"Yeah, yeah, we know what happens next." Scott rolled his eyes. "Scotty wakes up and his little noodle arms are too atrophied to bench press two-fifty, anymore."

"When could you ever bench press two-fifty?" Sara scoffed.

Scott just sat back and shot her a look. Had she actually offended him with that? "Ew," she told him. "You look just like Dad when you raise your eyebrow like that."

He recoiled with a grimace. "You take that back, I got all of Mom's good looks and you got all of her... um. I'm sure she gave you something. Maybe just life?"

"Nice save there, Scott."

"I try," he chuckled. "But why rehash that bit? I woke up, got pissed off that you lied to me about Dad and I called you a couple names. I'm over it, are you?"

Sara shrugged. "I've been called worse."

Scott frowned. "By who? I'll kick their ass."

"I'm glad you're back," she said.

He nodded. "Me too."

Scott knew all about when he woke. He knew how lonely and disoriented he felt, and how angry he was to learn that Sara had lied to him about Dad. Their father wasn't off being his usual, distant self. Dad was dead. Dad had been dead for quite some time. Scott was there, he'd lived it. He'd seen the relief in his sister's face when she locked eyes with him in the med bay, he'd seen her exhaustion.

Still, as alert and as "Scott" as he was, he needed to recover further. His muscles were weakened over months of disuse and he'd dropped weight from being tube fed. Sara set him up with all the passcodes to their father's cabin aboard the Hyperion for when he was allowed to venture out of the med bay and continued on with her business.

Relieved and giggly with perhaps a newfound lightness to her step, but Sara continued on.

While Scott recuperated (and presumably scoured every last datafeed he could find about recent events,) Sara made her way to the Nexus's tech lab, as instructed by Avitus Rix. She found the other three Pathfinders huddled together over the back of an asari scientist.

Raeka noticed her immediately. "Ryder, good to see you. We've been working with the science team here on the problem of getting to Meridian."

The salarian Pathfinder waved to an asari perched before a viewscreen. Dressed in Initiative business casual, she opened up a new image and said, "We think we have the answer."

Sara peered at the screen before them, like the scrolling numbers made any sense to her. "I'm listening."

"It's plans for new technology we've designated 'Ghost Storm,'" the scientist explained. "When you approach Meridian, our own ships can broadcast returns for the Tempest."

"The kett won't know which is real," Sarissa cut in, excited. "It will confuse their sensors and draw their ships off."

"It could buy you some time," Raeka said. Just a wish, just an inch, just a moment.

"I can work with that." Easy words for Sara to say safely tucked away in a tech lab aboard the Nexus. She wriggled the trembling lightness from her limbs. "Just enough to give us an advantage."

"The rest is up to you."

Sara nodded. "I can handle it, though it means going against the Initiative." She shot a look to the three other Pathfinders. Of them, the only one whose heart was racing was her. "We're alone here."

"No," Avitus shook his head, "I was alone when I woke up in my stasis pod. I have a ship now with a full crew. I have three other Pathfinders. I have things to fight for and am ready to do just that."

"Just remember that when the kett are shooting at you," Sara replied.

Avitus was unswayed. "Risk comes with the job. Part of being a Pathfinder."

It made Sara snort. He and Sarissa were hardened war vets preparing for what was seemingly just another battle. Perhaps Raeka was too. With the average salarian lifespan being what it was, Zevin Raeka had the innate ability to seem both younger and older than Sara all in one go. "Right," Sara said. "If there's any final business for you to attend to, wills to write, declarations of love to proclaim... I'd make them now."

"I see your speech delivery hasn't improved," Avitus commented dryly.

"First you'll need to install the Ghost Storm technology to the Tempest," Raeka said. "Then we'll rendezvous at Meridian."

"Good luck," Sarissa offered them all as she slipped out of sight.

As Sara watched the other two leave, she idled for a moment in the tech lab and just thought. All eyes would be on her. She'd just had a fit in front of everyone who mattered. Superintendent, Security Chief, Head of Colonial Affairs, Acting Director. Every single authority figure that had the power to thwart her had done just that. Sara was on their turf and not out in space free to act of her own accord. If she returned to her ship and installed new tech willy nilly and pretended at business as usual, they'd swiftly shut her down.

She pulled out her omni tool. "Hey, Cora. You mind meeting me in Vortex? I could use a drink."

"I'm not really much of a drinker, Ryder."

"Consider it an order," Sara told her flatly. "If anyone asks, you can say it's a celebratory drink on account of Scott waking up."

