Debrief and Downtime

SSV Normandy                                                                                                                          CIC Deck                                                                                                                                      Comm. Room

Two hours after Therum; en route to the Voyager Cluster

Ryan had twenty minutes until the debrief started, which meant he had five minutes before Cole showed up. He planned to spend that time going over the outcome of his first mission as Commanding Officer fore what was probably the hundredth time. The ruin was completely destroyed, and it took thirty liters of blood to restore the biomass Alex had lost. Ryan understood now that he had taken viral associate's resilience for granted, and when their enemy was an army of synthetics, it put Alex Mercer at a disadvantage if he got hungry.

At least there was some good news. The crack in Tali's mask was little more than a superficial scratch. A little omni-gel fixed that right up, much to Ryan's relief. He was so used to carrying out off-the-books solo missions for the Uniques, and now he was in charge of a team. It was something he had craved, and he would be damned before anyone died on his watch.

He wanted to blame Alex for indirectly putting Tali in danger, but the crew was praising the sociopath's name for saving Dr. T'Soni and surviving a volcano. If Ryan confronted the shapeshifter, it would only a reminder that all of this was the Splicers King's own damn fault.

"Score one for the Torfan Tactician," Ryan sighed.

"Hell must be freezing over," Cole's voice came from behind. "Because it sounds like the Rapture Raptor actually taking responsibility for his actions."

"Do you really hate me so much that you're actually reveling in my mistakes?" Ryan knew there was no avoiding the coming rant, and Cole had every right to lay it on him, but right now, all he wanted was a long rest.

Cole smirked, "I take what I can get. But you're useless if you haven't learned anything, so tell me what you'd do differently in hindsight." His smirk grew wider at Ryan's confused expression. "C'mon. You want me to think more like Kessler didn't you? That's what I'm gonna do, but I'll teach you by my standards, not his."

Wary, but eager to see what Cole had in mind, Ryan motioned for him to continue. Cole started with the basics. "Even if you did everything the same right up until the mining laser, I wouldn't have been this upset. But you, the one man who can bring two or three others with him when he teleports, chose to make a run for it. You could have brought Tali, Ash, and Dr. T'Soni back to the ship in seconds, leaving Wrex and Alex to utterly shred that krogan battlemaster. Why didn't you?" When Ryan didn't respond, Cole laughed. "Because you didn't know if your teleport plasmid was even working correctly after that jumping geth zapped you!"

Cole calmed down almost immediately, and continued. "Do you want to know why you brought Alex Mercer? How about why you brought Tali?"

Ryan glared at his electirc Spectre counterpart. "Don't keep me hanging. Spare no details!"

Cole kept his expression bored yet neutral, bearing a remarkable similarity to the actual Kessler. "You brought Alex because you wanted to see how well Joker's aim was at dropping a human passenger. The Normandy has to take a very different path of insertion for the Boston back at Torfan, and you wanted to know if we could make that battle's tactic a common one. If Joker missed, Alex would climb out of the lava pissed, and we'd know not to try it again. If he didn't missed, then we have more room to maneuver. Alex and I don't need a fraction of the space it takes to drop the Mako."

Ryan stared at the ground. Cole was exactly right on everything so far. And he knew the conduit wasn't done yet.  

"You can try to rationalize it and say that Tali's hacking expertise would come in handy. After all you were fighting against geth, and you were going into a ruin with strange Prothean tech. But that's not it at all." The look on Ryan's face spelled doom if he continued, but Cole knew that the Rapture Raptor needed to hear this. "You brought her because she reminds you of Eleanor Lamb."

Ryan was barely containing his rage, but Cole kept at it. "You and I both know that your "sister" is the closest thing you have to a damn conscience. You would do anything for her, and you see much of Lamb's best qualities in that quarian." Cole smirked. "I'm not saying that you share a brother-sister bond with Tali the way you do with Eleanor, but the similarities are obvious: She's a child prodigy in an environmental suit with greatness thrust upon her, and she has chosen a 'man' from Rapture as her role model. Unfortunately, she's also quarian with a weak immune system and no idea of the kind of man you really are."

