Author's Note: Thank you again to those who followed or favorited. I hope you enjoy how I handled Eden Prime. This chapter is slightly shorter than the previous chapters, but the next one has some actual Shepard/Alenko interaction ... so ... there is that, just bear with me a little bit longer. If you have a moment, please, drop me a note and let me know what you think. There is no such thing as a negative comment, so if it's something you don't like, let me know that as well. I always appreciate any feedback. Enjoy. - TLC

Chapter Four

Kaidan let out a deep, shaky sigh as he pulled Jenkins's magnetic name plate off the locker and dropped it into the box with the rest of the young man's belongings. He made his way to the elevator. Captain Anderson had asked him to clear out the Corporal's locker and bring him his personal effects. The mission had gone to hell moments after they'd hit the ground. The images the Normandy had received had shaken Jenkins more than he'd let on. Shepard's reservations had been well founded. His family was still on Eden Prime. Maybe that was why he had rushed to take point without waiting for Shepard's order. It had all happened so fast. He dashed out ahead of both Shepard and Kaidan before Kaidan had the opportunity to scan the area for hostiles.

The assault drones rose into the air from nowhere and Jenkins was down with a strangled cry before Kaidan or Shepard had a second to throw up a barrier. They made quick work of the drones and hurried to the fallen soldier. Kaidan dropped to a knee to check for a pulse. He was gone. Shepard had let out a string of curses looking up at the blue sky. Kaidan reached down and closed Jenkins's eyes. He was too young to go out like this. "Son of a bitch," Shepard sighed. "Alright, Alenko. We'll see he gets a proper burial after the mission. Right now, we need to focus," She said as she reloaded her rifle, it was hard to tell if she was saying it for his benefit or her own.

"Yes, ma'am," He answered as he stood and pulled up his omni-tool to check for hostiles in the surrounding area. "Area's clear," He informed her. "I've got your six." She stopped and looked back at him. Her eyes were bright when they met his, and she gave him a quick nod. He was impressed and encouraged by the Commander's ability to compartmentalize. She lost a crew member, and the anger she'd expressed while cursing the sky betrayed her true emotions. She took that human moment and then turned her focus back to the mission. He was able to concentrate on the mission, and not Jenkins's cold, empty stare because she was able to. He could see where her reputation came from, the one that said she was heartless and cared only about results. He had a feeling that she would take the time to grieve later, when there was time. He wondered what else public opinion had wrong about her.

"Let's go," She said. "And Lieutenant?" He waited for her to continue. "Don't die on me." There was no question in her tone, it was an order. It was an order he had no intention of disobeying. He answered in the affirmative and she kept her eyes on him a second longer before turning around, and leading them out.

Kaidan stepped off the elevator and set the box down on the table in the mess and pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. He'd felt the beginnings of the migraine as he had carried Shepard onto the ship, but he hadn't had a chance to seek treatment yet. Besides, Dr. Chakwas had her hands full. He opened his eyes and looked through the window of the med bay and saw the Doctor standing over Shepard with her omni-tool up. His heart sunk when he realized Shepard was still unconscious. Grabbing the box, he walked over to Anderson's cabin and lifted his omni-tool to request access. He pinged the Captain and the response came a full moment later when the lock turned green.

"Captain," Kaidan greeted, and Anderson stood from the terminal at his desk and scrubbed a hand over his face. Kaidan set the box down on the table and Anderson gestured for him to sit.

"What the hell happened down there, Alenko?" Anderson answered and Kaidan sighed.

"Geth," was Kaidan's simple answer and the look of disbelief on Anderson's face was understandable. The Geth were a race of artificial intelligences who live beyond the Perseus Veil. They had been created by the Quarians as laborers and soldiers. However, they evolved and when the geth became sentient and began to question their masters, the Quarians attempted to exterminate them. The geth proved to be superior in battle and won the resulting war. The Quarians lost their homeworld to the geth and are now a race of nomads. The lesson the Quarians learned is viewed as a warning to the rest of the galaxy of the dangers of artificial intelligence. It is the reason the suppression of artificial intelligences throughout galactic society is legally enforced.