That got a reaction. "Scott's awake?"

"And mad as hell," Sara replied. "I'll be there in five."

In Vortex, Sara liked to believe she appeared less rigid than Cora had in Kralla's so long ago. Her second shuffled into the small bar space uncomfortably and found her way to Sara's table. "He's okay, I take?"

"Yup, but that's not why we're here." Sara edged a tall glass toward Cora. "I didn't know what you like so I let the mixologist have a field day. Sorry."

"What I like?" Cora grimaced at the fluorescent pink beverage. "What's this all about?"

"Take a drink and pretend to be happy." Sara took a casual sip of whiskey. "Scott's awake and I'm not sure if Kandros has anyone in security keeping tabs on me."

"Tabs?" Cora did not take a drink. "What did you do now?"

"Nothing yet. That's where you come in." Sara downed her drink and felt it warm her chest. "All the Pathfinders are in agreement to meet at Meridian. Nexus brass has told us no, so I can't make too many big moves or I'll risk being grounded."

Finally, Cora took a sip. Her eyes widened in surprise and she gave the bartender an approving nod. "There's a plan, I assume."

"There's new tech we need to integrate with the Tempest," Sara said. "I'm counting on you to take everything I've just uploaded to your omni tool and get that done while I be a good big sister and tend to my brother."

"Why won't they be suspicious of me if they're suspicious of you?" Cora asked.

"Think about what you just said there," Sara replied. "You're Cora Harper. Installed in Jarun Tann's cloaca, Cora Harper, ready to smooth over my latest snafu. Constantly aboard the Tempest, Cora Harper, busying yourself with refueling and restocking and keeping the rest of the crew happy. You're the only one who wouldn't be suspicious. You're the only one who can make this happen."

Sara heard the slurp of a straw as Cora sucked down her drink. "And you're sold on this?" she asked softly.

"Raeka sounds confident," Sara said. "It'll be a gamble, sure, but it's better than burying our head in the sand and waiting for the kett to harvest us-"

"I don't care about Raeka." Cora set her glass down with a hard thunk. "The other Pathfinders can think what they want- even SAM for that matter. Are you sold on this? Is Sara Ryder sold on this?"

"If you're asking if I'm scared-"

"That's a given."

"Yes," Sara said. "Sounds like there's a good chance I'm asking you all to die so I don't like it, but yes."

Cora nodded. "Okay then. I'll let you know when we're ready to go."

"Great." There was that racing heartbeat again, trembling through Sara's relief. She gestured a thumb vaguely in the direction of the med bay. "I'm going to live up to my reputation and slack off. Say I'm acclimating Scott to life aboard the Hyperion. Hell, send Peebee our way so it looks like we're all just enjoying shore leave."

"Can do." Cora stood and rested her palms on the tabletop. "I won't lie and tell you your old man would be proud or that he'd even approve of what we're doing, but the methodology, the look in your eyes... I don't know, there's just something unsettlingly uncanny."

"Gross," Sara snorted. As her second turned to leave, she stopped her. "Cora. Thank you."

Cora grinned. "Thank me after I get your ass out of there alive."

And that about led everything up to today. Sitting aimlessly on her dead father's bed aboard the Hyperion. Spilling her guts out to Scott while he spun in their dead father's chair and grew some land legs, so to speak.

Everything about the compacted, regulation domicile pointed to Alec Ryder. Numerous awards and patents stuffed unceremoniously into the drafting desk and out of the way. Shelves displaying meticulously arranged firearms. The bedding in all the default off-whites and beige, devoid of any and all personalization. All the tiny, customizable specifications that were earned perks of his status that he'd likely waved away unconcerned about when presented with the paperwork and would most assuredly have griped about missing long after the fact. Sara smoothed a hand along the basic ecru sheet and was startled by SAM's revelation that her father had shelled out additional credits for a thread count of 400. It gave her half a mind to sniff at the pillows, to see if she could smell any trace amount of whiskey or aftershave, but she knew that even though the quarters had been created with him in mind, her father hadn't lived long enough to fully imprint his presence on the room.

It was an odd sort of disappointment, but many of her memories of Dad were admittedly tied up with disappointment, so it was strangely fitting.

"Look at my big sister being all proactive," Scott drawled from his chair. "I should have known better than to think she just wanted to hang out with me. There had to be an ulterior motive."

"You know that's not true," Sara said. "It's a very big twofer! Besides, if I'm headed off on some terrifying suicide mission, I'd feel awful if I didn't get a chance to see you one last time before I died."

