"EDI, can you give me Mordin's status?"

"The professor is still in his lab, commander. However he insisted I keep the doors locked until he opens them. Out of respect on behalf of the crew and of possible medical issues involving a quarantine, I am still under those orders."

"Dammit. Thanks anyway, EDI."

Shepard punched in the number on the elevator console, brow furrowing as she descended. Mordin was secretive, she knew that. Ever since the beginning when she had recruited him, she'd discovered his penchant for keeping the whole truth out of reach, experimenting without her knowledge, only to find some brilliant breakthrough, or a dark spot kept cleverly hidden, brewing ugly beneath the surface. The latter times had become fewer and fewer, gladly, but this new development was beginning to gnaw on the old worries in the back of her mind.

Mordin had been relatively more subdued, commenting on feeling heavy and sluggish, greatly irritated by the symptoms hampering the quick, sharp nature that allowed him to work so efficiently. Two days prior, he had completely closed off the lab and set quarantine locks via EDI on the doors - Shepard had not received so much as a message.

She had a feeling in her gut that something was up.

"EDI?"

"Yes, Shepard?"

"I want an instant alert directly to me as soon as he lifts that quarantine on the lab."

"Understood, Commander."

The hologram flickered out, and Shepard added under her breath, "If he ever lifts it."

Surprisingly enough, it was Mordin who beat her to it.

"Commander."

"Yes, EDI?"

"Mordin would like to speak with you in the labs. Quarantine is no longer in ef-"

Mordin himself was unsurprised to find within moments, a frazzled Shepard storming down to the lab, hurling questions at him like rocks at a pyjak.

"Shepard-"

"What's going on? Why haven't we heard so much as a one word report on what you're doing in here?"

"Lab has to remain secure for various reasons, Shepard."

"Regardless, I have every right to know what's going on on my ship."

"Secrets have times where they should be kept."

"You could have at least sent me a message."

"Didn't have time. Was…caught up."

"Caught up in what? We have another disease on our hands?"

"No, nothing poses threat to crew," Mordin reassured her. "Not significant threat at least."

Shepard raised her eyebrows. "Not the best time to be cracking wise, Mordin, not when you scared me half to death."

"Didn't know you cared about me so much."

"Really, Mordin. Not the time."

"Point taken." His light demeanor fell, and for a moment, Shepard thought he looked nervous. "Have come to trust you as more than a leader," he said. "Have come to see you…as a friend." He paused for a fraction of a second - what felt like an age to him, but barely gave time for Shepard to process the words. "Anyway, have a bit of a situation…revealing another secret. Seems to be becoming a habit, now."

"I can handle your secrets, Mordin, as long as they don't include another episode of being chased down by a hormonal varren in heat on Tuchanka."

Mordin giggled, actually giggled, and in that moment, the commander felt her irritation melt slightly.

"No, no rampant sexual varren." Mordin cleared his throat, composed himself. "Doesn't involve mission of any kind. More…must show you, no other way. No choice."

He ducked down behind the lab table, rustled around a bit. Shepard craned her neck, trying to see, uncrossing her arms to better glance over the tabletop, but he was already standing up with…it wasn't a basket, but it wasn't a bowl, more of a mix between the two. Distinctly salarian in its artistry, curves and shapes carved…or woven…very telling. In this carrier that the professor placed on the table were a dozen green and blue shelled eggs, nestled in what looked like towels and the blanket to Mordin's cot.

The silence that stretched between them lasted almost a full minute.

"Where did you get those?"

Mordin remained uncharacteristically quiet.

"You…purchased salarian eggs? For what, experiments?"

"Didn't purchase them. Would never have had chance to, considering cultural norms. Always kept with Dalatrass from moment of laying to hatching. Besides…" He sniffed, looking a little ruffled. "Would never even entertain idea of experimenting on fertilized eggs for the sake of it."

"But you would take part in the production of a genophage that would be the equivalent of making sure all these hatched stillborn?"

"Have moved on, Shepard," said Mordin sternly, visibly affronted. "Have made mistakes, aware of it! Made amends where necessary, have nothing more to give with interest of galaxy at hand."

"Give me a reason why you have these other than to experiment. Just tell me - why you have them, how you got them…whatever. What else would they be for?"

"Not factor in experiment, Shepard."

"What?"

"Product."

"…What?"

Mordin's hands, usually so quick and restless, carefully tucked the blanket closer around a little blue shell. "Biology fascinating." He sniffed. "Salarian anatomy and biological chemistry obviously very different from that of other species. Equivalent to mix between mammal and amphibious species on natively human planets." He blinked, still as calm and composed and nonchalant as though he were speaking to her of the effects of a flu shot.

"Remember telling you about asari attractions. How hormone agents are different and yet attraction still occurs. Must be neurochemical. Could be mix of both if received on both ends."

"Get to the point."

"Ah, yes. Well, tampered with biology a bit more than expected." He looked back at her stunned and befuddled expression. "Some species of amphibians in terrestrial or semi-aquatic environments apt to change in single sex environment. Most commonly from male to female, occasionally vice-versa. Must know that salarian population is composed of 90% male. Species adapted to the former change, with the ability to transfer back as necessary."

"Wait, so you can just flip your gender whenever you like?"

"When exposed to certain elements. Most common when population in dire need of females. Less testosterone possessing males will make the change easier; usually involuntary. Has not happened to general population in large numbers on home planet for almost fifty years." He blinked again, looked back down at the dozen little orbs in front of him. "Rare. Very rare now, as is not completely acceptable in social norms. However…" He gestured around the lab. "Less limitation, here."

"So…you were experimenting on yourself?"

