This is a sequel to 'Struggle' but for anyone who hasn't read that and doesn't want to, I've summarised the events that I placed more emphasis on, changed completely, or just think you should know, before embarking on this story. If I've missed anything it's either because it's as it was in the game or I've completely forgotten to put it in, so just let me know.

If you're already familiar with 'Struggle', then you can skip to PROLOGUE (below), and I really hope you continue to enjoy the Alenko family's story.

oOo

Summary of 'Struggle' (SPOILER ALERT!)

ME1- After being exposed to the Thorian spores on Feros, Chakwas keeps a close eye on these foreign bodies in the ground crew.

On Noveria, a Rachni Queen is discovered and released by Shepard.

With Shepard's symptoms worsening after each of her interactions with the beacons, Chakwas advises her to avoid any more mind intrusions.

ME2 – Kaidan, distraught by losing Shepard, and coping badly, is confronted by Hackett, who reveals he's her father (something Shepard was going to tell Kaidan herself just before her death) and Hackett expects Kaidan to live up to the man Shepard saw him as.

A revived Shepard refuses to work with the reckless mercenary, Zaeed Massani, and leaves him behind on Zorya.

Kasumi goes to Anderson for help obtaining her graybox, and he sends Kaidan with her to Bekenstein.

A chance meeting on the Citadel between Shepard and Kaidan is interrupted by Internal Affairs Major Antella, (formerly Shepard's commanding officer on Elysium who abused his position over her but was thwarted when the colony was attacked, and is now on a personal mission to bring her down) but once again things don't go his way and he's finally brought to justice for his inappropriate harassment.

Kaidan realises Shepard isthe same woman he loved, and is desperate to reconcile with her.

With Tali in danger on Haestrom, Shepard is unable to join Liara in her bid to rescue Feron from the Shadow Broker and asks her father to help. Anderson suggests that Kaidan would be an ideal candidate, and so Kaidan aids Liara and her father, Aethyta, with a view to protecting Alliance interests.

The spores prove to be effective in thwarting the Reapers indoctrination during Shepard's contact with the Reaper artifact on the Bahak system asteroid.

Having finally gotten a chance to reach Shepard, Kaidan races to get to her before she heads for the Omega relay, only to be too late.

On the Collector base, Shepard is determined to destroy the base, but Miranda turns on her, loyal only to Cerberus, and with a personal dislike of Shepard. Miranda is ultimately unsuccessful.

Hackett ensures that Kaidan has time to reconcile with Shepard on her return, though it's only brief.

Miranda escapes Alliance custody at the same time as Shepard herself is taken in for the destruction of the batarians Bahak system.

ME3- Once the Reapers arrive, Kaidan and Shepard are finally reunited following his injury sustained on Mars and an engineered misunderstanding involving his friend, Rahna, who had been manipulated by Cerberus.

After Shepard's encounter with the Leviathans, she resurfaces from the deep, her brain shutting down from the further intrusion into her mind and sending her into a coma. Chakwas discovers Shepard's Thorian spores were destroyed in the encounter, leaving behind the certainty that these organic monsters have mind-controlling abilities far stronger than both the Reapers and the Thorian. Chakwas also finds out that she's made a medical error, not considering Shepard's implants when administering Shepard with contraception. The implants had gradually removed the chemical substance from her body and Shepard has become pregnant.

Kaidan took command and went to the Ardat-Yakshi monastery to locate Samara, hopeful that she could bring Shepard out of the coma. He also did the Thessia mission and headed to Sanctuary.

On Sanctuary, Garrus exacted his revenge on Miranda for what happened at the Collector base and executed her, after she had sent her own father flying through a window for using her as a bargaining chip to secure his own freedom from prosecution over what was done at Sanctuary.

Kaidan and Hackett began the assault on Cronos station. Samara brought Shepard out of the coma and Shepard was able to make it in time to stop Kai Leng from killing Kaidan.

On Earth, Kaidan was forced to separate from Shepard in order to help ensure the safe transportation of the leviathan artifact to the beam site.

More Reapers were descending on the beam site and Shepard and team were forced to make the run for the beam before the artifact's arrival. During the run Tali was killed and Garrus hurt, and Shepard evacuated him to the Normandy which she had placed in Hackett's command.

Hearing Shepard survived the hit from the leviathan, Kaidan renews his efforts to get there, and the artifact brings down the nearby Reapers, including Harbinger. He makes it through the beam just before it's destroyed by the falling Reaper.