"Have you spoken with Chief Williams?" Kaidan asked and Anderson answered that he had but only briefly. "She would know what happened to the colony, specifically. We were dropped into a mess. Jenkins, he was from Eden Prime, Sir. I think, when we saw the devastation up close, I think he was hoping to find his family. It's hard enough to see civilian fatalities in a battle zone, but when the civilians are people you grew up with?" He let out a long breath, and Anderson stayed silent waiting for him to finish. Kaidan continued. "He rushed ahead before the order was given to move out. The Geth drones came out of nowhere and ripped through his shields before Shepard or I had a chance to react," He shook his head gently and momentarily pressed his fingers into his eyes before scrubbing his hands over his face. "After Jenkins, we came across Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. She watched her whole unit die and was fighting the invasion alone when we picked her up. She's a skilled soldier," He paused for a second, swallowing hard and trying to force the pain away. He was glad for the soft blue lighting of the Captain's Quarters, it made it easier to keep his eyes open as his mind betrayed him.

"There were these giant motorized spikes that, well, they started as a base which was about 3 feet high. Then the spike would shoot out from the center and raise up to maybe, twelve feet into the air. The geth were impaling the colonists on them while they were still alive. At first, I assumed it was psychological warfare. An attempt to rattle us by displaying our dead. As we moved further into the colony we saw the spikes lower back into the bases and the colonists had changed. They were not dead, but not alive either. Mindless. Like zombies, or husks, and they would rush you and try to maul you. There was one point I had been surrounded and if it hadn't been for the combination of the Commander and my biotics, I don't think I would have made it out," Kaidan admitted and tried to swallow the guilt when he remembered she was still out cold thanks to his stupidity.

"By the time we reached the dig site, the beacon was gone. We were heading towards the cargo train and we heard a single gunshot," He could still smell the unique mixture of blood and gun powder that came from this type of battle. He could hear the distant screaming of the colonists slowly ending. He pinched the bridge of his nose and attempted to bring himself back into the conversation with Anderson and away from Eden Prime to finish giving his report. "We took out some more geth and husks in the area and that was when we found Nihlus's body. He'd been shot point blank, execution style. There was no way it was the geth. That was when we found the dock worker who witnessed it. He said there was another Turian there that Nihlus was familiar with and that Nihlus had called him Saren," Kaidan looked at the Captain when he said the name, and he noticed the recognition pass over his features.

"Saren's a spectre," Anderson stated absently. "One of the most decorated, you're sure he said it was Saren?" Anderson had pulled up his omni-tool and was navigating through some systems as he spoke to Kaidan. Kaidan nearly winced at the bright light. He looked down as he answered that he was sure, and Anderson urged him to continue.

"The dock worker took off, heading over to where the survivors were gathering. We hit the cargo train still looking for the beacon. The geth were everywhere. We reached the other end of the base and the geth had set up four bombs to blow what was left of the settlement. While Shepard and Williams handled the geth, I disarmed the bombs," Kaidan cleared his throat, he was coming up to the more embarrassing part of the report. "Saren was long gone by the time we took care of the bombs, and all that was left was the beacon. I…" He stopped and scrubbed a hand over his face. Mentally scolding himself for not knowing better. It was getting harder to keep his thoughts straight through the pain of his migraine and he could feel his stomach start to roll. "Shepard called for the Normandy to come pick us and the beacon up. I was so… I was curious; Actual working Prothean technology. All I did was walk towards it, I swear, I didn't touch it but suddenly," He knew he was making excuses. Anderson's face remained passive. Kaidan cleared his throat before he continued, "I was caught in some kind of pull, and my vision went… wrong. Everything was distorted. It hurt," Kaidan stopped and swallowed the bile rising in his throat.

"Next thing I knew I was being pulled away from the force and tossed aside. When I sat up, Shepard had been caught in the beacons energy field. It lifted her off the ground and held her there. I wanted to go to her, like she had for me, but Williams stopped me," He remembered feeling the power in Shepard's arms as she pulled him out of the way. For such a small woman, he was surprised by her strength. He left out how guilty and scared he'd been at the sight of her elevated, her arms stretched out to the sides and her head thrown back in a silent scream. "It held her for maybe a minute; it felt longer. Then the beacon exploded and sent the Commander hard to the ground. I went to her, and she was unconscious. I made quick work of checking her vitals while Williams called Joker for an ETA," Kaidan finished his summary. He looked away from the Captain and placed pressure at his temples.

