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Chapter 10: Full Circle
Son of a bitch!
Shepard's mind reeled at the news. Although Alenko was indeed the best fit given his military achievements and previous involvement in the hunt for Saren, the personal implications of his assignment to the Normandy was aggravating. No wonder why fraternization regs were put in place.
The commander shelved her personal feelings and faced the two men who waited patiently across the table from her. "I'll need to discuss this with my officers. I'll contact you in twenty-four standard hours to inform you of my decision."
"As you say, Commander." Alenko's voice was even, but his eyes were questioning.
"Miranda, show them out, then get back in here."
"Yes, Commander."
The three moved toward the door, but Alenko hesitated, motioning his lieutenant to follow Miranda out the door. "I'll be out in a minute." He turned to Shepard. "Can we talk in private?"
Shepard nodded to Miranda and turned her steely gaze on him, shoving down the feelings of apprehension that suddenly threatened to overwhelm her. "What?"
He shuffled his feet nervously. "I just wanted to apologize, Shepard, for what I said to you on Horizon."
She made a dismissive gesture, her eyes hard. "You always said you leave a way out, Kaiden. Well, there it is," she said pointing to the door.
Alenko crossed the short distance to her, his hands firm on her arms. "Shepard I –"
His protest was cut short as his head jerked to the side, Shepard's infamous right hook making contact. He released his grip on her, surprise flooding his face as he rubbed his jaw. She had no words for him, nothing that could describe the mix of frustration, disgust, longing, and emptiness that his mere presence seemed to elicit. Instead, Shepard met his gaze with hard steel, eyes blazing in righteous fury.
There was no need to point him to the door again. Alenko shot her one last look filled with sorrow as he made his way out, still rubbing his jaw absent-mindedly.
Shepard had restrained herself, withholding the brunt of her anger. There was no need to send the man to the infirmary, at least not yet. Her anger was best used against the Reapers, and she would save it up as long as necessary. No diversions this time around.
"EDI," the blue avatar appeared at the end of the table, "inform Garrus and Jacob that they're needed in the briefing room."
"Of course, Commander." A flicker of blue accompanied her assent. "They are en route."
Shepard began pacing restlessly again, shaking the ache from her right hand. The Corsairs? The program had merit, and she would be allowed to run her ship as she saw fit. The Alliance crew, however, could be problematic. The commander was processing these thoughts when the door hissed open and Miranda, Jacob, and then Garrus joined her as ordered. Shepard gave them the rundown of the meeting.
"Thoughts?" She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, her gaze on the officers in front of her.
"You know what I think, Commander," Garrus stated. "Look what happened the last time we worked with them."
Shepard nodded in acknowledgement, but said nothing.
"I don't like it, but we need them. We need organizational backing in order to keep this bird afloat. I don't want to spend the majority of my time scanning for minerals again, Commander." Miranda met the commander's gaze. "Your personal feelings aside, Shepard, if we must have Alliance crew on board then Commander Alenko is the best fit for the mission."
The commander kept her face blank, but looked to Jacob who was frowning thoughtfully. "Jacob, you have a history with the Corsairs. What's your input?"
"I agree with Miranda, we need their support, but it's still bullshit, Commander. There's still going to be a mess of red tape that will make our task even more difficult."
"What about the Council?" Garrus perked up. "You're still a Spectre. Don't you get paid for it?"
Shepard shook her head. "I may hold the title, but they're still denying the Reapers even exist. They'd never fund something like this. Plus we're still considered part of Cerberus, an enemy of the Council."
"So our two options are to collaborate with the Alliance or go it alone." The words fell from Miranda's lips softly and an uncomfortable silence descended over the room. Shepard's mind raced, calculating all possible scenarios, her eyes focused on an invisible spot on the table. Garrus' mandibles twitched softly while Miranda and Jacob shuffled and fidgeted. They knew better than to interrupt the commander while she was deep in thought.