Cole leaned forward in a challenging posture and whispered, "But it's even more than that, isn't it? You feel like you owe her something, don't you? The quarian race is a society that lives on migrating ships and hardly interacts with the rest of civilization. That sounds familiar, doesn't it? It's like Unique Shepard has answered your silent pleas for redemption after-"

"All squad members, report to the comm. room for debriefing! You too Dr. T'Soni. We need to know what you know." Ryan was not letting Cole play that card. Not now, not ever. To his credit, the "Demon of Empire City" let it drop, but he kept that challenging look in his eyes.

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Two minutes later

"Too close guys!" Joker announced with half-hearted sarcasm. "A few more seconds and Mercer wouldn't have been the only one swimming in molten sulfur." Alex muttered a few choice words in just as many languages, but Joker ignored him." The Normandy isn't equipped to land in exploding volcanoes, unlike some people. A melted hull isn't as easy to fix as a melted Alex Mercer." With that, the wiseass pilot logged off the intercom.

Liara was astounded at the helmsman's audacity. Hadn't he seen what Alex was capable of? Why would he consider making light of such a situation. "Mercer almost died down there and your pilot is making jokes?"

Alex chuckled at the asari's naiveté. "Relax, Liara. He knows he earned the right to make jokes cuz he's the only one who did his job right." Alex glared at Ryan, but quickly looked up at the ceiling and yelled, "Even if his arrival took eight minutes!"

Still trying to get over the shock, Liara struggled to find the right words. "I-I see. This must be a human concept. I'll admit I don't have much experience dealing with... I'd say 'humans,' but you aren't all human are you? What exactly are you, Mercer?" She had been dying to know more about about her bizarre rescuer since he had obliterated that krogan. Unfortunately, he'd spent all his time since she came aboard in the med bay, and nobody was allowed in except for Cole, the giant armored man, and the ship's doctor. What he had done shouldn't be possible, and she was desperate to know more. She was also a little afraid of what  the truth may be, but such is the life of an archaeologist.

Alex leaned back against the wall and cracked a wry smile. He knew this was coming. "Everyone else already knows the story, Liara, so I'll tell you whatever you want to know in private." Before she could object, he continued. "Here's the condensed version. I'm the reason bioweapons are illegal."

Satisfied for the moment, yet now filled with even more questions, Liara nodded. "Regardless, Alex, you have my thanks. You saved my life back there, and I'm not just referring to the volcano. The krogan might have easily killed me or dragged me off to Saren were it not for you."

Alex felt strangely satisfied at this remark. It wasn't anything to do with his ego, having overcome the original Alex Mercer's narcissism. It was more a conclusion that saving people, like Jenkins and Liara, felt just as good as killing the bad guys, if not better. Now he truly understood why Cole seemed so happy after a rescue.

"Which brings us to the real issue," Kaiden said, entering the conversation. "Why did they want you?"

Cole sighed, "She's either leverage for Benezia's cooperation, she knows something about the Conduit, or she has the misfortune of being a loose end." Ryan nodded in agreement.

Liara looked downcast. I'll have to say, it's likely the third option. I haven't spoken to my mother in years, and the only thing I know about the Conduit is that it somehow ties into the Protheans' extinction. That's my real area of expertise." She looked up at the squad with firm conviction. I have spent the past fifty years trying to discover what happen to them."

Alex gave a low whistle. "Fifty years? That's dedication. Wait... How old does that make you?" He might as well ask now, and compared to what she had asked him a minute ago, the question was harmless. 

Shifting awkwardly in her seat, Liara confessed shyly. "I hate to admit it, but I'm only 106."

