Shepard's hand ran through his hair for probably the fifth time since he started their meeting. He didn't want to know what it looked like at this point.

"The Mu Relay links to dozens of systems and hundreds of worlds. There's no telling which of them Saren could be interested in." Liara informed him, again. He frowned at the asari.

"Any of them with more beacons?"

"It's hard to say. Yes, there are Prothean ruins in that part of space, but any beacon he may have found may not have been reported to the council. I don't know of any previously known ones."

"And the ruins you do know of? Where are they?"

"Many places. They were a vast empire, Shepard. Truly an amazing civili-"

"You've mentioned." Ashley grumbled, her gaze icy on Liara.

Shepard glanced at her, frowning slightly, before looking back to Liara. "Compile a list of Prothean ruins that can be accessed through the Mu Relay. We need something to go on." He glanced over at Tali. "Have you heard of geth venturing into that region of space before now?"

The quarian gave a small shrug. "Sorry, Commander. We weren't aware of them going beyond the Veil until Saren called them here. They could be anywhere." The small woman slumped.

"Of course." Shepard grumbled, enhancing Tali's already desolate appearance and earning an irritated frown from Garrus, who moved to nudge the quarian encouragingly. "Alright, we need something. Anything. This bastard knows we're after him, and so far he's beat us at every turn. We need to catch him before he gets to the Conduit, or hits another colony." He pounded his fingers thoughtfully on his armrest. "Tali, any intel you get on geth movements and concentration areas, let me know." She gave a small nod. The commander frowned. "Until the Council can give me something real to work off of, we're flying blind out here. We'll be running a few Alliance ops until we figured out where Saren ran off to, but he is still our priority. If you find any information that might seem even potentially useful, bring it to me." He surveyed the faces of his squad, all staring at him dismally. "We will take him down. There's no way he's getting away with what he's done. Dismissed."

His companions stood to leave, Alenko lingering slightly as he rubbed his temple. Shepard studied the man for a moment. "You good, Alenko?"

"Yes, sir. Just a migraine. Pushed myself a little too hard with some biotic exercises, but I'll be fine."

The commander frowned. "Do all biotics get migraines? Is that why Liara's fainting all the time?" At least that would help explain our delicate flower.

To his astonishment, the lieutenant snorted a little in amusement. He didn't know the man had a sense of humor. "Couldn't say, Commander. My migraines are because of my L2 implant – it's the outdated version. L3's typically don't have them. And compared to the other complications, I'm lucky all I get is a headache."

Shepard nodded. "Come on, I've got something that might help." Alenko frowned, looking confused and a little doubtful, but Shepard waved him forward and started off towards the stairs. The lieutenant followed dutifully. "Wait here." Shepard said quickly, gesturing towards a table in the mess. He ducked into his cabin and rummaged through his stash, pulling out his prize. Alenko was watching him cautiously as he approached, obviously uncomfortable.

"Sir, you really don't need to bother. They go away on their own eventually, and this one isn't too bad…" His eyes fell on Shepard's hands as the commander put down a few mugs and a tube of instant coffee. "Is that coffee?"

Shepard grinned at the enthusiasm in the other man's voice. "Damn right. Always keep some with me. No matter how much we stock up during resupply, it's always the first thing to run out." He set about getting some water heated, then brought the thermos over to where the lieutenant was seated. He poured the water over the crystals and sat down, reveling in the scent. "It's not gourmet, but it's better than those little liquid shit pods we usually get." He grouched, smirking a little. Kaidan grinned, obviously agreeing with the commander's assessment.

The two sat in silence for a while, Shepard pouring over a datapad for the fiftieth time, trying to discern new information on the Reapers. His mind was constantly pulsing with the beacon's vision. The destruction, the screams, Sovereign's looming image in front of unknown planets. It was infuriating knowing he had part of the answer in his mind, but no way to know what it might mean. He needed the information Saren had. He couldn't let whatever had destroyed the Protheans so completely do the same to them.

"You were right, Commander." Kaidan interrupted his thoughts, and Shepard glanced up at the biotic in surprise.

"I was?"

"About the coffee." The lieutenant continued. "I think the caffeine is helping. Thanks."

He brought the coffee up to take a sip, letting the warm, bitter liquid make its way down his throat. Now that's the shit. Shepard shrugged. "Does the trick for me usually. I've always got some whiskey too, if you need a little something extra."

Kaidan grinned. "I might take you up on that some time, sir. Nothing better than a good whiskey. Except maybe some cold Canadian lager."

"Can't say I've ever tried a Canadian brew. I'll keep an eye out for some when we hit the Citadel." He took another sip, slumping down a little in his seat as Chakwas walked by behind Kaidan. The woman had been watching him like a hawk the last few days, sitting him down every night for a little sharing session. It was miserable, but he grudgingly had to admit his nightmares were fading slightly. Whether that was a credit to the doctor or a rather uneventful time since their landing on Edolus, he couldn't say.

"Oh, with a nice steak, you can't do better." The lieutenant adopted a dreamy look.

