A/N: Sorry for the incredibly long wait but time kind of ran away from me. For the record, I do plan to finish this story. You just might have to be patient with me ;).

Two months, three weeks Before the Fall of Earth

Torr Station was massive.

Long and gleaming white, the station was a great mechanical arm that reached out into space. Looking out from the shuttle, it reminded Shepard of a web, stretched around a huge core by a monstrous artificial spider. Wide, ring-like structures were linked by thinner corridors and beyond them, glimpses of something else—something dark and metallic—could be seen shining in the distant starlight. She couldn't see them from this distance but she knew that connecting it all, were skeletal catwalks that spanned across the outside of the station.

"No signs of activity, Commander," Joker said over the comm.. "If Cerberus knows they've got company, they're not showing it. 'Cause, you know, they've never laid traps for us before or anything."

She leaned her arms on the back of the empty pilot's chair, her new armor creaking slightly with the movement. "I'm detecting some skepticism, Joker."

"Hey, I get that Miranda's one of us now but you gotta admit, bait doesn't get more perfect than this."

"I know," she said, frowning. "Stay sharp and be ready for an emergency pick-up. We're probably going to need it."

"You got it, Commander."

"Commander."

She turned her head at the new voice coming from the shuttle. "How's it going, EDI?"

"I have succeeded in gaining limited control of the facility without revealing my presence in its systems. I will be able to override some of its functions—including power and life support—as needed."

"I take it the project files are still out of reach."

"Yes, Commander."

Unsurprised, she straightened with a nod. It had been a slim hope but worth a shot. "Any info on what we'll be up against in there?"

"Analyses suggest that you'll encounter numerous synthetic units throughout the station and a comparatively small force of personnel. Many of whom will be scientists insufficiently trained in combat."

"Something tells me you're guessing on that, EDI," Shepard said, pacing a few steps.

"Staff records, as well as automated security and defense, are isolated from the primary system and are not accessible at this range. It is unlikely, however, that Cerberus would deviate from standard security procedures."

"'Automated security'." She tapped her fingers on her leg with a light clack of armor against armor. "So the cameras will still be online."

"That is correct."

"Anything else?"

"Yes. I have extrapolated the station's layout from its power grid and uploaded the model to your omni-tool and those belonging to the rest of the ground unit."

Her wrist lit up and she examined the projection. It was smaller than she'd expected though still impressive. Most of the station seemed to be hallways, the longest and widest of them spanning the length of the core and surrounding it like four points of a compass. Power lines were highlighted, showing hotspots of activity. The brightest was a knot of energy in the center that spread out to the inner hallways with thin, snaking tendrils. Like electrical veins. Her face lined in thought, Shepard dismissed the image.

"Good work, EDI. Couldn't have done it without you."

"I imagine you would have managed." She paused noticeably. "But thank you, Shepard."

They were close enough to the station now that it had devoured the stars and the view from the window. It would only be a few minutes before they'd be in range for the drop. Trusting the shuttle to EDI's control, she left the cockpit and entered the hold where her team was waiting.

Everyone that was part of the ground unit was on this mission. Liara had gotten them replacements for gear that had been either lost or confiscated by the Alliance so they were fully armed and armored. It was all the best the Shadow Broker could buy and it looked it. Even when working with Cerberus, Shepard didn't think their equipment had been quite this expensive. They practically gleamed under the lights.

"Alright people." All eyes fell on her and she took a seat. "You heard what EDI said. Any thoughts?"

"Stealth would not be to our advantage," Thane spoke, his inner eyelids blinking. He was in new armor as well; a slightly heavier set more suited to war than his last. "We would be best to move quickly. Before Cerberus has time to form a response."

"I agree, Shepard," Liara added. "With enough time, it might be possible to hack their surveillance but we would be seen first."

Nodding, Shepard brought up the map of the station. "We've got some likely search points not far from where we'll get in. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to reach them."

"So…what, we're just going to poke around 'til we find something?" Vega asked, giving his scalp a brisk rub.

"Unless someone's got a better idea, that's pretty much the meat of it. We'll search these areas here," she waved at the two closest clusters of activity, "and here for access to their project files first. If all else fails, we'll head for the main server."

He shrugged. "Sounds good to me. Just don't put me on hacking duty, Commander. Tech's not really my specialty."

"Oh, I don't know, Vega." She smirked and leaned back, the map disappearing as she crossed her arms. "I was pretty impressed with what you did back in Vancouver. No one's been able to cause complete system failure to an entire building by kicking at a terminal before. You should be proud."

