Zenna and Kolyat stood outside the operating room where several doctors, including Chackwas, were doing what they could for Thane. The blade that slid though his gut seemed to have done more damage than Zenna guessed. According to Chackwas, Kepral's Syndrome seemed to have done a number of the old assassin and his chances weren't good. His body could no longer properly consume oxygen and his hemoglobulin production had fully stopped.

Not having long to live was an understatement. They had to artificially make hemoglobulin and oxygenate his blood in order to try and help his body repair itself. But it didn't seem to do too much good or help. After 4 hours, they wrapped up and Chackwas was the first to exit.

As she slithered out, she removed her mask and sighed. "I'm ssssory, hissss ssssyndrome hassss progresssssed too far. The blade wound alsssssso doessssn't help," she looked down as the other doctors exited the room. "It'ssss time to ssssssay your goodbyessssss. I've already ssssssaid mine,"

Kolyat nodded and was the first to walk in while Zenna looked to the doctor. "Have you called the others?"

"Yesss," she nodded. "But I don't think they'll get here in time. I have informed them to bring flowersss,"

Zenna nodded as she patted the Lamia on the shoulder before she slithered away. The minotaur sighed as she looked to the operating theatre and waited for Kolyat to indicate for her to come in. They had talked that when the surgery was finished, he would be the first in. She did her best to relax as she waited for the father and son to talk, but it wasn't easy. Her minotaurian instincts regarding family were strong. Her team, her crew were her family. Because of that, it was hard for her to break away from the feelings she had towards them.

After a few more moments, Kolyat indicated for her to enter. After a breath, she walked in and looked at the once great assassin laying dying on the slab before her.

"Thane," she muttered as she walked up. "You look… well… you've been better,"

"Co… Shepard, I'm afraid I've picked a bad time to leave," he spoke slowly, trying to conserve as much air as he could.

Zenna smiled at that. "You…. You could never disappoint me old man,"

"Such pleasant thing from…" he coughed, badly. "Excuse me, it's difficult to breath,"

She rested a hand on his shoulder. "Take it easy, breath slowly,"

He nodded as he did so, but it didn't seem to work. "I… I need to know… did did the…"

"The Councillor survived," the minotaur nodded. "But the assassin got away,"

"And Udina, the one who started this mess, is dead," Kolyat added.

The assassin gave out what seemed to be a satisfied sigh as he looked to Zenna. "There is something, I need to do before this gets worse," he coughed a bit more before relaxing while Kolyat brought his hands up to pay. "Kalahira, mistress of inscrutable depths, I ask forgiveness. Kalahira, whose waves wear down stone and sand," he coughed again forcing his son to take over.

But as he spoke, it was hard not to see the blood on his hand. "Kalahira, wash the sins from this one and set him on the distant shore of the infinite spirit," the young cop said.

The assassin chuckled. "Kolyat, you speak like the priests do. You've been spending time with them,"

His son nodded as he moved up next to Zenna. "I brought a prayer book, Commander, would you join me?" Zenna nodded as she moved closer to him as she took over.

"Kalahira, this one's heart is pure but beset by wickedness and contention," she soke, trying to keep the tears out of her eyes. Guide this one to where the traveller never tires, the lover never leaves, the hungry never starve. Guide this one, Kalahira, and she will be a companion to you as he was to me,"

Thane smiled as the light left his eyes and his body went limp. "Kolyat? Why does the last verse say she?" Zenna asked.

The young cop paused before resting a hand on her shoulder. "The prayer was not for him, Commander. He has already asked forgiveness for the lives he has taken. His wish was for you,"

She looked back to Thane, unsure what to make of it. Gritting her teeth, she reached up to one of her horns before using her omni-blade to cut part of it off. She yelled out in pain as she held it in hand. Kolyat only watched as she cut herself with the jagged edge of the blade. Covering in her blood, she then rested it on Thane's cheats.

"By my blood," she growled. "By my honour, I swear by my brood, that I will not rest until the one who has taken you from us, will fall by my blade, and my blade alone,"

She then moved his hand to hold the horn piece on his chest.

"An oath of vengeance?" Kolyat asked to which Zenna nodded.

"Don't let anyone remove it," Zenna said as she turned. "They will understand," she walked out, only thinking about the promise she had just made with the full intent to kill Kai Lang.

OOOOO

The council sat in their private chambers looking over the information that Valern had acquired along with help from Bailey's cyber investigation unit. The information that was found was quite damning towards Udina. But Tevos was focused on Sparatus with a less than pleased look at the turrian. Whenever it came to humans or Shepard in particular, he had been blocking them regardless if their requests were reasonable or understandable.

Only now was the turrian being cooperative with humans, if only begrudgingly because he found out that they were right. While the most recent incident was understandable, both making claims and the truth found out after the fact, the problem came in with the fact on how loyal Shepard had been. She had warned them, she had told them, they knew the truth but covered it up to avoid a panic with Sparatus taking the lead.