The Illusive Man takes control of Shepard and Anderson, forcing them to fire a shot at each other in his anger at them. Anderson's shot hits her lower side, making her fear for her child, and her shot lands a critical hit. As further punishment to Anderson, the Illusive Man is about to force Shepard to shoot herself in front of him, but Kaidan arrives to stop her. Despite the Illusive Man's attempts to control Kaidan too, the Thorian spores prevent it, causing the Illusive Man to falter in his resolve. Recognizing he is indoctrinated, the Illusive Man kills himself.

Moments before Shepard is about to shoot out the 'destroy' machine, she realises that things don't make sense, and suspects the Intelligence of deceiving them. The machines are actually connected to the functioning of the Crucible, and the Intelligence wanted it destroyed – unable to do it itself because it's not physically on the Citadel. Kaidan accesses the machine and finds that it's a back-up, the master control to make the Crucible work. The Crucible destroys only Reaper tech fused with organic, such as the Reapers themselves, and leaves everything else intact. Shepard, with her implants, stops breathing, but Kaidan brings her back, her lungs simply needing a jump-start to work on their own, the implants healing ability having already restored proper function to her body. Their unborn baby survives as well.

The Normandy had been caught up in the Crucible's energy stream as they passed through the relay to the rendezvous point, and were forced through all the relays. The drive-core had to be taken off-line before it overloaded and without power, they were flung out of the last relay and towards a planet, crashing.

AFTER ME 3- Following Shepard's recuperation, the discovery of Kaidan's father, and the successful hunt for the Normandy, they search for a way to end the Intelligence which had only been a holographic projection on the Citadel and would have survived the Crucible, being a full AI. Shepard is six months pregnant when they head out to deal with the Intelligence. Suspecting the Intelligence of hiding out in dark space, they aim to get the leviathans to hunt their creation down in order to stop this from happening again. Coats interacts with it, so Kaidan doesn't have to take the risk when he has a family on the way. The three Leviathans ascend from their ocean dwelling, but detect Shepard's presence despite the Normandy being in stealth mode, and attempt to end her life because of the threat she carries – the baby. They escape and the leviathans carry on to deal with the Intelligence.

Aurora 'Rorie' Alenko is born. She's biotic. Chakwas also discovers the Thorian spores have transferred to her via their reproductive systems. Getting Mordin's nephew, Narin Solus on the case, he deduces that the spores in Rorie had mutated in utero with the help of the biotic energy within her developing cells. These new spores have changed in reaction to the Leviathans mind invasion on Despoina, and can resist their control.

With no Reapers to keep their creators in hiding, the galaxy is now faced with a future as tools to the Leviathans. Rorie is the key to resisting that control, and they need to protect her while they find a way to recreate the spores that can save them all from thraldom.

oOo

RESISTANCE

Prologue: Securing the Future

Deep beneath the ocean of Despoina (Approximately three months after the Reapers defeat.)

The leviathans weakened the resistance of the human, Coats, re-wiring the brain to their own frequency - a process that was frustratingly slow through the fragments. Once he belonged to them they searched his mind for the answer to why he had come to their domain.

Sifting through the memories, they saw the human's connection to Shepard through conversations and past intimacy that were linked to emotions the leviathans had long since evolved past. Then they found the reason for his presence here: this cycle's inhabitants wanted them to seek out the Intelligence and destroy it.

The leviathans bristled at the impudence of these creatures, and chose to address the human soldier through the darkness using the image of Shepard, feeling the inner struggle of the unsettled human as he fought not to believe what his eyes saw.

"We are not tools to the lesser races. Your desires mean nothing to us. You will all be at our command."

"But it's a fact that while the Intelligence exists, all of our fates, including yours, are at risk," countered Coats. "The Intelligence will learn from this, create another solution, maybe something future generations and future races have no chance of overcoming. This is our one opportunity to end it."

"The problem it seeks to solve still exists. It still has function."

"No. We don't believe that. Shepard and Alenko spoke with it. They're certain it's evolved into something different from what it originally was."

"It is a machine. It has no ability to be anything it was not designed to be."

"You underestimate synthetics. I've met Edi, an AI who has formed attachments. The geth - by your reasoning they should all have followed the same path, but they didn't. They had differing opinions and fractured into two different groups."

The leviathans pulled back from the human, diverging into their separate entities as they conversed.

"What the human spoke cannot be denied," said the Second.

"We would be wise to destroy the Intelligence, and start anew," suggested the Third.

"Our predecessors failed to put in place sufficient shackles on the Intelligence. They focused on keeping our tools alive but did not instil the principle reason behind the Intelligence's existence: to keep us alive. A solution must still be found."