Liara spoke of how she was barely considered a child by asari standards, and Alex couldn't help but find it amusing. Far from a '"short lived" human, the Blacklight Virus was nigh immortal. She was discussing how poorly viewed her theories on the Protheans were, and Alex chose this moment to speak up again. After all, Ryan was the only other person with the vision, and Alex would prefer not hearing the Splicer King speak at the moment.

"I've kinda got a working theory on what happened to the Protheans," Alex said it in a tone that made him sound helpful rather than smug. It surprised everyone in the room, himself included.

Liara tried to look placating, but most of them could tell she was tired of listening to the theories of others. "With respect, Dr. Mercer, I've heard every possible theory out there. The problem is finding evidence to support them.  The Protheans left, remarkably little behind. It is almost as if someone did not want the mystery solved. It is like came along after the Protheans were gone and cleansed the galaxy of clues. But here is the incredible part: According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first galactic civilzation to mysteriously vanish like this. This cycle began long before them."

That last statement instantly brought everyone's attention to a certain viral predator. When Liara mentioned the word "cycle" it triggered a bout of painful memories in Alex, indicating that they were, unfortunately on the right track.

All four powerhouses were very upset at the implications. Any veteran Supernova knew that an extinction cycle was one of the worst scenarios to run into. If Liara was correct, then this job just became impossibly harder than it already was. They had to be completely sure she was accurate. They needed to know details.

Chief took point, having the most experience with extinct enigmatic precursors. He and Cortana had spent their spare time looking for similarities between the Forerunners and the Protheans. The results were inconclusive and rather useless, but Cortana had been bored, so they did it anyway.

Leaning forward, the green giant spoke. "How do you know this if there aren't any clues?"

Liara's eye shine with a defiance that made Alex feel threatened. "I have been working on this for fifty years. I have tracked down every scrap of evidence. Eventually, subtle patterns start to emerge. These patterns all hint at the truth." She paused for a moment, eyes losing some of their fire. "It is difficult to explain to someone else. I cannot point to one specific example tp prove my case. It is more... a feeling derived from a half century of dedicated research. But I know I am right, and eventually, I will be able to prove it: There were other civilizations before the Protheans. This cycle has repeated itself many times over."

Alex was impressed by her thoroughness. It reminded him of Manhattan and how far he had gone to discover the truth behind Blackwatch and Hope, Idaho. 

Chief, on the other hand, didn't let up. Her dedication to a cause was commendable, but they needed hard facts at the moment. "So if not the Protheans, who was the first? And what's this 'cycle' you keep mentioning?"

The asari maiden looked at the floor in shame. "I don't know," she muttered. "There is barely any evidence on the Protheans. And there is even less on those who came before them. I cannot prove my theory, but I know it is right. The galaxy is built on a cycle of extinction. Each time a great civilization rises up, only to be suddenly and violently cast down at its apex. Each time, only ruins survive. The Protheans rose up from a single world until their empire spanned the entire galaxy. Yet even they climbed to the top on the remains of those who came before. Their greates achievements,  the Mass Relays and the Citadel, are based off of the technology of those who came before them. And then, like all the other forgotten civilizations throughout galactic history, the Protheans disappeared. I have dedicated my life to figuring out why."

Alex, Cole, and Ryan, despite their neutral expressions, had been struggling to contain their laughter ever since Liara had mentioned "those who came before." Despite the gravity of the situation, all they could think about was Desmond Miles and his dealings with the First Civilization, aka Those Who Came Before.

Finally calming down, Alex was the first to break the news to Liara. "They were wiped out by a race of synthetics called the Reapers. I'd wager that the extinction cycle was their work."

Liara almost fell out of her chair at this. "The... Reapers? But I've never heard of... What proof do you have? How can you be so sure?" She seemed almost angry that they had claimed to know some that she didn't about the Protheans.

Ryan looked to Alex, and they argeed to reveal the vision. "Commander Ryan and I were on Eden Prime. A damaged Prothean beacon shoved a vision inside our skulls." Seeing Liara's shock and confusion, he continued. "Having someone else's memories shoved inside my head is nothing new, but the message was Prothean specific, not to mention incomplete, so I'm still a long way from truly understanding what it said. I can't speak for Ryan, but I'd imagine it's largely the same."