"Hey, come on, now. No way that was my fault."

"Is that why the techs kept spitting in your food for the next week?"

"All due respect, Commander, but I call bullshit."

"You know, a friend once told me that 'with all due respect', really means 'kiss my ass'."

"That an offer-?"

"This mission is a distraction," Javik interrupted, his voice stinging with impatience. He was standing apart from the rest of them, one hand gripping the support rail near the ceiling and his lip curled to show his teeth. "You are chasing useless rumors in the dark when you should be preparing yourselves for the Reapers."

Shepard looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "Pretty sure it doesn't count as a rumor when it's right outside the shuttle, Javik."

His eyes flashed like heated gold while hostility turned his expression stormy.

"Do not be foolish any more than you already are," he snapped.

Slowly, she straightened in her seat. Her face had shifted into steel, unforgiving and cold as ice.

"Everything we can do about the situation, we are doing," she said, each word edged. "That includes handling any other threats that get in our way. Whether you understand them or not."

"When the Reapers come, they will flood your planets with forces more terrible than any your cycle can imagine; destroying everything you have ever known." He made a short, harsh gesture. "They are the only threat that matters."

Staying silent, she matched his stare. The air became charged, turning her muscles rigid as if sparks of electricity crackled against them. It lasted only seconds before he turned away in disgust. She watched him for another moment before letting it go, a coal of anger still smoldering in her gut. It was more difficult than it should have been to cool it. Worse than any krogan, Javik had an attitude problem the size of the Citadel and never seemed to tire of clashing with her at every opportunity. It was a familiar situation by now but she held a special dislike for the Prothean that made her just itch to shoot him.

Nothing more was said until the shuttle came to a halt at their drop point, just under a click away from the nearest maintenance hatch. It would get them inside the station but they would have to travel the rest of the way by foot.

Shepard was the first to stand. Her shoulder muscles were knotting with tension so she gave a quick shrug to loosen up. She never liked the first mission with new squad members. Too many unknowns made every shadow darker and more dangerous. In the Alliance, it had been easier. A file would've arrived on her desk telling her everything from their preferred gun to what they liked to eat for breakfast. Intrusive sure- and it'd rankled to know that somewhere there'd been a file describing the same things about her- but she'd known the people under her command even when they were still strangers. Now, half her squad she barely knew and only one of them could she trust not to mutiny. At least with Cerberus she'd had something over the more violent crew members to keep them in line.

Missing Cerberus, she thought, amused. The galaxy must be imploding.

"This is our stop, people," she announced. "Let's go shake the hornet's nest."

She shoved her helmet onto her head, the seals hissing quietly as they locked into place. The others did the same and she moved to open the shuttle door. She hesitated at the last second, her hand hovering uncertainly. Behind her helmet, she allowed herself to bite her lip. Hard. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Thane and felt the solidness of him at her shoulder. Looking at him, she searched for his face behind the recon hood. She thought of the shape of it, the red of his throat, the fine scales that made up his skin, the secrets in his eyes. It was all hidden but it was there.

Bracing herself, she took a breath and released the door.

The station was below them, its mass hiding their view of the stars except for a sliver far above. She reached up to latch onto the support bar above her head, her stomach a tight, heaving knot. All outside sound fled as the opening yawned, swallowed by the hungry vacuum of space. Her heart pounded, throwing itself against her chest, trying to break free. She wanted to know if this feeling- like having all the air sucked right out of her body, like she was suddenly drowning in nothing- would ever go away. If she would ever stop remembering how she'd hurtled through space, alone except for the broken fragments of her ship tumbling along with her. How a brilliant fire had burned and burned until everything was nothing.

She tightened her hold and her glove creaked as it strained. The door was fully open now and the narrow, metal catwalk lay about four feet below. It was a nothing drop that wouldn't last longer than a moment, but she could only stare as if it was miles away. Months later and it didn't seem to get any easier. Everything in her rebelled against taking that first step out into the weightless void and turned her legs to lead.

Pull yourself together, marine. Remember the mission. Get your sorry ass off this shuttle and do your job. You don't have time for this goddamned bullshit. Jump. Fucking JUMP.

She jumped.

