12

His time in the hospital was not entirely wasted. Talking to the Drell had many benefits the least of which was getting a firsthand account of the events of the SR-2. He hated to admit it but every memory the assassin told rang true as something only Shepard could have pulled off.

"You were not with her in the final push?" Alenko asked one day just before he was discharged. He and Tali had been on the Citadel when they had taken down the thing that had once been Saren. And he could not recall the break downs of teams that it had taken to destroy the former Protheans. He just knew the outcome of the so called suicide mission.

"No I had been given another task." The Drell had a wistful smile. He templed his fingers together leaning forward in the lounge chair.

So far it had been a good day for the man. The cough spasm's had been infrequent enough. A direct result of seeing Shepard the day before Kaidan was almost positive but he could hardly blame the man. Hadn't he too been swept up in admiration of the Commander from the beginning at Eden Prime? That hero worship had grown into something more over time but Thane had seen her at her worst but also at her best by his own accounts and Kaidan grudgingly agreed.

"You know how the Collectors lured us away from the Normandy yes? How EDI and Joker saved the ship and contacted us? "He nods he had gotten the mission summaries from Anderson after the Collectors had been neutralized and was filling in blanks from Thane's perfect memories.

"Miranda enraged, blames Joker. Shepard enraged pushes between them glaring Lawson down teeth grinding "Stand down Lawson! You missed it. I missed it. We all missed it. He and EDI are the only reason we don't have to take a g'damn shuttle back to your Boss right now." "Don't even get me started about the damn AI." Miranda crosses her arms trying to look in control, intimidated." You knew the risks when you installed her. She could have left us out there not sending the distress call. Or vented the whole ship. Jeff went above and beyond and you better damn well be thankful." Miranda chastised, acknowledges Joker before the Commander. "What do we do now Shepard?" "We get our people BACK."

The Drell leans back in the lounge chair. Coming back to the present to catch his breath. Kaidan had heard some of this from Moreau last time they had drinks at Apollo but the way the Drell was able to give such an exacting account made it all the more chilling. Besides who could take anything Joker said as truth? Somewhere between Anderson's files, Jokers bullcrap there was the truth. Thane just made it easier to find.

Kaidan had to admit the memories seemed to energize the former assassin. While normally conversing or exercising the man would become winded quickly but when reliving a memory he seemed strong again. Fluid in a way that showed his pain was gone and he had found the peace he had sought. This time Thane had sought the Major out.

"Major a query if you please."

"Sure Thane whats up?"

He had come to like talking with the Drell. He had even spoken to him about Udina's pending offer surprising himself.

" I know the human military adage 'never leave a man behind.' Does that hold true if the people are neither human nor military?"

Kaidan smiled at the question. He knew where this was going.

"It does to Shepard. She takes the crew and makes them hers. Even if she didn't like someone personally .Why do you ask?"

"The other day when we spoke you asked if I was with her on the final charge and I remarked it always seemed Shepard had other plans." He gestures to the two chairs by the window overlooking the Citadel that had become their local haunt as of late.

"Yea the reports show she had to split teams up multiple times."

"Yes we had reformed in the main room where the crew was being held. We broke them out many of them almost too weak to stand or frantic like Mrs. Chambers." Kaiden noticed this time the assassin was retelling the story not falling into the memory like he had previously.

"Everyone was accounted for but they were not soldiers, not warriors and certainly not in any condition to fight. She sent me with them to escort them to the ship." The Drell said simply but his features showed that something did not sit right with him about this.

"If anyone can get these people out of here it is an assassin. I protested saying this was not how it should be. If there came to a fight Grunt or Zaeed would be better choices. She pulled me aside, "look at them if they get spotted by the Collectors it is already too late. I nod looking at their draw and tired faces, faces I had come to know. She touched my arm lowering her voice "Saving lives is a hell of a better penance than asking forgiveness. Get our people home Thane."

"So you were upset because she sent you back. Ordered you to sit out of the fight." Kaidan could see Shepard's logic but something about it concerned Thane months after the fact.

"Yes her order made sense but I wonder if she did it for me and the crew or if she did not think I could have survived the final onslaught."