"Yes," the doctor nodded in agreement. "He is really unusual. He has a high amphibious and special forces rank. And now he is the senior assistant to the commander of the ship and at the same time the commander of the landing crew."

"Two such positions for one person?!" Azari was genuinely amazed. "We don't practice this in the Azarian landing force. "In any case, I don't know anything about it, despite the sufficient security clearance."

"We're amazed ourselves," Chakvas did not deny. "He joined our crew quite recently. Just before we left for Eden Prime. And then... a lot of things changed for the better on the ship and in the crew."

"And it's changed for the better for me, Karin." The matriarch whispered. "Why can I lie on your bed like this, holding my head straight? After all, the appendages..."

"We assumed that there would be such an inconvenience for the Asari. Therefore, our hospital beds, which are equipped with the medical rooms of the reconnaissance ships, have recently been equipped with recesses into which your head appendages sink. He's got it," the doctor looked at the screen, "It's a similar problem, but he doesn't have any difficulties either — his head growths are also sunk into a similar notch."

"It's... comfortable. It looks like a specialized pillow. For the most part, we are deprived of such a luxurious opportunity to hold our heads when we are lying on our backs, straight," The matriarch spoke up. "I never cease to be amazed that I am now able to speak so much and freely out loud, although... I understand that I barely got out of literally, as you people say, `from the other world.' I understand that the space I've been in is very similar to the other world," the elderly Asari remarked sadly.

"Nevertheless, Benezia, you need to take a nap." Chakwas pushed the screen back to its original position. "Get some sleep. Sleep is the best way to restore strength."

"And you won't..." the matriarch looked at the doctor, who was already retreating to her desk.

"There's no need for that," Chakwas smiled faintly, turning around. "You have recovered sufficiently and are now fully capable of sleeping on your own. Without any sleeping pills." Chakwas sank into her chair. "I'll cover you with a screen. Get some sleep," she pressed a few keys on a desktop instrument and the partition panels extended out of the wall, unfolding into the working position.

"I'm going to sleep, Karin. Thanks," The matriarch spoke softly as she saw the white opaque plates separating her bed from the doctor's desk. Closing her eyes, Benezia herself did not notice how she fell asleep.

As Chakwas scanned the monitoring data collected by the automation of the medical bay on the instrumentation screen, she was glad that the matriarch had finally fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep. The doctor did not lie to her patient: she really did not use any sleeping pills right now. Shepard performed a real miracle — the monitoring proved that Asari, despite her respectable age even by racial standards, had recovered to a very significant extent.

Of course, not completely, but the fact that she was able to talk so much already indicated the possibility of unequivocal success, ensuring a guaranteed recovery. It was good that she had fallen asleep. Now, if Saren wakes up, there will be no need to take any measures to ensure that there are no contradictions between him and the Asari that can lead to a confrontation between the former "senior slave" and the "slave".

Accustomed to taking such life situations rather cynically, Chakvas did not focus on the subordination of the Azari to the Turian and delved into the analysis of the monitoring data provided by the automation of the medical bay. An hour later, she got up, stepping carefully, approached Asari, who was lying on her back, and using hypnosis, she ensured her patient a deep sleep for several more hours.

Something told Chakwas that Saren would wake up very soon and everything had to be done in advance so that there would be no tension between the patients. Benezia will sleep, and she, as a doctor, will talk to the Turian for now. Karin had no doubt that such a conversation about a lot of things would be necessary. Saren opened his eyes.

His keen ears immediately picked out the Asari's breathing from the jumble of sounds, but there was no familiar environment around the Reaper's "central post". As far as the eye could see, there was a medical bay around the ship, which inherited many Turian traditions in its equipment. Light and quick footsteps were heard, and a middle-aged Earth woman bent over him. A doctor, Saren realized.

"Where am I?" The Turian asked this question, not really believing that he would get an accurate and comprehensive answer. If there is a human doctor in the medical bay, then this means that he, most likely, somehow, unknown to him now, ended up on board a ship belonging to earthlings.

"Frigate Normandy, Spectr Arterius." Chakwas said briefly, realizing that such an answer would satisfy the patient more than any other. "I am a doctor at the Medical Center, my name is Karin," she added.

"Do you... know me?" The Turian asked.

"It's hard not to know about one of the legendary Spectres of the Citadel Council, Saren." Chakwas performed a quick manual checkup and body examination of the patient. "You're almost completely normal."

