Chapter 10: Eye of the Storm

And the coming wind did roar more loud,
And the sails did sigh like sedge,
And the rain poured down from one black cloud;
The Moon was at its edge.

The thick black cloud was cleft, and still
The Moon was at its side:
Like waters shot from some high crag,
The lightning fell with never a jag,

A river steep and wide.
The loud wind never reached the ship,
Yet now the ship moved on!
Beneath the lightning and the Moon
The dead men gave a groan. - Coleridge

QEC transcript between Admiral Steven Hackett and Lt. Cmdr. Ashley Williams. Time and date stamp 0320-11302186.

H: What is it Commander? I was told it was urgent.

W: Yes sir, we just finished our investigation into the Quarians and the disappearance of Adm. Xen. It's bigger than we thought.

H: I had a feeling it was. Go on.

W: The Admiralty was very open and honest with us. Tali was able to get some good numbers on Geth units. So far there are only a hundred Geth units unaccounted for. That's not bad considering, but what is bad is that one of those missing units is a Dreadnought. We investigated leads on Admiral Xen that led us the Balor system in the Calestrom Rift. One of her old captains reported she modified an abandoned mining station into a research lab. We got there and we're attacked by base defences.

H: What happened?

W:It wasn't until we boarded the base that we found out. The Admiral found a way to reactivate the Geth. She uploaded a VI program into the units. It's a rudimentary software, these Geth aren't as fearsome as they were before, but it's harder than fighting mechs. They use rudimentary tactics and can adapt to changing situations.

H: This kind of software takes a lot of time to develop. How long has she been working on this?

W: At least three years, judging by the records we found. Once we dealt with the defenses, we boarded and the base was filled with dead Quarians, all from Xen's scientific staff. She stole that missing Geth dreadnought from the Attican Traverse. She was testing her software and took it out for a test run. That's when the shit hit the fan. The base and the dreadnought were boarded by a bunch of those stealth shuttles that have been running amok. They killed everyone on the base, uploaded all the data, took all the Geth units, activated base defences and left. They left the system on that dreadnought. I don't know what happened there but it's easy to guess, sir. This happened 20 days ago and we don't know where they went. We don't have anymore leads.

H: So whoever's behind these eezo thefts is also behind Admiral Xen's likely murder. What's the composition of the Geth they took?

W: One dreadnought, 13 fighters, two dozen primes and ten troopers.

H: I'll report this to the Council. We're going to have to find a way to organize convoys. Arming freighters is easy, but protecting them against a dreadnought is something else. Thank you for your work, Commander. Things are going to heat up soon. Why don't you take some shore leave?

W: We're happy to hear that, sir.

H: I'll see you at the gala, Hackett out.

Liara pulled her eyes away from the computer console. She rubbed her eyes. Goddess, she'd been up for barely an hour and was already tired. One month gone, eleven more to go. She sighed, not entirely relishing her current pregnant state. Fatigue was already here, soon would come mood swings, strange cravings, hopefully she'd be able to avoid uncontrollable biotic emissions which sometimes happened in younger Asari. She had a few more months before her belly would start protruding but already she could feel the young life growing inside her. There was no doubt she was looking forward to giving birth. She leaned back in her chair and flicked on the television.

"Coming to Thessia for one month only. You survived the Reapers. But can you survive... VorchaThrone. The first Vorcha-only Black Metal band. You've never heard Black Metal until you've heard it played by Vorcha. Ultra Grim. Ultra Primitive. Ultra kvlt. See them on their galactic Reaper Revenge tour as they reap vengeance, playing hits like Of Mass Effect Fields and Blood Stained Moonlight, Through the Mountainous Chasms and Deep Forests I Beheld Eternity and all its Masks, Blasted by the Freezing Winds of Nebulae and their newest hit charity single, the ultra grim and primitive cover of Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear the Reaper. See them live, steam them or download their music on ME-tunes. All proceeds to fund reconstruction efforts. "

"Good morning my love." Cassandra appeared behind her suddenly, kissing her neck. She was soaking wet, wearing a sports bikini.

"How far did you do this morning?" Liara closed her eyes and shut off the radio.

"Ran 10 miles, swam for 2. I'm almost up to my old standards. How's the most wonderful woman in the galaxy?"

"Flatterer."

