Illium, Nos Astra, Nos Astra Trade sector

An Asari in a weathered-looking gray dress and sandals called over to Jane, "Excuse me, Shepard?"

"We'll catch up with you later." Miranda gestured to the others, "Honestly, we could use some shore leave."

The Captain nodded to the woman and approached, "Yes?"

After closing her eyes, the Asari had a distant, quiet voice, "Shepard. Our song continues thanks to you. We will not forget. When you face them, we will be there. Together, our songs will break the sour, yellow note." With that, she blinked back to herself.

Jane began to ask, "Sour, yel-" Nodding, she stated instead, "If you see her again, tell her I wish her all the best."

"They are an amazing people with a truly sad history."

Shepard handed the Asari a credit chit, and left.

As soon as she entered the main trading floor, Shepard was waved at by another woman. This time a human that Jane recognized immediately, so she walked over to the offered seat, "Good to see you again." Recalling the woman's profession, she lowered her volume, "Giana?"

Parasini smiled, "Back from the dead, and I forgot my stand-alone camera." She gestured to get the attention of the Asari waitress, whom promptly walked over, "My friend here will have… an Old Fashioned."

As the Asari left their vicinity, Jane noted with a smirk, "I'm not sure I want to know how you know that."

Parasini smiled back at Shepard, "We have a mutual friend or two on the Citadel."

Jane relaxed against the back of her chair, "So…"

"How's it going? What's new with you? Blah, blah, blah. We've seen increases in intellectual property theft related to defensive technologies, regular espionage between smaller companies on cancelled projects." Giana Parasini looked directly into Jane Shepard's eyes, "There's a theory going around, and it scares the hell out of me, Jane."

The soldier nodded, "If it's what I think it is, nobody is ready for it."

When the drink was placed on the table for Shepard, Parasini offered the coaster she had been using, "I'll see you later. Don't forget your drink."

As Jane consumed her drink, she found the note.

She went over to the Serrice Technology booth where Hermia was employed, "Welcome to Serrice Tech. How may I help you?"

Shepard briefly skimmed over the terminal's offerings, "I'm outfitting a squad for a very hazardous mission." She kept the tiniest smirk hidden from the Asari attendant, "Is this the best Serrice has? Money is not an issue."

Hermia admitted, albeit quietly to Jane, "I have a set of schematics that, I'm told, are worth more than the freight."

Shepard hummed at that, signaling Giana Parasini to come over, "And you don't have the license for that!"

The Asari was angry upon hearing the newcomer's voice, "Parasini?! Damn you both! I'm calling my lawyer!" She quickly ran off.

Giana called as the other woman left, "Talk fast, Hermia! When fines hit, you won't be able to afford him!" She then said to Jane, "Thanks, Shepard. One less crook smuggling faked secrets."

Jane made a play at disappointment, "Aw. There you go, breaking my heart."

"What can I say? I love nailing Asari like her. So timelessly arrogant," Parasini said, shaking her head. "Take care of yourself, Shepard. And thanks for the assist."

"You're welcome."

Jane had found Justicar Samara throwing around another Asari in Eclipse armor. Her hand lifting her Phalanx pistol on instinct, Shepard was joined by Samara, both briefly hovering over cornered prey.

"Justicar Samara, I take it?"

"Captain Jane Shepard."

"Why this one?" Jane asked, pointing the weapon at the Eclipse Sister.

"Wait, Council Spectre Shepard? Shit." The mercenary's complexion paled at the realization.

Samara told the prey, "Answer me, and my new friend here won't eviscerate you."

A growl and gnashed teeth response was met with one gunshot, severing the mercenary's right hand at the wrist.

After several moments of howling winding down to a whimper, Jane pointed her gun at the prey's feet, "Talk, or you lose more parts."

"She'll torture me in ways you can't. Hell no."

Shepard swiveled her eyes to Samara questioningly. Samara lifted a hand to halt the session, "She refuses to speak." At that, Jane holstered her weapon and stepped back.

Three days later, back on the Citadel, Barla Von's office

As the door opened, the financier sat behind an elevated desk waving to his first customer of the day, "Welc… Shepard! I was wondering when you would stop by."

Dressed in regulation Alliance blues again, Shepard strode over to the desk and accepted an offered chair, "Barla Von. It's great to see you again."

He commented, "A mutual acquaintance told me, two years ago, that you weren't actually dead. Your accounts are intact."

"Thank you. That actually answers my first questions."

He responsively retrieved a datapad from his side of the desk and slid it across to her, "This should answer the others." There was more than a tiny hint of positivity in his voice, "I did have a moment of weakness. You've been such a good client that I lowered my rates for you."

Looking up from the datapad, she smiled at him, "Then there will definitely be more business headed your way."

He nodded to her, likely smiling behind his pressurized helmet, "I look forward to it, Captain."

Citadel, Zakera Ward, C-Sec checkpoint office

Commander Bailey typing on his terminal called over to Shepard, "I see the problem, Captain. I'll take care of it."

Jane said to him, "Anonymity is useful for this assignment. Oddly enough."

He easily accepted her idea, "You're a goddamn bona-fide hero. There. I put a block in the system. Your I.D. will still work, but you'll be unlisted."

She nodded to Bailey, "Thanks" Gesturing to her Drell companion, Thane, Shepard asked, "My friend is looking for his son. He would have come to the Citadel within the last couple of months."

Bailey glimpsed up toward Thane, "We don't get many Drell on the entire station."