58Chapter 02
The Illusive Man was no stranger to Aria T'Loak, though they had never communicated with each other in person. There had been little need for it. Cerberus had never seemed that interested in Omega even though the sprawling asteroid, with its minute human population, seemed to represent everything they despised about the galaxy. They rented a few facilities from Aria and had claimed to be open about his intentions with them.
That was until Aria discovered that they were running unsanctioned experiments on some of Omega's destitute. Asura had uncovered the operation and dealt with one of its main leaders. Aria had pretended to be blasé about the revelation when confronted by the ardat yakshi but soon after Asura had left her Aria had contacted one of the Cerberus' representatives on the base, requested an audience and told them that they had less than an Omega sleep cycle to get their people out lest they wanted a slaughter on their hands. The representative had come with a counteroffer, a request and an apology from the Illusive Man. They wanted Omega as a staging area for their research and teams that they send beyond the Omega-4-Relay. They needed her cooperation and in turn had guaranteed that no experiments would run rampant again, that their people would be called to heel, that data would be exchanged and ultimately, credits.
For four months, that arrangement had worked in her favour but now, with the knowledge her people had brought to her, she was wondering what the true cost of her association with Cerberus had been.
Paul Johnson.
Aria turned the name over and over in her mind as she stared at the image of the Illusive Man in front of her as he told her of his compromised operations, how the turians had taken some of his operatives and how quite a number of his institutions were now compromised, all attacked simultaneously by a turian led operation that saw its origins at the heart of the Citadel. She knew where this was going, but she didn't care. She had one name on her mind.
Paul Grayson.
Realising that the Illusive Man had gone quiet, Aria turned to his image and studied the man, musing over how desperate he had to be to approach her for help. His patience looked strained as he returned her studying gaze. She wondered what he saw when he looked at her, whether he looked at her with the same disgust his people were rumoured to have to other species.
"So your blood is in the water and you're trying to get away from the sharks still circling around for a meal," Aria mused finally, showing him that she had been paying attention. "I have to say, from my perspective; this has all been a long time coming. Your organisation has not been making any friends, if your actions on my asteroid has been anything to go by. You say there is no risk of these council turians coming here? I warn you, as I have in the past, I'll hand your people over if anybody comes knocking for them. Nobody here cares what I allow to happen to Cerberus operatives." Few knew of the organisation's association with Omega. She had not publicised that they were paying her rent or even on the station because most would not understand that sometimes it was all just business.
She could feel this human man studying her as he tried to gauge her mood.
"Since the last incident, I have been making sure that my people stay in line," the man spoke levelly. He had a pleasant enough accent though it was ruined by his features. Aria didn't know what kind of implants he had but she didn't enjoy staring at his slightly glowing eyes. He also didn't stop smoking for one minute, the lines on his face already worn and hard by what had to be years of the habit. "Since your people dealt with Lee Harrison, the rest of my operatives have come to understand where the lines are. As before, I assure you. We merely want your premises as a go between for the Omega-4-Relay. I trust you have been satisfied with the information we've shared with you surrounding our discoveries?"
Aria wasn't going to play that game. "You are asking considerably more now," she said. "Since your people have been attacked you are now asking for sanctuary and protection for those who are left. And some of your fleet? I cannot hide them all. I am not the only one on this rock with a satellite."
The Illusive Man's smile was very tight. "Of course," he said. "But, I trust with your contacts you can smooth the way. The value of my credits has not changed Aria. I will pay my way. I just need to know that my people will be able to make their way relatively unmolested."
Aria's mouth thinned.
"Relatively," she echoed and closed her eyes for a moment. Unbidden the image of her daughter, sprawled naked on an unmade bed with dark blood pooling around her like a cape, came to mind. Aria was practiced at not showing any emotion and it vexed her that she had such a fragile control of her thoughts.
"Tell you what, Illusive Man," she said as she opened her eyes. "The limits of my cooperation and my patience with all of your kind scuttling around my asteroid will now be determined by your reaction on two words." She made sure to look at him though she took care not to show any of the emotions that wanted to spill forth when the name came to her lips.
