I wasn't sure why John had called the entire team to the communications room. But I could tell by his face it was not going to be good news. Did it have to do with that mission he had gone on, or why Admiral Hackett had come on to the ship?

He explained everything, left nothing out. He went on a mission to the Bahak system, in batarian space, to rescue an Alliance operative. This we all knew: It took Normandy's stealth systems to reach it. But then, two days of nothing. I'd never been so frantic in my whole life, I couldn't sleep and barely ate, and everyone else was the same way. It was like the first Normandy, without the ship being destroyed. We didn't know, and that was the worst.

He told us about the Project, destroying a mass relay with an asteroid. According to the operative he rescued, the Reapers were set to arrive in that system, and destroying the relay was the only thing that stopped them. But the operative, and others like her, were indoctrinated, and Shepard had to fight his way through and activate the Project himself. The explosion of the relay killed everyone in that system's colony, over a quarter-million.

Kee'lah. I knew what it meant to sacrifice a few for the many: I was willing to be exiled for the Fleet, and I knew how to make the Migrant Fleet fire upon me and destroy the ship I was on, if I was being forced to return to it under duress. From the looks of everyone else, I think I was the only one who understood. I always had to think of the seventeen million aboard the Fleet: "The few" could be a number like that. I didn't like it, but I understood.

He then told us of Admiral Hackett, and how Shepard was surrendering to him. I don't think many of us approved, I certanly didn't. But John told us about how, no matter his reasons, all of those batarians were dead. The Hegemony was looking for an excuse to make war with the humans, and if Shepard remained at large, they could be at war when the Reapers showed up. It would make the Council hesitant to act, weaken the Alliance.

He took everything on himself. He always did.

"So, this is the end of our journey. I'm setting course for the Citadel, then I'm returning to Earth. I'll split up what's left of Cerberus's funding, and that should be more than enough to get you back home." It felt like the end of an era. I didn't like half the people who were here, but I was still sad to see all of them go.

No one said anything. What was there to say? It didn't matter if we disagreed, we were his team, just like I was back when we went against Saren.

"I'm glad you were all here. It wasn't an easy thing we did, stopping the Collectors. And I couldn't have done it without any of you. The galaxy may never know what we did, and even if they do, I doubt they'd understand it. But when it came down to it, you were there. Right in the thick of it, saving the galaxy. Never for a second forget it. Mission completed, everyone. And thank you."

And with that, he left. I wanted to stop him, but I couldn't. What could I truly say to him, what would have been fair? He saved the galaxy...who knew how many times exactly, and the galaxy didn't believe him about the Reapers, and now he was a victim of politics. Just like Chief Williams, I really hated politics.


Back at the Citadel, I refused to leave the Normandy.

"Tali, there's..." John started, but, for the first time, I interrupted.

"I'm staying with you until you reach the Alliance." I was firm in this. I had to be. Being on the run from Cerberus, believed to be a war criminal and terrorist by batarians, and the Reapers taking special interest in him, if all that taunting from Harbinger was any indicator, he didn't lack for enemies. Making sure he was safe in Alliance hands was the most important thing in the galaxy to me right now.

"You don't have to do that."

"But I want to. You've given me more than anyone ever has. It is the least I could do." I could see John's face wrinkle in confusion.

"I'm in command, remember, Tali."

"The mission is over. You said so yourself: Mission completed. And you said I was headed back home, but don't you remember. I am Tali'zorah vas Normandy." Echoing the last name I received at my trial.

"Caught in my own words." John laughed. Truly though, he would have done the same thing were our positions reversed. I always thought to do what I thought he would do whenever I was in a touchy or delicate situation, and it always worked.

And John nodded, and headed back towards his cabin. But not before he said thank you.

Keelah se'lai.

I wasn't sure what to think when I reached Gagarin Station. John had been there before, and before, Kaidan had told me it looked better in vids. Not as large as the Citadel, but was certainly very large.