"Then we will make the races bow down before us once more," vowed the First.

"Shepard's spawn is as much a threat to us," reminded the Second.

An undeveloped mind should have disintegrated under their power, instead the foetus had been impenetrable. That alone warranted its mother's death. Her spoken logic and clear importance to the possible success against the Reapers had given her a stay of execution. When she had succeeded, the leviathans approved of it, experiencing muted relief and the long forgotten feeling of astonishment with that outcome. Beyond destroying the machines, Shepard and her offspring had survived the battle despite the odds. That could not continue.

"Waiting until it is birthed means we can retain Shepard as our tool," the Third suggested.

"They will try to replicate what it holds within," countered the Second.

"We have time," the First stated. "They have cities to rebuild. The races are never as cohesive as they like to believe. We will maintain eyes to keep a check on their progress."

"In dark space our hold on our thralls will be tenuous at best," warned the Second.

"We do not need them all. Those released will serve another purpose."

As one, they restructured existing plans for dealing with Shepard and her spawn. This cycle thought themselves smart, but they were no match for the leviathans. They returned to the human.

"We will hunt." They promptly disconnected, allowing the soldier to return to Shepard with the news.

Gradually, they released thousands of tendrils - mental connections to their thralls, some only recently established, some ancient. Each broken connection brought a silence and darkness with it, their view on the galaxy growing ever more limited. Rising up through the frigid water that had served them well, their bodies felt immensely heavy as they left the water. Their ascent was slow and strenuous as they called on their dark energy to lift them. The leviathans continued upwards, withstanding the heat of passing through the planet's atmosphere, and welcoming the returned chill and weightlessness that space offered them.

Then they caught the hint of a familiar mind. A thrall close enough that they needed no fragment to sense it.

"Shepard." They had known she was close from Coats' memory, but they had been left to believe she had retreated. Here was an opportunity to end the threat now, despite their fascination with the human. Their instinct to survive was absolute. The First had already spun, following the tendril at full speed, entering Shepard's mind as easily as taking a breath. "Shepard. Your spawn is a threat that shall be neutralised."

The leviathans sensed the spike of fear in her, and satisfied that Shepard recognised their power and intent, they reached in deeper. Disconnecting her mind wasn't enough to ensure the foetus died; they needed Shepard's heart stopped. The energy required for the act was far more exhausting than the pulses they used to disable the Reapers and their technology, and they were fatigued from their journey up through the dense skies of the planet, but the leviathans readied themselves to send a collective rush of power along that tendril that would provide a massive electric shock to Shepard's body.

In the next instant, their link to her was broken, the pathway distorted. A barrier had been put in place - the same as the human, Garneau, had engineered for the fragment on Mahavid. Shepard's ship hit the relay before the First could get close enough to send out a pulse, and vanished.

The First did not follow. The humans would have called for others to assist them and it was a fight they did not need to risk. Their time would come.

Turning, the leviathans moved away, out to the edges of the galaxy and towards dark space. They would be back for Shepard's progeny, and she would spend the interim knowing and fearing it. The coming events would be interesting. It was a new era. Shepard and those around her had beaten their greatest enemy, but soon they would put her back in her place; put all of them in their places.

They were the leviathans, the apex race, and the Reapers were no longer a threat. Tribute was due them, and they would have it.

oOo

oOo

Chapter 1 – The Calm Before the Storm

(Over four years after the Reaper Wars ended.)

Rear Admiral Terra Shepard stepped off the shuttle into the cargo bay of Normandy feeling emotionally drained and extremely thankful the mission was over. They had started out over four weeks ago, following up intelligence Liara had obtained through various contacts, on a research site in the Argos Rho system.

It had soon become clear it was a far bigger operation than the usual small pro-human groups that started up under the notion that jumping on Cerberus' coat-tails would give them credibility. Most of them were low-budget, low-skilled idiots who were twisting the fact that the fight with the Reapers was won on Earth - with two human Spectres at the helm - into proof of human supremacy. This particular set-up had been more like the old Cerberus, though; not quite as organised or as good at covering their tracks, but they had the high-end equipment and the credits to spend on more skilled mercenaries as their security.

The terminal Edi had hacked into once they'd cleared that first facility had pointed to several more, and those had led to others. This recent facility had been the largest and final one on what had at one point seemed like a growing list. Where the other sites had been dealing with small-scale lab research, it appeared that this primary lab had been the destination for it all: the testing area.

What they'd found there… Even the unflappable Dr Chakwas had looked sickened. Terra knew what they'd seen would stick with her for a while, and her sleep tonight would be haunted by it.