"Paul Grayson."
She was childishly proud that the hate she felt towards the man came forth as nothing more than irritation. She watched the Illusive Man closely as he blinked then carefully took another long drag from his cigarette. He did not comment but waited for her to finish. Not in the mood for games, Aria showed more of her hand.
"He is a Cerberus agent, yes? You know the name, I can tell." This time she allowed some of her anger to show. Just a measure, just a drop spilled from the ocean of rage and frustration that she had been caught up with in the past couple of days and had been unable to share with anybody.
"Did you place him here? Was he sent by you to infiltrate my operations?"
She was disappointed when he relaxed.
"No," the man said curtly and she knew that he wasn't lying. "Paul Grayson defected from my operation nearly two years ago and I am hunting him still. He was the one who betrayed me to the Alliance and put me in the position where I am now. I didn't know that he was on Omega, trust me – if I had known sooner, he would not have been your problem." He settled back a little, unlike Aria he had chosen to have their meeting sitting down.
"What is he to you?"
It was hard to answer that. Aria had not had a problem with Grayson when he still masqueraded as Johnson. Sure, she had felt that he wasn't good enough for her daughter's affections but that was normal. But, given how long human lifespans were, she had consoled herself by saying that he was simply a phase and she knew all about those. And, the most conflicting part in all of this was that Aria still couldn't believe that he had been the one to draw the blade across Liselle's throat.
"Two weeks ago," Aria spoke levelly. "He took something from me." She almost said the last with too much emotion and checked herself. "Or so it would appear on initial assessment, considering that I've lost more red sand than a Citadel club can use in a year. I want to find him so that he can give me an… explanation. I like to give people the… how do you humans say it? The benefit of the doubt. I want a conversation with this man named Grayson and ask him why he thought it wise to fuck with me."
She didn't like the way the Illusive Man was studying her, as if he understood the subtle undertones of her emotions or could somehow magically sense what this really meant to her. As she watched him he stubbed out the cigarette he had in his hand, seemingly coming to some kind of conclusion.
"Well," he said. "In that we are the same then. I've wanted a conversation with the man for two years for…" he paused for drama, "pretty much the same reason. He fucked me. And now he has cost me dearly by releasing my data to the Alliance. I want him dead."
When her people came to her and said that Grayson was Cerberus, Aria had felt that it was a breakthrough. She had hoped that she would be able to lean on the Illusive Man to either give up Grayson or point her in the general direction he might have fled. Now, she was beginning to understand that this man couldn't help her.
"Then we are not the same," Aria said. "If you couldn't capture him for two years…" She shook her head in disbelief.
"I've had to channel resources into other projects as well," the Illusive Man spoke dryly. "I believe you met one of them – Shepard? I will confess we didn't put a lot into finding Grayson because there are bigger things out there. And now? Even though I want to go after him, I cannot do it because my organisation is severely crippled and compromised."
Aria was beginning to lose interest in this.
"Then you are of no use to me," she said. "Consider this a fair warning. I want your people off my asteroid. I am not interested in the trouble Cerberus might bring my way. I have enough trouble with all these miserable batarians trying to worm their way in here. I am done with bad business and, with your organisation as severely compromised as you say, you might not be good for the credits."
"I am good for the credits," the Illusive Man's tone was sharper than before. "And don't underestimate my use. I know how to find Grayson but I don't have the resources to go after him myself."
This time, Aria waited.
"Grayson had help from a woman named Kahlee Sanders when he broke away from Cerberus," the Illusive Man said. "She was the one who released Cerberus' information and is currently with the turians who led the assault on a number of my bases. She is the key to finding him and I know exactly where she is, I just can't get at her myself."
Aria considered this for a moment. "And you think I can?"
"You or your mercenaries," the Illusive Man said. "I can only imagine the force you have at your command."
Aria snorted, but she felt a little flattered. The man was right in that, nobody quite understood the extent of her reach, she made sure of that.
"I can muster a ship full of cutthroats and brigands," she pointed out. "Perhaps two, at the most. Now, lets stop dancing around each other and talk straight. You want me to go after Kahlee Sanders and what? Kill her?"
