"This is admiral Anderson. Make your final preparations people, be ready to move out at a moment's notice. Commander Shepard gave us a way to win and bet it all on us. She gifted us this one shot and we sure as hell won't waste it. She won't let us. And you don't have to take my word for it, I'll let her tell you herself."
The admiral stepped away from the radio and extended a hand out to Shepard, inviting her to take the mic.
Resolute, the commander walked to the position Anderson had left and put her hands on the table. "Over the past few months I have seen things previously thought impossible. A salarian giving his life to cure the genophage. A living, breathing prothean. Peace between the quarians and the geths. The rachni working to save the galaxy. Turians giving their lives to save a krogan company. The Reapers may be here to destroy us, but in truth they made us stronger than we have ever been. And now it is time to use that strength to kick them out of our galaxy !"
Shepard picked up the microphone and started pacing back and forth. "The coming fight will ask more of you than any other before. You will have to do things you never thought yourselves capable of, but you'll do them. We may all come out of this war with nightmares haunting us for decades as our sole rewards, but we will fight all the same."
She paused a few seconds, closing her eyes. She thought about all she had to do to get to this point and all that she will have to do if they are to even stand a chance at survival. "Even if I don't recognize myself anymore, I will keep fighting. Even if I'm forced to make decisions that make me sick, I will keep fighting. Even if I must give my life, I will keep fighting. Because this is not about me. And this is not about you either. This is not even about all of us. It's for all life that has ever existed and will ever exist in this galaxy. The countless hopes and dreams of untold generations. Those who were robbed from it deserve revenge. And those coming after us deserve to experience them free of the looming Reaper threat. And we deserve to survive, to live another day, another week, another year. So I will fight to the very last atom of oxygen in my lungs because I refuse the alternative. I refuse to let the Reapers win. I will not allow it !"
Shepard looked around the room at her squad. The fire in Garrus' eyes ; the determination written all over Liara's face ; the confidence with which Tali cocked her arc pistol ; the amusing sight of EDI cracking her neck in a gesture she must have concluded was a show of readiness for battle ; Javik's closed eyes and relaxed posture ; Ashley's undivided attention ; James' tight grip on his M-99 Saber ; the commander took it all in and let it fill her with pride.
She didn't attempt to suppress the smile that had developed on her lips. "I won't insult you by asking if you'll fight with me. I know you will. That's why I'm here. That's why we're all here. And that's why we'll win. Because it's us, right here, right now."
The commander felt Anderson's hand on her shoulder and understood the time had come. "This is it people. The final fight. The end of the tunnel. But right now this tunnel is blocked by a fucking Reaper. Let's kick its ass." And with that, she ended the communication and turned to the window where the Destroyer's beam was illuminating the night, her smile having lost all kindness, now purely predatory.
.
.
.
As the squad was exiting the building through a gaping hole in the lobby's wall, proof of the unrelenting war to which London had been a theater, Shepard took EDI aside and together they looked at the rubble that was once a busy area of the UK's capital.
"EDI, I know you worry, but you really can't contact us in any way."
"I know commander. And I understand. What will you do should you require assistance ?"
"We'll manage. If it comes to it we'll break radio silence. But not before we have exhausted every other possibility. In the meantime help everyone with communication and coordination. I suspect Samantha is already swamped."
"It is true that Sam is handling an unusually high amount of data at the moment but she is doing very well."
"Good. But a helping hand is always welcomed EDI."
"Of course. I will do my best, Shepard. But if I spread myself too thin, I might endanger the physical integrity of the Normandy. Particularly if Jeff keeps lowering my concentration."
Shepard shot an inquisitive look EDI's way. "Really, you're approaching your limits ?"
EDI turned to face the commander. "No Shepard. That was a joke."
Shepard couldn't help but smirk. EDI's jokes kept redefining the meaning of the word with every iteration. "Ok EDI, let's limit the number of jokes while we're in enemy territory, alright ? And tell Joker that if he doesn't shut his mouth and focus on setting the record for number of Reapers blown out of the sky, I'll have Steve bring him down here with us and show his pistol skills."
"Yes Shepard."
"Good."
"He said he will consider taking a vow of silence if you put your foot so far up the Reapers' ass that there's shit in your shoe."
Shepard rolled her eyes. "Classy and refined." Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a krogan unit passing by in a hurry and turned back to EDI, looking straight in her incredibly detailed robotic eyes. "Anyway EDI, help out as best you can, do your thing, and don't let Wrex bully you. I'm counting on you. The galaxy is counting on you."
"Yes Shepard."
"And EDI. It will not be lost on anyone that the Reaper invasion was stopped thanks in large part to an AI."
"I am unsure of what you are implying Shepard."
"Nothing EDI. It's just a way to say that I'm proud to have you with me."
EDI looked at her commander without saying anything for a few seconds then bridged the distance between them in a single step. Giving Shepard only enough time to look perplexed, she threw her arms around the woman she admired. "Thank you for not deleting me and taking a chance on me."
The commander was taken aback at first but ended up returning the hug.
The embrace of the synthetic body was unexpectedly comfortable and warm and Shepard caught herself thinking that Samantha may very well be onto something with her infatuation.
"Shepard ? This is my first hug. As such, I am unsure of the protocol, but it seems we have reached the implied time limit for such a display of affection."
"Oh I'm sorry EDI." She had not realized her eyes had been closed this whole time and she opened them as she released her AI squadmate. To her surprise however, EDI did not let go. "Hum, EDI, as you mentioned this has probably gone on long enough."
"Yes Shepard. But it appears the gesture is improving the stress put on you body and your mind. I believe this is important for your ability to lead us in the coming battle."
The commander suddenly felt she was dangerously close to losing control of herself. "EDI, let me go."
"I'm afraid I can't do that Shepard."
"You can and you will. You don't know enough about human psychology yet but if you don't release me very soon, it will significantly affect our chances to see tomorrow. In a negative way."
At these words, EDI finally opened her arms and stepped back. Much to her surprise, she witnessed the commander slapping herself hard across the face.
Shepard anticipated the inevitable question about this strange human behavior and walked to EDI's side so she could take her by the shoulder and forcefully guide her to the rest of the squad. "Humans are bizarre EDI. If we both survive till next week, I promise to answer any question you have. But right now, I want you to put your game face on."
EDI noted the thickness of the commander's eyelashes but elected to store this information for later inquiry as it was not necessary for the current objective on which Shepard wanted her to focus.