"Well, I have to melt that cold exterior of yours." She licked her scalp ridges and Liara trembled lightly.

"I'm cold am I?"

"Colder than the frozen seas of Europa." Cassandra began nibbling on her ears.

"Well, I guess you have a lot of work to do then."

"Lucky for us I have a big work ethic." Liara let herself be taken to the bedroom where they made love.

"Has my package arrived yet?" Cassandra asked as they ate breakfast together.

"No, not yet."

"I guess UPS' service isn't what it used to be. I can't wait to cook some Italian food for you!"

"Neither can I. Well, we do have something else to get your hopes up in the meantime."

"Right, that charity dinner." She said with dread.

"It won't be that bad." Liara said. "You'll get to meet all the people you've served with over the years!"

Cassandra groaned. "Spare me... I've almost finished my speech. It won't cheer anyone up but it'll be more honest than anyone else's. Someone has to set the record straight, it might as well be me."

"We should start packing. The shuttle will be here this afternoon. I have a surprise waiting for you on board."

"A surprise, eh?" Cassandra smiled. "I like your surprises."

"I won't disappoint you." Liara hoped that was true. They'd fought tooth and nail over a bodyguard. Liara would find a strong, reliable candidate and Cassandra would swiftly reject it. They'd only gotten to the interview stage once, and that hadn't lasted very long. Cassandra kept insisting that they wanted the same thing and that was why she was being picky. Liara had her doubts but hadn't voiced them yet. Hopefully this gambit would work. They spent the rest of the morning packing and Liara found some time to play the piano, she was learning another Beethoven piece, the Pathetique Sonata, and was making good progress. Cassandra teased her by telling her she should try Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies.

They waited on the shuttle pad after they lunched. The sky to the south was laced with black and grey thickening storm clouds. They heard rumours of thunder and lightning. The rainfall was expected to be severe but neither felt any reason to fear their home's safety. The shuttle landed on time. The door popped open and Cassandra's surprise was standing there, waiting for her. A green skinned Asari.

"Hey, Shepard. Good to see you." She said with a wide smile.

"Shiala? It's good to see you too." Liara was surprised when Cassandra hugged Shiala. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I heard you're in the market for a bodyguard. Who better to guard your body than me?" She said, her eyes leering at Cassandra. Cassandra giggled and Liara grinded her teeth.

"Finally, a bodyguard I agree with." Cassandra said and looked to Liara. "Thanks." She smiled sweetly. Liara nodded curtly as they boarded the shuttle. Maybe she'd made a mistake.

"So, what happened to you? Last I heard you were fighting on Feros?"

"Yeah, we gave 'em hell. But we still lost a lot of people and we had to abandon it. No one wants to go back there and rebuild. A lot of bad stuff's happened there. A lot of colonies are just being abandoned like Feros. Anyway, I was looking for work, looking for ways to help people when one day I got an email. What better way to help than helping the one person who's saved so many, who saved me?"

Cassandra smiled. "I'm glad you're aboard. If I'm having a bodyguard, it has to be someone I trust."

The shuttle docked with the Shadow Broker frigate. The door opened and they filed out into the shuttle bay.

"Well, maybe later we can swap war stories... or swap something else." Shiala said winking, lightly touching Cassandra's arm and walking into the elevator. Liara groaned when she noticed Cassandra was blushing. Liara glared at her. She didn't care that they were other people in the shuttle bay.

"What?" Cassandra said.

"You know what!"

Cassandra reached for Liara's hands but Liara pushed her away and crossed her arms.

"Come on, she's just flirting."

"Just flirting?"

"I'm not exactly Medusa, you know. People sometimes flirt with me."

"You don't have to encourage it!"

"I wasn't encouraging her!"

"You certainly weren't discouraging her!"

"I haven't seen her in ages! We were just catching up."

"She wants to do a lot more than catch up!"

"And what makes you think she'd get that far with me?" Cassandra shot back angrily. Liara said nothing.

Cassandra's tone softened . "You think she's bad? You should've seen Traynor! She spent the whole time begging me to use my shower! I love you, Liara. No one else. There was a time when I would've hopped into bed with anyone so long as there were no strings attached. Since I met you those times are long gone."

Cassandra walked towards her, and Liara let Cassandra embrace her.

"I'm sorry, Cass. I don't want to lose you."

