Chapter 6 - Unmasked

"This is Captain Roberts of the Cardinal Sin transmitting to planetoid base, please respond." Shepard lowered his omni-tool and glanced toward Joker. He had made sure he sat where he could easily see and communicate with his pilot. Conversely, Jack and Zaeed had a good view of the back of Joker's suspended flight chair. Shepard muted his transmission so he could speak freely to Joker. "Keep an eye on those scanners, Joker. If you detect that base targeting us, if you see any sign of possible attack, don't wait for my order. Get the barriers up and initiate phase one."

Joker did not glance away from the multiple haptic interfaces hovering before him. Shepard could see that the controls for the pod they sat in were currently inactive. They had sealed and pressurized the pod for convenience as they approached the base, but he wouldn't risk any chance of active systems giving them away when they initiated their plan. They were relying on a short range communication link to the active systems of the Cardinal Sin to allow Joker to remotely pilot the ship from his seat at the center of the pod and to monitor the ship's active and passive scanners. Joker almost whispered the "aye aye, Commander" that was his reply. Every crew member sat in silence, stillness, as if even in the vacuum of space a slight noise or movement would give their plan away. An instinctive defensive response that Shepard couldn't help but notice extended across species.

Having gained what information they could regarding the base's defenses from their earlier flyby they had formulated a plan to forcibly board the station if necessary. Shepard hoped they would not need that plan. If he could just get Prizrak to let them land they would have the advantage. Hell, if they were lucky it would be over without a shot fired. It was worth a try, though Shepard was not optimistic. If they were right, Prizrak was sitting on the Normandy with an hour to go before the deadline set by their unknown Quarian benefactor arrived. He wasn't likely to be interested in entertaining uninvited guests. Still, they were getting closer with each passing second, which would make their plan more likely to succeed.

Shepard raised his omni-tool again, speaking in a gruffer voice than usual, hoping it would help disguise his identity as well as help him get into the character of a pirate captain. He had considered using a modulator to change his voice, but Prizrak had already shown experience with such tricks. Better to keep it simple. "Come on down there. Our former captain had it from the Batarians that this base was here. He was kind enough to share that information before his recent retirement. Now we need some assistance. Respond."

Several seconds passed as the Cardinal Sin crawled closer to the Quarian base. Shepard began to hope that they could simply slip up unannounced and enter. Right. And maybe magical elves will simply hand you back the Normandy along with the secret to destroying the Reapers. Since it was all wishful thinking Shepard decided he may as well wish big. A moment later his omni-tool alerted him to an incoming transmission. "Cardinal Sin. This is base Nenavidel Dom. State your business."

Shepard looked to Joker and nodded. Joker eased the ship toward the base as casually as possible, leaning into his displays, watching intently for any sign of attack. Shepard took a breath and raised his omni-tool to transmit. "No problem, Nenavidel Dom. We're simply here to request assistance with necessary repairs. We took some damage after our arrival in system and it would be unsafe for us to try to translate out of the system until we make adequate repairs. We are able to barter for any supplies or services provided."

Shepard glanced to Tali as he waited for a response from the base. Since they were now simply travelers approaching a base to request assistance, they were using active scanners. Joker was watching for signs of attack, but Tali was gathering data to add to what they had gained from their previous passive scans. Shepard looked a question at her.

"I'm pulling what data I can, Shepard, but the base activated its barriers the moment we came out of FTL. I'm not seeing anything that would alter the plan, but I'll let you know if that changes."

Shepard frowned slightly. He had hoped they could pinpoint where the crew was, where Prizrak was, to help guide them when they got aboard the base. If they couldn't, then they would stick with their basic plan. Shepard refocused on his omni-tool as a new transmission arrived. "Your arrival was detected, Captain Roberts, as was the fact that your ship sat stationary for several hours after your arrival. Perhaps you would care to explain."

It wasn't phrased as a question, but Shepard knew it would be asked. He also knew that a lie was easier to sell if it contained a grain of truth. "After we arrived in system, we decided to have a surprise retirement party for our former captain. The party got a little out of hand and there was damage to the interior of the ship and to a number of systems. Damage that could be a problem for an honest merchant trying to navigate the Traverse. We had to hold position while we repaired what we could, but I am requesting your assistance with repairs we could not complete so that we can depart Sackgasse safely. As I indicated, we are able to barter for any parts or repair services."

"That explains your inactivity after your arrival, but not why you came to this system in the first place."

Given the remoteness of the system and absence of resources, any arrival would be suspicious. An arrival just following the theft of the Normandy would be a massive red flag. Shepard had prepared as best he could for the inevitable question. Not all of Shepard's crew agreed it was the best choice of lies, but it was what he chose to go with. "Our former captain dragged us here. He was on a delusional power trip that made it clear it was time for him to retire. He claimed he had sources on the Citadel and with the Batarians that told him a powerful ship had been stolen and would be in this system. He was convinced he could get ahead of any possible buyers and purchase the ship for himself. A foolish idea. A ship like that would draw the attention of every government in the Traverse, if not the Council itself. The Cardinal Sin is an excellent ship for the trade routes we travel. And she never draws a second glance. Schettino's commitment to such a ridiculous idea made it clear he was unfit to continue as captain, so we convinced him to step down and held a lovely, if raucous, going away party for him. I am now in possession of the funds and goods that he had thought to use to barter for his fantasy ship. I'm not the fool he was. I don't have any interest in his pie in the sky pipe dreams. But I do have a real ship in need of repairs and the funds and goods to pay for those repairs. So, I again request permission to land."

Shepard knew better than to mention their Quarian benefactor who had provided Prizrak's location. Hopefully his patchwork to fill in the story's holes was sufficient. He glanced around the pod at his comrades as he waited for a reply. They continued to sit in tense silence. Shepard counted his measured breaths as he contemplated possible responses based on what the next transmission contained. Joker seemed frozen, his hands hovering millimeters above the controls that would raise shields, that would send the ship into evasive maneuvers if needed. There was a crackle of static as the response from the base finally arrived. "Cardinal Sin. You are granted permission to approach the hangar doors on the assigned vector. Proceed to the indicated coordinates and hold position for final scan before entry."