"No," the Illusive Man said quickly. "Not initially. You'll need her to contact Grayson, she's the only one who knows how, I imagine."
Aria nodded and was beginning to feel a little happier by the direction this conversation was now going.
"So, you give me Grayson," she said. "And in return…" She allowed him to finish the sentence.
"In return, you continue to give my people safe passage through Omega," the Illusive Man pointed out. "And, you allow me to place a few more in the wards. I am not looking to cause any trouble, Aria. But, I should warn you, Grayson's dangerous. You might have a personal bone to pick with him but understand, he is better off dead."
Something about the way he said it made her pause. Aria studied his expression and wondered why he kept on coming back to that one point. That Grayson should be killed. Did he know something? Something that the Illusive Man didn't want him to divulge perhaps.
Where has the damned man been for two weeks?
"Then we'll consider killing him on sight," Aria's tone was now dismissive. "Who cares about his motivations anyway. The red sand he took from me is probably gone by now. Alright, you have earned the right to continue this conversation further. How many of your people are we talking about?"
The call came as they were settling for dinner and Asura considered simply letting it go to message till she saw who it was. As always, a measure of anxiety came to her as she stared at the caller ID and Abby picked up on it immediately.
"Who is that?" she asked as she watched Asura glare at her screen. Grimacing, Asura began to head to their bedroom.
"Aria," she said. "I'll be right back love."
She sensed more than heard Abby's exhale as she picked up on her partner's anxiety as well. It was sharp to her senses, like the aroma of the ocean on a breeze. It made her long for the human woman's touch and leaving her in their kitchen was like tearing a part of her in half. She didn't want to leave her company, not today. Regardless though, she opened her omnitool and took Aria's call.
The pirate queen of Omega's face told her that she had not liked waiting for a reply as long as she did and Asura wasn't in the mood for her rebuke.
"My apologies, Aria," she said before the asari could get in a word. "I had to excuse myself from company. What can I help you with?" Asking that was the quickest way to steer the conversation. Still, Aria didn't reply immediately, but studied her face as if she was trying to see the area around her.
"Are you at home or at Mordin's clinic?" Aria asked. "I understand Dr Gable's practice has been closed for two days."
It was a soft way of saying that her partner had been unconscious after their latest melding. She had only brought Abby home a few hours ago. Although Asura had all the means to care for her at home during this crucial time post melding, she had started to take her to the clinic for an examination every time, needing to be reassured that she was not killing the veterinarian faster than her disease was.
"We're home," Asura said, finding it strange that Aria should ask. "And alone." Perhaps a concern for privacy?
The matriarch nodded slowly. "And she is well?"
Narrowing her eyes, Asura couldn't keep her tone light. "Are you trying to imply something?"
Across the technology separating them, Aria met her gaze. "Of course not," she said. "But I need you to report to my transport dock. Immediately. If the good doctor requires care or company I can arrange for someone to oversee her. In fact, I'm sending Elaine as we speak, I don't want you distracted with concern over her wellbeing for this mission."
Asura closed her eyes for a moment and pressed her fingers against her brow. When she heard a noise behind her, she saw that Abby had followed her to the bedroom, her features stoic as she listened to the conversation.
"What am I doing for you?" Asura asked. "What is this about?"
Aria's eyes narrowed and judging by her tone, she didn't like to explain herself. "Paul Johnson," she said simply. "We have a lead. More information will be supplied but now, you must go. I want you on that team because you can keep your head about you. Be warned, this might take a day or more." She severed the connection even before Asura could comment or deny her. The name of course, had told Asura that she could not. She let out a slow breath, stilling her mind. A hand found hers, with slim fingers that did not tremble or hesitate. Turning to Abby, Asura found the usual turmoil there that the vet had whenever she had to go out for Aria.
"This is about Liselle?" Abby asked. "Do you have to go now?"
Sometimes Asura could negotiate her jobs with Aria but in this she knew that she could not.