It was true. Ryan had indirectly acquired the knowledge of anyone from Rapture to ever use ADAM. It had none of the drawbacks that regular splicers suffered, and it only added to his knowledge and experience, much like how Alex gained such things from the people he consumed. 

Liara was awestruck. "Yes. A vision would make sense. They transmit information directly to the minds of the user. But they were built with Prothean physiology in mind. Anything you two received would have naturally been alien to your minds. I'm amazed you could make any sense of it at all."

"Hold on," Tali interrupted. "Mercer can eat aliens, right? He understands all their memories, so what makes the Prothean vision indecipherable?"

Liara actually responded to this. "I'd assume that he can understand the memories by assimilating the proper thought processes at the genetic level. The beacon would be different. He has the memories from the Protheans' beacon, but without having, uh... eaten a Prothean, he can't view the vision as genetic memory in a comprehensible format." 

Alex nodded his head. "Impressive, Dr. T'Soni."

Liara shook her head . "I'm the one who should be impressed, Alex. If that is truly the case, then you've endured a great deal more than anyone could understand. A lesser mind would be destroyed by such an ordeal, but you seem remarkably unfazed. You must have an incredible will, Alex Mercer."

"Yeah, that's real sweet," Ashley remarked, tired of the asari's gushing. "But it's not helping us find Saren or the Conduit."

Ryan sighed in agreement. "And it already seems like she didn't know much on either subject." He turned to Liara, "No offense intended, Liara. It's just that you were the only lead the Council had given us."

Cole was about to step in, when Ryan impressed him. "Still, whatever Saren wants with you, I don't intend to let him have it. I have to know though, are you any good in a fight?"

Wrex chuckled from his corner. "No doubt about it, Ryan." When everyone was looking at the krogan for some kind of explanation, Wrex elaborated. "Archaeology zones draw in mercs and pirates looking for easy credits. If she's survived the job for fifty years, you know she can handle herself. She's no commando, but her biotics would still be impressive."

Alex laughed. "Wrex, you're gonna tell me later what experience you have with asari commandos." He turned to Ryan and glared. "I took a dip in the lava just to keep her alive, so I think it's best we bring her along regardless."

The asari mediator reared its head as Liara stood up and took a role in the debate. This was her fate they were talking about, after all. "I'll gladly help you in any way I can, and this ship is likely the one place Saren could never reach me." Blue biotics rippled across her features. "And Wrex is right. I can handle myself just fine in a firefight."

Ryan grinned. "The food sucks, and the pay is hardly better. Welcome to the Normandy."

Liara smiled at them all. "Thank y-" She never finished, staggering about and almost falling down. "So much has happened in so little time. I need a few moments to rest." 

Alex sighed. "Yeah, that's my fault. I was hogging the med bay while I regenerated. I'll take you to see Dr. Chakwas. I can imagine you have plenty more questions to ask me anyway."

Ryan nodded. "Crew, dismissed."

Soon, only Cole and Ryan were left behind. They weren't there to continue arguing. Joker had sent off the Therum mission report, and was in the process of patching the two Supernovas through to the Council. this would be just wonderful.

"Commander Ryan. MacGrath." The hologram of Councilor Tevos addressed them. We've just received your mission report. We also understand that Dr. T'Soni is still aboard the Normandy."

Sparatus, Cheerful as ever, began to question the pair. "Can I assume you've taken the appropriate security precautions?"

Cole couldn't resist. "Unlike how you handled Saren, we actually confirmed her innocence." Sparatus' mandibles flared in irritation.

Ryan enjoyed watching politicians squirm, but he should probably give their bosses something to work with. "She was being targeted by Saren's forces, and it didn't seem to matter to them if she died."

Tevos was incredulous. "Impossible. Benezia would never allow Saren to harm her daughter."