Shepard frowned at the directions. As he glanced to his crew he saw similar frowns. Zaeed rolled his eyes while Garrus flared his mandibles in what Shepard read as dismissal. Multiple contingencies were wiped from his list of possible responses. He was rapidly being left with only one option. There was nothing threatening, nothing inappropriate, in the instructions they had received. Humans had a term though for a ship at full stop before an enemy. Sitting duck. "My thanks Nenavidal Dom. We will follow your instructions for approach and clearance. Once we have landed we will remain aboard the Cardinal Sin until we are given permission to disembark. We can discuss the specifics of the needed repairs and compensation once we have landed. Captain Roberts out."

Shepard looked immediately to Joker, who did not even glance toward Shepard, unwilling to take his eyes from his readings. "Take us toward the stated coordinates, Joker. If you see any indication of targeting, immediately start phase one. Otherwise, start phase one when we reach one kilometer from the coordinates indicated."

Shepard waited for Joker's "aye, aye, Commander" before turning to Tali. "Tali, confirm our other assets are ready. Then make sure you are prepared to enact phase two on my command."

Tali swiped her hands through her own array of haptic interfaces, powered, like Joker's, not by the pod's dormant systems, but by batteries attached to her seat. "Our scans confirm readiness, Shepard. I've got the ship's reactor ready to go. The power fluctuations shouldn't appear to be anything other than possible damage from the fight you implied, but I will need several seconds from your signal to make sure everything triggers as planned."

Shepard frowned again. He knew that would be the case, they had discussed it as they planned their boarding action, but he didn't like it any more now than he did then. Those seconds could spell the difference between success and failure, but triggering a reactor overload wasn't as simple as flipping a switch, no matter what the vids claimed. And it wouldn't do at all for the reactor to blow prematurely.

Joker cut into Shepard's thoughts in a deceptively calm tone. "Ten seconds until phase one. I'd respectfully recommend everyone hold on to your asses."

Shepard again scanned his crew. He saw readiness, focus, but no fear. "You heard the man. Brace yourselves."

The seconds ticked by, an eternity passing in brief moments. Joker passed his fingers across a haptic interface and Shepard felt his stomach drop as the Cardinal Sin's thrusters kicked in at full power, the ship twisting from its leisurely flight path onto a course that would begin their boarding action. A fraction of a second later the entire ship bucked violently, tossing them in their restraints. The ship bucked again, two, three more times. Each shock weaker than the last as the ship angled away from the source of the blasts. Shepard looked to Joker and could see spots of red blossoming across his interfaces. Damage to the Cardinal Sin being dutifully reported by the computer. "Status, Joker."

Joker rapidly punched his fingers into the interfaces. "Looks like someone over there had the same idea we did. I think they dead fired several missiles to avoid alerting us. They exploded right where we would have been. We weren't exactly using evasive maneuvers at that point, so they didn't need targeting scanners, sneaky bastards." Joker paused to swipe his finger across two screens. "They're targeting us now, though."

"Maintain evasive maneuvers, but give priority to getting us to phase two. Can you get us on a vector to reach the primary or secondary breach points?"

Joker continued calmly keying commands as the ship lurched again. More red appeared on the screens hovering before him. "What would the fifth choice be called? Penitentiary?"

The ship rocked violently. The sound of a massive explosion was much closer than Shepard would have liked. There was a roaring and tearing of metal and they were suddenly spinning about the inside of the boarding pod. "That was a direct hit on the landing bay. The ship is taking a lot of damage." Joker was struggling to keep up with the spreading red on his displays, compensating where he could and continuing to maneuver as best he could. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he was spinning through three dimensions at the heart of the sphere.

Shepard realized that the force of whatever had impacted on the landing bay had torn them free from their docking clamp. The pod was now rolling loose, careening into whatever equipment and wreckage had been scattered through the bay. Shepard spared a moment to curse under his breath. The pod had been held in the the position that gave their plan the best chance of success. Now they were rolling loose and Shepard could only think of one way to get them at least close to the correct position. "Roll us to the front of the bay, Joker. Best position you can. Get us on a workable vector, any vector that will get us to the station and then coordinate with Tali for phase two." Shepard's eyes narrowed as he came to a rapid decision. Their enemy was showing more capability than he had hoped. They couldn't afford to give themselves away with any communications until they had no other choice. He had intended to trigger phase three of their plan at the optimum time using a low power communications signal. He was now certain their enemy would be looking. "Tali, change of plans. Send a signal from the Cardinal Sin to trigger phase three in fifteen seconds."

Shepard saw a brief glance pass among his comrades. No one liked last minute changes, but they all also knew that no battle plan survived contact with the enemy. Tali paused no more than a half second. "I'm working on it, Shepard. The damage has made things more unstable than we predicted." She paused again, no more than a second, before speaking again. "Signal sent. I need a few more seconds before I can trigger phase 2."

I don't know if we have a few seconds. The pod tumbled as Joker touched the braking thrusters, causing them, as best he could tell, to roll to the forward section of the landing bay. The ship shuddered again as fresh damage icons bloomed. Shepard saw one of Joker's interfaces flicker.

"Damage to the bridge, Commander. I'm losing my link to the ship. I think I can still…". Joker's hands flew across the flickering interface. He stabbed his finger through the display a final time just before it winked out of existence. "We're on a trajectory, Commander. Best I can do. We're as ready as we'll ever be."

"Tali, we need phase two right now."

"Five seconds, Shepard."

Shepard didn't bother to count. The Cardinal Sin twisted and screamed as it died. The sound of tearing metal was endless. Another moment and they might be flung from whatever trajectory Joker had managed or destroyed by fire from the station or by their own reactor rupturing prematurely despite Tali's efforts at control. Tali's voice cut into the din. "Phase two now, Joker. NOW!"

"Eight ball, corner pocket!", Joker shouted as he punched his finger through one of his remaining interfaces. Shepard heard at least two voices say "what?" in confused response to his quip before everything was drowned out by the roaring detonation of the explosives they had planted along the keel of the ship and along key structural points. Shepard had feared that despite their best efforts to shield them from premature detonation the extreme damage to the ship might have triggered them too soon. They at least had enough luck to avoid that. As the blasts split the damaged hull apart, opening the ship to space, opening a path for the tough little pod to be kicked by the blast toward the station, he hoped that good luck would continue.

