Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect, Twizzlers, or your mother.

A/N: Far too long in the making, here is chapter 18. I apologize for the tardiness, I've been busy on Third Street and small-town Colorado. Digitally. Edit: There's a bit of a question/rant at the bottom. nothing too important, and you can skip it if you'd like.

SR-1 Normandy.

February 11th, 218,. 12 P.M.

"I'm just saying, they need experience." I restate to the pacing Shepard. With no word from the Council, beyond to keep a far lower profile, we've merely kept our ears to the ground for any activity.

"Well, what do you suggest then?" Shepard concedes.

"We're looking into that matter for Admiral Kahoku, right? That could be a good start."

"It'll be dangerous." Shepard says again.

"True, but any combat will be dangerous. Without field experience, they won't be able to deal with Saren, or his Geth." This argument is the reason he's even considering it.

"I guess it'll be hard for them to get experience without actually getting it." He says.

"So you'll allow them on?" I ask. He nods, grudgingly. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." He warns. "You have to command them when we drop." He starts to walk back to the elevator.

"Cool.. Wait, what?"

(Tali POV)

"So, that's the score." Cory tells me. We stand in Engineering, myself for the obvious reasons, and Cory due to the lack of things to occupy his time, or so he says. He is very good with the code aspect of Engineering, so maybe it is his only reason.

"Okay. Where are we headed?" I ask.

"Voyager Cluster," He answers. "Some uninteresting, uncomfortable little planet is being used by a former-Alliance splinter-cell for research that is less than pretty. Kohaku said that these guys are behind that trap on Edolus."

"No wonder Shepard is so eager to get these guys then." I say, and he frowns a bit.

"Get these guys?" He asks, eyes now fully focused on my own.

"Well, that's what we're doing, right?" I ask, confused.

"There's more to it than that," He nearly spits, seemingly angry. "Tali, fighting the Geth is one thing; centuries of hate, mixed in with the fact that they're more software operating frames than actual people, makes the line clear. But organics? People, individual, with their own thoughts, loves, hopes and dreams? Are you willing to snuff that out?"

"W-what?" I'm halfway between bewildered, and pissed. "What do you mean. What do you think happened on the Citadel?"

"Fear, mixed with self-preservation." He answers, his emotions shifting in a way that makes me highly uncomfortable and defensive. "It was your first time, the first time you dealt death. And it has affected you."

"And how do you know that?" I ask bitterly, even more so because he's correct.

"It's written in your body language, the way you held that pistol when you shot that man. You were in shock, conscious processing what the subconscious was already trying to compartmentalize." He starts to pace a bit, no longer focused on me." I'm asking you now, are you able to pull the trigger again? Because if you aren't, if you hesitate, you, your teammates, they will pay the price. If you can't do it, then you don't have to. Being above killing a living person is far from weakness."

Again, his words ring with me, and drain my anger. "This mission is far too important for me to back away now." I start to explain, but I'm just as quickly cut off.

"You see, there is where you are wrong." He says. "You don't need to be here. There is nothing saying you can't walk away." He looks at me directly. "I don't say this to doubt your skills; on the contrary, you are more than capable for the kind of missions we are going to be on, in terms of skill. But mentally? There will be no room for hesitation."

"Why do you ask this?" The question is eating at me now.

"How old are you, Tali?" He asks, throwing the conversation in a completely different track.

"By Earth standards?" I take a moment with my Omni-Tool to convert the numbers. " 22, or so." Such a strange question.

"About what I figured. And how old do you think I am?" 'Where is he going with this?'

"Shepard's age, maybe? I'm not very good with judging age." I confess, shuffling a bit. He chuckles, but there's no real humor in it.

"Tali, I'm a year younger than you are." I look at him in shock. 'That means.. Oh, Ancestors.'

"I took my first life long before what made me.. What I am, happened." He explains. "Just a scared, pissed kid. I've never developed morals the way I should have, or a conscience. Only a.. Presence, a silent Voice, shutting out emotion and thought in life-threatening situations." I want to say something, but the words are stuck in my throat. " Sometimes, not even my life. I'm a killer, Tali. Death and I, we have an established relationship."

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask, finally able force the question out.

"Because, I don't want you to become like me, heartless and cold." He trails off at this.

"You've seemed anything but, for as long as I've known you." I soon realize the stupidity of my own words. 'I've only known him for a few days. He could be a madman! And yet, he seems.. Anything but.'

