Kaidan could feel the tempest of emotion coming off Shepard in waves. She had been enraged that he had pried into a part of her life that she had never disclosed to him, a part of her life she activity hid from the world. She was in shock that he had managed to track down an image of her long dead father as a gift to her but she could not bring herself to be comfortable with the idea that there were still records out there that tied her old life together and Kaidan even in an act of love had managed to bring all that back to the surface when there was so much else going on at the time.

"Kaidan I know what you were trying to do." If she had been taken by surprise by the image she pulled it together quickly enough. Her eyes had been misted over but only for a second, her voice weak.

She sighs and closes the holo of the man long gone, her expression impossible to read but he knows she is steeling herself. She trails her finger along the pistol's barrel before slipping it onto her waist and pulling her sweatshirt over it. Folded and on her back it was impossible to notice in the baggy layers of material.

Since the incident with Balak he had been nagging her to take a weapon with her whenever she went on the Citadel but she had proved more than once she was capable of defending herself even unarmed. Apparently all it had taken to get her to acquiesce was to give her the one weapon she had sentimental attachment to.

"Kaidan thank you. It really was very sweet. "She gives him a smile that does not touch her eyes but the misty eyed surprise as well as the anger for delving into her past was gone. Left was just the Shep who sucked at expressing herself giving way to the Commander Shepard who had a galaxy to save.

"Come on. We have some things to take care of before debarking. "She spins on her heel and exits the double doors without waiting to see if he was following.

The walk back to the Normandy was silent. Shepard was lost to her memories and Kaidan wondered to himself if the Pandora's Box of memories he had just opened would impact any of the careful arrangements they had been working on with Aria.

At the airlock to the ship Kaidan reaches out and touches Shepard's hand lightly. She gives a light squeeze as the decomp dings their passage. He chooses to take that as a good sign.

"EDI who is on the ship currently?" She asks, rounding the galaxy map. It was still four hours before any of the crew was scheduled back. Shepard had arranged a vidcom with Hackett and wanted to go over thing before they left for Asari space.

"You and the Major are the only ones aboard currently. " The AI responds.

"Good. I want a lock down until I am off the horn with Command. Everyone stay ashore until we are done."

"Very good Commander."

The green lights turn orange as they enter the war room and Shepard picks up some datapads to check over supplies which Cortez had been able to track down.

"You haven't had a chance to look over any of the ones Dr. Sanders gave you have you? "Kaidan asks already knowing the answer.

"Not even close. I figure I can do that once we jump. Right now we got to get the green light from the Brass." She gestures into the Comm room with the data pads and follows him in. She dials up Artcurus Command and frowns as it takes a few tries to connect. Another constant reminder they were running out of time. Every day systems went dark or a comm buoy went out as the Reapers took more and more territory.

The image of Hackett appeared in blue. Kaidan knew the image was real time and the Admiral looked worn, apparently Shepard was not the only one pushing the brink to end this. With a quick nod he starts.

"Shepard I got your report but I have to be honest. It is more long shots than I am really comfortable with. Too many unknowns."

"Agreed sir. But we got the go ahead from the Asari Councilor as well as some peripheral support."

"Yes including the Pirate Queen. I saw that little detail." He frowns and the image wavers. "I am not comfortable with you going into Cerebrus controlled territory alone. How can we trust Aria?"

"We can't sir. But with all due respect, the last time I was requested to go alone on a mission the person who sent me I trusted a hell of a lot more than her and it didn't prevent it from going to hell in a hand basket." She pauses as she lets her words sink in before continuing. Kaidan was not sure he liked the implications of that comment but he would have to ask Shepard about it later.

" Besides we both know we need the Terminus system for supplies and communications. If Aria say we can take it back we need to try."

"One week Commander. That is the most I will grant. And now your second request is ….more than a little unconventional. "

"I know Admiral but you said it yourself we need to preserve the chain of command. With me out of range for the week I think this is the closest we are going to get for a trial run."

"Yes but a Turrian? What about Vega? It is not like you to disagree with Anderson's recommendation."

"Between the heirachry and C-Sec Vakarian has more experience co-ordinating and logistics. Even on board he is working with the Primarch and Generals on Manea. Vega would be good for field command but being in charge of the Normandy would be too much of a jump in a time of crisis. I do not disagree with Anderson's appraisal of Vega for the N program."

