"With all due respect, Anderson-"
"Never realized you thought I was due respect, Udina."
"This is not a joke, Captain. You're compromising too much on Shepard's word."
"Shepard's word has always been more than enough for me. I thought the piles of evidence she's been painstakingly sending your way would be enough for you."
"This is our chance. This is humanity's chance. If we falter now – one wrong move, and it will take decades to work back up to where we stand now. Do you want to be swept to the sidelines with the batarians after all you've done for this galaxy?!"
"I don't appreciate your tone, Ambassador. What I'm doing right now, I'm still doing for the galaxy. For humanity and every other race. Now, I'm going in there and I'm going to have a long, candid conversation with the Council. I'm going to explain to them everything Shepard's wasted blood and sweat to be able to tell me. I'm going to show them every piece of evidence she's unearthed, and provide all the information we've put together of what she's been investigating. That's what I'm doing. What you do now is your decision."
"Anderson…"
"This threat is not idle. The clock is ticking. Pick your path. We're all on the line, not your prospects as the first human councilor. I refuse to put politics over this. I'm convincing them or shout myself hoarse trying."
"Convince them of what?"
"The reapers are coming."
The next morning began not with the briefing Shepard had hoped to have, but with the Council's indication that the Normandy was to head for the Citadel. They were gathering forces, they said. The information Shepard had pretended to glean from a cleverly hidden beacon on Virmire had been the tipping point, it seemed.
The next morning began, consequentially, with Shepard in a foul mood.
"We're not going to the Citadel," Shepard announced, to no one's surprise.
"We're going straight to Ilos, aren't we?" Nihlus said astutely. "I approve."
For once, his opinion wasn't the unpopular one. Wrex looked like a primed explosive, and Nihlus' coping mechanisms were as unhealthy as the next person on the Normandy. Liara looked more like a ruthless information broker than ever, face stony as she held two datapads – she'd spent the morning being followed around by a VI carrying six more. Shepard had woken up that morning to Garrus viciously doing weapon maintenance down in the armory. Tali had been keeping him company and Ashley had been testing anything he put down. Shepard was never not the first one up.
Joker and EDI looked cheerful, evidently invigorated by the adrenaline of a final push, focused by their clear and defined roles. The debrief room was full of nervous energy, but none of it derived from lack of confidence, for which Shepard was grateful. She needed a good win – no compromise, no sacrifice, no hiccups or tears. Saren needed a clean end, and she needed him far away from the Citadel.
She leaned forward, elbows on the table and chin on her knuckles. She contemplated her friends, distributed around her in an asymmetrical circle, as though waiting for orders – determined, yes, but perceptibly bone-tired. Shepard also needed everyone on the same page.
"We're on our way already," Joker said, amused. "ETA two hours."
"This is gonna look bad. The Council won't be happy," Ashley warned.
"They're never happy, not unless they need her," Kaidan grumbled. "Bunch of self-righteous useless shits who give more of a damn about their political machinations than the lives they're in charge of. Treating Shepard like a shelved tool. Screw 'em. Who cares."
There was a short silence for everyone to process Kaidan's outburst, while looking at Shepard as she studiously ignored them all in favor of coffee, and then Nihlus made a cheerful noise of agreement, so the status quo was restored in the least conventional way possible.
"We care. We're trying to make the Council amenable to our claims, remember?" Liara argued. "This won't help. Neither will nihilistic, cynical theatrics."
"Have they seemed particularly amenable in your latest debriefings, Shepard?" Garrus' tone was derisive.
"Super. Tevos even let me mention the reapers a whopping total of three times, earlier."
Kaidan and Garrus laughed – Ashley seemed more concerned than amused. "We need the Council on our side, Shepard, otherwise we're going to end up with Cerberus as our only ally."
Kaidan was now on Ashley's side. "She's right."
"We all know she's right." Wrex shrugged. "Doesn't change the situation."
"Let's focus," Shepard requested. "There's a much more present issue – I'm not letting Saren trash the Citadel and kill hundreds of civilians."
"Then you need to convince the Council to lock up and arm up. Last time the Alliance kicked the geth's ass, but we took heavy damage too," Joker said.