"It's okay. So long as I'm alive, you'll never lose me."

"Half hearted endorsement: The travelling Elcor Theatre Company is proud to perform Glengarry Glenn Ross for an exclusive two week engagement on Thessia. Come see it live or streaming on the extranet. All proceeds will aid in reconstruction efforts... With thinly veiled contempt: Put. that. coffee down. Coffee is for closers only... With sincerity: You've never heard David Mamet's unique dialogue until you've heard it in Elcor... With scorn and disdain: You know why, mister? 'Cause you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove an eighty thousand dollar BMW. *That's* my name... With barely disguised Annoyance: Parental advisory for explicit language. "

Cassandra groaned in frustration and she shut off the television. "What is it?" Liara asked. They were getting dressed up for the gala dinner. She was wearing a sparkly blue dress, it was form fitting but more conservative than some of her other formal wear. Cassandra was putting on a black dress that was just as modest as it was titillating. She was struggling on her feet.

"It's these fucking heels!" She exclaimed.

"You've worn high heels before."

"Yeah, but these are new and... they're uncomfortable and I can't walk straight with them."

"Didn't you bring another pair?"

"Of course not. I'm not one of those girls who owns five hundred pairs of shoes. I forgot what it's like to be a civy. It's weird not having a uniform to put on every day."

"I'm sure you can deal with one pair of uncomfortable shoes for one night. If you behave nicely, I'll give you a nice foot massage tonight." Liara teased.

"Well, I guess I better be on my best behaviour then." They kissed lightly.

"Dr. T'Soni?" Glyph chimed. "We have rendezvoused with the Destiny Ascension. Please proceed to the shuttle bay."

"Thank you, Glyph." They started towards the elevator, Cassandra took a few steps and tripped, she broke her fall by bracing herself against the aquarium window, which didn't break. They laughed.

"Careful now, wouldn't want you to fall into another fish tank." Liara teased.

"Smart ass." Cassandra shot back.

"The smartest ass!" Liara retorted.

"The nicest, too!" Cassandra slapped Liara's bum as they went into the elevator.

"What's this ship's name again?" Cassandra asked.

"The Vyn-Shala."

"That sounds nice. What's it mean?"

"The best translation is White Rider."

"Not the best name." Cassandra remarked grimly.

"I thought in human mythology white knights atop white horses had positive connotations."

"Depends. Sometimes it means the total opposite."

Cassandra didn't elaborate as the elevator opened into the shuttle bay. Shiala was waiting for them in the shuttle. Shiala was wearing a commando outfit and her assault rifle was strapped to her back and a sidearm holstered on her hip.

"Lookin' good, Shepard." Shiala said. Liara groaned loudly. Shiala frowned and shot Liara a dirty look. Liara glared right back at her. Cassandra sighed with resignation. The shuttle exited the White Rider's shuttle bay and headed for the Destiny Ascension. It landed minutes later. Cassandra was pleasantly surprised when only a modest contingent was waiting for her as she exited the shuttle. As soon as they exited they were flanked by half a dozen Asari Commandos, Shiala fit right in, asking their leader some questions. There were Councillors Tevos, Valern, Sparatus, Savowsky and Admiral Hackett.

"Admiral Shepard!" The Admiral exclaimed. Liara was shocked. Goddess, he's actually smiling! He walked towards them and enthusiastically shook Cassandra's hand. Liara could tell he had something on his mind, but he was pushing it aside for now.

"It's good to see you, again Admiral." He said, beaming.

"Likewise."

Her greetings with the other members of the Council were more reserved, especially with Councillor Tevos. The weight of the past few months rested heavily on her shoulders, her eyes marked with subtle lines of stress and age that most non-Asari would miss, she constantly shifted the weight on her feet, as if she were unable to stand balanced for anything longer than a few seconds. She'd lost three generations of her children and her bondmate during the war. The Reapers had been far more than an abstract threat to her.

"Councillor?" Cassandra asked her. "I'd like to speak with you privately."

"Is it really necessary?" She asked, shifting uncomfortably on her feet.

"Yes. It won't take long." Cassandra replied.

"Very well." Tevos said, she waved the other dignitaries off and they marched out of the cargo bay. The Commandos remained, as did Shiala and Liara. Otherwise the Cargo bay was deserted. She looked at Cassandra, almost frowning. Struggling to decide just how to treat her.

