6.
Cassie stood in what was now her quarters. All of Andersons things had been removed and hers had been put in its place. She could not believe this was happening. It was a great honour to command the Normandy. Something she had wanted, but at the proper time, not at the expense of her mentors career. She wanted to earn the right to command the Normandy not have it given to her because of her Spectre status. She hated Udina right now, if it was not for the fact that Anderson had told her this was the right thing to do she would have shoved him out the airlock.
She set her duffel bag down and sat at the desk. She had been using one of the sleeper pods up until now. She sat herself at the computer and saw a flashing icon with her name on it. Pressing it she saw Andersons face appear.
"Captain?" She almost stood up out of guilt.
"Relax Cass" He smiled that fatherly smile, one that he had greeted her with every Christmas and her birthday when he had visited her mother and her "Just wanted to see how you were settling in"
"Sir, this is so wrong, the Normandy is your ship"
"We've been over that. You know the crew Cass, they know you, you've been XO for a year and besides do you think anyone would be able to keep Joker in line like you do? He doesn't respect anyone else in the command pulpit except me or you"
That was true. Joker was respectful of rank but that didn't mean he respected the person. She suspected after his little talk when she got back on the Normandy after Udina's bombshell he didn't much like the way Anderson was kicked into the office life but he was relieved that it was Shepard who was in command.
"Sir, Udina is a..."
"Pompous ass?"
"Politer than I was going to say" Cassie rubbed her brow
"Cassie, do what you have to do, you do not answer to anyone except the council now, don't listen to Udina, he's just seeing this as a feather in his nest that's all. I did want to say something to you"
"Oh?"
"John would be so proud of you and Alan, he always told me how he thought Alan would follow in his footsteps and you would follow in your mothers footsteps. I guess you got both of them. I know that if he was alive now, he would be buying drinks at the bar for all around. His little girl not only the hero of Acuze but the first human Spectre." Andersons voice softened "I am proud of you child"
"Thank you, that means a lot to hear you say that" She whispered "Well I better see about going to get this Prothean expert."
"Give her a chance Cassie, she may not know that her mother is working with Saren"
"Or she maybe working with her mother."
"I don't think so. I spoke to Councillor Tevos earlier, she told me that Matriarch Benezia had not seen or spoken to her daughter for sometime." Anderson leant forward "You let me worry about Udina and his agenda, you concentrate on finding out what Saren is up to. Take care Commander."
"You too sir" She watched the screen fade and sat back "Thanks Uncle David"
The ride down to the hanger bay was tedious, she wanted to see how the three alien crew were settling in, finding a sleeper pod for Wrex had been amusing, they simply didn't have something his size and bulk. In the end she ordered some beds set up in the hanger bay for them. She came out the lift and turned to head down to Engineering, walking in she saw Tali with Chief Adams. He had a look of awe on his face and it was impressed awe at that. Cassie allowed herself a smile, it was hard enough to get Chief Adams excited over anything but, judging by the body language, he was enamoured with the young Quarian.
"Everything OK down here?" She asked.
The Engineers all snapped to attention. Then went about their business once Shepard acknowledged the salute.
"Commander, Tali is a genius. I was having some problems with the Air Con, every few cycles it seemed to stall. My team and I couldn't find a solution that was obvious and an hour here, Tali finds it and fixes it."
"Nice one" Shepard nodded "Nice to see you fitting in Tali."
"I love engines, I never expected the Alliance to have such an advanced ship but Chief Adams explained all about the Normandy to me."
"Yeah the Chief is pretty protective over his engines."
"Commander, with your permission, I'd like to keep Tali on my team. I think my boys and girls could learn a lot from her. I even asked her if she was born with a engineers kit in her hands"
Cassie wasn't sure but she thought Tali might be blushing even more so when Adams sang her praises a little more. She raised her hands and nodded "OK Chief, you convinced me. Welcome aboard Tali"
She left them too it. There would be plenty of time to get to know the young Quarian, for now she thought it best to leave the two monkey wrenches to their discussion. She was glad that Adams enjoyed Tali's company, from what she had learnt about the Chief, he liked anyone that treated Engines like sentient beings rather than things that just made the ship go.
She saw Wrex and Garrus looking over the newely installed pool table and smirked, when she had told Joker about it he had already made arrangements to have a match with the Commander. It would be different to poker nights, he thought he had a better chance with Pool than with Poker.
"Has Ash taught you to play?" She asked coming up towards them.
"And what is this?" Wrex asked "a new form of food table?"
"I believe the Humans play a game on it" Garrus replied.
"The game gentlemen is Pool" Ashley handed Shepard a cue as Tali made her way up with Chief Adams heading for lunch when they stopped to watch what was going on "and you are about to learn how it is to kick the Commanders ass without getting court martialed"
Wrex took a seat next to Garrus as Tali sat with them and Adams, as well as the Quartermaster. Kaiden had sauntered down with Joker and sat watching.