"Shit, I don't know the last time I had real meat." Shepard felt his mouth water. "I think I'd probably kill for a steak right about now."

Kaidan chuckled. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, relishing in the thought of real, non-processed food. The lieutenant studied Shepard for a minute, gathering up some courage to speak. "Commander, I wanted to thank you." Shepard gave him a quizzical look. "For what you did on Feros."

"We did what we could. If we had gotten their sooner, we might have been able to catch Saren." Shepard sighed, once again ruffling his hair with his hand. "And maybe save a few more of those colonists."

"Still, you saved everyone you could, and staying behind to help them with repairs... It felt good, being able to do something for them. I was worried, after Jeong, you'd just do whatever it took to complete the mission - even if it meant plowing through those colonists."

"Jeong was a danger to Zhu's Hope. He threatened to take all of their lives." The commander's voice was low, dangerous. "I wasn't going to let him get away with that." Why is it they all have to comment on that? It had been days since Feros. You would think the Thorian would be the thing they'd remember.

The biotic held up his hands in surrender. "I know, sir. I'm not questioning your decision." He gave a nervous chuckle. "Just remind me not to piss you off."

The commander rolled his eyes. "I've got a bit of a temper. I'm working on it."

"Yeah, Ashley said you've been talking to the doc." Good to know there's still doctor-patient confidentiality. Kaidan looked up fearfully from his cup, obviously realizing he had said too much. He really is a damn gossip. "Sorry, sir. Small ship. Chakwas is good though, she's helped me a lot. With my migraines, and other stuff."

Shepard simply grunted in acknowledgement, and finished his cup. "Here, take this. I have more." He tossed Kaidan the tube of instant coffee. "Let me know if you want some of that whiskey. Now, get ready to suit up, we're headed to Luna Base to fight a computer." Kaidan nodded, grinning as he caught the coffee.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Admiral Hacket on the QEC again, Commander. When is he going to take you out to dinner?"

Shepard sighed as Joker's voice came over the intercom, glancing at Pressly who looked scandalized by the pilot's suggestion. He glanced over his shoulder, across the CIC and down the hall to the cockpit. Joker gave him a wave, his seat swiveled around to watch the commander's reaction. Shepard just shook his head and walked towards the comm room.

"Make sure its somewhere nice!"

Of course, the pilot had a point. A mission on Earth's moon, a crazed biotic compound, reactivating a few listening posts after rogue rachni attacks, rescuing a politician from yet more fanatic biotics - Shepard was getting a little sick of the errand boy routine, but he owed Hackett, and when an Admiral asks you to take care of something personally, you get it done. Not to mention, they had jack shit on Saren's whereabouts, and the Council was being less than helpful in providing any illuminating information.

He queued up the comm, hands pulled behind his back as he stood up at attention. Hackett was old, but the man was intimidating – hard, tough, and with a zero bullshit attitude that Shepard both respected and was a little wary of. He had been on the receiving end of a few of Hackett's reprimands, and had no wish to relive the experience.

"Commander. I understand from Anderson you had worked with Rear Admiral Kahoku a few weeks back."

"Yes, sir. He requested I check in on some missing marines. I found them on Edolus, they had been taken out by a thresher maw. I sent a report on the situation to him."

Hackett nodded, staying silent for a few moments. His grizzled face held the same severe expression it always had. "Kahoku has disappeared. He left the Citadel a few days ago in a hurry. He hasn't reported in to the Citadel or Alliance command, but we believe he had found something connected to those missing marines. I looked over the report you sent him. You mentioned a planted beacon?"

"Yes, sir. There was a non-Alliance distress beacon activated right on top of the thresher maw's tunnels. Kahoku's men must have been responding to it as well. It seemed like a lure, but I didn't see evidence of who might have set the trap, or why." The commander tried to keep his face neutral. I was a little too preoccupied to play detective.

"I want you on this, Shepard. He was investigating an Alliance black ops group that may have gone rogue."

Of course. More rogue agents. "What group?"

"They're called Cerberus. The organization is fishy to begin with – pro-human, borderline extremists. I'm not sure what work they've done for our side, but whatever they're up to now, I doubt it falls within Alliance regulations. They've been known to do some morally questionable things in the name of humanity."

"You think they have Kahoku?"

"Yes. I think they caught him asking too many questions, and with their track record, he's likely in danger. I want you to find him, Commander. Figure out what part Cerberus is playing in this. We can't risk them becoming a threat to the Alliance and our allies."

"I'm on it, sir. Any clue where he was headed?"

"Binthu, in the Voyageur Cluster. There's a remote Cerberus facility there. I don't know what work they do, but no doubt he went to find out." Hackett shifted, releasing his tight professional pose to reach for his own controls. "Report in when you find him, Commander. Hackett out."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is gross." Ashley groaned, shaking her boot free of the gunk left by the Thorian creeper. "How are these things even still alive? We killed that nasty plant thing back on Feros."

Shepard smirked. "Sorry, Ash. I didn't know you were afraid of getting a little dirty. I'll make sure to lay my coat down for you next time."