He would have shaken his head at such a foolish notion had it not been busy being slammed back and forth by the force of multiple impacts. They had intended for the explosives to open a clear pathway and launch them on a trajectory toward the station, but the damage they had endured and their changed position due to the docking clamp failure had caused them to collide with something. Whether wreckage or fire from the station he would never know, but the force was enough to crack even the tough hull of the boarding pod and send them into a much more rapid tumble than he had expected. Shepard saw vac suits activate, face masks sealing as the pressure in the pod dropped rapidly toward zero. Worse, the breach was at such an angle that the escaping atmosphere acted as a propellant, increasing the speed of their spin. Shepard estimated they were reaching more than two, maybe even three Gs as they tumbled. Normally, the systems of the pod would have released omni-gel to seal the breach and maneuvering jets would have corrected their tumble, but those systems were powered down. As a lone pod assaulting an undamaged station they could ill afford to draw attention to themselves with active power signatures. It was why they were using battery powered displays and the lowest power communication they could to link themselves and their systems.

The damaged pod bucked again as they were hit by the blast wave of the ship's reactor catastrophically overloading. Shepard glanced to Tali, who nodded at him in confirmation. She had been building the Cardinal Sin's reactor to a controlled overload and had successfully timed the detonation to aid their attack. The reactor explosion would create quite a distraction for the station's sensors, flooding the immediate area with Eezo residue and radiation. They were protected aboard the pod, but in the few minutes it took for the radiation to disperse, the base's sensors would struggle to make out what power they were using or their life signs. Those few minutes were all they needed.

"GOD FUCKING DAMN IT SHEPARD I DID NOT SIGN ON FOR THIS YOU PIECE OF SHIT FUCKING DAMN FUCK FUCK FUCK…" Jack wasn't happy with their current circumstances and Shepard in particular. She also wasn't one to suffer in silence, which was a problem as her screams of profanity clogged the short-range communications channel they were using on their linked omni-tools. Shepard reached across to his omni-tool, a harder task than normal in the centrifugal force of the rapidly spinning pod. He accessed the command channel and muted Jack's transmission. She could still hear, but could no longer broadcast. Through the clear faceplate of her helmet he could see her continuing to scream profanities.

Shepard looked back to Tali. "Tali, status of phase three."

Tali simply nodded, her hand seeming to move in slow motion as she struggled against their spin. "The shuttle received the signal and has activated systems. It's maneuvering toward the station on the course we programmed. Shields are active and scanners are broadcasting data to us." They had programmed the shuttle to enter FTL, then approach the base on a ballistic course, much as they had done in their earlier flyby. The shuttle, indeed drifting nearby, had sprung to life at their command, maneuvering in an apparent attempt to reach the base, scanners and defenses active. In the chaos, they wanted to give the impression that the shuttle had used the Cardinal Sin as a distraction to allow it to approach.

"The base is focusing its fire on the shuttle. The computer is performing the evasive maneuvers we programmed, trying to get as close as possible and keep their attention for as long as possible."

Shepard took a moment to glance at his comrades as they spun toward the base. Tali seemed unfazed by their spinning course, focused on the interfaces that hovered before her. Shepard glanced to Joker where he sat, at the heart of their sphere. Though Joker was under much lower g-forces sitting at the center of their spin, given his vulnerability to injury, Shepard was still worried. "Joker. How are you holding up?"

Joker let out a whoop as he spun at the central axis of the sphere, manipulating his own set of interfaces. "Having a blast, Commander. We used to do this in the simulator back at flight school and place bets. Everyone got their asses kicked by the kid with the creaky legs then too."

Shepard heaved a sigh of relief, then regretted it as his body tried to heave in its own way. He suppressed his gag reflex as best he could, grateful that the two people most responsible for getting them safely to the base also seemed to be the most tolerant of the spinning they had to endure. A glance at his remaining crew made it clear that not everyone was so resilient. While Jack continued screaming to herself most of the rest of the crew sat in silence, pinned to their seats, eyes closed as they rode out their circumstances. Thane sat with his dark eyes open, though it looked to Shepard as if his eyes were quivering as they stared off in different directions, independent of each other. As he swallowed back another surge of bile, Shepard realized he was feeling the effects of their spinning descent himself. Disorientation and nausea would hardly be a benefit to them if they had to fight through defenders to board the station.

"How much longer to the station, Joker?"

Joker squinted at an interface and looked about to answer when Tali suddenly cut in. "We just lost the shuttle, Shepard. When we get back you're going to have to ask The Illusive Man for another one. Again."

Shepard appreciated both the optimism and the reminder of the mission that had opened the door to their relationship. He spared a moment to hope that Tali raising it was a good sign. Take hope where you can find it. Joker cut back in to answer the question he had been asked. "Twenty seconds to pod activation, Commander."

Shepard had hoped their efforts so far would have gotten them closer. The time had come to play their last card. He hoped it was enough. "Trigger phase four, Tali."

They had to make the most of the resources they had. The shuttle, the Cardinal Sin, and everything it carried. Shepard was counting on an enemy being on the lookout for a decoy, but hopefully not three decoys. The Cardinal Sin, the shuttle, and now their third and final decoy. Tali nodded as she swiped her finger through her display. Shepard knew that a signal had been sent to the second pod and that it had now activated its shields and guidance. Knew that it was making a bee line for the station's landing bay, drawing the attention that otherwise might have been directed toward their pod. In the chaos that was unfolding around them it was unlikely that their low power signal would have been detected and identified in the brief moment it was sent, even if the station did not now have something more obvious to worry about.

"Ten seconds to activation. Five." Joker was laser focused on his display, his hand hovering above the interface as they continued to spin toward their destination.

Tali stared with equal intensity at her own displays. "Pod destroyed. Scanners are sweeping the whole area."

Joker's voice was triumphant. "Hah! Too late losers! Everybody brace!"

Joker's finger pierced his display and the pod sprang to life. Maneuvering thrusters kicked in and their spin slammed to a halt jarring them worse than any of the previous impacts they had endured. Shepard guessed the pod's repair systems had also activated as atmosphere began to return indicating the pod had sealed the breach that had occurred. The pod bucked as the station finally recognized this new threat and tried to zero in on them.

"Shield contact. Distruptors firing." There was a high pitched whine throughout the now pressurized pod as the bank of disruptors designed to allow shield penetration fired. Moments later they heard a hollow metallic clang. That sound told them that, despite the challenges, Joker had successfully guided them to the station itself, not the bare rock of the planetoid. There were no more indications of attack. They were attached to the station. Any threat now would come from the station's internal defenses.

"Great job, Joker. Check readings and breach on my mark."

Across the pod, Jack slapped the release for her restraints and slid out of her seat and down to the circular doorway that would iris open to give them access to the station. "Open the fucking door right now!"