"Perhaps she doesn't know," Valern theorized.

"Or maybe we don't know her," Sparatus declared. "We never suspected she could be a traitor." Ryan let it slide how quick Sparatus was to point the finger at non-turians.

Valern remained neutral. "At least the mission was a success."

Sparatus apparently hadn't made enough accusations. "Aren't we overlooking the fact that they completely destroyed a major Prothean ruin? Was that really necssary?"

Ryan was now out of patience. This was the last time he would speak of his mistakes on Therum. "Did you scrutinize Saren's actions this closely? What he's done makes the destruction of a ruin look like public service, and that's only the uncensored files! How much had he done that you were content to simply not know about? When you can answer that question in detail, than you've earned the right to judge me. Joker, lose this channel!" 

The three holograms disappeared in an instant, and Joker's voice came through the intercom. "I love my job."

Cole gaped at Ryan. He'd never seen the Splicer King ashamed of his actions. No matter what had happened and no matter who got affected, Ryan always felt his actions were justified. He had done things without hesitation that made the likes of Saren look tame. So why was this truly affecting him?"

Cole was about to ask, but Ryan beat him to it. "I need your help, MacGrath. I was discreet on Torfan. Major Kyle was the one calling the shots, I just made the plan. I was lucky on Eden Prime. You, Alex, and the Chief made things a lot easier, and I still almost lost Jenkins to poor leadership skills. I've known nothing but death for so damn long..." Ryan turned around and finally looked Cole in the eye."I've forgotten how to keep my allies alive."

Cole was stunned into silence, and Ryan continued. "You're leadership at the Battle for Hoover Dam was nothing short of a miracle. Before that, you liberated the entire Capitol Wasteland from Enclave oppression. You did it without ever having to operate from the shadows. I need some of that right now if we're gonna keep this team alive. I'm not asking you to do this for me. I don't deserve that. Just do it for the sake of the job." Ryan held out his hand.

Cole debated internally for a brief moment. He couldn't forgive Ryan just for making a pretty speech, but the words rang true. Helping Ryan like this would not only make him a better leader, but it would also increase their allies' chances of surviving this mission. Grabbing the hand, Cole gave it a firm shake. Then he offered the most important piece of advice he had. "Take what you know about Torfan, and apply the same logic with one difference: Each life under your command is far more valuable than your own. Learn that part, then we'll talk more. If you can't figure it out, go see the Chief." 

Ryan nodded, and the two made their way out of the comm. room. Ryan headed for the helm, while Cole headed for the crew deck. He wanted to talk with Kaidan and Ashley again. The ghosts of Kaidan's past had to be far more to than a few headaches. As for Ashley, he had to make sure that she was okay after watching yet another alien get welcomed aboard with open arms.

"Cole, you're not Alliance, so I'm gonna be frank." Kaidan stated. "There's writing on the wall here, but the Council isn't reading it."

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SSV Normandy 

CIC

Helm

En route to Agebinium

"I prefer gold to silver." Joker said abruptly. "You know: for my medal. I figure you'd want to recommand me for one since I...." He took a moment to silently stroke his ego before continuing. "Pulled your boots out of the fire."

Ryan smirked. He had expected something like this. "Should I include the part where Alex pulled himself out?"

"Point taken, Commander."

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SSV Normandy 

Garage Deck 

Armory 

Cole didn't get the full story about BAat or Conatix, but he had concluded that Kaidan Alenko was without a doubt the sanest man on the whole damn ship. The man was completely unshakeable, even after "knowing" of "accidental" exposures to element zero taking place. He was still fat too reserved, even when talking to a civilian like Cole, but he had plenty of idealism, something the whole ship was otherwise lacking.

As he walked near Ashley, he heard something interesting from her terminal. "Oh before I go: I heard you're serving under Commander Ryan now? We saw him on the news here. He's cute... later sis!" At the word "cute" Ashley turned to see who was watching, and upon noticing MacGrath, she flushed six different shades of red.