"Oh, shut up." She rolled her eyes and smacked his armored shoulder as she walked by, heading back towards the entrance. "Really though, what are they doing with these things? And rachni, too. How is it they're researching these things we just found out existed?" The soldier had a point, Shepard admitted to himself. Cerberus seemed incredibly well-informed, as well as being incredibly hostile. They had attacked Shepard's crew on sight, confirming his assumptions of their wrongdoing. And the Thorian creepers, the little, skittering rachni workers, and still no trace of Admiral Kahoku… What the hell are these people trying to do?

"Hackett said they were black ops. They must have moles in different organizations. We know they were in with ExoGeni, from the files we found in their headquarters." Shepard murmured as they walked outside, hoisting himself into the Mako. Ashley climbed into the passenger seat, having argued with the others that seeing where they were going made her more able to tolerate Shpeard's driving – and Shepard allowed it, being no longer able to tolerate her stubbornly vying for the wheel. The rest of the squad piled in back, Wrex grumpily occupying the majority of the space. It was unnecessary to take them all, but Shepard could tell the team was getting restless sitting around the Normandy, waiting for a lead on Saren. He needed to keep them busy. "I'm sure they had a few operatives on Noveria as well."

"Why though?" Ashley asked, glancing at him. Shepard caught her gaze, smiling at the curiosity in her brown eyes. She had seemed pretty flat to him, at first. But now… She was strong and stubborn, compassionate and opinionated. She was a marvel to him. He shrugged in response to her question, starting the engine and throttling forward. It was Liara, to Ashley's obvious dissatisfaction, who answered.

"Both the Thorian and the Rachni queen possessed the ability to influence their lessers through forms of telepathy. Perhaps Cerberus is studying this?"

Ashley huffed, and Shepard could see from the expression on her face that she wasn't planning on responding. Apparently she still had no love for the asari, despite her beginning to warm up to the other aliens on the crew. "We just need to find Kahoku and shut them down. Whatever they're doing, it can't be anything good if they are trying this hard to hide it." He swerved to avoid a boulder. Tali squeaked as Wrex was jolted over, crushing her.

He slammed on the brake and quickly exited the Mako, pulling his pistol out of its holster as he approached the door. The others followed, jostled by the sudden stop, and prepared similarly. He held his hand up then waved them through the door as he opened the door and checked that the hall was clear. He led the squad down the hall to another door. The two bases before had been very similarly constructed – an entrance hall to a main room, filled with computers, scientists, their subjects, and Cerberus commandos. All had tried to kill them in both of the previous buildings, so the commander held a cautious stance that was mirrored by his team. His hand hovered over the door control and he glanced to the rest of them, nodded, and then pressed it.

"I will destroy you!"

Why the fuck do they keep saying that? Who says that? Shepard answered their welcoming party with a few well-placed shots to the head and ran to cover. The squad worked quickly, firing weapons and biotic attacks until the Cerberus soldiers lay dead. The barrier remained up.

"Rachni?" Garrus came up beside him. He glanced at the turian and nodded.

"Looks like it. One of the big ones, this time." The commander's brow furrowed as he looked to the beast's feet. "There's a body in there."

Garrus' mandibles fluttered inquisitively. "Who's?"

"Can't tell from here. Tali, can you shut this barrier down?"

"Yes, Commander. I can do that." The quarian chirped enthusiastically, walking hurriedly over to the controls.

"Alright, everyone get in cover. I'm sure this thing will love to give an example of its wonder spit again." Shepard grinned at Ashley, who gave an exasperated sigh and sank down behind a computer console beside him. The rest of the squad took cover as the barrier wavered, Tali running to a nearby pillar as she finished her work. The containment shield disappeared, and the rachni screeched and shuffled towards them. To prove the commander's point, it spat a projectile of its green acid towards them, the substance burning into one of the consoles. Shots answered it from every member of the squad.

"Nasty bugs." Ashley murmured as they walked towards its corpse. Surveying the damage it had done to the console, and then remembering the soldier's previous experience with the creatures, Shepard couldn't help but agree. He walked past her towards the body, clad in Alliance dress blues. He slowed as he recognized the man, despite extensive burns.

"It's Admiral Kahoku." Shepard growled, crouching beside him. "The bastards trapped him in here with the rachni." He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"We've got to get him back to the Citadel. He deserves a funeral." Kaidan walked up beside Ashley, his eyes remorseful. Shepard nodded.

"Come on, let's get him to the Normandy. Hackett needs to hear about this." He sighed. They were too late, again. "Tali, anything in their files?"

"No, Shepard. They wiped these, just like the other bases. They knew we were coming." The quarian answered, slumping regretfully.

Fucking story of my life. "Alright. We'll look for info on their movements when we get to the Citadel, and inform the Alliance of their taste for assassination. They'll get what's coming to them." Another mystery with another dead end. He glanced at the rachni corpse, and his head pounded again with the Prothean's warning. Cerberus wanted the rachni for something, Benezia had used them for their knowledge of the Mu Relay… There were too many coincidences and too few answers. He stood and motioned for them to move out, trying to push down his frustration. They were running out of time.