Joker keyed in commands. "Probes indicate breathable atmosphere. Standard gravity. Matching pressure now. No indication of defenses, but I wouldn't bet my life on it."

Jack was kneeling on the door. "Open up right now or I'll tear off one of your shitty legs and beat you to death with it!"

Joker looked somewhat nervous about the fact that his legs were dangling within arms reach of Jack. Shepard dropped down to back Jack up and all around him his crew prepared to follow them onto the station. Shepard nodded to Joker, who reached to his panel one final time. "Breaching in three…two…one…Now!"

Just beyond the door on which Jack knelt there was a hum as the pod sliced a hole through the hull of the station. The door irised open with a hiss and Jack plummeted through the hole, pulled down by the station's artificial gravity into the station's interior. Shepard dropped through behind her, knowing she was in a poor state to defend herself, and into what appeared to be an empty corridor that twisted and angled oddly. As he landed, Shepard staggered against a nearby bare metal wall, bracing himself with one hand. He turned and placed his back against the wall, bracing himself so that he could aim his assault rifle. Looking up and down the corridor he saw only more bare metal walls, dimly lit by recessed lighting. He quickly realized it was his perception that was twisting, not the walls. Taking deep breaths, he reached down to assist Jack who was kneeling on the floor. She slapped his hand away and crawled a few feet, clearing space for the rest of the crew to drop into the corridor. She made it to the wall near Shepard, fumbling at her omni-tool. A moment later her helmet retracted and she immediately began violently vomiting onto the deck. Shepard swallowed hard, controlling his own nausea and vertigo as his crew dropped through the hole and took up defensive positions.

They did a good job of hiding it for the most part, but he could tell most of his crew were feeling the effects of their wild descent to the station. Zaeed quickly braced himself against the far wall, much as Shepard had. He was inhaling deeply and blowing the air out through his mouth. Garrus stood rigid his mandibles flaring with agitation even as he covered the empty hallway with his own assault rifle. Mordin stumbled a step, but immediately moved to check on Jack. Miranda joined him, standing next to Jack with her chin raised as she eyed the kneeling woman. Miranda was looking green herself, but she wasn't on the floor puking and wanted Jack to know it.

Jack glanced up, rage clear in her eyes. She spit at Miranda's feet and wiped her mouth, staring up at Miranda. "Not a fucking word, cheerleader, or the next load is going right in your face." Jack smiled at her threat, always one to appreciate her own innuendo.

Miranda, however, was not one to take an insult unanswered. "That's an odd thing to say given that you're the one on her knees."

Jack's eyes widened, with a measure of respect as well as anger Shepard thought, as Miranda turned Jack's barb back on her. It looked like Jack wanted to respond, but was taken with another bout of vomiting leaving Miranda standing over her radiating superiority.

Shepard mentally drew a tally mark, awarding that round to Miranda. He did not doubt that Jack was keeping score as well and that she would look to even that score in the future. They're more alike than either would ever admit, Shepard thought to himself. Shepard signaled to the crew members that appeared most functional to scout the hallway in each direction, then turned as Tali approached. She did not appear to be experiencing any ill effects from their descent, likely an advantage of her lifetime of experience dealing with ships and shifts in gravity.

"There's no indication of active internal defenses, Shepard. We collected good information from the Cardinal Sin's and the shuttle's active scanning. I believe I have pinpointed the location of the crew." Tali pointed down the dim corridor. "Joker did an amazing job of piloting us to this location. The landing bay is that way. Shepard turned and looked in the direction she indicated, currently being scouted by Thane. He turned back as Tali continued. But," Tali turned and pointed the opposite direction, "as best I can tell the crew are being held a few hundred meters in that direction. Our schematic indicates that would have originally been part of the crew quarters, but the Batarians may have turned that area into a brig."

"Were you able to pinpoint Prizrak?"

Tali shifted. She seemed uncomfortable about something. "I can't be certain. My best guess is that he is in the landing bay. It did not look like he was with the crew. I also did not detect any other life aboard this station. It's possible he could hide himself and even a small crew It is also possible there are automated defenses or mechs, but this station appears to be almost entirely deserted."

Shepard glanced to his crewmates. While they had stayed alert, covering the two directions of the hallway against any threat that might materialize, it was clear that most were still recovering. He saw no sign of Joker or Kasumi. Shepard went back to the entry point and called up into the pod, "Joker, Kasumi, are you okay?"

Kasumi materialized for a moment. She was leaning against a wall, hands braced on her knees as she hunched over facing the floor, her face hidden by her cowl. "I'm here, Shepard. I'm just going to…need a moment." Having made her presence known, she then faded from view again, preferring privacy as she recovered.

Shepard stepped back to the hole in the ceiling where their pod had latched onto the station. Glancing up and down the corridor one last time to confirm there were no immediate threats he called up into the pod. "Joker, you can come down now."

Joker answered with what sounded like an affected German accent. "Is it safe?"

Shepard simply accepted that he would never fully understand his pilot. "Um, yes. It's safe." Shepard stepped back as he said the words, making room for Joker's flight chair to lower out of the pod. He instead heard a metallic scraping that he recognized as omni-gel shifting into a solid form. His weapons made a similar noise as they expanded into a functional state.

A moment later Joker dropped through the opening, sans flight chair. He landed, grinning widely, with a solid thunk on the deck before immediately shifting into a series of dance steps that ended with a twirl and bow. Shepard realized that metallic bracing and servo motors were supporting his normally much more fragile pilot. The exoskeleton was deep blue and was decorated with yellow racing stripes.

Shepard couldn't help but smile at the display. "That's a hell of a way to drop into a combat zone, Joker."

"Odds are I'll never get to do it again, so I wanted it to be memorable. Besides, you said it was safe."

Shepard glanced up and down the empty hallway. For the moment they were as safe as was possible given their circumstances. Woozy or not, his crew was covering their flanks, but no threat had materialized so far. No defender had come to contest their invasion. No alarm sounded. All that could change at any moment, though.

Tali approached Shepard, shifting from foot to foot. She wrung her hands as she stammered out an idea. "I think, Shepard, I think that I can retrieve the crew. You and the others need a little time to recover. I can get to the crew and be back within minutes. Then we can all move to take the Normandy and get out of here."

