following you?"

Shepard shrugged. "Because you have the right to know the man you're following. Besides, I have nothing to hide."

Kasumi nodded. She liked him the more she learned about him. Yet there was still one more burning question that she couldn't help but ask.

"Who was that?"

"Talitha Jefferson. I knew her and her family when I lived on Mindoir before the slaver attack. She was taken, but saved by an Alliance squad two years ago. She suffered severe PTSD and Stockholm syndrome. She managed to grab a gun from one of the guards and threatened the people trying to transfer her. I was called in to talk her down."

"Did you?" she asked.

Shepard nodded. "I visit her when I can, but that's not as often as I would like."

Kasumi digested that information, gleaning a bit more about Shep's character. He looked like he was reliving an old memory. His eyes were distant.

"We should head back to the ship," he said suddenly, startling her. "I'll answer any other questions you have along the way. Then, I can give you a proper tour and introduce you to the rest of the squad."

"Lead the way, Rex," she answered with a large smile.

He exhaled loudly, but a small smile betrayed his exasperation. "Garrus, the turian that was with me earlier, already gives me a hard time about that nickname. I don't need it in stereo."

She laughed. "Okay, okay. After you, Shep."

"I can handle that one," Shepard said as he started walking back to the cab station and the Normandy.