"What is it?" She asked politely but with an air of awkwardness.

"I told you this before but... you weren't in a state to hear me. So...I want you to hear it now. It might not be worth very much but..."

"What is it?" Tevos interrupted curtly. Liara gently touched Cassandra's arm and felt her trembling. Cassandra swallowed and looked directly at the Asari Councillor.

"I'm sorry."

The Councillor blinked her eyes several times, then looked away. She backed away, as if she'd just received a blow. Her hand went to her mouth. She breathed deeply and loudly several times. She continued to look at a far away bulkhead for several seconds before looking back at Cassandra. She removed her hand from her face, she was fighting back tears and nodded ever so slightly. Then she walked away.

"Do you think she accepted it?" Liara.

"No. But she doesn't have to." Cassandra answered. "In time, maybe she'll hear me."

"You don't have to apologize to anyone, Shepard. I lost family on Thessia, friends on Feros. And here I am." Shiala said with genuine gratitude.

"She's right, Cass." Liara said, quietly impressed with what Shiala had said.

"Thanks." Cassandra replied with deep gratitude. They walked off the shuttle bay and towards the master hall. Liara gave Shiala the slightest of smiles who replied with the briefest of nods.

The Hall was a grand room. Most dreadnoughts couldn't accommodate grand public functions, but this ship could. It was the size of a small auditorium, a few hundred meters in width and length, a few hundred more in height. The ceilings held rafters and scaffolding. They were lined with cameras and lighting equipment, Liara saw a few technicians walking high above them. It didn't seem necessary for people to be there, certainly only a few security and camera drones needed to be up there. She mentioned this to Shiala who nodded and spoke on her Omni-Tool, trying to get the rafters cleared.

The stage was elevated by a dozen feet, small stairwells on either side of a grand lectern. The lectern itself was on another pedestal which required the ascension of a dozen more steps. Directly in front of the stage was a long stream of dinner tables, lined with exquisite table cloths and shimmering dishes and utensils. This row was several tables long and a few thick. A few steps below stood a larger dining room with more modestly adorned dinner tables.

Upon walking into the hall Liara and Cassandra were deluged by dozens of old friends and shipmates. They lined up long a throng of disciples rushing to be blessed by a saint. First upon them were Wrex and Bakara.

"Shepard!" Wrex yelled, his joy obvious as he pushed his way to the head of the throng and vigorously punched Cassandra's shoulders. "My friend! How are you, you little pyjack?"

"I'm good, Wrex. It's damn good to see you again!"

"You said it. I knew it would take more than a Reaper to keep you down for long, huh?"

"Damn right! How's little Mordin doing?"

"She's doing quite well." Bakara intoned. "Wrex and I have are having a second child. We would be honoured if you will allow us to name him or her Shepard."

"The honour's mine." Cassandra answered, genuinely flattered. "How are things going?"

"The Council's not set up yet, but I can tell they're getting ready to stall us." Wrex growled and punched his fists together.

"Perhaps you might be able to influence them to be more accepting of us." Bakara intoned.

"I'll see what I can do." Cassandra answered, not entirely sure what she could do.

"I have to deal with a few restless clans here and there but I can handle that. What I have a hard time handling is her," Wrex pointed to Bakara who was clearly in a position to overhear them, "It's this womanly stuff. It's hard sometimes, with the baby around, I have to do more stuff around the house, plus she gets these crazy mood swings and she always want to talk about feelings and...stuff. I'm getting better at pretending to listen but she's getting better at catching me pretending and...women."

"I'm a woman." Cassandra said deadpan.

"Huh?" Wrex said, genuinely befuddled. "Oh, right. Sorry, it's hard to remember that sometimes."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cassandra said, crossing her arms and pretending to be serious. Liara tried to hide her grin.

"Well, you know, you're just such a badass it's hard to forget you don't really have a quad..."

"So I don't have any balls, is that it?" Cassandra shot back. Liara coughed, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Em...well... sure you do, just not, you know, where other people might have them..."

Liara couldn't restrain herself anymore and burst out laughing, Cassandra, Wrex and Bakara quickly followed suit. Wrex punched her in the arm and moved away. Garrus came up next.

"Good to see you, Shepard... you still owe me a drink."