"To most, I hold little regard for their lives, unless it affects me in some direct way." There is no real tone in his voice, yet there it rests in his eyes: guilt, and sadness. Emotions buried, but existent.

"I don't buy it." I say evenly, and he raises an eyebrow." You feel what you have done, and you know it. You don't want to feel it, but you do. And that proves you aren't heartless." He smirks a bit at this, but doubt is etched on his face.

"You sound frighteningly similar to an old friend of mine."

(POV Cory)

"Goddess!" Dark blood dripping off of gray armor. A face, panicked. Enemies approaching under cover fire. No time for anything thought out, then.

Forty-five minutes earlier

"Okay, scans show three separate buildings, each one occupied by the same people who laid the trap for those marines." Shepard is in full soldier mode now, although it seems like a cheap suit; fitting in all places, but comfortable in none. "As soon as we hit one place the rest will be tipped off, so we're going to split off and hit each building at the same time. I'll drive in close with the Mako, but far enough for everyone to dismount and get in position quietly."

"These are research bases, not hardened targets, but they do have security, including exterior anti-armor turrets. Infantry should be able to avoid their FOV's long enough to get inside. Questions so far?"

"Yes," Comes the voice of Kaiden. "Do we have any idea what they are researching? It could be hazardous."

"I've considered this," Shepard replies. "We'll go in with sealed gear, able to compartmentalize and peel off individual sections. Also, each team will have a biotic, and hazmat gear. Anything else?" He looks around at the group, but nobody voices any additional questions. "Alright, suit up. We're dropping in fifteen minutes." I stop him as the group begins to disperse. "Yes?" He asks.

"Shepard," I start. "Are you sure sending us three," I gesture to Liara, Tali, and myself. "In as a team is a good idea?"

"You three are hitting the smallest building, and you trained them. They'll listen to you, and you know best what they're capable of." He reasons.

"Then send them with Garrus." I insist.

"Something wrong, Cory?" Shepard asks.

"I'm.. I'm not exactly a leader, Shepard." I mumble.

"Says the man who leads the boogymen of Echo Rho Tau." He chuckles.

"I hate that name, still," I grumble. "But that's not the point. I'm the figurehead, perhaps, but I don't issue them commands. We're equals. They're my senior, if you want to be technical about it."

"I'm not asking you to lead them by the hand," He says. "Just to get them in and out on this. You can do it, no question."

"I don't want their blood on my hands."

"Then make sure it isn't spilled."

"Um.. Didn't think this through." Shepard stares at the interior of the Mako, and I see the problem as well. Even with the space added by the new design Shepard ordered, there isn't enough room for eight armored people. Even with everyone jammed into the smaller seats, two people are left standing.

"Welp," I start. "Kaiden, you're gonna have to sit in my lap buddy."

"Wha?" He looks at as though I 'd suggested he jumps out of the cargo door without a parachute.

"Well, I'm not going to make one of the ladies sit in my lap. That would be inappropriate." I add with a jaunty wink at the mentioned. Two of them look a bit flustered, and the third flips me off. You can guess who is who. "Liara can sit on Williams."

"And why is that?" The latter barks.

"Well, Tali is going to be on the instrument controls, and you don't want to sit in Liara's lap." I say, acting confused. "Do you?" If looks could kill...

"He has a point, Chief." Shepard adds in, watching the spectacle with amusement clear on his face.

"Fuu- Whatever. Let's just get this over with." She says as she climbs in.

"You know," Garrus mentions as he starts to climb in himself. "That'll probably bite you in the ass."

"Eh, gotta enjoy the little things."

"Commander. We are in position."

"Understood. Everyone is ready. Do it."

I nod to Tali, stacked up on the other side of the door, and pull the pin on an M-84 as the doors open. As soon as it goes off, we move in as one, taking cover and assessing the situation. Squarish room, multiple contacts caught off guard. Containment field in the center, holding...

"What is that?" Liara asks. Rachni.

"Open fire." I bark. And the order is followed. My own safety snaps off as my sights come up on the sniper in the back, temporarily exposed. Four rounds leave him no option to correct his mistake, blood spraying over the woman behind him, and she receives the same treatment before she can react. I turn to look on the other side of the room, an explosion cutting my thoughts short

"Ahhh!" A high pitched scream, punctuated by shotgun fire.