"Not intentionally. Was a bit careless, have to say. Exposed self for marginally too long to unbalanced hormone agents of both asari and salarian. Effects…" He sniffed. "Full change did not occur. Merely contained both sets of internal sex organs."

"Wait, wait, so you just unintentionally turned yourself into a hermaphrodite?" she sputtered, incredulous.

"Intersexed more scientific term, Shepard."

A grin of astonishment flickered across the commander's face, mingled with mirth and something like exasperation.

"These…" he brushed his hand out over the eggs... "…a product of that experiment. Soon after, found hormones balanced enough again to revert completely to male. Fascinating study, if weren't so personal," he added, tapping his chin with a thoughtful little smile.

"How…my God…how long ago did this happen?"

"Change occurred sometime five days ago. Eggs about three days old."

"What?"

"Eggs -"

"I thought you were sick! That's why you quarantined yourself in here? To hide the fact you were laying eggs?"

"Not the most dignified or pleasant of experiences, Shepard," Mordin said, a twinge of sheepishness in his voice that struck yet another chord of endearment in the commander's heart. "Rather…preferred to be alone."

An odd urge to laugh crept up in her throat, but she pushed it down. "Privacy. Got it."

"Hard to explain. Found…deeply personal. Not just physically." He looked for a moment as he had when he had requested her help on Tuchanka, sitting in the shuttle in the aftermath…when he had spoken of Kirrahe's death, the injury to his horn, his regrets on the ethics of his project…Shepard wanted suddenly to scoop him up and squeeze him tight until they forgot about everything.

"Not a normal situation, Shepard. By any means. Socially, culturally, biologically…" He sniffed. "Emotionally. Difficult to concentrate on work. Find self…wanting only to study them. Leave other experiments. Distressing." The commander's soft laugh caught his attention. "Being foolish?"

"They're your babies, Mordin. Of course you want to take care of them."

A small flicker of a grin appeared on his face, but his gaze turned melancholy again as he drew a finger across a shell. "Near to unheard of situation for a salarian. Parents usually never see the eggs for more than a few minutes. Once clutch is laid, taken to Dalatrass. Meant to ensure loyalty. Imprinting. Very political process too." His face wrinkled. "Always found that distasteful. Dalatrass becomes more maternal figure than actual mother." He looked up. "Parents disconnected for good reason. Cannot grow too attached. Eggs prone to viruses, weaknesses. Dalatrass usually suited as healer as well as guardian."

"You're a doctor, I'm sure you'll do fine as their 'healer' or whatnot or other. You take care of us just fine, and that's saying something." When he didn't react, Shepard sighed and bit her lip. "What are you going to do with them?"

"Have few options. Could take them to relatives. Hard to explain self. Could never get there before hatching. Will simply have to…" he sniffed. "Brood them myself."

"Makes you sound like a mama hen."

Mordin smiled. He was quiet a moment, then added, "Better with companion. Or…at least companion knowledge."

"That's why you called me up here?"

"Yes."

"Mordin…I don't have children. I mean…what about…" She regretted that the instant she said it. Thane and Samara were the only two parents on the ship. Samara had long since distanced herself from her children, had gone so far as to kill her brightest, and Thane was in a bind in his current relations with Kolyat.

Mordin fixed her with a gaze, his large, oval eyes difficult to read. "Am expert in scientific sense. Obvious the experiment mishap, the statistics that eggs will hatch and survive, et cetera." He swallowed, breathed deep. "Novice on social level. Would like to view it more as simple experiment, but…proving difficult. Never had offspring. Old fertility contract…did not succeed. Put it out of mind. Did not expect to come across problem later in life." He smiled with that same sheepishness at her. "Looked for help. Or at least for solace. Too many secrets. Need to maintain trust. Can't do that when not open. Also…chose you for reason. Female, social, family oriented, it seems."

Shepard tried and failed to resist the urge to raise her eyebrows.

"Comparatively to the rest of the ship," Mordin corrected wryly. "Said before, see you as a friend. Was hoping would let me share this secret with you." He shrugged. "Have already shared many. Have found keeping too many…detrimental."

Shepard smiled, but did not speak. Mordin looked down again.

"Females present. Unusual."

"How can you tell?"

"Blue shells usually female. Green male. Fertilized after laid, usually. For some reason…occurred internally."

"Ah. So…it's usually just a clutch of male or female?"

"Yes. Haplo-diploid egg-layers. Unfertilized produce male. Fertilized, female. Strict social norms mean very few daughters ever born." He drew in a breath. "Very unusual."

"And you've apparently got three little girls."

"Seems so."

"And they're all alive? Viable?"

"Correct."

"Wow. How'd you find that out?"

"Ran simple experiment."

"Mordin!"

"Oh, nonsense. Had to test." He waved her outburst away with his old demeanor again. "Completely safe. Here, will show you."

A few flicks on his omni-tool and the lights dimmed completely, shutters closed to the outside. Instinctively, the commander's eyes widened to adjust, blinking with a soft gasp as Mordin's three-fingered hand gripped her wrist and pulled her around the table, close to him. A hum, and he was holding a soft round light in his palm. The little pin of brightness reflected twice in his eyes like a pair of twin stars. With care, he picked up an egg, a blue one, and held the light up beneath it. The orb glowed a soft pink - just through the shell, Shepard could see a tiny spot. It flickered a bit, a small, steady rhythm.

"Heartbeat," Mordin murmured. "Alive. Should hatch by this time in ten days or so." He sounded fonder than Shepard assumed he meant to, but upon looking at him, she found that same tenderness in his expression. Tentatively, she sidled closer as he showed her another egg, another, all the same, all eagerly pulsing with their own new little spark, new vitality, new promise of life.