"No worries on this Ash" Joker grinned "Cassie plays pool about as well as she dances..which is shit at the best of times. Poker yes she is the Queen but Pool...I am the undisputed King"
Cassie glanced over and shot him a blank look, but Kaiden saw the glint in her eye. There was something going on here.
"Set them up Chief. Give us a chance to get to know each other. Joker shouldn't you be piloting the ship?"
"She's in good hands Yvonne is taking the controls. We will be at the Artemis Tau system in about five hours and then arrive at Therum at 3am standard ship time tomorrow morning" Joker pushed his cap back "come on Ash, show the Commander how its done"
Ashley won the first two games, she was indeed a mean pool player, in between Garrus and Wrex told the others a bit about themselves and Tali explained about the Pilgrimage and what it meant to Quarian society as a whole, Ashley started feeling a little protective towards the young woman, she reminded her of her sister Sarah, in the youngest sibling sense.
"If it helps Commander, we have a betting pool" Kaiden called out "The pot stands at 200 credits, winner of this match takes it"Ashley chalked her cue.
"That's as good as mine" She grinned. "Soooo Garrus, when you investigated Saren, were you really unable to get into his files?"
"Yup" Garrus's mandibles flexed angrily "All Spectre files are automatically sealed when they become Spectres, Shepards will be now. I knew that I would find the answers in the files but I was stopped before I could look"
"You think the Council knew he was behind Eden Prime?" Joker asked.
"It wouldn't surprise me, but they would have defended him till the hilt, the recording Tali had made it impossible for them to defend him any more, without being dragged into a diplomatic argument with the Alliance and Earth."
"Hate to say it Garrus. But that kind of endorsement makes the Terra Firma party look like an appealing idea, especially if that ever got out as truth" Kaiden sighed.
"I hate to say it Lieutenant, but until the council see Humanity as something more than just a puppy to please and throw a bone every once in a while, then the council will always defer to their own judgement, or judgement of others." Garrus glanced sideways at Kaiden "It will be up to the Commander to change the way they think about Humans in general. Councillor Tevos has high hopes for the Commander. Councillor Valen has his own agenda, which I am disturbed about half the time, and as for the Turian Councillor, he was a big advocate of Saren, the put down that Shepard gave to Spartias was..." His mandibles twitched in what Joker thought might be a smile "brilliant to watch, he had no answer when the proof was as plain as day...what the hell was that!"
They returned to the match they had been a repeat. Ashley had been winning and only had the black left, Cassie was now potting her own colours like a pro, even a few trick shots here and there that aided her cause. Jokers face was a picture but not as much as Ashley's who could not believe that after three games Shepard was kicking her ass.
When the black went down Cassie allowed herself a wry grin and set the cue on the table. "And that, boys and girls is how you kick the smug Gunnery Chief into touch. Put the Credits into the pocket money fund."
"Pocket money fund?" Wrex asked
"Yeah. When we get some leave a fund for beer or poker night seeing as Joker rarely leaves the cockpit. OK so, what do we know about Therum?"
"There's a mining colony on there owned by the Eldfell-Ashland Energy company" Kaiden explained "Its also a former Prothean colony, if what we have been told about this Doctor T'Soni this would would be ideal for her"
"Is it a busy colony?" Ash asked still staring at the pool table.
"It was until it dropped out of contact about three weeks ago." Kaiden sighed.
"Dropped out of contact? Why?" Garrus asked.
"No one knows, the planet hasn't sent any reports back to the EA Office, they are saying it could be storms in the area, but the planet doesn't suffer any storms that would cut off communications."
"You think something else is going on?" Shepard asked fixing herself a coffee.
"It maybe nothing but considering who we are going to find we should be on our guard" Kaiden warned.
"OK well whose up next?"
"Oh no not playing you" Joker folded his arms "Where did you learn to play like that? I have never seen you play like that!"
"Last shore leave on Earth?" Cassie picked up the beer she had ordered earlier and opened it and handed him a bottle telling the others to take one.
Adams disappeared into Engineering and returned with a tube in a packet and gave it to Tali. He told her that it was clean and narrow enough to allow her to drink if she wanted to. Tali declined the drink offer but took a Lemonade that Ashley gave her.
"What about it?"
"I met up with Alan in an Atlanta bar, he taught me a few things"
"Figured" Joked face palmed himself "Alan Shepard, the biggest pool shark this side of Pesara Prime, so big sister"
"By ten minuets" She reminded him.
"Big sister is a poker shark and now a pool hustler!"
Cassie smirked "Yeah but I am not consistent with it" She admitted "You'll get your money back Joker, and Ash will be the pool queen. I just got fed up with the ribbing, why don't you show Tali how to play, I think she wants a game with someone who will teach her."
"Oh hey I can do that" Joker set his beer down and made his way to the Pool table, Kaiden with him.
Ashley sat herself next to the Commander and took a beer from her "Nice trick Commander" She muttered.