Hackett does not look convinced but he did not naysay Shepard. The Admiral knew Shepard knew her people like no one else. Kaidan just wished she had bothered to divulge all her plans with him. He had not been comfortable with her plans but he could see her reasoning.

"Okay we can try it permitted Major Alenko agrees. With the Normandy on Lessus he will be acting Captain."

Kaidan acting captain of the Normandy. Garrus as his XO and Shepard going off alone to Omega. This was all beyond insane. But it was Shepard and he knew she never did anything without good reason and careful planning.

"Yes sir. I think we can accomplish more on two fronts. And I agree with Shepard's assessment of Garrus, he is one of the best soldiers I have ever served with, human or otherwise."

Hackett folded his arms and looked thoughtful for a moment. The Admiral had made a name for himself during the First Contact War but had always supported the Alliance's joint projects. Leading the Crucibile project with so many races working together had given him a new understanding of how the Normandy's crew could be so effective. He nods his agreement.

"Keep me posted. I want to talk to you once you reach Lessus. Before you leave Shepard." He gives her a stern warning before his signature. "Hackett out."

Now it was his turn to be angry. How could Shepard just have sprung this all on him? He knew she was planning on going to Omega but alone? It was suicide, Cerberus would have her head. And him as acting Captain for a week while he was running a would be biotic boot camp?

"What the hell Shepard." Was all he could muster.

"Green lighted." She had a sly smile on her face as she walks past him. He reaches out and grabs her shoulder spinning her back to face him. She was not going to walk away from this conversation. The look on Shepard's face is one of surprise. It was not like Kaidan to lose his temper especially with her but this was way beyond the limits.

"Shepard. Tell me you didn't do this….tell me this isn't a suicide run. Tell me you plan on coming back." His voice threatened to crack but he needed to see her face, to read her eyes. He had been trying to keep that thought out of him mind but once he had spoken it, he knew that was his real worry.

"Kay." She reaches up and puts her hand on his cheek." I played it straight. Honest. We need the Terminus open and better the devil we know than the devil we don't. Aria has nothing to gain by getting me killed or turning me over to Cerberus. Besides I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

"Care to share them with your nervous boyfriend?" He could feel his pulse in his ears but the cool touch of her palm on his cheek and the compassion in her eyes went a long way to defuse him. Damn her.

"Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson. It is too dangerous for them to go to Omega but they both had high level security clearance." She explained as if it was the most logical thing in the word to go to the ass end of the galaxy with cut-throat mercs.

" A week isn't a lot of time to arrange a hostile takeover." He points out. He knew Shepard was determined but he still felt he had to at least point out when she was being utterly impossible.

"I am not going there to make it a functioning democracy Kaidan. I am going in covert, do an ass load of property damage and make sure Cerberus feels it when they get ejected out an airlock." She had that wicked smile on again. "Besides you guys will be so busy on Lessus I'd just get in the way. "

"Just promise me you will be careful."

"As careful as I can be." And he knows that is the best she can offer as comfort. That was just her way.

Shepard steps away from him and picks up the datapads she had been looking at. Scrolling through the updates Kaidan can see the worry line between her eyebrows as she glances up at the door lock still glowing orange. Something had caught her ire.

"EDI we are locked down. Who else is on the ship?"

"No one Commander."

Shepard frowns and looks at the readout of the ships oxygen and power levels. To Kaidan it is all just numbers but then again he never bothered to check those unless there was a leak reported. He looks up from the pad in her hand and Shepard's face is hard. She is in motion, heading back toward the elevator and punching in her authorization code .

"Shepard? What the hell is going on?"

"The bitch is testing me. I knew this was going to easy." Her teeth grind and she is squeezing her hands into fists. "Kaidan you might want to leave. This might get ugly." She warns as she sets into the elevator."

"Shepard you are not making much sense. And you are worrying the hell out of me. What is going on?" He steps in behind her. Whatever got her so angry was not something he wanted to have her face alone.

"I knew Aria was going to try something. She wants to prove she has some sort of power. Problem is I am not a kid anymore and I don't have time for her games." The elevator stops and they step out.

As soon as the doors shut Shepard puts in a code on her omni and the doors lockdown turning red behind them. She walks over to the armory and grabs two helmets and tosses it to Kaidan who is looking at her as if she had completey lost her mind.