Gravity disappeared as if she'd flipped a switch. She flew free for less than a heartbeat before she hit the catwalk, the impact sending shockwaves up her body. She stumbled into the railing as she landed and caught herself, her mouth as dry as ashes. Her stomach felt displaced, a floating weight within her, but the electromagnets in her boots made sure the rest of her firmly attached to the station. Nausea surged through her but she forced it down. Keep it together, marine. You're not going anywhere you don't want to.

The catwalk shuddered as her team landed behind her. Swallowing hard, Shepard straightened and pushed away from the rail. Her chest hurt in remembered pain and every breath felt full of sand, scraping at her throat and lungs. Sweat chilled the back of her neck and made her undersuit slick and uncomfortable. Above them, the shuttle was leaving, its thrusters bathing them in blue. She made herself look up and follow its progress as it vanished into the star-studded dark.

After a moment, she turned away and reached for her pistol, her hands clumsy as she unclipped it. It extended to its full size, the parts transforming with mechanical precision. The weight of the gun was reassuring and familiar and helped her shake off her memories. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed the grip.

Remember the mission.

She looked at her team, their forms gleaming silhouettes against the dusk of space, and activated the comm.. "We don't have a lot of room to move here so watch out for trouble and try not to shoot each other. I'll take point. Vega, bring up the rear."

"You got it, Commander."

A rush of biotic blue flowed over like a second skin as she created her barrier.

"Move out."

They took off at a slow jog. With no nearby sun to illuminate the outside of the station, most of it was left in shadow. The white structure she'd seen from the shuttle was just a segmented shell, its pieces separated by deep gaps where they didn't meet. It shone in the dark like polished glass, its surface broken by long, black crevices. Vast pits gaped beyond the structure. Tiny lights were imbedded down the center of the catwalk every few inches, blinking like stars and guiding their steps. A few maintenance drones zipped around, monitoring the station dutifully and ignoring the group as they went by.

The silence of space made the journey eerie and when they came across a large chasm, Shepard slowed and peered suspiciously into the dark. She could make out nothing but the vague glimmer distant red and yellow lights.

"We should have come across some form of security by now, Shepard," Liara commented, dodging around a clueless drone as it flew by. "Cerberus isn't usually so careless."

"Must not be expecting any visitors," Vega said

Thane made a short, harsh sound. "They have always been overconfident."

"Guess it's gonna be a nasty surprise when we bust in, no?"

They reached the other side and the catwalk took a sharp turn, disappearing around the corner. It continued alongside the station's white frame until it came to another pit where it dropped at a steep angle. Shepard searched the gloom as they carefully made their way down but it was like trying to see through pitch. Her nerves itched.

She turned on her flashlight as the darkness deepened, providing a narrow line of visibility. Pale light flooded the area as the others did the same behind her, burning away the shadows. The catwalk leveled out into a platform and a door that opened as they approached. Shepard went through, sweeping her beam of light ahead of her. The room they were in was large with stacks of solid crates that crowded the dark metal walls and corrugated floor. Thick cables ran the length of the ceiling and disappeared behind the maintenance hatch at the far end.

Being surrounded by walls again was a bigger relief than she'd expected and loosened the hard coils that were wrapped around her chest. She took a grateful breath as she led her team over to the hatch. It was small, only big enough for a single person to slip through, and carefully watched over by a security camera.

"Alright, EDI," she said, sparing a wary glance for the camera above their heads, "we're at the hatch. Need you to let us in."

She eyed the hatch appraisingly as they waited then turned to smirk behind her.

"Think it's going to be a tight fit for you, Vega," she teased.

"Locks disengaged."

"A fat joke?" he asked over the whir and clunk of machinery. His face was concealed by his helmet but his voice was playfully mocking. "Shit, Commander, you can do better than that."

"Who said it was a joke?"

He barked out a laugh. "That's real cold, Commander. Who knew you were made of so much ice?"

Shepard tossed him a wink then faced back around as the hatch opened. Bright light poured out making her squint. Blinking, she peered through then ducked inside. She scanned the room but she was alone except for tall stacks of crates and piles of maintenance equipment. Apparently, they'd come into a kind of storage area. As she looked around, it was almost like going back in time to when she'd first woken up on an operating table and under an enemy's knife. This new site had the same lifeless, chilling quality that had been part of the very air in Lazarus Station. The room was shining white and gray with a wall of clear glass. A large, white Cerberus logo was stamped onto the floor, edged with bright, aggressive yellow. Beyond the windows lay a hallway and another room as empty as the one she was in.