Shepard eyed his crew. Zaeed and Garrus were putting up a good front, but it was clear they were still recovering. Jacob looked little better. Miranda was directing the others, appearing mostly recovered. Kasumi had not reappeared. Thane and Samara appeared unaffected, as did Tali. He would prefer to effectively use the time while they fully recovered. They seemed to be safe enough for the moment and a small group could quickly retrieve their crew and return. Everyone should be fully recovered by then. "All right. Thane, Mordin, Tali, and I are going to rescue the crew. Miranda and the rest will hold this position until we return and we can all make for the Normandy. Mordin, are you good to go? You looked a little shaky when you dropped into the station."

"Ready when you are, Shepard. Finished recovering from effects of descent shortly after leaving pod. Ready to assist with any medical issues with crew. Hopefully will not be necessary."

Shepard shook his head and smiled, though he had to admit he was also a bit jealous. Apparently Salarians recovered quickly from motion sickness as well. Shepard felt a gentle touch on his shoulder and he turned back to Tali, the hallway only twisting a moderate amount. "Perhaps you should stay and assist in holding this position, Shepard. You were affected by the pod's descent as well."

Tali seemed strangely insistent on him staying. "I appreciate your concern, Tali, but this is my crew. My responsibility. I'll be fine. Now let's move out and make the most of these minutes."

Shepard turned and Tali's hand slipped from his shoulder. She stared after him a moment more before moving to follow him down the hallway. Thane had taken point, moving stealthily ahead of them. Mordin followed Tali, bringing up the rear.

Tali had been right about reaching the crew. Less than ten minutes and they had traversed the abandoned corridors, filed past the empty rooms, to arrive at the area Tali had identified. It had been easy. Far too easy for Shepard's taste. He signaled his three crewmates to be on guard as they approached the nondescript metal door Tali had indicated.

Tali summoned her drone into existence on the far side of the door. She keyed commands into her omni-tool and a moment later indicated there were no dangers she could detect. Shepard reached and pressed the simple button next to the door and it slid into the wall, revealing a small, sparsely furnished room. It contained a metal chair and desk, bare of any adornment save a small computer console. Four bare metal doors lined the walls of the room. It had the feel of a detention area.

"Our people should be in these rooms, if the scans we took are correct", Tali stated.

"Is there any indication of traps or other dangers? It doesn't seem like Prizrak to just let us walk in and take our people back. Not without at least an attempt to make us feel stupid in the process."

Tali raised her omni-tool. Shepard knew that she had again manifested a drone on the far side of one of the doors and was scanning for traps or other dangers as well as for their people. Simultaneously, Thane was searching the outside of the doors and their mechanism for any traps. Tali quickly reported, "That is a small metal room. There are three people in there, but I'm not sure who."

It had to be their crew. Shepard was sure of it. Both Thane and Tali nodded to indicate there was no danger. Eager to rescue his people and rejoin the rest of his crew, eager to bring them all to the Normandy and escape this place, Shepard reached to the door mechanism and triggered it.

The door slid sideways into the metal wall revealing Ken Donnelly, his fist drawn back to attack whoever had opened the door. Donnelly hesitated a moment, his face shifting from angry determination to shock to a relieved grin in the space of a heartbeat. He came through the door and looked like he might grab Shepard into a hug, but settled for clasping Shepard's hand in gratitude. "I'm amazed you were able to get to us, Commander. Thank you so much for coming to our rescue."

"I told you he would." Engineer Gabriella Daniels came through the door and stood beside Donnelly, saluting Shepard. As she saluted she chided Donnelly. "Show some respect to the Commander."

As Donnelly moved to salute, Shepard raised his hand. "At ease. We'll save the thank yous and the celebration for when we're out of here. Is everyone okay?"

Yeoman Kelly Chambers slipped between the two engineers to stand before Shepard, staring at him with with an expression Shepard couldn't read. "You came for us. I…I knew you would. I knew it. Thank you, Shepard. Thank you so much."

"I'd never leave my crew behind. Now let's free the others and get to the Normandy before Prizrak tries to stop us."

Shepard turned toward the remaining doors to release the rest of his crew, but Chambers grasped his upper arm. As he turned back to her he started to signal Tali to check the remaining rooms, but saw she was working to access the room's small computer and decided not to interrupt her. He instead signaled Thane and Mordin to check the remaining rooms. He then fully turned to Chambers to find her staring at him, eyes wide with fear. As he met her gaze, she glanced away and a shudder visibly ran through her body. "He's alive? We have to get out of here. Right away. I tried to talk with him, Shepard. I tried to reason with him. There was no empathy there. No concern other than his own interests and desires. There's no telling what he might do. I truly believe that he might let us go unharmed or destroy this entire station to make sure we're dead, depending on his whims."

Shepard could understand why Chambers had assumed that Prizrak must be dead. It had been true often enough with past enemies. He expected it might still come to pass, if Prizrak was aboard the Normandy as they believed. "We know where the Normandy is, Chambers, and if Prizrak tries to stop us then I'll deal with him, but we're getting out of here. Right now."

Shepard squeezed Chambers shoulder reassuringly and turned to find Harris, Sosa, and Shen smiling broadly as they thanked Thane and Mordin for their release. Thane accepted their thanks impassively as Mordin ran a quick medical scan of the crew members. They saluted as Shepard approached and he returned their salute. "It's good to see you all. Thane, distribute the extra weapons, omni-tools, and medi-gel we brought. Make sure everyone has an emergency vac suit as well." Shepard turned and made sure all the newly rescued crew were listening. "These suits have their own light shielding which should protect you from a few shots, but they aren't made for a stand up fight. If we run into trouble, protect yourselves and stay behind those with stronger armor and shields. I didn't come all the way here just to lose you again."

Harris stepped forward. "We're ready, Shepard. We'll have your back if anything happens and we'll protect the others." Harris glanced to Donnelly and Daniels as he said this. Shepard glanced to them as well, then noticed that Chambers had stepped away from the group and was talking quietly and intently with Tali.

Shepard cleared his throat to make sure everyone was listening. "We're moving out now. Thane, take point. I'll follow. Non-combatants will stay to the middle of the group, escorted by security. Mordin next to assist them if needed. Tali, you take the rear. Is everyone clear?" Shepard watched the nods of the group, noting with some concern that Tali seemed distracted, unfocused. "Tali, are you with us."

Tali faced fully toward Shepard at those words and actually seemed to need a moment to consider her answer to the simple question. "I'm…with you, Shepard."