"The mission is what's important." Shepard's voice cut into the silence like a knife. "We need to have the funds to boot the Reapers in the ass, and scraping for credits puts the mission at risk."
"Orders, Commander?"
She stood straight now, her body poised and ready for action now that she had made her decision. "We contact Commander Alenko and his team in twenty-four hours – make 'em sweat a little bit."
"Yes Commander."
"Miranda, I want you to research the list of names that Alenko gave us. Get me all the information you can find on them. If they like pistols or rifles, if they like show tunes, which hand they use to piss – I want to know it all. Garrus –" Shepard barked.
The Turian straightened, a reflex of military training, and focused his attention on the commander. "Ready for orders."
"Garrus I need you to review and revamp security systems. If we're going to have strangers on board my ship, I'm not letting them get their grubby little hands on anything. No access to tech of any kind, understood?"
"Understood Commander."
"Jacob," Shepard was pacing now, her mind working furiously. "I want any data you have on the procedures and policies related to the Corsairs. Get me intel on that red tape you keep talking about, I don't want it getting in the way of our mission."
Jacob saluted. "Yes ma'am."
"I want all this done in the next twenty-four hours before I contact Alenko. Miranda, you have permission to contact Liara if you need to. Garrus, get with Tali, Legion, and EDI – they can compute anything you throw at them. Jacob, I want your report on my desk by ten hundred hours tomorrow morning." She stopped pacing suddenly and met the eyes of her crew, excitement in their stance. "Questions?"
"No, Commander."
"Good. Dismissed."
O o O o O o O
Shepard flicked off the data pad, set it down on her desk and stretched in her chair. Jacob had written up a thorough report and she had been engrossed in it and researching the details for nearly three hours.
"EDI, dim the lights to fifteen percent illumination."
The lights in Shepard's quarters flickered softly, and then all but went out. The soft glow of the enormous fish tank bathed the room in azure iridescence. The commander sighed, taking a moment to relax before duty called her back to work.
The moment was cut short as the door chime sounded.
"Enter."
Miranda sauntered in, a sly smile on her face and a package in her arms. "I figured you'd have your nose to the grindstone. How about a break?"
Shepard raised a slender eyebrow. "The last break I took with you ended with Kelly puking on my new boots."
Laughter, like soft chimes trickled from Miranda's mouth as she continued into the commander's living quarters. She pulled a bottle of bourbon from the package and poured two glasses, offering one to Shepard.
"Now we're drinking in the middle of the day?"
"You've been at this all morning, Commander. You don't get to wear yourself out."
Shepard nodded in acquiescence and joined her second on the black couch. She swirled the caramel liquid and sipped, a familiar smooth burn sliding down the back of her throat.
"From my private reserve," Miranda said, setting the bottle on the table.
"Now I have a reason to raid your office." Shepard smiled tiredly and set her glass down. "I know you're not here just to check up on me."
Miranda nodded and handed the commander a data pad. "These are the results of my investigation. Liara is still gathering more intel and will forward it to you on your private channel."
Shepard briefly scanned the information, marking bits of interest for further study. She paused in her examination as Miranda reached into the package again, and brought out a tray of food. Shepard smiled in delight as the familiar smell of grilled steak wafted into her nostrils.
"My apology, Commander," she said, setting the plate in front of Shepard. "You got more than you bargained for the past few days."
Shepard nodded as Miranda stood up to leave. "You're not staying?"
She shook her head and climbed up the stairs, the door hissing open as she neared it.
"You knew all along what would happen, didn't you?" The commander looked up from her meal, attempting to read the other woman through sheer will.
Miranda shot her a small smile in response. "Enjoy your steak, Commander."
A/N: I apologize as this story was all over the place, but as it so happens, it turned into a jumping off point for another story that's brewing in my head. Thank you all so much for reading, and for all the reviews. As always, any input for this chapter, or future stories, is very welcome!