He awoke, but kept his eyes closed. What did he have to do today? They were at war, no he fired the crucible. He'd won. He had obviously been injured. Liara he had to find Liara. I have to find her.
"Liara."
He felt a hand smoothing out the creases in his forehead. His first thought was that it was her, not Liara the hands were soft. Liara's were calloused, between the years digging for ruins and those that followed firing guns. Who else would do such a thing? He opened his eyes. His eyes were slow to focus. It was a face he'd known his entire life. Her soft brown eyes looked down at him with great sadness.
"Mom?"
She smiled at him with tears in her eyes.
"I would appreciate it, if you would stop holding these family reunions in med bays."
The smile was brief; he couldn't smile until he found her.
"Mom, I have to find Liara."
She looked away. He felt his stomach drop. Only once in his life did his mother avoid his gaze. It was the day she told him his Uncle James had died. It could only mean one thing. He lay back staring at the ceiling. He was trying to remember. He always kept her at his side. He wanted to make sure she was protected, and no one could do a better job than himself. He forced himself to focus on his last memories.
A voice he knew broke the silence.
"She's dead, because of you."
His mother's focus shifted, he watched as her face changed from soft and pliable to cold steel. He touched her hand. She immediately softened her features. He closed his eyes and thought back. He focused and remembered. Liara and James were hit. He vanquished his enemy with vengeance in his heart.
"You're right." He didn't try to hide the emotion in his voice.
"I was running towards her, I wanted to protect her. She used a biotic push to keep me out of the line of fire. The beam hit her and Vega."
A familiar voice forced him to open his eyes.
"Commander, I should have done something."
He sat bolt upright and looked over to see James. The left side of his face, neck, and arm was a wreck of melted tissue.
His voice was merely a husky whisper.
"I thought you were dead."
"When the call was made to retreat, your crew didn't. Kaiden found me and…"
He looked down at the floor. Clearing his throat he continued.
"He got me back to a field hospital. I just woke up about a month ago. She shielded me from…Why did she..." He just shook his head.
Shepard looked over at Liara's father.
"In the end she was your daughter. She had a quad on her."
The matriarch let out a weak laugh.
"Well she was a quarter Krogan."
Her tears fell without shame or care.
In his mind he heard an exasperated voice. That's not how it works. He couldn't stop the half hearted laugh that escaped his throat. Aethyta looked up.
"What's funny?"
"I just heard her in my head informing me that's not how it works."
The Matriarch smiled at him.
"Yeah, she keeps saying that."
"What happened to her… remains?"
The Captain of the Ascension stepped forward.
"They are onboard in the Cargo hold. We will be returning her to Thessia to take her place at her mother's side."
He placed his head in his hands. Yet another member of house T'Soni was dead because of him.
"Commander the Armali Council has declared you the final T'Soni. They have made an exception and allowed you full inheritance rights. They have asked that her body remain with you, until you are ready to complete the interment ceremony."
"Is that common?"
"You are now the most powerful person in the Galaxy. It is the first time in Asari history that someone of another species has been given the honor to attend the ceremony. Often there is a separate ceremony for a bond mate of another species."
He shook his head.
"I would rather have Liara."
The room fell silent with the exception of the sound of the volus' environmental suit's breathing unit.
He turned his attention to the contingent of diplomats. Some he knew others he didn't.
"I take it my newly minted Hero status is the reason for the Galactic welcoming committee."
The volus stepped forward as if on cue.
"Commander, the Council has been stone walling the efforts of the Galactic races to join the council. We hoped you would support our vision for an inclusive council."
Sparatus was never one to back away from a fight, and decided to chime in.
"We can discuss the inclusion of the races involved in the Reaper war on the council later. The Council is here to inform you that the Systems Alliance has nominated you to replace Councilor Udina. We need to know if you accept the position. There are a number of galactic affairs that need to be resolved. We need to get you up to speed in order to continue the rebuilding effort."
Han Garrel made a sound of disgust.
"I am here hoping you would use your influence with the council to force them to change the priority designation for the repair of the mass relay to the Perseus Veil, we need that relay operational."
Ever the peacemaker Tevos thought to explain their position.
"Rannoch hasn't seen the same level of devastation as the rest of the Galaxy. The other Mass Relays are the primary concern to rebuild those worlds affected by the war."
The commander turned back to his mother.
"How long has it been?"
"Two months."
He nodded. Two months and the alliances were falling apart without him.
"What's the status of the Geth and EDI?"
He watched her transition from her role as his mother to a Soldier. He remembered that subtle change, as a child had irritated him to no end. As a soldier he'd come to appreciate her for making the distinction.
"After the pulse from the crucible all Artificial and Virtual Intelligence ceased to exist."
"Where are we on their reactivation?"
"The reactivation of the Geth has been designated by the Council as too dangerous."
He shook his head and began to pinch the bridge of his nose as he considered whether he'd done the right thing by saving any of these people.
"Captain Shepard. What's the status of the scientists that worked on the Crucible?'
"It's Admiral now and they are currently working on the repair of the citadel. It took a month and a half for them to figure out how the relay network functioned and how to repair it."
"I need Dr Archer, Admiral Xen, and anyone else familiar with Geth technology to figure out how to get them back online. Do you think you can use your new position to make that happen?"
Councilor Tevos started to speak; he fixed her with an icy glare that silenced her.
His mother looked at him as if he were a stranger.
"Probably not, but they will do it as a personal favor for you. I don't think you understand the extent of your celebrity."
His brow furrowed as he shook his head.
"You could run for president of the entire Galaxy and win. People remember only one voice warning them about the Reapers. They lost faith in their leaders. They know you held the Galaxy together when it threatened to fall apart. They have faith and trust in you."
He placed his head in his hands and ran them back over his hair. When had his life become so complicated?
"I need some time. I would like to be alone with my family and friends if you don't mind. I will meet with all of you tomorrow."
The various diplomats headed for the door, with Aethyta following.
"Matriarch Aethyta, you're family."
The Asari stopped and smiled, before returning to the area she'd vacated.
He turned to his friends.
"I know at least one of you snuck some booze in here. I need a drink."
He watched as both Vega and Kaiden shimmied bottles down their pant legs. Tali pulled a flask out of one of her many suit hidey holes, and Dr Chakwas pulled out the glasses with her standard issue bottle of brandy. Once the drinks were poured and everyone had a glass. Their commander held his drink up and proposed a toast.
"We drink to those we lost. May they find peace until we find our way back to them."
They drank in silence.
