Commander Shepard spoke a brief word to each crewmember she passed on the way to the bridge. The Normandy had been idle far too long and the Citadel bay in which it docked was beginning to be oppressive. Shepard needed everyone to be sharp; they would soon be back in their element, on a new mission. While the ship crew was set, the spectre still had to select her ground team. She had some recommendations, but was not sure how the council would respond.
"Hey, Commander!" Joker greeted her. She knew that she probably should reprimand him one of these days for his informality, but being the best pilot in the Alliance came with some perks. And she did enjoy her conversations with him.
"Status, Joker?" the spectre requested, coming to stand at Joker's right.
"Well, Commander, " he replied in his usual light tone, "Ship's ready to go, but the crew's sort of curious as to where you're taking us this time. You know – will it be exploding planets, lava pits, something like that?" he quipped.
"I'm sure there will be something to keep you challenged. We wouldn't want you getting bored now." She countered. "But it all depends on the Council, Joker," she added, her mood darkening. "I know where I think the trail will start, but it's up to them to agree."
"And Anderson to make them see it that way." she added under her breath.
Shepard thought back to her conversation yesterday with Councilor Anderson. Her former captain still believed that they should continue rebuilding first and give some time for the scars of the struggle to fade. While his opinion differed from hers, he was confident enough in her to allow her the choice. The others on the Council may not share his view or his faith. That still bothered her. After all she had done, it seemed this spectre had to keep proving herself worthy every time.
The Council had initially denied her request immediately following the defeat of Sovereign, explaining that a time for mourning and restoration must take precedence. The Salerian Council Seat also held a firm belief that Ilos should remain off limits. In Shepard's mind, this was all time lost to the chase and she was eager to begin her search in earnest.
"Well you're looking the part," Joker chuckled, after glancing at the dress uniform they both knew she hated to wear. She glanced down self conscientiously, then over to Joker, wishing she could share his amusement.
"Yeah right," a weak comeback at that. "Tell Ashley it's time to go, I'll meet her at the airlock." With that said, she turned away and headed for the door.
"Hey Skipper" Ashley greeted her as they waited for the external doors to swish open. "What are we in for today?"
"Hopefully, they just tell us to get going and get out of our way." Shepard answered truthfully, but knew they would never get away that easily.
Ashley had become a good friend over the past few months. She was never shy about sharing her opinion and had become Shepard's sounding board. Grounded and logical, Ash had even changed her view of "aliens" over time, grudging acknowledging the role they had all played in Saren's defeat. Now, she even counted a Turian, Krogan and Quarian among her friends. The conversations between her and Wrex remained entertaining though, to say the least. Shepard sometimes took that pair on assignments just to laugh silently at their banter.
Asari were another story. While Ashley reluctantly accepted Liara as a valuable teammate, she still harbored a good amount of distrust for the rest of their species. Only time would tell on that front.
Today's session was another matter. She didn't want to complicate matters by bringing anyone not already assigned to the Normandy. Ashley would have been with her regardless, but it felt empty not having another of their team with them. They soon reached the Tower and made their way to the Council platform. Dozens of people of all species were lining the balconies, curious as ever. As Shepard glanced around, she fought the butterflies that were taking over her stomach. Soon they'd be out on a mission and away from all this. Not soon enough for her. This was turning out to be some day.