"Echo!" Comes the voice of Tali, and I rush over. Liara is slumped against the pillar, blood dripping down her armor, and a Cerberus soldier dead across from her. Hyperventilating, Liara looks at me, silently begging for help. The other soldiers are using the distraction to try to move up. Act now.

I rise, forcing one of the computer stations into the path of the soldiers, effectively blocking one side of the area from them, and spraying the rest of my magazine down the path, forcing them back. "Tali, other pillar!" She nods, moving to it and dumping pellets at speeds too fast to follow. I take a knee next to the still-panicking woman. "Hey!" I yell, and she focuses on me. "Look at me."

"This blood isn't yours. Wrong color." She looks at it, trying to force herself to be calm. "When that field goes down, I need you to fling that beast as hard as you can at those soldiers, you hear me?" I keep her attention, and she hesitates only a moment before nodding shakily. "You can do it." I stand up, tossing my only remaining flash for cover and moving to Tali.

"Plan?" She asks, now firing her P90.

"Hack that console, open up the containment field." She looks at the console in question behind us. "Now would be good." I mention, and she scrambles to it. New magazine already loaded without my actual focus, I keep the heads of the remaining guards down as best I can. I see the containment wall flicker, then fail altogether. "Liara, now!"

(Bannon POV)

"Why are we even under attack?!" Wells asks. "I thought we came out here to be away from people!"

"Shut up!" I bark as Vera is cut down by that strange weapon in the hands of the big one. "Kill them already! Owen, head for that con-"

"Liara, now!" Comes the synthesized bark of the big one. It's only then I realize that the containment field is down.

The next minute seems to be a bad dream as an enraged and partially-blinded monster stabs and spits at anything it can. I'm lucky, if you can call it that. It's rear end smashed me into the wall, leaving me dazed and watching in horror as my friends and colleagues are butchered. As I gain coherent thought, I realize that the gunfire has stopped, and the beast is still standing, injured, it's sights turned on me. I want to look away, but my eyes focus on the creature that is going to claim my life.

It never gets that close. As it nears, a swath of gunfire from behind it finally topples the half-dead nightmare. I look at my saviors, only to get a fresh burst of fear as I see my face partially reflected in a silver visor. Adrenaline courses through my veins as I reach for my Avenger. My hand reaches the grip before a boot comes down on it. But the stinging in my hand doesn't even register when the other boot comes smashing down on my arm, I can feel the bone grate out of place as the sheer agony swims up my arm and into my head.

"AAAGHH!"

"Shut up." The voice is distant and muffled to my agonized mind. "Commander, building secured. Things on your end?" He, and I can tell it's a he now, asks, his voice less distorted without the helmet on. And oddly familiar. I turn to see him as best I can form my awkward position, now pinned on my stomach by his armored knee.

"Ep.. Epsilon?" He turns his head sharply towards me, ignoring the voice relaying information from his radio. He looks at me only for a moment, before an armored fist smashes into my temple. My vision swimming, I want to puke as words are exchanged above me, but I pay no attention to them.

"We have a location for their base of operations. Shut down the exterior turrets and we'll come pick you up. Shepard, out." I look from the face regarding me to the Quarian standing beside the Asari, both looking at Epsilon for instruction. 'Who are these people?'

My thoughts are interrupted by a click, and a barrel resting against my swelling temple. My ears register a bang as my vision turns white.

A/N: (Listed information not important, but thoughts) Morning everyone! (Well, it's five a.m. here at least) I'm so sorry for the delays. Life, though :S. I had people P.M. me (Then block replies, cowards) crapping on my story, while providing no actual input. Really? Give me a reason you don't like the story that actually makes sense, please. And if you care that much, explain what you would like different, rather than ranting like a nine-year old playing an fps. Part of their whining? My choice in weaponry. If you'll actually consider it, using both old and new tech would give an edge in unconventional warfare. The reason (I would think) why the other races wouldn't do this is because they're stuck in the Eezo rut, and confine themselves to it, for the most part. Even humans. Guys, if you don't like the story, help me make it better. Or write your own, if you wish. But don't just flame it then hide. It only makes you seems pathetic, like a person with nothing to do with their time but insult people, while giving the other person no chance for reply. I'm doing this story for the people :] So make it better for everyone. Whew, rant over. In other news, Check out Redentor and his do's and don'ts on self-inserts. It provides an interesting, if slanted, view on the subject. A cynical view is often intelligent, if unfeeling.