"Immediately," Asura said but took the time to wrap her arms around Abby and kiss her on her forehead. "I'm sorry."
Pressing herself against her, Abby shook her head. "This is my fault." They were hollow words. They each knew why they needed Aria. Asura understood even more than Abby because months ago, Liara T'Soni had given her a warning.
Somebody out there knows that a human can survive an ardat yakshi's touch.
If people found out that it was Abby…
"Aria's sending Elaine here," Asura said then fixed her partner with a look. "Who is Elaine?" She pretended to sound jealous though deep down she was a little. This person was going to spend this evening with her partner, while she went out to unleash whatever horrors she could on the man who was suspected of killing Aria's daughter.
Abby laughed at her tone and pushed her away, moving to the closet where they kept Asura's overnight bag. It was always packed.
"One of Aria's dancers," she said. "The one with the dog? I see her occasionally in a professional capacity."
Asura generally stayed away from any other asari, whether they were in Aria's employment or not. Her kind just… knew that something was wrong with her.
"A dog is hardly a proper chaperone," she pointed out. "You better behave yourself, Dr Gable."
Usually, Abby would have responded with some quirk, a sassy remark that might even lead to flirting but this time, she didn't. She handed Asura her bag, then wrapped her arms around her, clinging to her with a strange desperation Asura had not felt before.
Liselle's death changed something for her.
"And you better be careful, Asura," Abby breathed into her neck. "Come back to me."
It was a promise she would make over and over. It was even, perhaps, the first promise she made her on that fateful day Asura realised that something was different about this woman. That she had not stolen her life as she had countless others.
I'll find you, Abigail, I promise.
Asura cupped Abby's cheeks and brought her lips to hers.
"Always," she whispered as they shared a kiss.
"Always."
"If you are watching this, it means Cerberus has found me. I don't know if they'll come for you, too. They might not; the Illusive Man is practical enough that he might decide you are inconsequential to his plans. But he can also be vindictive and petty. It's a chance you can't afford to take."
In the days that passed since Grayson's message and information found her, First Lieutenant Kahlee Sanders had run it over and over in her mind. Her relationship with Paul Grayson had always been complicated. When they first met, he was still with Cerberus, masquerading as a wealthy businessman with a biotic daughter that was, arguably, in dire need of Grissom Academy's care. Gillian had been gifted, one of the strongest biotics Kahlee had met at the time. It was concern over her welfare that eventually broke the ties that Grayson had with Cerberus and he chose to entrust her care and future to Sanders. If he had not done so, she might have ended up in the clutches of the Illusive Man.
Recently, Kahlee had come to understand what exactly Grayson and herself had saved Gillian from.
They didn't share anything else except this gifted young woman, but it was enough for them to communicate frequently. Grayson's daughter wasn't at the school anymore but Kahlee got infrequent updates about her wellbeing from the people tasked with keeping her out of Cerberus' hands. After more than two years of keeping in touch with Grayson, Kahlee was the first to admit that perhaps their relationship had turned from necessity to friendship. She had seen him clean up his life, breaking away from the red sand addiction that he had and finding the means to not only stay out of Cerberus' reach but also make a life for himself. As much as Paul was capable of happiness, he had seemed content in their past few conversations, mentioning occasionally a woman called Liselle.
Kahlee didn't have to hear him say it to know that they had been lovers and she had been happy for Paul, glad that he was finally allowing himself a little bit more than pure survival. It affirmed a ridiculously naïve but hopeful notion that Kahlee held, which was that everybody could be saved.
Even the most broken of people.
But, of course, occasionally one's past caught up. Kahlee could only guess at the circumstances under which Grayson was taken. The message he had send her was pre-recorded, probably a kind of fail-safe mechanism that kicked in place when he thought he was compromised. Not only had it warned her of possible retaliation from Cerberus, but it had also given her a significant number of details on Cerberus facilities and operatives. Not knowing what to do with it, she had taken the information to the ex-Councilman David Anderson. Reinstated in the military, serving under the diplomatic core due to his ties and relationships with other council races, Admiral Anderson had seemed the most logical choice. They had a history and recently he had come to her with a single request.