However, it was for a selfish reason that Terra was relieved it was over: she was heading back to her family. This separation had been weeks too many, and she longed for Kaidan and Rorie - her husband and daughter. Even now, she still felt the need to pinch herself every once in a while, to be sure she wasn't dreaming it all, and it lightened her heart to think of them as she began to strip out of her armour.

"Have to say, I'm almost sorry it's over, Lola. It's been great working with you again," James Vega said, sauntering over to join her.

"Likewise, James." Though it had been Shepard's mission, Hackett had wanted to give her back-up; her own temporary ground team being talented but barely out of training. General Coats, who had now assumed the role which Anderson had once held over the marine troops (after quickly deciding that life as a Committee member was far too frustrating) had sent Commander Vega, now N7, and his squad. Shepard had then encouraged James to take lead when on the ground because his people were the more experienced. "You've got a good team there. You should be proud."

"Yeah," James admitted. "But I swear my guys pushed themselves harder to impress you. Best I've seen them fight." He looked over at his small unit of men and women, chatting amongst themselves outside the shuttle. Some of the best, and he was leading them. James knew he'd grown up a lot in the past few years… most of the time, anyway, and it was all due to Shepard's care and belief in him. He turned back to her with a huge grin. "It was interesting to have you behind me this time round, though. Felt your eyes on my backside the whole way – don't deny it, Lola!" he added quickly as her mouth opened in protest. "I remember Loco's comment on Eden Prime. It's okay, I don't mind. No one can blame you for being unable to take your eyes off this example of perfection before you."

"And you had to go and ruin it," she sighed, then smiled. "Glad to see you haven't changed, Casanova."

"Nothing wrong with a little flirtation, right, Lola? Makes a person feel good."

"So that's all I am to you, Mr Vega? I'm hurt," joked Cortez, as he collected their armour.

"Ah, come on, Esteban! You know there's a special place in my heart for you!"

"Oh, you are good!" Cortez laughed.

"You know it! So, no one else in your life, yet, mi amigo?"

"No. I don't think there ever will be," admitted Steve. "Robert is a hard person to eclipse."

"He doesn't need to be eclipsed, Esteban. Just look in another direction, at a different sun."

Cortez's brows nearly reached his hairline, exchanging glances with an equally surprised Shepard. "You been reading poetry, Mr Vega!?"

"Ssh!" James hushed, quickly checking over his shoulder to be sure his squad hadn't heard. When he answered Cortez, it was under his breath. "Niree's had this new passion lately, and it's all I hear whenever we're together. Guess some of it's rubbing off on me. Hey, can't do any harm to add a little poetic charm to my repertoire, no?"

"Good Lord, the galaxy isn't safe!" Shepard laughed with Cortez, smiling at James' mention of the asari he'd been dating for the last year. She reached out to rest her hand on Cortez's arm. "And for the record, I understand you completely, Steve. Breaking orbit from that sun?" She shook her head slightly to signify her doubt. "Even a sun that's had its time has a gravitational pull. It would take a very special someone, and they're hard to come by."

"Yeah," Steve smiled, wistfully. He pulled her close with his free arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple in appreciation of her empathy.

"Whoa! Esteban! When I said look in another direction I didn't mean switch to married women!"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Mr Vega! Just appreciating a special friend."

"Ah, I get it." To prove it, James mimicked Cortez, squashing Shepard between them in the process. Then James smirked as he noticed his squad staring. "What? You guys haven't heard about Shepard's insatiable appetite for a man sandwich?"

"James!" exclaimed Shepard, smacking him around the head.

"Ow!"

"Now that's poetic justice!" laughed Cortez.

oOo

It had been a good night with his newest Biotic Ops Squad. They'd be the fifth squad since Anderson had first championed these specialist units, and Kaidan was proud to carry on in the esteemed Admiral's stead as the overseer of the biotic ground-teams.

Today had been their final test; the one that would decide whether this team would be leaving their training behind and moving into the real world, or stay for further instruction. The simulation set to the hardest difficulty, Kaidan had hoped like hell they'd all pass. He'd been here at Alliance Headquarters for nearly six weeks, with barely a handful of days off, trying to get this group up to the high standard that was required of his Biotic Ops squads.

Kaidan had needed them to pass, yearning to re-join his family, but he wouldn't send these people out until they were ready or they'd only succeed in getting themselves killed. Standing behind the partition window, Kaidan had watched as they performed an outstanding team attack. Then it was over; the target achieved. Ecstatic, Kaidan had treated them all to drinks at the local Alliance bar – but not before quickly messaging his parents to tell them he'd be back later than usual, then sending another to Terra to tell her about the squad's success.

