Lazarus Project: Mass Effect 2 (Shenko)

Chapter 6

Milky Way/Serpent Nebula/Widow System/Citadel

Earth year: 2183 CE --- May

After filing his report regarding the attack on the Normandy, he'd been told he was scheduled for a mandatory psych evaluation.

He nodded his understanding of what he'd been told and after changing his clothes back on the Citadel, inside his Alliance-issued apartment, he'd headed to Huerta Memorial for his scheduled appointment.

For three days following the crew's return to the Citadel, he'd attended every counselling session. At the end of each appointment, a blonde human woman would run through her checklist of psych questions before clearing him to leave.

By the end of the third day the blonde woman, a Doctor Lilea Wylow, closed her data pad and gazed at him thoughtfully, her face unreadable.

"Well Mr. Alenko. It seems you are perfectly healthy. Your evaluation is clean Lieutenant. Aside from some normal stress indicators caused by what you experienced four days ago, you're fine."

"Thank you Doctor." Kaidan replied, his tone even.

"However," she continued with a frown. "I suspect you are doing a great deal of acting. How you've managed to do this is unclear, but as it is only a theory I cannot include it in my report."

Kaidan waited, saying nothing.

Lilea's frown increased, thoroughly baffled by her patient's behaviour. "I'm clearing you for active duty Lieutenant, albeit against my better judgment. But let me be clear. You must talk to someone. I understand you've suffered a severe emotional shock, but you are also a very powerful biotic. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what will happen if you don't deal with this or the danger you're putting yourself in by exerting this level of control over your abilities."

Lilea paused, waiting for any indication the Lieutenant had heard and understood what she had just said.

He blinked a few times, but maintained the calm demeanour he'd displayed every time he'd come to her office. She had no idea how he was doing it or how he'd managed to pass her evaluation with flying colours. Based on what she knew of the loss he suffered, it should have been impossible. Yet he had passed and she didn't like it one bit. She had consulted with the ships' medic, Dr. Chakwas and concurred with her assessment that Kaidan Alenko was a walking time bomb. There was no way to predict how that would eventually manifest, but she was certain it was just a matter of time. The only question was how much physical damage it would cause or how much it would affect anyone near him when it did.

"Lieutenant Alenko?" She prompted. "Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

"Yes." He said, his voice reminding her of a VI program – clipped and unnatural. "Thank you doctor. I understand what you're saying."

Sighing in frustration and sympathy, she rose and walked him to the door. Her eyes filling with kindness and understanding, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Good luck Lieutenant." She said, giving him a gentle squeeze goodbye. "I sincerely hope you reach a place of peace in the very near future."

He returned her handshake, his grip firm, almost as though he didn't want to let go. She frowned, wondering if perhaps she'd been too hasty in signing his release. Then he turned and met her blue eyes with the deep honey-brown of his own.

"So do I doctor." He said simply before abruptly releasing her hand and striding out the door.

Lilea's breath caught in her throat as she watched him leave. For a moment, when he'd held her gaze with his own, she'd seen with painful clarity the depth of pain he had buried there. It hit her like a punch to the gut and knew that if he'd held her gaze a moment longer, she would have staggered under the weight of it.