Keep Subject Zero, aka Jack a former member of Jane Shepard's infamous crew, safe.
It was easier said than done.
He owed her for that alone.
Anderson had not disappointed. In fact, considering how quickly he had arranged protection for her, how quickly he had abandoned all that he was busy with to assist her, she had a feeling she now owed him. In the two weeks since she fled from Grissom Academy, terrified that – if Cerberus came for her – they would come after the children, Anderson had become her shadow and her protector. He worked with the turians, acting as liaison between all the different parties that they could trust to take Cerberus down. The operation had not been Alliance led. The turians had long since suspected that the terrorist organisation had moles within the human ranks, a fact now proven by some of the data Kahlee had seen. A few days ago, the operation had struck all the Cerberus bases simultaneously and C-sec, which had always been turian dominant, had mobilised on all Cerberus agents hidden on the Citadel that Paul Grayson's information pointed to.
It had both been a triumph and, as the newly appointed Councilman Udina had named it, a political shit-storm that did not reflect well on humanity.
Anderson had disagreed with him. Having been in the thick of all the planning, he had told Kahlee that the aliens had felt that it was more than apt for these traitors to their own species be revealed. The feeling was that, if there were humans who didn't like playing with other races, they should simply opt to stay in Sol and not make their bigotry the rest of the galaxy's problem such as through the acts of terrorism that Cerberus was known for.
For Kahlee Sanders, it went even deeper than that. She hated the organisation, the feeling fuelled and deepening every time her eyes caught the scars on Jack's body. And it raged in her every time she encountered David Archer, the young man Commander Shepard had rescued from a Cerberus experiment called Project Overlord. As cruel as the organisation was to other species sometimes, they were just as cruel to their own people.
People like Jack and Gillian and…
Now Paul Grayson.
She had hoped that they would find him alive. She had hoped that they would be able to save him before the Illusive Man were able to exact his revenge. After the initial attack on this Cerberus base, the turians had reported that they had saved a man from one of the cells who had been confused and clearly experimented on. This information didn't reach Kahlee immediately though. She only heard this from Anderson when they came to her, wondering if she had answers as to why the cruiser bringing Grayson back had disappeared.
After hearing that they had found Grayson and that there was strong evidence that he had been experimented on, Kahlee had insisted on accompanying the turian scientists to this base to see for herself what they had been up to. She doubted she would have managed to convince them had it not been for Anderson.
That more than a day ago, perhaps even a lifetime.
Kahlee was struggling with herself as she stared at the data. She wasn't sure how long she had been staring at it but knew that pretty soon, Anderson would come to tell her. The turian scientists that had accompanied them to the lab originally had changed shifts… what? Twice? Three times? If she had paid attention to them, she could have set her watch to their impeccable timing. They had helped her to crack some of the encryption codes in the system, had salvaged some of the original footage that showed Grayson being pumped full of an unknown material which must have been partially responsible for the physical changes the turian team that had gone missing had reported. Their ship had still not been found and she knew, though no one said it, that the turians now suspected Grayson and not some Cerberus retaliation team to be responsible for its disappearance. The terrorist organisation was in too much of a disarray to mount any kind of assault.
Kahlee hoped with all her heart that they would never recover.
If they ever found Grayson again, she wasn't sure how they were going to save him.
She heard a door open behind her but didn't turn to see who it was. It could only be one person, one human on this turian crew. Anderson, as before, approached the workstation that she had claimed as hers and put a meal tray down beside her.
"Kahlee," he said, his tone level and firm. "It's been six hours since you last took a break. I want you to stop and eat something."
As expected, Kahlee thought wryly. She didn't turn to look at him but opened up the monitor's screen again, having not realised that it had gone blank in the time that she had stood staring off into space, trying to process what she had been reading. It irritated her suddenly that she didn't know how long she had been doing it.
I cannot waste time like this!
"I've told you, Anderson," she said, perhaps a bit sharper than she intended. "That I know my limits and can work as hard as I can. I'm not hungry."