"No, you owe me a drink." She corrected. They could only remain serious for a few instants before they slapped each other's arms.

"You look a lot better than the last time I saw you." Garrus said.

"Does that mean I was almost as ugly as you?" Cassandra teased.

Garrus laughed. "Tali said if it was between me and you in a beauty contest, you'd win every time. Even if I used makeup!" They all laughed heartily. Cassandra had barely enough time to say hello to Tali when Traynor rushed to her and gave her a huge hug, squeezing her ferociously. Liara tried not to frown too much.

"I'm... happy to see you too." Cassandra said, a bit overwhelmed and slightly uncomfortable.

"I knew you'd make it through, Cass. Everyone else didn't believe me, but I did."

"Thanks." She replied quietly.

Traynor pulled away from Cassandra. "Oh! You have to meet someone!" From behind Traynor arrived a shy looking cadet, slightly younger than Traynor. Traynor grabbed her hand and brought her forward. Liara relaxed when she saw how they looked at another.

"Cass, this is Vishali Rahinder. She's the Normandy's newest and most wonderful crewmember!"

"Hi...Admiral." She said shyly. They shook hands.

"Good to meet you. Where do you work, Singh?"

"Engineering."

"You got big shoes to fill but you'll do fine."

"Thanks."

"Hey Skipper!"

"Hey Ash!" They gave another a brief hug and wore smiles a mile wide.

"Did you get my message?"

"Yes, I did. Thank you, it was very sweet and it helped me."

"Good." Ashley smiled but there was look of concern in her eyes. "Look, I need to ask you something, in private. Can we chat later?"

"Sure. I always have time for you, Ash."

They slowly made their way through the throng, like a ship struggling against gale force winds. Liara chatted as well. It was nice to reconnect with old friends. For a while it was almost like old times. She missed them but she was glad those days were behind. The terrible danger they'd fought had brought them together, and they would never be estranged from another. But those dangers had brought them perilously close to losing everything. It was why she would never be able to wax nostalgic. She wondered where Joker was, everyone else from the Normandy seemed to be here. They made their way through the throng to the second class of dinner tables where a few more familiar faces were sitting.

"Hey, Jack. How come you aren't in the first class tables?" Cassandra asked Jack, sitting by herself. She was wearing an outfit more modest, but it was still form fitting and displayed many of her tattoos.

"Well, I'm respectable, just not that respectable. Besides, some punk put cheerleader in the classy section. Which is pretty fucking funny." Jack stood up when they came up to her.

"This doesn't look like your kind of party." Cassandra said.

"No. But I'm still going to have some fun at least."

"How's that?"

"Watching you squirm while all these suits blow sunshine up your ass!"

"Thanks, Jack." Cassandra replied with only a hint of sarcasm.

"Listen, Cassandra." Liara was startled. Jack had never called her by her given name. Jack looked vulnerable suddenly, her voice less assertive. "I saw you when you were all burnt up...and...I'm glad you made it out. Thanks for... everything... not just, you know...saving the universe and all that shit but...thanks for ... not stabbing me in the back."

"You're welcome." Cassandra said softly.

Jack nodded and her face and voice hardened again. "Just don't go soft on me, promise?"

"Promise. See you later."

"Excuse me, Admiral?" A young human man strode towards them, activating his Omni-Tool. Shiala swiftly intercepted him. He tried to sidestep her, Shiala blocked his path and gripped her sidearm.

"Hey, get out of my way!" He shouted at her.

"You better get out of mine." Shiala said icily.

"What do you want?" Cassandra asked.

"Admiral, I'm Kareem Callahan. I want to speak to you. Can you call off your green skinned attack dog?"

"Watch that mouth of yours!" Shiala glared at him.

"You better be nicer to me than you're being to Shiala. What do you want?"

"I'm with Terra Firma and I was hoping you'd endorse us in the upcoming elections. We also want to know what you think about aliens taking credit for humans beating the Reapers."

Cassandra started laughing. "It's okay, Shiala." Shila backed off but she continued to stare icily at him.

"You want an endorsement?" She went from laughing to deadly serious in an instant.

"The only endorsement you'll get from me is a Claymore shotgun shoved up your ass while I pull the trigger until the clip's empty. The only thing that allowed us to beat the Reapers was every species banding together and uniting. You want to know what I think about aliens? This is what I think." Cassandra grabbed Liara and aggressively kissed her. Liara was taken aback and barely realized what was happening when Cassandra pushed her away.