Shepard nodded, but his concern did not fade. He knew he had only the faintest idea of the stress she must be under, standing in a forgotten Quarian base potentially battling a fellow Quarian. She had been so closed off, so confused since the moment the Normandy was stolen. He paused a moment, recognizing that, to be fair, so had he. Once they were clear of this base he would support her however he could, be there for her if she would let him. But for now, they had to focus on returning to the rest of the crew and reaching the Normandy. He settled for a reassuring nod to her. A smile that he hoped conveyed It's okay, we'll get through this. Together.

Shepard gestured and they filed from the room. Despite the fact that they were traversing the same hallways they had covered to find the crew, he refused to take their safety for granted. A surprise was coming. He could feel it. Some moment where Prizrak would try to show how clever he was at their expense. He wouldn't allow that if he could help it, so they made their way carefully, alert for possible traps or ambushes.

A mere few minutes before they would have rejoined the crew, the surprise Shepard had been anticipating occurred. But it did not come from where he would ever have predicted. Thane was just signaling for the group to move forward, that things ahead were safe, when Mordin called from his position a few dozen meters behind. He spoke in a stage whisper, his voice quietly echoing in the empty halls, preferring that noise to a broadcast signal. Mordin had not used a particularly loud voice, but Shepard heard him clearly in the deathly quiet of the empty station. "Shepard. Tali'Zorah no longer following us."

Shepard held up a hand, halting their movement, and turned to look back toward the rear of the group. Tali should have been visible behind them in the wan light of the corridor. Shepard signaled to hold position and hurried back to where Mordin stood. "No indication of trouble, Shepard. Simply no Tali'Zorah when I looked back."

Alarm bells were ringing in the back of Shepard's mind. His anxiety spiked, but it wasn't fear for Tali's safety. It was…something else. Something he couldn't articulate. Or wouldn't. "Stay here Mordin. Be alert for trouble. I'll find her." Mordin simply nodded and took a defensive position against the nearby wall. The other crew members were kneeling, watching all directions for possible threats. Shepard hurried back up the corridor, back the way they had come.

For twenty steps, thirty steps, Shepard convinced himself that he would see her in the gloom at any moment. She had paused to admire a bit of Quarian architecture or surviving piece of technology. This was originally a Quarian base after all. She had paused to set a trap to delay any pursuers. She had located a cache of supplies, an alternate route to the Normandy, a weapon that could obliterate Reapers. She was mere seconds from contacting him with the good news. He was about to find her, safe and sound and maybe a little embarrassed at having worried him. But the alarm bells in the back of his mind also grew louder with each step. The lump of ice in his gut grew heavier. Colder.

Twenty more steps and he saw her. She was at a turn of the hallway. Where the corridor angled toward the interior of the planetoid. She glanced toward him at his approach, only for a moment, then quickly looked away. She rapidly keyed commands into her omni-tool. Shepard increased his pace. He was close now. Fifteen steps to reach her. Ten steps. Shepard felt like he had slipped into slow motion and, unbidden, the Achilles Paradox flashed through his mind. Tali never glanced up again as he approached. He was no more than five steps from her when a set of heavy blast doors slid shut, separating them.

Shepard waved his arms, expecting the door to have motion sensors that would cause it to open automatically. When this failed, he looked to the wall, locating the door trigger that would reopen the door. He pressed it, then pressed it again. He had pressed it at least a dozen times when the glowing purple sphere of Tali's drone manifested next to him.

He stared at it for a brief second as it hovered there, then Tali's voice came clearly from the drone. "Shepard…I'm so, so sorry, but I am doing what I must."

"Tali, what the hell are you doing? Open the door…"

Tali's voice continued, cutting Shepard off, and he realized he was hearing a recording. Whatever she was doing, whatever was driving her, she was refusing to face him, refusing to give him the chance to argue or cajole her from her path. Whatever she was thinking and feeling, she wouldn't, or couldn't, tell him to his face. "I'm going to find Prizrak and fix this. I have to try to reach him, to give him the chance to change the path he is on. To make up for his choices. I've taken steps to make sure no one can follow me. Do what you came here to do. Retake the Normandy and get our people out safely. I'll rejoin you if I can. I want you to know…I love you, John. I want to be worthy of that love. There has to be a chance. There has to be a hope of redemption."

The drone wavered and vanished from existence. Gone, like Tali was gone. Shepard stood there several seconds in impotent…he didn't have a name for the storm of emotions he was feeling. None of it made sense. How could she think it was she who wasn't worthy? And she would rejoin him if she could? If? That one word turned the storm to a hurricane. He wanted to rip the blast door down and pursue her, but no amount of Cerberus enhanced strength would allow him to tear through titanium. He tried the manual release and found it jammed. As useless as he was now feeling. Why, Tali. Why wouldn't you tell me about this. We said it on Manuel's base. Together or not at all. Why would you think Prizrak deserved any kind of redemption after what he has done? Shepard hoped he would be able to ask Tali those questions himself. She was lost and he had to find her. But first, he had to make sure they could get off this station. It was the only option she had left him.

Shepard looked at his omni-tool, considering trying to send a message to Tali. He struggled with his decision for several seconds before angrily lowering the device. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't just start sending transmissions out hoping they would reach her. Besides, he was certain that even if she heard him, she wouldn't answer. She had set herself on a course and either couldn't or wouldn't face him to explain it.

Shepard hurried back to where he had left Mordin, Thane, and the rescued crew members. He ordered Mordin to the front of the group of non-combatants, then signaled Thane to get them back to the remaining crew. Shepard took rear guard, partly to make sure nothing came at them from behind, but partly, he acknowledged to himself, so that he could watch for if Tali returned to them. Returned to him. Chambers started to quietly ask where Tali was, but she fell immediately silent when he shook his head. They proceeded down the dim hallway in grim silence.

They reached the point where the pod had breached the station and the crew gathered together to greet their arrival. All but Jack, who moved to stand guard, though Shepard was sure she simply did not want to participate in the camaraderie now occurring. Even that was short-lived, though, as word of Tali having gone missing was shared. Shepard waved all the crew over, making sure Jack was close enough to hear as well.

"Tali has gone after Prizrak on her own. The why doesn't matter, but she believed she had to for some reason. She claimed she made sure no one could follow her. Kasumi, I want you to check the schematics for any possible path to follow her, but be aware that she may have altered them. I'm sure that Prizrak is not on the Normandy. I think Tali knows where he is and is trying to make sure she confronts him alone." Kasumi accessed her omni-tool, calling up and examining the schematics as Shepard continued. "Everyone else, make sure you are fully prepared for combat. Distribute additional thermal clips, medi-gel, and grenades to Harris, Sosa, and Shen. We are moving in five minutes."