"Please tell me that by some miracle you didn't hear that?"

Rather than answer directly, Cole decided to tease the embarrassed marine. "What? I'm not cute too?"

Ashley narrowed her eyes. "Ryan is that 'tall, dark, all-star pretty boy' kind of cute. You are much more... rugged." Cole simply cocked an eyebrow, and Ash hung her head, realizing what she had just said. "Just shoot me now." Eager to change the topic, Ashley told him that the message was from her youngest sister. The two talked about her family, which was admittedly a hell of a lot better than Cole's own. Ashley told him of an experience where her sister had utterly curb-stomped a clingy boyfriend.

At the end of the story, Cole said with mild amusement, "I hope he learned the most important part: apologize after the first ass-kicking, not the second." After getting a chuckle out of Ashley, he continued. "Seriously though, where was your father during all of this? I'm pretty sure this kind of thing he would have handled with a few stern words and a boot up the ass." 

Cole felt like an ass after she had recited poetry and explained that her father was dead. "He's probably still watching though." She said. "So behave."

"You mean from the afterlife?" 

"Yup. He's with God now, Cole." Seeing Cole shift awkwardly, Ashley became nervous. "That's not a problem is it? That I believe in God?"

Rather than explain what being a Supernova did to a guy's faith, Cole reflected on his personal experiences: After the Beast's arrival, Cole was branded as the Demon of Empire City. When he got to New Marais, Bertrand and the Militia had labeled all conduits as unholy freaks. Bertrand declared that conduits weren't part of the divine plan. But when Cole had finally killed the Beast, along with every other conduit on the planet, he was named the Patron Saint of New Marais.

Arcing electricity between his hands, Cole let out a humorless chuckle. "As long the fact that I can do this and doesn't bother you, we'll be just fine." 

Ashley seemed to visibly relax at his words, but her eyes held a sympathetic look. She could tell that religion had treated him poorly for possessing those special abilities.

Willing to change to subject, Cole gave a sly grin. "I should probably go get ready for the next mission, but before I do, let's hear it."

"Hear what?"

"The part where you disagree with bringing Liara on board."

"Oh... right." When Cole motioned for her to continue, Ashley let it out. "I'm fine with her on board, really. I'm just not sure I buy the part about her mother. Do you really think she's gone for years without speaking to Benezia?"

Cole wasn't expecting this, but he figured he could answer it with a little bit of personal history. "This stays between you, me, and the wall, but I was once a normal guy with a mother, father, and brother. You won't find the records; they don't exist anymore, but my family wasn't at all pleasant. I dropped out of college six credits short of graduating because a teacher had been mistreating one of my friends. I got a job as a courier because I knew would piss them off. I haven't heard anything from them in years. Hell, I don't even know if they're still alive. Alex had it even worse, but you heard that back on Therum. If he believes Liara, I can guarantee she's not lying about her mother."

Ashley accepted this, and they parted ways, but not before Cole made one final comment. "So about that call from your sister. You sure you don't want Ryan to know, because the guy would probably..." Ashley was now finishing reassembling her pistol and giving Cole a look that promised terrible pain if he didn't shut up. "Right, I'm going." He turned around and began shouting at the ship's resident turian. "With all the time you spend working on that rover, you'd better know how to drive it when we get to Agebinium!"

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SSV Normandy 

Crew Deck 

Med Bay

"So let me make sure I have this correct. You are a fully sentient virus that can shapeshift, consume organics for knowledge, and survive practically any kind of injury. You have allied yourself with three genetically altered humans, of whom no records exist. And you have had a Prothean beacon transfer a message to your mind." Liara had been given largely the same stroy as the rest of the squad, though Alex focused the lie a little more on himself, seeing as that was what piqued her interest.

"That's the extremely oversimplified version, Liara, but yes. I'm just as alive as you, and I have more humanity now than the real Alex Mercer ever did." Alex paused, grinned, then all but lounged against the wall behind him. "Are we really back on the Prothean beacon again? Come on. This is the part where you tell me something about yourself."