The food that he had brought looked warm and smelled faintly of cinnamon. It was a rare delicacy this far away from the Sol system. Her stomach chose that moment to betray her by growling in anticipation of the meal. She could not remember the last time that she had eaten. Anderson took it as a sign to move to the head of her table and sit down in front of her, his face clearly visible through the data that danced before her.
"You haven't eaten since coming here," he said. "Stop. Rest. You're of no use to Grayson burned out and exhausted. That's an order, First Lieutenant."
She gave him a look but the genuine concern she saw in his eyes made her pause and hold off comment. Reminding herself that she wouldn't be here without him, that she would probably not be alive had she not met him now nearly twenty years ago, Kahlee sighed and turned off the visuals again. Without looking at Anderson, she pulled the tray closer and lifted the cover from the bowl.
Seeing it made her heart ache unexpectedly as she was reminded of home and simpler times.
"Rolled oats, honey, cinnamon… Banana. Wow, Cerberus knows how to stock a mess hall. We don't even have bananas at the Ascension Project and we get shipments from Earth weekly."
Anderson smiled and it made the lines on his face a little softer.
"Shepard told me they knew how to show their people a good time," his tone was dry. "Rumour had it they stole one of the Alliance's best pilots, my best pilot, simply by whispering the words leather seats."
This made Kaylee snort. Unable to hold herself back any longer, she reached for the bowl and a spoon. She said nothing as she ate and Anderson left her. The food did revive her somewhat, but it didn't bring clarity to her mind nor sooth the despair she felt.
Anderson shifted when she finally put her bowl down again, his expression becoming more sombre.
"Have you found anything else?"
Kahlee couldn't remember what she had told him the last time he came in here insisting that she take a break. She had not taken his food offering then.
"A lot of the data here is encrypted," she said. "The turians are making some headway in deciphering it but so far they have only managed to unlock some of the security systems. The actual data on what they were subjecting Grayson to isn't available." She hesitated then pulled up a video she had been studying and played it for Anderson.
It showed a naked Grayson lying strapped to a table, his body wired with probes and a doctor at his head, placing some kind of thick tube down his throat. She had been horrified to realise that he had been conscious for the procedure.
"They gave him something," she said. "I don't know what, there's no indication of what it could have been or samples left in the lab… that we could identify. I… don't know to what end. It…" She shook her head. "Furthermore, they seemed to have stimulated…" Electrocuted. "his body with a current. They could either have done this for torture or to support whatever it was that they were doing to him." Her heart ached. "The turians are guessing it has something to do with physical enhancement, based on the description of what their crew had send them when they picked up Grayson. They reported that he had had amnesia. I'm wondering if it didn't have something to do with mind control."
Anderson was staring at the video with absolutely no hint of emotion in his face. She had no doubt that, as a soldier, he had probably seen more. Still, his words were sincere when he spoke.
"I'm sorry Kahlee, I knew you were hoping we would find him alive."
Her anger was swift.
"There is no evidence that he is dead!" She snapped. "None! He could still be out there Anderson!"
Again, he didn't show any emotion at her anger and it made her feel a little ashamed.
"I'm sorry," she said and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I… I don't know who I am trying to convince really." She turned away from him and looked at the yellow fruit still left on the plate. As rare as they were, she didn't feel like indulging.
"You're tired," Anderson said instead. "This data isn't going anywhere. Please, come with me. I found you a cabin, fluffed the pillows and changed the sheets. Sleep a few hours. You might be able to come up with something then."
Kahlee glared at him, not liking his tone but abruptly realised she was being a bitch. Closing her eyes, breathing in deeply to seek the calm she so often told her students to find, Kahlee saw the truth in his advice. Looking back to the monitor, Kahlee closed the data and pushed herself up, her back clicking in protest. She grimaced at the sound and rubbed at the spot on her lower back.
"There was a time that I could sit for hours," she said. "I'm getting old."
Anderson chuckled and, with a gentle look in his eyes, offered her an arm.