"Get the fuck out of here scumbag." Shiala said with relish and giggled with satisfaction.

The bigot beat a hasty, embarrassed retreat. "You'll regret that Admiral, you Judas!"

"Well done, Shep!" A playful voice said. The three of them looked sharply towards where the voice had come from. Quickly a hooded thief uncloaked herself, fiddling with her Omni-Tool. "I'm uploading that to the Extranet."

"Kasumi! What are you doing here? I didn't think you were invited?" Cassandra greeted her with a big smile.

"I wasn't. I'm here for the same reason everyone else is. To honour you and raise some money for a worthy cause. The money they're raising actually is going to reconstruction and charities so it saves me the trouble of having to steal it. "

"Thanks for coming," Cassandra said. "It's good to see you again."

"Same here. I'm glad you both made it out alive. You deserve to be together."

"Thank you."Liara said, genuinely flattered. She spotted Miranda Lawson walking towards them. Miranda was dressed more modestly than she normally did but her red dress still left little to the imagination. Liara felt sorry for her, unable to conceive a child, forever living in the shadow of being engineered, always doubting her own accomplishments. How she compensated for this was equally pitiable.

"Gotta go," Kasumi said. "The vid's gone viral by the way. 50 million hits already." She vanished.

"Hello Sheppard, Liara." She said, her voice warmer than usual. She'd been with Cassandra on Horizon. They were lucky to have made it all alive, Henry Lawson had been inches away from murdering both his daughters. She was proud to have helped bring to a stop his cruel madness.

"Hi Miranda. How are you doing?"

"Good. I got a pardon and I'm working with the Alliance. I'm a team leader in the Special Projects division. Orry's back with her parents. She wanted to come but I wanted her to stay to focus on her school. It's good to see you again, Shepard. I've been pardoned but I'm still a bit of a black sheep. Not that it bothers me, of course. I had to do some hacking to find out what had happened to you. I'm glad you're back, it's nice to know someone worthwhile survived this business."

"I wouldn't be here without you. And I doubt anyone else would be, either. Thank you, Miranda, for everything."

Liara piped in. "The entire galaxy owes you a debt. I didn't trust you at first, but you've proven yourself more than trustworthy. I thank you deeply, more than I can ever say in words."

Miranda blinked, the lines around her forehead softened. "I should be the one thanking you... but you're welcome. Both of you." She nodded briefly to them both and walked away.

Shiala came up to them. "They're gonna open the doors soon. I don't like the look of this place. It's too wide open, anyone could hack a drone and try something nasty. I wish we we're doing this somewhere else."

Liara nodded. "Make do with what you can... and thanks."

Cassandra and Liara walked up to the main stage. Going up the stairs Cassandra almost tripped and fell again. She shot Liara a dirty look before Liara managed to say something. They sat to the left of the lectern, Admiral Hackett shared a table with them along with his wife Audrey, a career officer like him. She was pleasant but was rather quiet and reserved. At their table was the rest of the Council, as well as Wrex, Bakara, Garrus and Tali. Shiala was patrolling the grounds, constantly looking around and checking her Omni-Tool.

The doors opened to the greater, paying public, hundreds of almost every species walked into the grand dining hall. Every table and every chair was occupied. More than a few took pictures and vids from the Omni-Tools. It was strange, all of a sudden she wasn't Dr. Liara T'Soni, Shadow Broker, Prothean Archeologist, warrior, she was Cassandra Shepard's girlfriend, a celebrity. Would she start adorning the broadcasts of gossip shows? She hoped not, she loathed the empty worship of celebrities that so many partook in.

"So, how are you enjoying your down time?" Hackett asked Cassandra. She smiled and Liara felt a swelling of pride as she spoke.

"I forgot what it was like to relax, to really relax. I'm happier now than I've ever been. I'm starting to get used to the idea of being a mom." Liara fought the urge to interject. They'd argued about this, Cassandra was firm in calling herself the mother despite the fact that Liara was the one giving birth and Asari culture was clear in calling the birth parent mother and the other parent father. Cassandra could not, would not, call herself a father. Cassandra had suggested a compromise, Cass would call herself madre, the Italian word for mother but would allow herself to be listed as father on any official documents. She supposed this was a good compromise, but still hadn't made up her mind.