Now, with the celebrations over, he was being shuttled across the bay towards his parents' home where his daughter was also staying. He could always picture her, all smiles and cheekiness, running around at full speed and into everything. Her black hair was constantly in disarray, and there was an ever-present sparkle in those bright eyes that also matched his own in colour. All of that was set into her sweet face which was the mirror of her mother's beautiful visage. Kaidan loved that little girl with all his heart and soul. Hard to believe she was less than three months away from turning four.

He was fortunate to have his parents living close by, and it meant that he'd been able to spend his nights there, to physically be with Rorie even though she was always asleep by the time he got there. Having to leave before she woke was hard, but he'd made up for it on those infrequent days off. Terra had begun the start of his training stint with them, enjoying the chance to relax in the company of his parents and having free time with Rorie, and it had given Kaidan something else to look forward to coming back to each evening. But a week and a half in, she'd been called away. Over four weeks later and he knew she was missing them as much as they missed her. Even Hackett hadn't been able to keep away from his grand-daughter, staying with Kaidan's parents for a few days here and there. Rorie loved them all, but even with the daily vid-calls with Terra, she constantly asked when mommy was coming back.

His thoughts turned to the skies above him, knowing Terra was up there somewhere, and he hoped that she was safe. Over the past weeks Kaidan had felt that all too familiar feeling of coiled discomfort in his belly as he thought of her in hostile situations without him, but it was one he was also used to dealing with, and he knew it was no different for Terra when it was him forging into a battle she wasn't a part of. They spent much of their time together, but there was just too much to do for them to justify remaining by the other's side constantly. Still, this was the longest they'd ever been physically parted since he'd gone seeking the Normandy as she lay convalescing in Huerta following the Reapers destruction, and despite their frequent calls, it felt like half of himself was missing. Vid-calls were simply not the same as having her in his arms.

The shuttle now travelled over dry land, carrying on to deliver him directly to his parents' property. He leant his head back against the cool metal, feeling relaxed but lonely, closing his eyes as his brain told him he'd stayed awake too long. Despite his weariness, his mind wouldn't switch off, and he was alert to the slowing of the shuttle as it closed in on its destination. Thanking the pilot, he exited, typing in his access code to the large gates that prevented trespassers. They opened with barely a sound, and Kaidan enjoyed the gentle sound of night and the cool breeze on his face as he walked the path to the door which was opened, as it always was, by his mother ready to greet him.

Kaidan sighed. "Mom, I told you not to wait up for me tonight."

"Oh, shush. It's my prerogative."

Reaching her, he kissed her cheek, unable to argue that point. "Will you please go to bed?" He knew she wasn't one for late nights, and it was one o'clock in the morning. Kaidan secured the door behind him.

"I'm going," she yawned. "Just thought I should make sure you were capable of getting yourself into yours. I know how you youngsters like to party." She threaded her arm through his offered one and they walked up the stairs together.

"Huh! Mom! I'm hardly a youngster anymore and as you can see I'm very much in control of all my faculties." He didn't voice the fact that he didn't like getting drunk after the stupor he'd lived in for a time after Terra's death.

He stopped at the room his parents had designated for his daughter, the room done out in her favourite colour: Alliance blue. Her choice had impressed both her grandfathers, and her grandmother had simply sighed in acceptance that there'd still be no excuse for pink in the Alenko household. Kaidan quietly entered and, like he did every night, kissed Rorie's forehead gently enough not to make her stir. This was the only time his daughter was still and peaceful, her waking hours being nothing less than filled with energy that it astounded him she could get through the day without a nap. He always found it hard to look away from that little face, as though to blink was to break the fantasy. But none of it was imaginary. She was very real. A wonderful visual union of Terra and himself.

"Aurora's going to be so thrilled to see you in the morning," whispered his mother from the doorway.

"I'm looking forward to spending some real time with her, believe me."

"Tomorrow's going to be a wonderful day, with Terra being on her way home, too."

"She is?" Kaidan left Rorie's room to join his mother in the hall, his heart lifting further.

"She said she'd messaged you. Didn't want to disturb your evening."

Kaidan checked his omnitool, smiling to himself. That was just like Terra not to want to interrupt his personal time, neither assuming nor realising that he would never have enough of her even if he got to spend every second of every day with her. Sure enough, the unopened message flashed back at him, the sound of its arrival no doubt drowned out by the noise of the bar. His mother kissed his cheek again.

"Night, darling."