"Oh come on Ash, I bet you are a better dancer than me" Shepard nudged her a little "Hell my mother is a better dancer than me. My brother is, my dad, from what my mother said could not dance." She smirked a little "I may have his temperament but I also inherited his ability to look like a dunce on the dance floor"
Ashley laughed a little then went serious "Skipper, I have a few concerns"
"Oh?"
"Permission to speak freely?"
"I hold an open door policy Williams, lay it on me"
Ashley took a long swallow of beer and a deep breath "I don't know if Wrex, Garrus and Tali should be allowed access to the more sensitive areas of the Normandy."
Cassie arched an eyebrow "Is that your opinion or a Terra Firma pamphlet?"
"I happen to think that my opinion is more valid then those jackals" Ash scowled "Humans have always gone it alone Skipper, we've had to, you heard what Vakarian said, the council won't entertain humans unless we do something they want. Terra Firma's founding fathers had ideals"
"Yeah they did, but I can't keep them in the sleeper pods all trip chief and Adams wants Tali in Engineering with him. This is going to be a difficult enough mission Chief and we will need all the help we can get, its no shame to ask for help"
Ashley nodded a little "You lost your father at Shanxi Skipper, I thought you'd understand"
"You come from a military family chief, how many generations?"
"As far back as my Great Grandmother, maybe even further back then that. You know when I first set foot on Titan I though I made it into space, I am here and then fell flat on my face and got bawled out for goldbricking."
Cassie laughed "You had Gunny Ellison? Man I have never met a Gunny as tough and rough as him, he made my training days at Camp a nightmare"
"You were at Camp Macapa as well?"
"Yeah" Cassie nodded and rubbed her nose "he was the only one I knew that used the term Goldbricking"
"He's still there" Ash smirked "thankfully he isn't bawling us out any more."
"OK Ashley, I understand what you are saying but on this tour, you have to learn to work with aliens. We need their help as much as they need ours."
"It won't be a problem skipper, you ask me to kiss a Turian I'll ask what cheek, thanks for listening though"
"Any time and what if I said kiss my cheek?"
Ashley was stunned for a moment then answered "Why that would be against Alliance regs skipper, I'd have to relieve you of Command"
Cassie laughed and swallowed some more beer "So why don't you and Wrex team up against Joker and Tali, and Kaiden is teaching Garrus."
"You?"
"I am going to retire and read over the mission notes. Have fun, we'll chat later Ash"
"Look forward to it ma'am"
Cassie left them to it and smiled to herself as she saw Ashley high five Wrex during his lesson.
She sat at her console and read the files that she had requested. Garrus's file read like the perfect soldier, he had served in the Turian military as it was compulsory for young Turians to join the military, akin to the old National Service on Earth. His service was exemplary, although he did have a reputation for speaking his mind. When he left the Military he joined C-Sec, following in his famous fathers footsteps, but, like his military career he had a habit of not doing what his superiors wanted. When he got his mandibles into something he never let go. It would fit the image that she had of him arguing with Executor Paladin.
Wrex, well Wrex was a bounty hunter and he had quite the reputation. He was a popular freelancer with the Shadowbroker, but he had an honour code and that was one she found unusual. He did what he was paid to do, but he would never take credit for another's work, he also had an honour streak that some people said Krogan had forgotten.
There was nothing on Tali other than what Tali herself had told her, but that was not unusual. The Quarians were nomadic by nature, or at least had been since the Geth took over their home world some three centuries back.
Ashley's file was the one that caused her to raise her eyebrows. The woman's technical scores were off the charts, her reports and files all said she was an exemplary officer. Nirahli had said she was a natural born leader, she kicked ass when she needed too but was there for the newer recruits, easing them into the life of a soldier that the Alliance expected. By all accounts and all that was before her, this woman should not be confined to colony duty. She should have been with the fleet. She was black balled, and there was no reason for it. It confused her until she recalled a conversation she had overheard between her mother and Anderson.
"So, they finally did it. He doesn't deserve that David"
"I know that, you know that Hannah, but General Williams gave up Shanxi to the Turians"
"Oh come on, it was to spare his people, military and colonial alike, the Turians had cut off the supply lines, people were starving David! This is not military its fucking political!"
"Well they left him behind a desk and he quit. Moved out to the colonies on a steel construction programme, his boy is going to have a hard time in the Military and if his daughters go in...well political reach is long. They are not going to want a Williams in that position of authority again"
"That's bullshit. He saved lives and he gets treated like he's a traitor!" Hannah Shepard shook her head in anger "They hang him out to dry with one hand and play nice with the Citadel Council with the other...hypocrites, its situations like this that make people like Jack Harper look appealing"
"John never liked him" Anderson mused
"With good reason. Men like him have way too much power." Hannah shook her head "Poor bastard got hung out to dry"
Shepard smiled to herself, now she knew why David Anderson had done what he had done. She switched her console off and stripped off her uniform, then got into bed. She closed her eyes and fell into a sleep that for once was not plagued by the nightmares of Acuze.