"Have you given any thoughts about your future?" Hackett asked, eyeing her keenly.

"Not really. Why?" Cassandra replied.

"Would you like being the human representative on the Council?"

"Me? Why?"

"Ambassador Stravowsky is doing a fine job, but she's a technocrat, not suited to doing the job over the long haul. Humanity's earned its place at the forefront of galactic politics. You'd be the perfect Councillor, you're a symbol, you embody the best humans have to offer."

"But... I don't know the first thing about being a diplomat."

"Sure you do. Seeing you jet around the galaxy, getting everyone to unite against the Reapers is the finest diplomatic work anyone's seen for centuries. Academics are already starting to dissect everything you've done. More importantly, you've seen firsthand the effects decisions made by the Council on the ground, unlike most of them. And you'll have an experienced staff."

"But... I once punched an Admiral!"

"He deserved it. Diplomacy isn't always about playing nice."

"Cass, you'd be an amazing Councillor." Liara added in, squeezing her hand. She meant it. She could also see Cassandra warming up to the idea, she just didn't want to admit it yet.

"I hated every second of it!"

"Your reports said otherwise. I remember your pride when you finished your work on Tuchanka. The Reapers aren't a threat anymore, but there are still threats out there. We need everyone to keep working together. You're the best person for the job."

Cassandra looked away. "I'll...need to think about it."

Hackett nodded with a wry smile, as if he knew she would come around eventually. "Don't think too long. I can't keep that seat open forever."

The Admiral was tapped on his shoulder by an Asari. He nodded to her. Hackett stepped up to the podium. The hum of conversation died down. Camera drones began transmitting and streaming over the extranet.

"The war is over. The Reapers have been defeated. Against all odds, and in the face of the greatest threat this galaxy has ever known, we survived. We suffered many losses. The Relays are severely damaged, but we won. This victory belongs to each of us, every man, woman and child, every civilization... on every world. Now as we take out first steps toward restoring what we lost, we must remember what it took to win. This wasn't a victory by a single fleet, a single army, or even a single species. If this war has taught us anything, it is that we are at our strongest when we walk together. And if we can put down our grievances long enough to stop something as powerful as the Reapers, imagine what we can achieve now they are defeated. It will take time, but we can rebuild everything that was destroyed. Our homes, our worlds, our fleets and defences, all of this and more. Together we can build a future greater than any one of us can imagine. A future paid for by the sacrifices of those who fought and died alongside us. A future that many will never see."

There was a long if sombre applause from the audience. "And now it's time for us to acknowledge the one person who made tonight, and all the other nights, possible. Please welcome to the stage, Admiral Cassandra Shepard."

A rapturous applause broke out, everyone in the room stood. Liara heard Cassandra sigh as she stood up. "You've earned this, Cass." Liara said, hoping her guilt wouldn't stop her cherishing this moment. She walked stiffly towards the lectern, awkwardly raising her hand to the crowd. Liara would chide herself in the hours and even years to come for not sensing anything was awry until it was too late. As she walked up the steps to the lectern she tripped and fell. The fall was inelegant and embarrassing, but it saved her life. From a place unseen, a single shot rang through the air, louder even than the throngs cheering and clapping. The bullet parted the air like a lightning bolt. The incendiary bullet hit her shoulder instead of her head. Blood gushed out of the wound as the bullet bore deeper and burned. The impact threw her sideways and she fell even harder to the ground. Admiral Hackett stood over her, blocking the trajectory of any other bullet. None came. There was a brief silence as those in attendance realized what had happened. Then came pandemonium. Liara ignored the chaos and commotion breaking out around her. She bolted from her chair and rushed to Cassandra. She was writhing and screaming in pain as the bullet burned her flesh and bone. Liara cradled Cassandra's head in her hands.

"You'll be okay!" She shouted. Despite the pain, she saw the determination in her emerald eyes, burning a bright shade of green. She nodded through gritting teeth. Someone applied medigel and the pain lessened. She was vaguely aware of the cacophonous maelstrom swirling around them; the screams, the hundreds of scared feet scurrying about like fish trapped in an ever-closing net. But Cassandra's eyes, though pained, were calm amidst the storm.