Surprised at the swift change in topics, Liara's eyes widened. "Me? I'm afraid I'm rather boring in comparison. I have spent most of my time on long digs, unearthing largely mundane items from forgotten Prothean ruins."

"Before I became an unstoppable person of mass destruction, I worked in a lab modifying viruses for money." Alex smirked. "At least you got to visit interesting, sometimes dangerous, places. You'll have to do better than that if you want to convince me that you were 'boring'."

"I suppose that is true. And prior to the Therum expedition, my biotics were enough to handle any confrontation. Of course, there was also the need to get away from the pressure of being a Matriarch's daughter." Liara became rather somber at this. "I threw myself into studying the past because I was sick of hearing how Matriarchs were meant to lead the asari into the future."

"There's more to it than having a rebellious spirit, isn't there?" Alex questioned. A month ago, he wouldn't have given a damn. He chalked it up to the mission. He had fallen into a lake of lava to save her, so he had a right to know more about her.

"Yes, there is," Liara said brightly. "I felt... drawn to the past. The Protheans were these wondrous, mysterious figures. I wanted to know everything about them. That is why I find you so fascinating, Alex." He cocked his head to the side at this, but said nothing. "You were marked by the beacon on Eden Prime. You were touched by working Prothean technology!"

Alex couldn't help himself. "Careful, Liara. You're starting to sound like all those scientists who want to find out what makes me tick. Should I be worried that you'll dissect me in my sleep?"

The asari flushed purple, which Alex assumed was the asari equivalent of a blush. "W-what? No! I didn't mean to insinuate, er... I never meant to offend you! I only meant to say that you would be a remarkable specimen for an in-depth study." Alex simply stood there and let her process her own words. "Wait! That's even worse!"

"Relax Liara, or you'll dig yourself a hole all the way to the drive core. I was only kidding anyway."

Liara didn't take this well either. "By the Goddess! How could I be that dense? You must think I'm a fool."

Alex gave her a reassuring smile. Not a smirk, not a manic grin, but a genuine smile. "Not in the slightest. It's simply the drawback of spending so much time buried in your work. Trust me, I've been there."

Liara practically beamed. "Thank you. It means a lot to hear you say that, Alex. Still, I'd prefer that we act like that conversation never happened."

"Done, now how about-"

Before Alex could say any more, Joker's voice rang over the intercom. "Hey, super squad! We're approaching Agebinium, and Cole wants everyone back in the comm. room."

Alex turned to Liara. "Come on. You're gonna want to hear this."

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SSV Normandy 

CIC

Comm. Room 

Orbiting Agebinium

Ryan was rather upset that he didn't get to talk with Tali or Garrus. He might have had time, but the Chief had pulled him aside to discuss his suit's gel layer. Mainly, he and Cortana had found a way to work around the interference between the gel's gravity compensation mechanisms and the Mako's own mass-reduction fields during an airdrop. This was very good news, but it required a field test that could put the Chief unconscious if unsuccessful. Thus, he wanted to in the Mako on Agebinium. 

Alex was also pretty pissed that he hadn't gotten to talk with Wrex and hear waht the old krogan knew about asari commandos. Still, this was important to Cole, and there was plenty of time while the conduit finished his crusade against the man who started the Skyllian Blitz.

Cole didn't look happy. In fact, he looked scared as hell. "We've got a problem guys. We may have come here looking for Haliat, but Admiral Hackett just gave us a new objective: There's an old Alliance espionage probe down there, and it's rigged with a nuclear payload. Things will get ugly fast if we don't find that thing and shut it down."

Before anyone could ask for details,  Cole raised his hands for silence. "I'll explain on the way, but this needs to be dealt with now. Kaidan, Garrus, Chief. You guys are with me." 

The Master Chief was already leaving for the armory. He needed a weapon.

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