She walked further in, her steps cautious, but quickly backpedaled. Behind the barrier of crates, there was only glass separating this room from the next. If there was anyone inside, she hadn't seen them. She considered this for a moment then went back as her team filed in after her.

"All clear but stay behind the crates for now," she said. "Apparently, solid walls aren't Cerberus' style."

Vega came in last, the hatch shutting behind him with a dull noise, and oxygen flooded the room as it was pressurized. Once safe, Shepard released the seals on her helmet and it partially slid away, allowing the station's air to rush in. It splashed against her face, as cold and sterile as the station itself. She took in a lungful and it left behind a bitter, icy trail.

"Let's go."

The others moved into formation as she led them out into the hallway. It stretched out long and straight and wide enough for the five of them to walk comfortably shoulder to shoulder. At one end, it stopped at a single, huge door and at the other, an adjoining hallway. The door would take them to a docking bay- where she now knew the station's shipments were unloaded- so she put her back to it and took off at a fast jog.

More rooms lined each side, one after another like a series of identical glass cages, and each of them completely devoid of people. There was an air of sudden abandonment to the area; hulking industrial mechs standing idle, some of them still holding crates in their massive arms, a cup of coffee lying kicked and spilled on the floor, a forgotten coat thrown over a guide rail.

"It seems that Cerberus knows we are here," Thane said when it became clear that the sector was deserted.

"Or they turned tail before we showed up," Vega added.

Shepard shook her head grimly. "When Cerberus leaves, they like to leave with a bang."

He muttered something in response that she didn't catch. She glanced at him but he avoided her eyes, his mouth tight. Raising her eyebrows, she turned away and let it go. Looks like it's time for that heart-to-heart.

As the squad neared the end of the corridor, they stayed close to one side, their reflections ghosted after them in the glass. At the junction, Shepard checked her left then stuck her head around the corner and straight into a rain of fire. She jerked back, heart skipping a beat in surprise. At first, she thought they were people but no. No person could react that fast. She risked another look into the storm, flinching slightly as she was peppered with rounds, and saw a squad of mechs waiting for her. Sleek and heavily-armored, the machines moved with a smoothness that was both faster and more life-like than the LOKI models she'd encountered before. They fired with mechanical intent, controlling the recoil of their rifles so that every bullet hit their target. She couldn't help but notice that each slug struck her barrier in a tight circle over her forehead.

"Mechs," she said as she drew back around the corner. "Cover me."

She leaped out and slammed a mech into the ceiling in a wave of energy the color of lightning. The reaction was instant and her barrier flared brilliantly under the barrage. The first mech continued to shoot as it fell, its aim wild and unfocused. She hurled it against the wall and pinned it there, the force of her biotics crushing it. Caustic smoke and the smell of lit matches bit at her nose and eyes. Metal and plastic crunched and squealed, the shrill whir of electronics piercing her ears, until it finally died in a shower of sparks.

Behind her, the others were firing. Javik had joined her at the front line and was tearing mechs apart with his strange, green biotics. With a short mnemonic, Shepard sent a mech sailing across the first line and watched in amazement as the others threw themselves away from it. There were few places for them to go and their programs miscalculated. They ended up awkward and vulnerable on the ground, a couple of them struggling to disentangle their artificial limbs. She switched to her pistol and finished them off, her bullets punched ragged holes in the black screens that served as their faces.

Mechs were dropping to the floor in twisted piles. Her shields were whining, high and shrill. They failed with a low, waning buzz just as the last mech fell with a clatter. The sudden silence rang, loud as a scream, and the sound of gunfire echoed in her ears as she relaxed her stance. Her shields beeping as they recharged, she glanced her team over. The fight hadn't lasted long and she'd attracted most of the heat so they escaped without even a scratch in their armor. Satisfied that they were unhurt, she walked over to the heap of disabled machines.

"Well," Shepard nudged at one with the toe of her boot, "these are new."

"They are a new line developed by Cerberus within the last few months," Liara told her. "I've never seen them in use before. They're significantly more advanced than previous versions."

"No kidding." She walked past the dead mechs, their remains cracking beneath her feet, and scowled. "Billions of credits burned to bring me back and get me on their side and it hasn't even slowed them down."

"Hey, could be worse." Vega said, his armor clanking dully as he shrugged. "Could be an army of AI's like that thing on Eden Prime. I'd take some fancy toys over that any day."

"Only a fool would trust in an army of synthetics." Javik's voice was full of grim scorn and Shepard had to roll her eyes, knowing at least some of that was for her.