"So if the Alliance and, for instance, the turian or quarian fleet are at the Citadel before Sovereign makes his move-"
"We avoid a great deal of loss, for everyone," Liara finished. "C-SEC just needs to be reinforced."
"And how are we going to convince the quarians, or the turians, and the Council?" Ashley asked. "Because that doesn't sound like the easy part of this plan."
"That," Tali piped up smugly, "is where I come in. I've spoken to my father several times about this reaper threat no one is taking seriously. With- the right amount of distress. He'll have the admiralty board appropriately alarmed at this point," she promised. "It doesn't matter what I call it – they hear 'geth attack' and they pay attention. Whether or not they'll act, I don't know." Yes, you do, Shepard thought. "I'll give him one final push today, and we'll see what happens."
"Plus, your father's no fool, is he?" Nihlus said in the instant silence, slowly and calculatingly, because he wasn't so easily distracted by red herrings. "If the humans and the quarians outright save the Citadel and the Council – such a show of courage and service to the galaxy from two resourceful species without seats – well. That'll really be something, won't it? According to Shepard, the humans got a councilor out of it."
Tali feigned indifference to his words, looking down at her hidden nails. "I'm sure I don't know what my father's reasoning is. The rest of the admiralty board, however, looks at it this way – either the threat is so major that they'll be sung heroes, or it's so minor that they've got nothing to lose. Someone even floated the idea that Council support might make the task of retaking our homeworld trivial. I have confidence my advice and counsel did not fall on deaf ears."
Nihlus was smirking. "You're no fool either, I see. Your father's isn't the only ear you've been whispering into, is it?"
"If you want something done right…" she sing-songed, primly crossing her legs.
The turian Spectre glanced toward Shepard's unrevealing expression. "You haven't left much to chance."
"If I had, I'd be a bigger tool than the Council thinks I am."
"I'm starting to think you and all this unlikely talent you keep accidentally stumbling into in no man's land are going unappreciated by the rest of the galaxy."
Kaidan scratched his chin dramatically with the sole purpose of promoting sarcasm. "Never thought of it that way." Nihlus' jaw twitched in an unmistakable smile, and Shepard wasn't sure she wanted to dissect the unprecedent camaraderie between the two men.
"Okay, children, let's leave the embittered gloating for later, shall we? When and if it's earned, if possible. The point is the quarian fleet should be willing."
"And the Alliance?" Liara pressed.
"I don't wanna brag, but I'm kind of popular around those folks," Shepard said drily, and Ashley snorted. "Or at least they owe me one too many favors at this point. I've got Mikhailovich, Kahoku, Anderson and Hackett listening and set. They take me seriously, at least. This time, we won't get caught by surprise. The navy is organized and prepared."
"Will it be enough?"
Everyone turned to her at Garrus' soft-spoken question, and she straightened. She knew the drill by now.
"I don't know," she replied honestly. She stood, drawing out her words and thought process. "I won't lie. We did all we could, but all we could might not be enough. We've been through this before and we therefore have privileged information – but so does the enemy. I don't know how much, I don't know how they've prepared accordingly, just that they likely did." She determinedly pored over each despondent face strewn around the table. "But – whatever advantage they have, we certainly do as well. However they've prepared, we did too. And without any of it, we beat them before. All we have to do is beat them again, break less sweat while we're at it this time. We've always met them step for step, and in the end came out on top. We couldn't be more ready. It's a game of anticipation – and they've been waiting for fifty thousand years to make their move. We'll make it first. We got this."
Wrex cheered. "I like the punch-first-and-ask-no-questions approach."
Mood improved, she sat back down. "So – the plan is we turn the Citadel into a spiky fortress in which the spikes are the human and quarian ships. Then we wait."
"They need to close the arms. I'm doubtful that it will work against Sovereign's override of the station, but it will be a delay, at least," EDI advised. "They are on alert, but not expecting Sovereign."
"Anderson's gonna play the precaution card, 'cause of the civilians," Ashley assumed, eyeing Shepard. "It's what you'd do."
"Hopefully Udina and the Council are on board. I've put a lot of work in fear-mongering them into action."
"I'm hearing a lot about what everyone else is doing, but what are we going to be doing?" Wrex demanded. "What's on Ilos?"
"Saren," Nihlus replied quietly.