"How did I get here...? I remember that the ship I was on... crashed. The blow knocked me unconscious. I know it sounds... stupid, but I don't remember anything else." Saren tried to turn his head. He did not succeed. "Combs..."

"There are special recesses on our hospital beds. Your comb is not damaged, it's fine. Your comb is not damaged, it's fine. But for now, until your full recovery... it will be better to refrain from head movements." Karin said as she read the readings from the screens located above Arterius' bed. "You really fell down and lost consciousness. Our drop-off team evacuated you from the Reaper."

"Have you identified the ship?" There was some surprise in Saren's voice. "He's..."

"Any legend has some very real foundation." Chakwas replied. "That's the way it is here in this world."

"Perhaps you're right," the Turian closed his eyes. "You know, it's... convenient to lie on your back like this and keep your head... straight, without straining your neck muscles. I'm not surprised that you undressed me. And now I don't feel many implants in me."

"I deleted them. You won't need them anymore." the doctor answered, switching the modes of the medical equipment on her omny-tool. "I left only the most necessary and safe ones."

"I was..." Saren said. "Now I even doubt if it was me all those days and months."

"It was you, Saren. But you did not fully control yourself, your actions." Karin looked at the Turian. "So what..."

"You found out that I am a Spectr. But I probably won't be able to return to the Corps so easily and quickly. For what I've done..."

"You didn't do it," the doctor said. "You were completely controlled by the Reaper. You were only an obedient and submissive instrument, an executor of his will. So none of the reasonable organics will make any claims against you. No one alive today."

"Are you so sure about this, Karin? But how... how did you manage to free me from..."

"Indoctrination?" Karin took a step back from Saren's bed, sat down in a work chair on wheels. I was just removing the implants from your body. Including the ones that the Reaper set up."

"Remember. I probably spent a lot of time on his operating table... almost unconscious," Saren said, closing his eyes again. "And..."

"The senior assistant to the commander of our frigate, Saren, helped you. I don't know exactly how he did it. But the result is acceptable."

"More than acceptable... That's how I felt..." Saren hesitated, but then continued Long before he became... As you people say, a puppet in the hands of the Reaper. "It's... a pleasant feeling and a very pleasant feeling of freedom, lightness and confidence that now... a lot depends only on myself. I haven't felt... free in a long time. Can i..."

The XO is not on board right now. He's busy on the planet. He leads the disembarkation group.

"Did you... stop the Reaper?!" Saren was clearly deeply amazed.

"I had to," Chakvas confirmed, "He tried to remove a certain Prothean artifact from an Earthling planet."

"Yes... we were... passengers. And the Reaper, or rather, the Reaper pilot... didn't tell us much. We were not equal partners, so we were not even privy to many of his plans and intentions, and we did not know the reasons for many of his actions. Yes, I realize now that he used us. And now I understand that I used it dirty. So we are now..."

"On Eden Prime, Saren," Chakwas replied.

"Remember. We walked for a very long time, flew somewhere. There are no portholes on the Reaper. We didn't know whose territories we were traveling through. All I remember is that the Reaper indicated that we were going in disguise. Then... I felt the Reaper being shot at, and the ship, which had been standing vertically up to that moment, suddenly began to topple sideways and there was a blow. I... lost consciousness."

"You fell out of your chair, Saren," the doctor clarified.

"Yes... an armchair," the Turian confirmed after a few seconds of silence, recalling recent events. "The Reaper pilot created a kind of working cabin for us. There were two chairs, but at that moment... I probably couldn't fasten my seat belt. Or... he didn't have time. I do not remember. Everything, as always, happened too fast. Most likely, the pilot hoped that he would be able to launch, take the ship away, but apparently..."

"We tried our best to make sure he couldn't start," Karin replied.

"Yes. You really did that." Arterius agreed. "Where is the Reaper now?"

"The frigate is hanging next to him. He's lying... on his side. Motionless."

"Did you manage to stop the Reaper with a scout frigate... with one ship?!" Saren did not hide his amazement. "This... was obviously new to the Reaper pilot."

"I don't know the details, Saren," Chakwas replied, realizing that the Spectr wanted to hear the full story of the last fight. "I'm not a warrior, I'm a doctor."

"A surgeon?" said the Spectrum.