"Fortunately," Liara went on, "Cerberus' funds aren't unlimited. It would take an astronomical number of credits to build such a force."

They drew closer to the first search zone and Shepard could see the red glow of a lock for what she now guessed to be an office. She signaled her team to slow. They crept up carefully, staying low and quiet. Unlike the rest of the area, the office had only half-windows, giving them some cover as they peered inside. The room was bare, its solid walls decorated with the Cerberus logo bright and clear, and only the essentials filling the space. A Cerberus operative was leaning over a terminal, the light off the screen painting his face with shadows.

"Got another door here, EDI," Shepard muttered.

She had barely spoken when the interface changed to green, giving them access. Muscles tensing in anticipation, she glanced at her team then stood and struck her palm against the hologram. They poured inside and the operative whipped around, wide-eyed and face draining of all color. He threw himself out of his chair, lunging for the weapon on his desk but Shepard put a round in his hand first. He cried out, his knees crashing into the floor and chin catching the sharp edge of his desk. He doubled over, clutching at his wrist as blood streamed down his fingers. While the others fanned out to pin him in place, she strode over to pick up his gun and remove the heat sink, tossing both pieces across the room. They clattered noisily as they landed out of reach.

With a flick of her pistol, she motioned him to the center of the office. "Hands in the air, Operative."

The man knelt there gasping and stared at her with eyes shiny with pain. Blood dripped onto the ground in front of him, bright red against the muted gray metal.

"Do as your told, human," Javik ordered, the words dark with promise, "or I will do worse than shoot you."

The muscles in his jaw jumping as he grit his teeth, the man risked a glance at each of them before slowly climbing to his feet. He raised his hands and backed away as Shepard looked at him narrowly. Liara hurried over to the terminal and Vega and Javik guarded the door.

"Cooperate and you get to walk out of here," she said, watching his throat work as he swallowed. "Don't and I'll shoot you. It's that simple."

His eyes darted around the room before returning to her and the gun in her hand. "What do you want to know?"

"What's Cerberus doing here?"

"I don't know." He licked at the bruising cut just below his bottom lip. "I'm just the head of logistics. You think the higher-ups tell us that kind of thing?"

She looked at him, her expression hard. "A smart man would find something to tell the person holding the gun, Operative."

He stayed quiet, his mouth twisted. Sweat began to trickle down his scalp, plastering his pale hair to his forehead. A ruddy flush was taking over his skin and suddenly it clicked. Shepard thought back to Mordin talking about hidden cyanide pills in molars. Looking at the man in front of her, she wouldn't have thought he'd had it in him.

"You still think suicide is going to be less painful than whatever I can do to you," she said and surprise flashed across his face. "It won't be, though I'd bet that's not what Cerberus told you."

He glared, his eyes full of challenge, but she only smiled and it was pitiless. "What you're feeling now is probably bad enough but it's going to get worse. A lot worse. Give me something useful and I'll help you. Otherwise, you can die in agony like you deserve. It's your choice."

Thane spoke then in cold, calm tones. "You would be wise to accept the offer."

She waited and listened as the man's breathing quickened and became shallow. The moment dragged as he wavered and she was starting to think he'd pass out first when he finally opened his mouth. His voice shook, fine tremors that ran through his entire body.

"We get shipments. At first, in the hundreds but now about a handful every month or so. I-I don't know what they use them for."

Her nerves prickled. "What kind of shipments?"

"People." Looking at the group again, he frowned and clarified. "Humans."

Silence fell like a lead veil. The words rippled through the room like a current, touching each of them as if it were physical thing. At the terminal, Liara straightened, blue eyes wide. Her eyebrows shooting to her hairline, Shepard shared a glance with Thane. Whatever she'd been expecting, it hadn't been that.

"You're sure," she said.

"Yeah, yeah I'm sure."

"Anything else?"

"No, that's all I know. I swear."

She believed him. Even if she hadn't, there wasn't enough time to dig the truth out of him. He had a few more minutes- at best- and it was obvious that the real pain was starting to kick in. Without warning, she squeezed the trigger and the muted pop was like a grenade exploding. The man's head whipped back in a spray of mist, a hole leaking blood from his forehead, and he collapsed to the floor.

She lowered her pistol. "How's it going over there, Liara?"

Liara gave a slight shake of her head. "I can't get to the project files from here but there's still things we can learn. The program's decrypting the information now."

