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As if Shepard's own rage had summoned it, a sudden explosion rocked the platform, and a large metal pylon crashed directly onto Zaeed's back, crushing him to the ground. Gifted this momentary silence from Zaeed's raving, Shepard took the opportunity.
"No, Massani. You fucked up this time. You brought me down here to liberate this place, and it turns out you were working against my mission. I will not compromise innocent civilian lives except as a last resort. You knew that well enough to get me down here under false pretenses, but apparently not enough to consider the consequences of crossing me."
Zaeed groaned, then spat. "You're going to dress me down like I'm a common footsoldier?"
"You're not half the man it takes to be a common footsoldier. You're a washed up merc, longing for the glory days, and driven by hatred. Do you know what that makes you?" Zaeed looked like he might interject, but found himself staring at the Commander's Carnifax. "The lowest common denominator of people on the wrong side of my gun. Explain to me why I shouldn't leave you to die."
Zaeed froze. Pinned to the ground, disarmed, in a burning building of his creation, with a gun pointed at his head by someone he thought he had the upper hand on. Familiar. "The more things change the more they stay the same." His voice wavered. He dropped his head again. "You've made your point, Shepard. Kill me if you have to."
There was a pause, and then the weight on Zaeed's back was lifted.
"Can you walk?"
It wasn't a question, so Zaeed simply struggled to his feet, and grunted an affirmative.
"Fine. Let's go."
Back on the Normandy, Shepard marched him to his quarters. "We didn't finish down there. I won't have you behind me if I can't trust you to have my back, and follow my lead."
Zaeed had spent the shuttle ride mulling it over, but he took a few more moments now. When he finally spoke, his voice had lost some of its normal edge. "You reminded me of something back there," he said.
"The Suns weren't always a merc band. I started them to protect the human Terminus colonies, since the Alliance was doing fuck all. We were a small group, but we were good. Vido was one of mine, first. He was a goddamn genius. Didn't do too much fighting himself, but he worked the coffers to make sure we were well outfitted. Convinced me to start hiring people so we could make a larger impact. Talked me into demanding payment from the colonies under our protection. Things escalated from there. I thought..." He stopped, touching the battered M-8 Avenger rifle on his desk. "I was always taking the only choice I had. Maybe that's different now." He stood up straighter. "I'll follow your lead, Shepard. I'm not done with Vido, but maybe it's time I start trying to be what I wanted to be. Maybe I really 'relive the glory days,' yeah?"
Shepard studied him for a moment in silence, then glanced to the door. "Stand down, Grunt. Welcome aboard, Zaeed."