"Yes. We humans have a tradition that surgeons are most often appointed as heads of Medical Departments on ships — and not only on ships, but also in station and ground medical centers. However..."

"I remember that tradition, Karin." Saren closed his eyes, then opened them again. "You operated on me so calmly and completely... the wounds... hardly hurt."

"I'm glad to hear that, Saren, but don't be silly."

"So far, you're on bed rest," Chakvas said.

"Next to me... there was an Asari on the Reaper. The matriarch. Her name was... Benezia," said the Spectrum.

"She's here, behind the screen. Sleeping..." the doctor nodded.

"Pilot... He almost made me strangle her several times. I will probably be judged and punished in the Azarian space for bullying the matriarch." Saren whispered. "I remember that she is one of the religious leaders of the Asari."

"I think we'll have time to settle this issue, Saren." Chakwas studied the Turian's eyes. "You're in control of yourself now...."

"Yes, I do. And I will definitely apologize to Benezia." Saren said firmly. "The Reaper forced me to command her and made sure she couldn't resist having to obey me. He often commanded her, too. I'm starting to remember, and I... I don't feel like I'm a Spectr anymore. And she, without any doubt, will answer to the Court of the Matriarchy. And he will suffer too. He will be punished, as they say," the Turian stopped abruptly.

"Therefore, Saren, you don't need to remember everything that you have done now, without controlling yourself even in the slightest degree. These memories will be harmful." Chakwas said with emphasis. "You will establish a normal relationship with Benezia. You have now started a new stage of your life. And about the past... it's better not to think about it now. It's behind us, Saren."

"I suppose, Doctor, you're letting me know in a simple way that I need to sleep? We intelligent organics have a very strong conviction that sleep is the best medicine."

"Natural." Saren said, smiling faintly.

"Yes," Chakvas did not object.

"Then... before I fall asleep, may I ask you a question?" Arterius said carefully.

"Okay, Saren," Chakwas nodded.

"You can help me, restore a more decent look to my face. Although... I'll take it easy if you say `muzzle' instead of `face'. It's not about the notation, is it?"

"I can do that," the doctor confirmed. "But you, Saren, have a direct need to rest right now. No sleeping pills. And I feel that this is not the last question."

"Yes, Doctor. I feel that my kinsman is present on board your ship. And I suspect that this is Nyhlus Kryik, my student and the current Spectr of the Citadel Council."

"Yes," Chakvas nodded, confirming the correctness of Saren's assumption. "He's actually on board the Normandy."

"I know that the Citadel Council ordered him to monitor both the use of the prototype frigate and the removal of the Prothean lighthouse from Eden Prime."

"The Council finally reached out to these artifacts" Saren spoke with obvious displeasure. "He tried, unknowingly, to get ahead of the Reapers" The Turian was silent for a few seconds. "Only here ... the information received from the Lighthouse, if it really was received by the intelligent people subordinate to the trinity of Advisers, was expected to be simple and pleasant. For Advisers," Specter clarified.

"You could say that," Karin confirmed. "But Nihlus and us Earthlings were almost beaten by the Reaper. Most likely, the Reaper and its pilot are not interested in the intelligent organics currently living in the Galaxy fully exploring the contents of this artifact."

"The appearance of the Reaper... brought confusion to reality" The Spectr expressed itself in a streamlined way. "Agree. He caused considerable damage to Eden Prime and its infrastructure during landing, and even more so during the fall. There was a Ghetto landing party on board."

"Yes. The Reaper... subjugated some kind of Geth unit. Maybe a few dozen. Plus, there are several amphibious carrier ships. He is a half-machine, so it was much easier and simpler for him to negotiate with these machines driven by network AI than for us, intelligent organics," Arterius admitted. "Spirits, I just can't get used to the fact that I'm free and that I've been talking to you for so long and I don't feel more tired.... This is so new to me that I get lost.... You're right, Karin. I need to... take a nap and think about a lot of things." Arterius promised that he would not... have any complaints against Benezia. And he'll apologize to her, he will, the Turian repeated. "I guess I've already realized that there's no need for her to apologize to me: I'm more to blame for her than she is for me anyway. We were both really extremely independent in our actions.... It's... scary. And I'm glad it's over. I have a lot to think about. I'll probably be napping. Hardly sleep. And I probably won't get up without your permission, Doctor. But..."