Shepard nodded, holstered her gun, and left the asari to it. While she waited, she searched the room. There wasn't much; a desk stacked with supply logs and a few trashy novels and a couple of shelves lined with datapads. She went over, having the step over the Operative's crumpled body, and selected one at random. Thane came to stand beside her, pulling a pad from the shelf, as she skimmed through it. To her surprise, it was a series of transcripts. Reading more closely, she realized they were conversations between operatives, completely ordinary and meaningless. She grabbed another datapad, her brow furrowed, then another. They were both the same.

She tossed the datapad carelessly back onto the shelf. "Who the hell records people complaining about the fish smell in the mess hall."

He placed his own more deliberately into its place and clasped his hands behind his back. "Someone who can trust no one. Not even his own people."

"You'd think the cameras would be enough." She glanced up at the ceiling and into a shining lens.

Inclining his head a fraction, he hummed. "I don't believe the Illusive Man could ever see enough, or know enough, to satisfy his paranoia."

She frowned and had to wonder. The Illusive Man had always seemed too self-controlled- too cold- to ever be driven by something as irrational as paranoia. But then she thought back to the Collector Base, to the look in his eyes, the fury and desperation in his voice as his plans crumbled around him. There had been a wild edge to it that she'd ignored and quickly forgotten about in the chaos and violence of their escape. It stood out to her now; a discolored puzzle piece that she wasn't sure how it fit.

"Shepard," Liara called.

She met Thane's eyes in a brief exchange then crossed the room to peer over the asari's shoulder.

"It's mostly shipping manifests," Liara explained. "There are several that confirm what the Operative told us."

She brought up one of the logs dated a month earlier. Shepard scanned through it, a mixture of disgust and anger rolling in her belly. Over a hundred people were listed; their ages, gender, and nationality documented and in the place of names, numbers that had already shot into the thousands. Like dogs in a kennel.

She drummed her fingers on the desk. "Any idea how many are stationed here?"

"I don't have an exact number but based on the number of food shipments, no more than three hundred."

"Awful big station for so few people. So what do they need all this space for?"

"I don't know, Shepard," she shook her head and her soft voice was grave, "but I think it's safe to assume it's not to house their kidnap victims."

The thought was disturbing but Shepard knew that most of them were more than likely dead. Lucky people didn't usually last long once Cerberus turned its gaze on them. Bitter experience had taught her that lesson only too well. It was the unlucky ones that she was worried about now.

"If they're experimenting on people, there should be medical supplies being brought in. Check-."

The abrupt chatter of gunfire cut her off and in an instant her pistol was in her hand. Javik was ducking back into the room as Vega leaned his weapon out and began firing.

"More machines are approaching," he said, releasing a spent heat sink and clicking a new one into place. "They will be here soon."

"Leave the data. We're headed for the main server." She flicked her eyes at Liara and received a nod in return. "Alright people, time to move our asses before we lose them."

"They have already blocked our escape." His golden eyes fixed on her, observing every twitch of her face. "You have led us into a trap with no way out."

At the door, Liara and Thane were helping Vega to slow down the mechs as they advanced from both ends of the hallway. Shepard pointed her pistol at one of the glass windows and shot until it cracked and shattered. Gleaming shards fell to the floor and were ground to grains of sand beneath her boots as she moved to crouch behind the half wall. She threw out a warp and was rewarded with the sound of tearing metal and plastic.

"You don't sound too concerned, Javik," she remarked, glancing at him as he dropped down beside her.

"I have no reason to fear the creations of primitives. I only wonder what you will do now that there is nowhere to run."

God, he's a dick. Annoyance tightened her mouth and made her words snappish. "Let us all die, probably. You can go first."

His laugh was low and sinister and his teeth flashed. "Amusing. I am beginning to enjoy making you lose your temper. It is like watching an Earth rodent dance."

"Keep talking, Javik, and I'll turn you into a fucking living missile."

Malice darkened his expression and turned it cruel. "Try it, human, and what remains of you will be incapable of regret."

She snarled at him and came very close to making good on her threat. The rest of her team was still firing and taking hits for her at the door. It was the only thing that stopped her from smearing Prothean blood across the walls.

"Thane," she barked, keeping her eyes trained on Javik as his own shined with promised violence, "lead the way once we're clear. Liara, you're with me. Let's go."

She didn't wait for a response. With a last glare, she vaulted over the half wall and into the raging battleground.