Garrus approached Shepard carefully. He placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder and looked him directly in the eyes. "We'll get her back, Shepard. We'll find Tali, we'll take the Normandy, and we'll kick Prizrak's ass for good measure."

Shepard nodded at Garrus. "We'll do what we came here to do. Tali's good. If she doesn't want to be followed…", Shepard glanced to Kasumi, who looked up from her schematic and shook her head. "I have to trust her to take care of herself, Garrus. To find her way back to us."

"She will. Whatever else is going through her head right now, she's smart and capable. She's been through a hundred fights alongside you at this point. She'll be okay."

Shepard turned to step away from Garrus and nearly ran into an anxious looking Kelly Chambers. "Yeoman. Is there something you need?"

Chambers was wringing her hands in a way that was so reminiscent of Tali that it made Shepard's breath catch in his throat. "Why would she do it, Commander? Why would she try to find Prizrak? She asked me about him, back where you freed us. I told her the truth. He spoke to me only because it provided him a moment of amusement and I ceased to matter to him the moment that amusement faded. He has no care for anything but his own desires. But under that, so much rage. Enough for the whole galaxy. Everything to him is expendable. He is a monster. And Tali is walking into his lair alone. I'm afraid she sees a fellow Quarian in need of her help, but he only sees her, sees us all, as things to be used and discarded."

Shepard exhaled a long breath. He wished he could answer the Yeoman's question of why, but he was at a loss himself. Lost and anxious. Not how he would choose to feel before a possible battle. But Garrus had been right about Tali. Shepard clung to that hope, using it to keep worry at bay, at least as much as possible. "I am worried for Tali, Kelly, but we have to focus on retrieving the Normandy. I'll be there for Tali, no matter what, but right now we have to trust that she can handle this. That she knows what she is doing even though we can't see it. I'll do everything I can to make sure we are there to help her when she needs it. It's more likely we'll be able to do that if we have the Normandy."

Shepard stepped past Chambers and signaled for the crew to fall into formation to make their way to the Normandy. He was confident the location Tali had given them was accurate. She wanted them to find the ship, to leave her if need be. Shepard was determined not to let that happen. He glanced back at Garrus and Chambers as the crew moved into their positions. Shepard moved into position near the front of their formation, following Thane as he resumed scouting the corridor ahead.

Tali moved quickly, but quietly, through the empty corridor trying not to think about what she had just done. But the thoughts, the guilt, were persistent. She had just betrayed the man she loved. Probably destroyed their relationship. But it was necessary, she told herself. Raan wanted her to assassinate Prizrak and even pointed to Shepard as the weapon to do so. She couldn't let that happen. Couldn't let him be dragged farther into this. She had lied, altered the schematics, sabotaged the door, all to keep him and the crew away from Prizrak. When they were at the computer in the brig she had linked her omni-tool to the base's systems, making sure that Prizrak's location and the schematics to reach him were deleted from that system as well. All because…her mind automatically buried the thoughts. Pushed them into a dark hole and pretended they did not exist. She would find Prizrak and help him do what was right. There had to be hope for redemption. There had to be.

Tali scanned the ceiling for the access panel she was seeking. She knew where Prizrak was hiding. She had hidden that information as well, directing Shepard to reach the Normandy by implying that was where Prizrak was located. Fortunately, it seemed no one expected a lie from her and never thought to double check her claims. Tali checked her suit modifications for the thousandth time. She had been studying the anti-seeker modifications Mordin had created. They were essentially a partial cloak against the scanners the seekers used to find their prey. She had seen first hand how well those modifications worked, including on Manuel's base when she had shielded Shepard.

Her mind shied away from that memory, from the resurgence of guilt, seeking comfort in the technical. She thought of how she had tweaked those modifications to help make her less detectable to the station's passive sensors. The modifications weren't a true cloak. An active scan would detect her, but Prizrak shouldn't have a reason to scan this section of the base. If Prizrak were focused on the crew, on Shepard, as she expected he would be, she could reach him. She could reach him, she was sure of it.

Tali spotted the ceiling panel she was looking for. She climbed the narrow rungs built into the wall and reached the panel, loosening it with one of the many tools from her pockets. She slid the panel aside and climbed into the maintenance tunnel that was revealed and began crawling toward Prizrak's hiding place.

The journey through the station's dim, silent corridors had been like traversing a catacomb. And in many ways it was a catacomb. It appeared that whatever modifications the Batarians had made during their occupation, they had left much of the original Quarian construction. The station would be an anthropological treasure trove, if the Quarians could return to it. Despite his interest in Quarian culture, Shepard was having a hard time appreciating the surroundings. They were approaching what should be a massive hangar, carved directly into the rock of the planetoid. The Normandy had to be there. It was the only place she could be. They would retake the ship, then…Shepard had no idea. He had said it himself. He would never leave a crew member behind. Never. Not Tali. One step at a time, he decided. Take back the Normandy, then help Tali. Somehow.

Thane had paused near a closed door that ended their current corridor. Shepard approached him for a report. "This should be the last door that stands between us and the Normandy, Shepard. I haven't seen any indication of defenses, traps, or any personnel. I don't trust the ease of our approach."

"Neither do I, Thane, but I'll take it if it means we make it to the Normandy unscathed." Shepard signaled the crew forward. "All our information indicates this should be a large hangar. We haven't seen any indication of defenses or crew, so hopefully we can make our way to the Normandy and retake her without a fight. I'm on point with Garrus and Zaeed. Miranda and Samara take the left flank. Jack and Thane take the right flank. Mordin in the rear with Kasumi and Jacob. Chambers, Donnelly, and Daniels stay at the center, protected by Harris, Sosa, and Shen. Joker, you're with that group as well. How are you holding up?"

"I'm good to go, Shepard. This thing is starting to chafe, but it will get me aboard."

Shepard turned to the group of security and non-combatants. "Remember, you have limited shields and no armor, so if anything happens, stay to the center and protect yourselves. Make sure your shields are active and be ready. I'm opening the door now."

Tali had crawled past power relays, electrical systems, so much intact Quarian equipment and technology that she had no time to salvage. The station was a mother lode of supplies for the Flotilla, if they could just return and claim it. She pushed the thought away. None of that would matter if she didn't find Prizrak. She thought again how she needed him to choose a different path. A better path. She was sure she could help him do that to the benefit of them all. She just needed to reach him.