Walking over to Cortez's desk she punches in the command code for the bay doors to open with her right and removes the pistol he had returned to her from her left. As the atmo begins to drain from the room they put on their helmets and Shepard shouts out to the empty cargo hold.

"You have 30 seconds before the room is drained of oxygen. And 35 before I start venting subfloors into space. After that I lose my patience." Shepard steps between the two tables, pistol in hand.

The room is utterly still. The low hiss of escaping oxygen and the opening door revealing the nebula behind making the rooms temperature drop. Kaidan is beginning to worry if all the stress has finally made Shepard paranoid when movement behind the Kodiak catches his eye and is then gone.

Shepard pops a heat sink into her pistol. Her voice from her helmet even colder than the room.

"10 seconds."

An Asari comes out from behind the shuttle, her hands up but a smirk on her face. It takes Kaidan a moment before he realizes this woman now in commando leathers was one of the dancers Shepard had noticed in Purgatory earlier.

"And the other." Shepard says her gun pointed squarely at the Asari's face. Another figure drops down from a set of crates. Shepard does not even flinch but keeps the gun pointed at the first, tilting her head she orders the second to stand beside her companion.

"Aria said it wouldn't work. I did not agree. Very good Commander." The first speaks.

"Kaidan punch it. You two on your knees, hands behind your heads."

He puts in the command sequence and the bay seals. It takes a few moments but the oxygen levels return to normal. He takes off his helmet and looks at the three. Shepard pulls up her omni and places a call.

"Heads or tails?" Shepard asks her voice harsh.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Aria answers not sounding pleased.

"Which piece of the stowaways I should send you after I space them out my airlock."

There is a pause and no one moves before the Pirate Queen answers.

"And here I was sending you a gift of two of my best PJ. The least you could do is offer them hospitality, you know for old times' sake."

"If you needed transport to the planet you should have asked."

"Well now that wasn't part of our deal." The Pirate Queens voice drips with sarcasm before the line is cut.

Shepard grinds her teeth before addressing the two Commandos.

"On your feet. Start talking."

The two cooperated Aria's story. They were in fact the same two from the club, sent by Aria to help with the biotics being sent to train against the Reapers. They had been shown the Normandy in port by two officers one very muscular and boastful the second more reserved but neither had been suspicious. From there it was a simple matter of getting into an oxygen tunnel and waiting for the ship to leave before they informed their host of their presence.

"Maybe if your boss paid as much attention to Omega as I do my ship she wouldn't need my help getting it back. Come on you two are on lockdown till I decide what to do with you." The two looked surprised but knew well enough not to argue as Shepard lead them to the room Javik had taken up.

After depositing their guests and securing the door the two officers headed back to the loft in silence. Kaidan did not even know where to begin.

" Anderson's rule 1. Know thy ship." Shepard started shaking her head .

"But you knew Aria was up to something." He pointed out as she flops on the couch.

"I knew she would try something. Aria doesn't like to do things for others even when they are in her own best interest." But something was still bothering Shepard. He sat beside her and put an arm around her.

"What are we gonna do about Vega and Cortez?" He asks carefully.

"EDI send a message to dumb and dumber. Tell them I am revoking their shore leave and they have 30 mins to report in or else they can walk back to earth."

"Acknowledged. "

Shepard pinches the bridge of her nose. One more complication they didn't need right now.

"We can't let Samara anywhere near them either." She points out. "Her code will probably demand she kill them, at least until we get planet side. Ugh!"

"You know you are awful cute when you are frustrated." He tries to lighten the mood.

"Yea and scary when I do things like vent a room with us in it."

"Scary isn't the word I would use…. Initiating maybe commanding."

"Bullshit I saw your face." She sighs. " I'll understand if you don't want to be there when I rip those two a new one. It might work out for you if we play good cop bad cop while I'm away."

Kaidan just chuckles and gives her an affectionate squeeze. "We don't need to practice that's pretty much how it will fall out anyway. Besides I am taking careful notes."

"You asshole." She finally breaks a smile.

A/N I know I know I am so bad teasing you all saying I am back and then making you wait a week between updates! I'm sorry really! but this chapter was really kicking my behind. Any suggestions or comments are encouraged as the muse and I struggle.