"We're doing one of two things – chasing or beating him there. And frying the reapers' control over the Citadel while we're at it. Just like last time." Shepard stood up again, and everyone else followed her lead.
"We've got a plan."
"We do. Let's put it in motion. Dismissed."
Predictably, everyone listened but Kaidan. Thankfully, that's what she'd wanted him to do.
"C'mere," he said softly, offering a hand. She dropped the confident facade out of necessity and complied. "You think we'll be expected?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "Feros and Noveria went – exactly as before. Does that mean they didn't care and prepared for Ilos, or that they didn't think we would find it, like last time?"
"You don't know if what happened on Ilos is still a card we're holding."
"I'm hoping it is, I guess. It'd be a stroke of luck."
"You said – well, he clearly didn't know everything," Kaidan prodded carefully. "Maybe it's not such a stretch to hope."
Shepard was not convinced or reassured. She made her best attempt at not showing it. "He knew quite a bit."
He straightened, tugging at the hand he was still holding. "Come with me. I've got two hours with you all to myself, and I'm keeping them."
She followed him to her quarters, but wasn't fooled. "I'm fine, Kaidan."
"I'd never accuse you of anything less."
"So we're done here."
"No, of course not. Whether or not I'd accuse you of it has very little to do with whether or not it's true."
"Sounds like an accusation."
"Only if you were looking for one."
She sighed and dropped onto the bed. "I really am fine, you know. I get where you're coming from, but – this isn't any different than any other priority mission. The only thing is we're better prepared."
He considered her carefully, crossing his arms while leaning against her desk. "Okay." She gave him a moment for him to add what he was clearly hesitating to. "You're not still doing that thing where you play the part of the assured leader so that no one else has to, right?"
"If I were, I wouldn't let you know any of the misgivings I have. Like I just did."
Her blunt honesty seemed to be the only thing to finally appease him. "That's more reassuring than you faking confidence, you know."
"Only for you, I'll bet." She was only a little amused.
He grinned back. "This is all going to work out." His voice sounded strangely like a vow. "We'll be alright. You'll be alright."
"Thank you," she murmured back, and he sat next to her.
"We could- Let me talk for a bit. I've got all these fantasies," he said carefully, as though he was admitting something hitherto kept secret. "About life after this. When the galaxy stops resembling a ticking time bomb. Obviously this is just the beginning, with Sovereign, but…"
"Sounds like it's your turn to share."
He seemed to deliberate for a moment. "Alright."
For one hour, he painted picture after picture of ridiculous and wistful moments of someone else's life. Someone, she concluded, that he was tentatively trying to become. If ever there was something worth fighting for, that was unquestionably the worthiest.
She was depicted in his pretty watercolors too. Usually right in the heart of the scene, which was predictable in a not-at-all negative way. Strangely enough, though, she appeared immutable. He didn't put any expectations or desires on what kind of role she could play – she was as she was, always, a woman he was in love with.
This was why she always wanted him to stick around. She barely seemed to need explaining to him, and somehow he kept understanding everything people always got wrong. It was a dangerous allure, to be so easily seen, but she'd long ago decided to chase it wherever it led.
"So?"
"They're willing to put caution first. Everything else, they're withholding judgement until after this, once they get a chance to speak to Shepard first."
"And Shepard?"
"She's not making a stop here, that's for sure. Didn't think she would. I expect she's on Saren's tail."
"Of course she is." A pause. "I've thought about what you said earlier."
"Oh?"
"About not putting politics above threats. You're forgetting wars are fought with alliances."
"That's what she's for."
"Yes, she really does seem to be making the Council happy, ignoring their direct orders and all."
"There are things more important-"
"Anderson, you want me playing politics so she doesn't have to. The bare minimum of that effort is not antagonizing the Council."
"You think they'll ignore what's right under their noses if we're not likeable enough?"
"Mock all you like – people have a way of seeing what they want to see no matter the circumstances. Perhaps particularly due to the circumstances. Who would want to believe we're on the path to extinction if someone else readily offers a different, less frightening explanation?"
"We need them on our side."
"Precisely."
"Maybe you have a point, Udina. But the fact is, Shepard said the Citadel was in danger, today. Everything else needs to come after."
"Suit yourself, Captain. Don't say I didn't warn you."