I don't think the people there were used to seeing many quarians there. No one said anything, but everyone was certainly looking. I got that from a lot of places, and I was used to it. No one called me suit rat at least.

"I've contacted Admiral Hackett, Tali. We've arranged your transportation back to the Migrant Fleet." John nodded at me.

"Just...a little longer." I felt like I should say something, but what could truly be adequate in a time like this? He was being held up as a sacrifice when he should be a hero.

"Shepard." I heard a familiar voice call over, and I turned around. Kaidan Alenko, in an officer's uniform, was walking over towards us.

"Kaidan." John's surprise was obvious even to me.

"And Tali." Kaidan noticed me.

"It's good to see you Lieu...I mean Commander Alenko." I remembered his new rank. John told me they met on Horizon, but didn't tell me exactly what had happened.

Kee'lah, am I glad it's you, Kaidan. Between the mission, where Jacob had died, and now the destruction of the mass relay, John could really use his friends right now. Kaidan was just as stubborn, he'd stick by John in this.

I still remembered, back when Chief Williams died on Virmire, how John and Kaidan spent their time together. Usually in the garage, by the Mako, tweaking and repairing the tank.

"Just leave them alone." Lieutenant Adams had told me. I had said they could just use omni-gel and be finished quickly, but that wasn't the point, according to Adams. Then I asked if I should help, and Adams told me if they wanted me to, they'd ask. I didn't get it, and even now it was still a little foreign. But it helped both of them, I knew that well.

"You look well, Tali. I didn't think I'd see you come here, but it's a nice surprise."

"We should...wait in here, Shepard. There's some things we have to do first before we get back to Earth." Kaidan indicated an empty office.

"Okay." John's brow furrowed at first, but then he accepted. Was something going on? The two went inside the door and it shut.

I stood next to the door, waiting. I couldn't just leave, I didn't know where to go exactly. But I couldn't leave John yet, either. I could hear the two of them talking inside.

"An entire colony, Shepard." It was Kaidan speaking first, and that's when I noticed ever since I'd seen him here, he'd been referring to Shepard with his surname, not his given name, or with his rank. From what I read, that was unusual for humans who'd known each other for a long time.

"Kaidan, that was the only choice I had."

"Really? The only choice was genocide? These weren't slavers, Shepard."

"You know me, Kaidan. If there was another choice, I would have taken it in a second."

"Do I know you, really? I remember John Shepard, the first human Spectre. The man who, on Feros, ensured that not a single colonist enslaved by the Thorian was killed. I remember a man who saved a salarian infiltration team from a mission even they thought was suicide. John Shepard was a man who talked the most racist monster in the galaxy into realizing he was wrong. Destroying a colony of batarian civilians is not something John Shepard would do. Whoever you are, you're not him."

"Kaidan!" They weren't shouting, at least I didn't think so. But they were talking fiercely. I could hear footsteps walking towards the door, and I moved away. A second later, Kaidan stepped out. His face was flushed.

"Tali, I'm sorry, I forgot about you for a second. Please, I'll escort you to your shuttle." He nodded at me politely, and escorted me. John, as he said, would be in custody: Kaidan would actually not be responsible for taking him to Earth: Admiral Hackett would.

I wanted to yell at Kaidan, yell like John did at my trial. John Shepard was a hero, Kaidan knew that. Kaidan was there, by his side just as I was. Yes, John did work for Cerberus, and I never let him hear the end of it, but...it was John's team. Even that bosh'tet Miranda fell in line and left the Illusive Man.

"Kaidan." So I started, but he turned his glare to me. I didn't know much about human body language and facial expressions, but I could see a fury in his eyes that was matched only by the way I felt when Legion scanned my omni-tool for data about the geth.

I told myself, just like John, to wait for the right moment. But it never came, the fury in Kaidan's eyes never diminished. I couldn't talk to him now. Even worse, if John, his Commander and very close friend, couldn't make him believe, could I fare any better?