"Night, mom." He wandered off into his old room, the only difference to when he was there as a teen was the double bed in place of the single. Sitting on the edge, he read the message.

Kaidan,

Congrats on getting another squad through. Never doubted it, despite your misgivings at the beginning. No one can fail with you supporting them – trust me, I know.

Anyway, the mission's over. Like I thought, it was the last facility, and thank God for it. Never want to see anything like that again. We need to make a re-fuelling stop but we should be docking at Earth by 1400 tomorrow. Can't wait to see you and Rorie.

Hope you have a great night, but just remember that I'll be giving you a better one real soon…

Yours for Eternity,

Terra x

He loved this woman. His wife. She could have his heart racing with anticipation even with a few typed words. But he hadn't missed the small reference she'd made to her mission. For her to have written that meant that whatever they'd found there had unsettled her, and he didn't like that he hadn't been there for her.

Kaidan was feeling antsy as he went to stand on the balcony and stared up at the darkness. He wanted to call her, make sure she was okay, but he refrained. It was late; she would be sleeping…. He frowned at himself. No she wouldn't. Kaidan knew her better than that. She'd be restless, avoiding her bed, never admitting that she was afraid of what her mind would produce when she was asleep… without him there to keep them at bay. Would she reach out to him for comfort? He hoped she would, but he wasn't going to leave it to chance. For his own peace of mind, he needed to check on Terra. Reaching for his wrist it chimed at the same moment, demanding his attention. He smiled as he saw the caller.

"You beat me to it by seconds," he said in greeting, keeping his voice low in the quiet of the night, and taking in the exquisite face that appeared on the small screen.

"I was hoping you were still up."

"Just as well or you'd have woken me!" he laughed. Terra grinned back at him, unrepentant, yet Kaidan also saw the strain behind those dark eyes. "Want to talk about it?" He watched her face turn sombre.

"Not yet. Right now, I need a distraction, and you're it."

"As long as that works both ways," he said, huskily, wishing she were here so he could bury himself inside her warm caress.

"Hm…" she considered that with pursed lips, then her gaze returned to the screen.

Despite the distance, Kaidan felt the desire she sent through his omnitool screen, and his body reacted. "I have a feeling I'm going to like this thought."

One corner of her mouth went up, along with one eyebrow. "Better lay down."

He did so, but not before he'd locked the bedroom door. That sweet tingle of expectation was running through him. Refocusing on the screen he noted she was slowly unfastening her shirt, and without taking his eyes off her he shucked his own in one smooth motion. His heart kicked up an enthused tempo. The way she undressed for him was so seductive… My God, she never disappointed him, and he was eager for whatever she had planned.

"Tell me where you'd like to touch me," she said in a breathy tone, her hand running over her delectable body.

Kaidan thought she was perfection. And even as his eyes widened at what she was suggesting, he knew precisely where he, or rather she, was heading first…

oOo

"A second beacon in the Aethon cluster has gone off-line, agent Feron."

Looking up from his screen, Feron frowned at the hovering VI known as Glyph, the first squirm of a horrid thought breaking out in the pit of his stomach. "Show me."

Instantly, the image of the cluster appeared in holographic form in the middle of the control centre in the Broker's new residence, little pinpoints indicating the positions of the stationary beacons Liara had insisted on placing in remote locations, particularly along the borders to dark space, though not exclusively. Two circles highlighted the affected beacons. One wasn't unusual - technology failed - but two neighbouring beacons going dark were pushing coincidence. Could it be…? The first beacon was at the far rim to dark space, the other further within the system. Feron looked at the trajectory. There were no planets or stations in its route but there was a third beacon. He tapped his fingers on the desk as he considered his next move. He needed to be sure before he raised the alarm. "Glyph. Connect me to our closest agent in that cluster."

"Rel Zorran. Volus trader. Currently departing Oma Ker, in the Nura system."

The comm-link was opened and Zorran's rattling breath preceded his greeting. Knowing his own speech would be automatically synthesised, Feron gave his instruction and the co-ordinates of the third beacon. "Get a visual on the beacon and watch for any interference from another party. Ship's systems on life-support only, to avoid detection."

"Power down? I have a top-of-the-line radar fitted," Zorran boasted. "I can assure you, I don't need to be in visual range, and I'll be beyond standard radar."

"Other beacons have registered nothing before going silent. There's a good chance that what we're looking for won't emit enough energy to be picked up by radar, either. We need a visual."

That garnered a short silence from Zorran, his mind no doubt trying to work out just what it was the Shadow Broker was looking for, but he didn't voice it. "How long should I stay there?"