But now? Now that stubbornness was too much. Plus, the bias he had against humans was starting to show. Tevos looked to Valern who gave her an imperceptible nod. She responded with one of her own before looking at the Turrian.

"Sparatus, I think it's time we talked about your place in this council," she said getting a look from him, one of surprise, anger and fear.

OOOOO

Zenna walked into the apartment and looked around with a pleased look. This place was nice, very high end as to be expected of an Admiral. The place was nice and warm thanks to the fake fire that was burning in front of a couch. The place was well furnished and it was hard to deny the credits it would take to own a place like this.

"Commander, I've got Admiral Anderson on the QEC. Patching him in now," she said.

Looking up, she moved over to the terminal below a screen and hit the green button. Within seconds Anderson then came up on the screen. He looked a little worse for wear, but that was to be expected given that he was fighting a perpetual war against the reapers on earth.

"Shepard," he nodded. "You look well, given what I heard. I'm not surprised Udina was a traitor,"

Zenna just shrugged, "Yeah well enough about me, Admiral, how are you holding up?" she asked.

This time, he shrugged. "Day by day Commander, it's the only go survive,"

"Yeah, that's just the way things are," Zenna nodded with a smile. "Hackett send me a message about this apartment,"

He nodded at that while rubbing the back of his neck. "I want you to have it, rake it out of my hands."

That gave her a bit of a shock. "You serious?" she asked with a raised brow.

Again, he nodded. "You need a place that's your, somewhere to relax, recharge your head. Kahlee wanted us to settle down there but the longer I'm here on earth the less I want to leave." he said as Zenna moved away to look around the apartment and ended up at the end with another screen and Anderson appeared on the screen. "And I want as few lose ends as possible. Like I said you'd be doing me a favour,"

She smiled as she shook her head. "That's very generous of you,"

"It's practical," he said with a shrug. "We need you at your best shape possible. Rested, focused,"

She nodded. "If you say so. Thanks."

He spread his arm to the apartment. "Make yourself at home commander, it's yours now,"

"I think I can manage," Zenna said a smile making plans to add a workshop in somewhere.

He let a satisfied and relived sigh. "Okay, good I've been meaning to do that for a while now. I'll talk to you soon,"

"Be careful Anderson," she said as he nodded and turned the communications off.

As she moved out to see the rest of the apartment, she moved to see a well-stocked kitchen and smiled but paused before doing anything else. There was someone she needed to call first. She sent a message though her omni-tool before getting ready to cook something nice and meaty. It had been a long week of debriefing and report writing. So, some comfort food was going to be needed for this upcoming meeting.

As she finished eating a pot of noodles, the bell rang. Doing a quick check to see who it was, she set the empty pot noodle to one side before she moved over to the door and opened it up.

"Ashley," she nodded as she let the marine in.

"Commander," the marine nodded back as walked in and looked around the place. "Wow nice place,"

"Yeah, I just received it. I need to get some paperwork done, but… well… it's mine now," Zenna smiled as she closed the door.

"But that is not what I'm here for is it?" Ashley asked, a knowing tone entering her voice.

Zenna sighed but nodded. "I wanted to talk to your about…" she began before the marine in front of her snapped into parade stance and saluted.

"I am prepared for any punishment deemed necessary sir," her tone perfectly ready for anything.

Zenna just laughed. "At ease marine, you did what you thought was right at the time. I mean you did pull a gun on me, so you are going to be paying for that, but given the circumstances… I cannot say that I wouldn't do the same," she shrugged. "I mean I think I've done it a few times as well. No, I'm here to offer you something else,"

Ashley blinked but nodded as she relaxed, if still tense. Zenna reached over for a datapad and used a handprint to activate it. With that done, she handed to the marine who took it with some trepidation. It didn't take long for her jaw to drop as she read the pad.

"W…h….w…" she tried but it seemed that her brain stopped working.

"I know," Zenna shrugged. "But I'm not surprised, but they did want me to make the final call on the matter," her voice then shifted to being serious. "So, miss Williams, are you prepared to become a Specter?"

The marine looked up then back at the datapad unsure what to make of it. "I… I …" she stuttered before her mind finally decided to catch up. "If it allows me to stay on the Normandy, I accept," she finally said.

"Good to hear it, Williams," Zenna said as she took the pad and typed something in. "or should I say Specter Williams?"

"That fast?" Ashely asked and Zenna just nodded as her omni-tool bleeped.

Opening it up, she found an email from Joker.

Hey Shepard,

I've got a few things I wanted to go over with you. With the Normandy in dry dock, I figured we could meet up at that Ryuusei sushi place down in the Wards. I hear it's the best.

Joker

"Want some sushi?" Zenna asked with a smile.