"And like, four dogs. The big ones, my parents have a German Shepherd in Vancouver."
"Hmm." Shepard's half-smile was approaching dopey status dangerously quickly, but she'd been lulled into a false sense of wonder.
"You aren't listening to a single word, are you?"
"Oh, I am. One dog, at most, and it's going to be a Retriever."
He cracked up. "No, you? A cute dog? I'd figure you'd want the biggest, meanest one possible. What's this out-of-character mushiness about?"
"Do you not observe the way I behave around you?"
The response delighted him. "I do, but that's hilarious."
She hit his stomach and stood up, which he actively fought against by snatching her by the hand. "You do realize there's this whole galaxy-hangs-in-the-balance-mission we're supposed to be focusing on?"
"You're supposed to relax a little before you go charging into the wolves' lair right now."
She gave his hand a squeeze and he let go in defeat. "I am. You're good at this."
That was his cue to drop it. He stood up too. "I don't know what you're planning, by the way, but I'm definitely going to be on the Ilos landing squad."
"And here I thought I was the commanding officer on this ship."
"You are, you just rightly heed really good advice when it's given to you."
She arched an eyebrow at the ease with which he was defying her. "You know Nihlus is going to be making the same demand?"
"Sounds like a complete team right there."
She rolled her eyes and walked out of the room, sensing him trailing her anyway. "Grab your gear, then. We're leaving soon."
"We are, are we?"
Nihlus could be so predictable that even his detached presence showing up out of nowhere (due, naturally, to a shoddy attempt at eavesdropping) was becoming routine. "Yeah, you go too. I know you want to come with. Save your energy, I'm not going to argue."
"I'd perhaps like to argue about something else."
Kaidan nodded perfunctorily. "Of course you would. Good luck with that, Shepard," he stated, possibly in a cruel display of satire, and then vanished.
She turned to the turian with a scowl. "Please, by all means. I always love our discussions," she deadpanned.
He didn't care. "Today I noticed that your Gunnery Chief Williams is religious," Nihlus began noncommittally.
Shepard switched on damage control mode amid an immediate internal outpouring of profanity. "Yes? Is this a problem?" She resisted the urge to say he would know about Ashley's faith if he bothered to interact with more members of her crew more regularly.
"No. Unless she prays for lightning instead of using her gun while I'm within firing range of some geth or something."
"Why can't you just be quiet sometimes? Why can't you just leave things alone? Why?"
He shrugged, and she hated that she could tell he wanted to laugh. "I have this tendency to always want to point at stupid things when I see them."
"I have this tendency to want to ignore them, but that's currently at odds with my urge to snark. If you catch my drift. So my compromise is to tell you to leave Ashley to her religion and me to my peace."
He ignored her thoroughly. "I am making an effort to understand your viewpoint on certain things. That involves asking questions you may see as inappropriate."
She opened her mouth then closed it again. "Inappropriate is the wrong word. But fine. Go on."
He leaned against the wall on the bridge. In the distance, Joker said their ETA was half an hour, which wasn't a terribly long time for essay arguments on theology. Not that she seemed to have a lot of choice. She listened anyway.
"Religious humans believe a Messiah came to save them from themselves, someone with impeccable principles whose actions were almost - or totally, depending on your level of delusion - supernatural. Is this correct?"
"You know, that's not really what religion is about. The point is that it's a bunch of moral guidelines for people to follow. A good way to see the world, I think," she said pointedly.
"Speaks to poor character, doesn't it, needing a justification for your values?"
"No, it's a way to elaborate on them. Do turians not have religion?" she asked exasperatedly.
"What does that matter?"
"Trying to establish a cultural connection."
"Stupid is stupid no matter where in the galaxy you come from."
"What do you have against people's beliefs? God." She was only partially trying to be provocative.
"Funny. I always take issue with idiotic beliefs. For instance, I think Saren's a moron because he thinks submitting to the reapers is his way to survival."
"The important difference there is how harmful the belief is."
"A difference, is it? You know, on this physical realm, facts might disagree with you. Shall I teach you some of your own human history?"
Shepard rolled her eyes. "It's not harming anyone now. Better?"
"Are you religious, Shepard?"