Feron did a quick calculation of how soon it would take a fast ship to traverse the distance from the second beacon to the third; longer than the impatient Zorran would be happy with. "If you don't see something beforehand, remain in place until I contact you. I'll double your fee for the trouble."

"Thank you. That's much appreciated."

There was nothing that got a volus on-side quicker than a financial incentive. "Shadow Broker out." Feron would never get used to referring to himself like that. Not that he considered himself the Shadow Broker - more like a shadow for the Shadow Broker. Liara…. Should he notify her? No, he decided straightaway. She got little enough sleep as it was. Let her rest until there was need to disturb her. Feron sat back at the terminal he had been studying before but concentration on the latest reports eluded him, and uneasiness quickly became his companion. The next hours would be long.

oOo

Liara sat at her terminal aboard her new ship, knowing she should sleep, but a nagging question refused to leave her be. Over the four years since the Reaper wars she'd felt an intense need, only recently considering just what it could be, she feared the possible answer.

The chime of her cabin door called her back from her torturous thoughts, and she knew who it would be before she answered it. "Javik. Is there something I can do for you?" Four eyes blinked back at her, his face an ever-present scowl which she knew was sculpted from a life spent in war and suffering.

"I was restless. I know you are too, Liara T'Soni."

Though his voice still snapped out his words like he was irritated by her, Liara knew it was just his way; one she was so used to she hardly noticed it anymore. She looked to his hands that allowed him a more intimate view of all their lives than many would be comfortable with. Did he know her turmoil beyond the fact she was still awake? Meeting his lower eyes, she sensed he did. Stepping aside in silent invitation, she took his presence for what it was: an offer of a confidant.

oOo

Terra's body was still humming with gratification. That was the first time she'd ever done that and she definitely intended to do it again the next time they were parted.

On the other side of her screen, Kaidan puffed out his own breath in time with hers. "Why the hell didn't we do that before?"

Terra just managed to inhale enough to laugh. "I have no idea. We've definitely been missing out. Although it's probably just as well - you'd never have come out of your room to train your recruits, and Joker would be commanding the Normandy," she teased.

He laughed in response. "I wouldn't have been available for socialising out-of-hours, that's for damn sure. I actually can't believe that was quite so satisfying! I'm never going to be happy with a standard vid-call again," he warned, with a roguish look.

"Better warn your other callers!"

"Huh! Yeah, I'm, uh, definitely reserving that sort of behaviour for you only!" He took a deep breath and slowly breathed out. "I love you."

Terra felt all of that love even though he wasn't physically there, and she sent it right back. "I love you, too. Tomorrow afternoon can't come soon enough."

"Ready for some well-earned shore-leave?"

"With my two favourite people? Absolutely. But we'll only have a week," she warned him. "I have two new recruits to welcome aboard - a soldier dad thinks needs my personal touch-"

"You said it like that on purpose, you tease."

"Dad's words, I swear," she said innocently. "However, I am hoping that for the next flight my husband will be there to fill my spare time with."

"And this last run?"

One corner of her mouth tugged. "I had James," she said breezily.

He groaned. "You're so evil."

She laughed. "Fear not. I turned down his suggestion of strip poker."

"I'm so going to make him pay for that!"

"I told him you would," she grinned. "Anyway, steering back the conversation to my new recruits, Dad also has a pilot fresh out of sim training he wanted to put to the test."

"Uh oh. Another pilot? I sense trouble ahead…"

"I'm on the same wavelength, which is why Joker has no idea what's coming his way. But for the next seven days I'm all yours." Recently, she'd had a lot of new soldiers pass through the Normandy. They were trying to get recruits trained up as fast as possible and to identify those who had the talent to go further, faster. Hackett had a good eye for picking those out, but he liked to send them to Terra so she could assess them in the field. That last mission had certainly been a real test to her present ground-crew of not only their skills, but of their emotional endurance. They had coped admirably and would be leaving the end of their six-month stint with far more experience than when they'd stepped aboard, a noteworthy assignment listed in their files, and a personal recommendation from Admiral Shepard. They'd certainly earned it after that last mission….

"How bad was it?"

Terra returned her eyes to the wonderful man on her screen who could so easily read her. "Am I that transparent, even in a message?"

"To me."

She gave a weary sigh. "The scientists had been working on a way of waging a biological warfare on the other races. This was far more than anything we found when we raided those sites a year ago. That had been in the early stages. This…." She shook her head as she recalled what she saw. "They were doing horrendous experiments on living people. Turians. Injecting them with their manufactured diseases. One had the ability to eat through the natural protective plating and into their flesh, another ravaged their internal organs."