Tali reached the end of the maintenance tunnel through which she had been crawling. She loosened and slid back a floor panel and dropped through the opening onto a broad, elevated catwalk overlooking what appeared on the schematics to be a large storage bay. Tali crept quietly to the railing and peered down into the bay just below her. There was indeed an odd assortment of vehicles stored there. She immediately recognized an Alliance issued Mako infantry fighting vehicle, very similar to the one Shepard had used during their hunt for Saren. Nearby sat a Turian fighter. She saw other vehicles of Batarian and Salarian design. A collection she surmised. Or perhaps payment for services rendered. As with the rest of the station, there was no crew anywhere to be seen.

Tali was about to turn and move down the open catwalk toward the room where she believed Prizrak was located when she heard the sound of a door sliding open in the bay below her. She immediately went into a crouch, hiding behind a nearby console. She heard the door close and the sound of multiple footsteps moving into the storage bay.

Tali leaned out slightly and spotted a male Quarian in a gray environmental suit, Prizrak for certain, casually strolling into the storage bay flanked on either side by a Geth. But even in that glance she could see they didn't move like Geth. They were stiff in their gait, their movements similar to those of Loki mechs. Platforms, she decided, most likely loaded with security mech software. Not true Geth. Tali breathed a silent sigh of relief at that. Things were already complicated enough without adding Geth to the mix.

Tali wanted to grunt in frustration, but feared she would give herself away.. She had expected Prizrak to remain in his safe room until events with Shepard played themselves out. But she had been wrong. He was on the move and she had no idea where he might be headed. That meant she had seconds to put her own plans into motion or she would likely lose him, lose any chance to reach him.

Prizrak had passed from under the walkway where she was hiding and had started to cross the storage bay. She had seconds to prepare, seconds to act. She reached to her omni-tool and triggered multiple programs. Programs she had prepared in the past day for just this moment. She then adjusted her faceplate to allow her to see the ultra-violet spectrum of light. She squinted a bit as the light quality shifted. She looked below at Prizrak's back as he and his two platforms walked further from her. It was now or never. She began to rise, ready to drop over the railing to the room below and confront Prizrak, but froze as Prizrak suddenly stopped. A small sphere had appeared and was now hovering before Prizrak. Tali recognized it as a holographic communications orb.

Shepard triggered the door to the hangar bay to open. It slid into the wall with a hiss revealing a vast open area before them. As Shepard scanned the area down the sight of his assault rifle, he realized the word vast did not do the space justice. It was cavernous. The Normandy sat at the far side of the space and from what Shepard could tell, several more Normandys could easily have fit. A glance to the walls showed the bare rock of the planetoid. The hangar had been mined out for the docking and repair of the ships that would have explored in search of distant connections to the Sackgasse relay, had the Geth not put an end to those efforts.

Shepard scanned the room again. It was nearly empty. The Normandy sat, temptingly close, near what appeared to be an enormous set of doors. When the hangar was depressurized, those doors would open to space to allow access to the hangar. At the opposite end of the hangar, near what appeared to be a large, open door, sat a number of large crates and items. They appeared to be cargo from the Normandy, perhaps items Prizrak thought he might sell or keep for himself. Otherwise, the enormous space was bare. Bare of equipment or ships. Bare of cover, Shepard realized. He was about to ask for opinions when a small sphere suddenly dropped into view, hovering before him.

He had seen the like before. A holographic communication orb. He signaled his crew to step back. Even though it looked like Prizrak was about to finally acknowledge their intrusion, there was no reason the same anti-gravity propulsion couldn't be attached to a grenade. Shepard stepped toward the orb. A wide band of light scanned up and down his body. A moment later, a bluish-white hologram of a male figure wearing a Quarian environmental suit appeared. Prizrak stood, arms crossed, dismissiveness visible in every aspect of his posture.

"Finally decided to show yourself, coward?" Shepard didn't expect that taunting would force Prizrak to truly show himself or cause him to make a mistake, but it never hurt to try. The Exterminator had demonstrated that back on Ilium.

"I've already won, Shepard. I have no need to face you. I wasn't even sure it was you until your ridiculous efforts to board this station. That sort of dangerous and foolish desperation could only have been you. I must say, you certainly live up to your reputation in that regard. Not many would risk killing their crew trying to reach a ship I would have simply handed back had you bothered to ask. Since I have what I want, I won't even make you say please. Take the ship and go. We've had our fun and now I have other things to attend to."

Shepard was taken aback. No posturing. No threats. Just a few light insults. Take your ship and go. You are dismissed. Shepard didn't buy it for a moment. "Really? That sort of generosity doesn't seem to match your reputation. And so close to your deadline? Who is coming for the Normandy, Prizrak? Who will I be fighting when that deadline arrives?"

There was a pause and Shepard thought Prizrak seemed genuinely confused. "I don't know what you are babbling about, Shepard, but the only deadline I am aware of is my imminent departure." Prizrak crossed his arms. "You are living up to another aspect of your reputation, Shepard. You are boring me." Shepard heard Jack snort laughter. "You are welcome to sit there and admire your ship from afar if you wish…"

Tali fought to control her anxiety as she saw the holographic image of Shepard converse with Prizrak. She had set things in motion, things she couldn't stop. Even if she somehow could, that wouldn't stop those things from being noticed. She had to act now. She had waited, hoping Prizrak would cut the communication. She had considered destroying the communications orb with a power surge, but that would likely turn this into a battle with no other alternative even possible. She looked up, not toward the ceiling, but toward the distant universe. She had fought so hard to make sure no one, especially Shepard, would be there when she confronted Prizrak. Now the universe had given him a front row seat to what was about to occur. She had no choice. The seconds were ticking and any moment everything she had set into motion would fall apart. Maybe this was the way it had to be. Secrets dragged into the light, kicking and screaming. Her chest felt tight, trying to constrain her heart from hammering its way out of her body. Now or never. She stood and leapt over the railing and dropped the dozen feet to the deck below, landing not far from Prizrak.

"…from afar if you wish…". Shepard clearly heard a metallic thunk over the audio. The bluish-white hologram of Prizrak quickly turned to face where the noise had come from, surprise evident in his reaction. Something had hit the deck behind Prizrak. Something unexpected. Though he could not see what Prizrak could, Shepard's stomach sank as he realized who Prizrak had to be looking at. A moment later and Prizrak removed all doubt, and all hope from Shepard that he was somehow wrong.

"Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."

"Hello…Grandfather."