"You have been sitting for hours," he said. "Don't be too hard on yourself." He didn't deny it of course. He probably couldn't with the salt and pepper dusting his own hair. "Here, this way." Outside of the lab, he turned her down the corridor and started walking in a direction with the self-assuredness of a man used to the unknown. Kahlee felt a little slower, a little less graceful. She already started feeling guilty discontinuing her effort to try and get more data out of the Cerberus system. If they found Paul, saving his life might be the difference between decoding one file and…
Alarms started blaring all around them.
Anderson stopped and froze, looking around to see if he could spot any immediate danger before turning to his omnitool.
"Sartos!" He spoke when his line connected. "What's going on?"
Kahlee didn't hear the reply as she had to step out of the way of a rushing turian. She considered shouting after him but, if he was also only responding to the alarm now, it would be a useless venture. He'd know as little as they did.
Anderson cursed and reached out to grab her hand.
"We're under attack," he said. "Two freighters, probably mercenaries. They're trying to board."
This deep in terminus space, Kahlee shouldn't have been surprised but she couldn't imagine what the odds were of a station being attacked twice in less than a handful of days.
"Cerberus?" She asked, allowing Anderson to lead her to the mess hall where everybody was gathering. "A retaliation?"
"They don't think so," Anderson said. "Sartos!" He called out to a turian organising several of the turian fighters storming into the room into small fighting groups. "Where do you need us?"
Turians' features were a little harder to read than other races but even Kahlee didn't miss the irritation in the alien's features.
"Out of the way," he snapped. "My people can handle this."
Anderson's irritation was just as clear as he motioned to the two of them. "We know how to handle ourselves," he said. "We can help!"
"You don't know our tactics," Sartos must have anticipated his resistance. Still, he motioned to two of the turian guards. "Give the humans your side arms, then I want you at docking bay D! We cannot let them board and overwhelm us." If it was truly two freighters, Kahlee realised, they might overwhelm them. They did a lot of drills with the children at Grissom Academy, preparing for such an eventuality. She took a hand cannon one of the turians offered her and was a little surprised when Anderson didn't argue. Instead, the Alliance Admiral accepted the weapon handed to him and nodded.
"Then we'll hide and stay out of your way," he said. "Godspeed Sartos."
The turian inclined his head in acknowledgement before he led the gathered, now armoured, scientists out in the opposite direction that they had come, leaving Anderson and Kahlee to an empty commissary.
Anderson grimaced, checked his pistol then turned to Kahlee.
"I want us to find some escape pods," he said. "Make a stand close to them. Cerberus or pirates, I don't think they'll bother chasing after us if we eject."
Kahlee shook her head in protest. "I have to get back to the lab," she said. "I have to try and copy some of the data. If this ship gets taken, it will all be lost!" She made to run back from where they had come but Anderson grabbed her elbow, his expression fierce.
"If this ship gets taken we will have more pressing concerns," he said. "This is not the time Kahlee, come with me!"
She started to pull against him but a sudden explosion rocked the room around them.
Kahlee looked around her in bewilderment then to Anderson.
If I make a mistake now, I lose him to.
Kahlee had lost enough people in her life not to want to add another to the list. She was good at what she did. She had extensive experience with analysing scientific experiments in every subject ranging from artificial intelligence to zoology. But, she wasn't a soldier, not at heart, not the way Anderson was. She had to trust him to do right by her.
"Lead the way," she said even though it felt a little like giving up on Grayson. "I'll follow your lead."
To Be Continued…
AN: By the stars, if I could call a chapter "Exposition" this would be it. I… don't even know whether to apologise. Originally the intention had been to focus on Mass Effect Retribution simply as a passing mention. However, after rereading the book I realised that I want to draw on a few things from it. I don't want to rewrite the book (because this story is actually supposed to be centred around another set of events), simply refer to some of the happenings in light of how I portrayed events in my previous fic. However, I realised that it is important for the reader to have a passing knowledge of the events that transpired there and a familiarity of Kahlee Sanders and how she linked up with Cerberus. I would suggest that you refer to the Wikipedia page on the book as they give a decent synopsis of it. I've tried to summarise some of it in this chapter. I might not have succeeded XD