"Christ! Tell me you weren't exposed to any of that!"

"It was all contained, very professional, but even if it hadn't been it was targeted specifically for turian physiology. Chakwas ran countless scans to confirm it. … It was more than a way to kill off a species: it was a way to make them suffer terribly as they died. Those turians they used as subjects were mad with pain, Kaidan. Chakwas tried everything she could, but the scientists had engineered their diseases to counter anything she used to try to ease their agony. There was nothing that could be done for them. Chakwas could only give them a peaceful death. All in the name of Cerberus. I'm sure even the Illusive Man would be turning in his grave at them warping his vision into nothing more than a pure alien hate-group."

"At least now, it's over. For the perpetrators and their victims. You and Vega ended it."

"Yes, we did. All the hard-copy research data was destroyed, the facilities too, and the scientists responsible are all headed for long jail-terms. Only one copy of the data exists and I sent it directly to Primarch Vakarian. He'll have his best people do what they can to produce cures should anything else like this crop up again. Better safe than sorry." She took a long deep breath, needing to move on from the day's events.

"Will you be okay?"

"Of course I will. Talking with you always helps." She yawned. "Now that you've worn me out I shouldn't have much trouble nodding off. You should go get some sleep, too." She watched Kaidan look down at himself and grimace.

"After I've cleaned up your mess."

"My mess!?"

"Hey, it was your hand, remember?" Kaidan gave her a heated look.

She grinned. "So it was." She pulled one corner of her lip between her teeth at the thought. It would be so easy to give in to the compulsion to start that little game all over again…. "Okay, I've really got to sign off before you seduce me again."

"Seduce you? It was your idea!"

She almost purred with the memory. "Yes, it was. I'm so very clever."

"Now that I can't refute. Goodnight, beautiful."

"Night, handsome." Reluctantly closing her omnitool, Terra imagined him heading to the en-suite of his childhood bedroom which she knew well. He would jump under the shower before it had reached temperature, enduring the cold while it warmed up; more efficient use of water he would say. It just made her smile. She pictured the water running over his muscled torso, washing away the results of their long-distance lovemaking. Would he be thinking of her, too? She knew he would be…. Shutting down her errant thoughts as she felt the tickle of pleasure work its way down her spine and down to her toes, she shuddered with want. She needed a shower, too. A very cold one.

oOo

Rel Zorran had been here almost five hours and asides from having to battle sleep, he was wondering how much longer the Shadow Broker would expect him to wait – he hated waiting. As instructed, he was just close enough to see the beacon off in the far distance, his radar picking up its signal, and he knew it would be sending back his ship's information to the Broker. He wondered, not for the first time, why these beacons had been placed out in the middle of nowhere, far from any standard flight paths.

Glancing out of his viewing window, Zorran did a double-take at the huge entity he saw approaching the beacon. He checked his screens, but his sensors were only picking up the barest of energy, nothing to allude to the immensity of the creature he saw before him. But then it was organic, not a ship. He'd never known of any living thing that could survive in space without suits and oxygen. Zorran stared at it, utterly speechless. One thing was certain: it greatly resembled the Reapers. His brain kicked into gear with that observation, and he launched himself at his comm system.

"Agent Zorran. What do you have?" came the deep synthesised voice of the Shadow Broker.

"It's an organic Reaper!" blurted out Zorran, his voice barely a whisper as though he feared he could be heard.

There was a pause before the Broker responded. "Are you certain?"

His inhalation sounded awfully loud as it was processed through his suit's filter. "I'm looking right at it!"

"Just one?"

"One?" Zorran's heart sped up and he looked around, jumping back as he saw himself almost face to face with another of the creatures at his portside window, three sets of eyes staring in. Looking over his shoulder, he jerked again as he met the eyes of another at his starboard side. "There's three! There's three! I've been spotted!" he yelled out.

At the same time a pulse came from the creature at the beacon and his radar instantly lost the beacon's signal. Then Zorran's ship was rocked by another pulse from the creature at his starboard side. His vessel didn't even have the power to warn him that everything, including life support, was offline. Zorran hoped they'd leave, and give him the chance to try to repair his systems before his air ran out, the cold of space already permeating the ship and challenging his suit, but the ship jostled violently as the two creatures at his sides pressed towards each other, metal rending with a horrifying screeching sound. What little air he had rushed out with the first hull breach. With nothing for his suit to convert to a breathable substance, Zorran convulsed in agony as his lungs seized. Unfortunately, he was still alive when his ship collapsed inwards and crushed him.

oOo