"Hey, no more dying," he told her sternly. "Three times is not a charm."

"Well, that settles it," she replied.

"Sara-"

"I am curious about those memories," she said quickly. "What the kett may have seen. What Dad stored away in SAM. If they're the same. Would you watch them with me if I have SAM play them back?"

"Yeah!" Scott hopped out of his chair and maybe realized he perked up a bit too quickly. "I mean, if you're sure. Is that what you want?"

"You're the only other person I'd trust them with," Sara said with a shrug. "And if you're not there, I might lose my nerve and not go through with it."

"Okay." He was already standing in front of the bed and offering his hand.

"Now?" She frowned, but it didn't stop her from placing her hand in his.

Scott laughed. "Sure, with my busy schedule! You wouldn't believe how slammed I am. Got to nap, then doze a bit and then try to catch up on sleep- of course now!"

"Okay!" Sara snorted and rolled her eyes. "Now." So off to SAM node they went.

It was different than any other SAM node Sara had stepped foot in. This heart of an ark had safely docked and integrated with the Nexus. They weren't stepping inside powering down remains, they didn't have to worry about warnings flashing, they just had to stroll in and greet SAM.

"I wonder if this is how SAM feels whenever he's inside my head," Sara murmured softly. It just earned her a look from Scott.

"Okay, memories," he breathed as he wandered to the center dais of the node.

Sara joined him and let her hands rest along the dais. It lit up green and a globe of light she associated with SAM's corporal form appeared before them. "All right, SAM," she sighed. "I think we're ready."

It was strange. Through their implant, the memory played almost like a movie. Despite being Alec Ryder's memory, Sara never saw her father, because she was her father. Everything being shown was through his gaze, his focus, his lens.

She recognized his office on the Citadel in the first memory.

"Alec, your recommendations will never fly. Artificial intelligence?" The woman was seated casually, like a friend, but Dad didn't have friends.

"It's our best option."

She glanced over her shoulder at the door and lowered her voice. "If the Council gets wind of this, it'll set humanity's standing back decades. You're overreaching."

"Ambassador Goyle, I'm the military attaché on the Citadel," Dad said. "My mandate is clear: Find an edge for Earth."

Goyle gaped at him. "An AI is your answer?"

Dad didn't hesitate. This was all scripted and rehearsed. He'd done this before. "We need to catch up. The asari, the salarians- they're centuries ahead of us."

"But it's illegal."

"Their rules, not ours." There was a snappish edge to his voice. It brought a familiar anxiety closing around Sara's throat and set her heart fluttering. "Why deny Earth an advantage?"

"Define this advantage," Goyle insisted.

"It will set us free." Sara didn't need to see him to know a strained, tight smile decorated Dad's face. "We're prisoners of our own five senses. There's a reality greater than ours that we can't perceive- but AI can."

"How?"

"By augmenting our own abilities, and adding a few new ones."

"Well." Goyle had a wry little scoff, like she'd bested him. "None of that stopped those geth from revolting."

"Because they were separate from their creators!" Dad was losing whatever semblance of cool he had. "But AIs and humans interfaced directly experiencing the world together benefits both. There's no creator to revolt against."

Goyle shook her head. "I'm sorry, Alec. We can't take the risk." She stood and backed her way toward the door. "I appreciate your work, but your request will be denied."

Dad watched her leave with a grumble and flipped on his vidscreen.

It was Mom. "Alec?"

"Ellen. What did the doctor say?"

"He told me to appreciate the time I have left. There's no cure. Alec, it's terminal."

"Not on my watch." Was that a promise? Coming from Dad, it sounded like a threat. The first memory faded back to SAM node.

"I don't get it," Sara murmured. "Did SAM even exist at that point?"

Back at the dais, Scott rubbed the bridge of his nose beside her. "Was that how Dad found out Mom was dying?" he asked. "She just came out and said it like that?"

"It was Mom," Sara said. "Talking to Dad. Do you think he would have taken the time to listen if she tried to sugar-coat it?"

Scott just shook his head. "That was before it got bad. Before we all moved back to Earth to be with her- how long did they know it was terminal before they told us?"

"It was AEND, Scott. It's fatal for any human that comes down with it-"

"That wasn't my point and you know it."

"And my point is: Why does this matter?" Sara shot back quickly. "Dad was never sentimental. Why is this memory important? What was he trying to show us?"

Scott just offered a shrug and the hard line of his brow. "I guess we'll just have to look at the rest of them and see."