"Well, I am not anxious to see what the Council will do with Shepard's bid for Spectre now," Anderson sighed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. That explained Shepard's anxiety before they dropped down to the colony. She would be the first human Spectre. Which means Nihlus would have been sent to observe her and to help the Council make the decision on whether or not to install her. This would not bode well for her. Kaidan said nothing, not wanting to overstep. "I have to call Jenkins's next of kin. You said Chief Williams impressed you?" He asked and Kaidan answered in the affirmative. "I'll be requesting her reassignment to the Normandy, then, if you agree?" Kaidan was momentarily surprised the Captain was asking his opinion. Then again, with the Commander out of commission he was the only one who had seen her in action.

"I do. I think she'll be an asset to the crew," Kaidan answered and stood when the Captain did. "Maybe a little green, but she showed some serious skill in simply surviving until help arrived."

Anderson nodded, "Alright Alenko. Why don't you head over to the med bay and get checked out. I'll need your written report on the mission before cycle's end," Kaidan saluted the Captain, and decided to write up his report before heading to see the Doctor. He had a suspicion the drugs she'd give him would make him groggy at the least, if not knock him out. He stopped at his station and forced himself to focus on the terminal in front of him as he typed up his report. His gaze drifted more than once towards the windows of the med bay, hoping to see Shepard up and about. He scolded himself and rushed through the rest of the paperwork, skimming it briefly before submitting it to Anderson's inbox and powering down the terminal.

He entered the med-bay and Dr. Chakwas spoke without looking up from her 'tool, "I was wondering when you would be stopping in," She said in her soft British accent. She stood, closing her 'tool and gestured for Kaidan to take the bed next to Shepard. He asked how she knew he would be coming. "Chief Williams informed me you may have been affected by the beacon as well. Considering the Commander's abnormal beta waves, I assumed you would have a migraine before the end of the day. Where are we on the pain scale?"

"About an eight, but I know it's still building, it's going to get worse before it gets better," Kaidan admitted, his voice quiet. She nodded, her face grim as she went to the medicine cabinet.

"Well, get comfortable then," She stated simply as she pulled some vials out of her cabinet. "The meds will make you sleep, and hopefully, when you wake it will be manageable again. I've done some research and spoke with some colleagues who specialize in L2 implants," She was whispering and had already dimmed the lights. He toed off his boots and set them under the cot before sitting. The cool air of the med-bay, combined with the soft lighting made it easier for him to open his eyes, which instantly fell on Shepard's sleeping face.

She really was a remarkable soldier. It was one thing to hear about Commander Shepard, it was something else completely to see her work in person. Aside from her career achievements, watching her on the battlefield was like watching a master painter at a canvas. She was fearless and bold. Some called her irresponsible, though you couldn't argue with her results. She would plow into the center of the opposition without seeking cover. Methodically, and alternating between powerful biotic throws or warp fields and her deadly accurate aim with her assault rifle, she would take out a group barely sustaining damage. It was as if she could anticipate their next move, or where the next bullet would be coming from. He wondered absently if that was the N training. He was struck with the urge to impress her, to make her see that he was worthy of this posting. That he was worthy to serve under her.

Dr. Chakwas was standing in front of him now, and he looked to her. Her gentle face was framed by softly graying blond hair. Her green eyes were dim with concern, and the worry creases at the corners indicated years of stressful situations. He rolled his sleeve up higher on his arm and she slid the needle in, injecting the narcotics. "This will treat the tension, and the inflammation. There is also a powerful pain killer, and a sedative," She informed him, looking up at his face. She reached out a hand and ran it across his forehead. Kaidan instantly thought of his mother and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "You should be sleeping soon, and should sleep for at least a few hours. I will alert the Captain of your status," She stated and Kaidan winced. First groundside mission and the headaches already had him sidelined. She opened her omni-tool and ran a scan over his form.

He laid back on the cot bringing his feet up. She told him to rest, and he chuckled as she shook out a blanket and laid it over him. "It gets chilly in here," She explained. He thanked her and she smiled at him patting his shin. He watched as she went to Shepard, she placed her fingers at her pulse point and opened her omni-tool to run a scan over her again. There was a small frown on her face as she deactivated the tool. She sighed, and reached out to run her hand over Shepard's face like she had Kaidan's. He felt a little sad at that. When was the last time a maternal hand had graced her features while she was sick or injured? She would have been sixteen when Mindoir was attacked. He sighed and draped his arm over his eyes, trying to keep out the little bit of light in the room. If he felt this bad after seconds in the beacon's beam, he could only imagine what Shepard would feel like when she woke; if she woke. He felt like an idiot.