"No." But that didn't seem quite right. "I don't know."
"Oh?"
"Did you not hear my story? About some omniscient superpower creating the reapers as a solution to a problem?"
Nihlus seemed scandalized. "A super-evolved civilization playing god. Not an actual god."
She shrugged. "Is there a difference?"
He narrowed his eyes. "There's certainly a difference to me. If that's your definition of religion, we're discussing two different things."
"I don't think we are."
"You're missing the point."
"No, you are. My point is that everyone's pictures of the universe vary. Some of us call it one thing, others call it something else. What's it matter? If Ashley has a more romantic view of life and existence, why is that stupid or less valid than, for instance, choosing to look solely at cold, hard math?"
"Because math is proven."
"Math is how some people understand the universe. It's man-made, just like religion."
"It follows rules. Observed, analytical laws."
"Yeah, so? I'm sure Ashley believes the same out of her God's motivations. And at any rate, one doesn't preclude the other."
"You either pick logic or fantasy."
"No, you don't. Let it be," she ordered firmly, unwilling to contend the point further. "I understand your point of view, and I understand Ashley's. It's not as much of a conflict as you think."
He went quiet for a few seconds. "Maybe I just want to understand where it comes from. Maybe I wish I could see it- differently too."
Ah. "Funny how that works. Put yourself in the middle of people's problems often enough, and all of a sudden you're standing in the front lines of a war you didn't even know was happening. Weird things come to mind then."
He was unfazed. "So you understand."
Sure she did. This wasn't the first one. How many times had she found herself on her way to a suicide mission out of pure principle, thinking about how life rushed by but death stalled in anticipation, wondering about religion and meanings and reasons?
Enough times for a sense of renewed kinship to make her push off the wall and pace slowly, eyeing him in empathy.
"I wish I knew what to tell you. Truth is, no one can tell you anything. You always have to work it out for yourself. Whether you want recognition, a story, value, a medal, twenty, otherworldly brownie points, or just a personal reason to do this, that's all stuff you get for yourself. I can help show you what I think, why I'm here, or why others would want you to do it – I can't make you aim a weapon and pull the trigger. Ashley prays and it reminds her what her morals are, gives her a place in this universe. Why she's here. I see how things change by my hand and I decide there are things worth fighting to change. Here we all are, pointing guns at the same target, and we arrived by paths millions of lightyears away from each other." She stopped in front of him. "Your spirituality is what you decide it is. If you're looking, you've already decided you have a reason to do this. Maybe that's all it needs to be."
"Good," he replied forcefully, a determined glint in his eye. He didn't elaborate and she didn't ask him to. "Thanks, Shepard. I'm ready," he said, more earnest and candid than she'd ever heard him.
"Let's take him down."
He nodded once and disappeared without comment, presumably in the direction of his locker.
Shepard took a moment to clear her head and headed directly toward the cockpit. Joker barely glanced back. "We're two minutes out and you need to get to the Mako. Can't see geth dropships anywhere."
"Stealth systems will be engaged regardless," EDI added.
"Guess you'll find out what kind of fun you'll be having once you're on the ground." Joker said it rather casually, almost cheerfully, a demeanor she wouldn't admit to relating to, if only in her most reckless moments.
"You should hurry, Shepard."
"Going. Here goes nothing," she muttered, and left after Nihlus.
"We're all sure this isn't a mistake, yes?"
"Tali'Zorah is patently a voice worth listening to. I'm certainly sure."
"Yes, you would be. She seems – strangely sympathetic to your views on the geth, does she not, Zaal?"
"Perhaps you'd refrain from so openly questioning my daughter's motivations, at least in my presence, Xen? Those accusations are rather uncouth."
"Uncouth, he says. You've forgotten how to deal with her, Rael. Shut up, Xen, and bloody well leave the kid alone. You're crossing a line. We're doing this, you were overruled."
"Quite so."
"Would you all get a hold of yourselves? We're about to ask our people to follow us into the biggest battle they've seen in years, and you're bickering like schoolchildren. For shame."
"You're right, of course, Daro. My apologies. Keelah se'lai – my brothers and sisters, may we walk away from the fight with ammo in our weapons and none in our armors."
"And let's shoot up some geth full of lead."
"Keelah se'lai."
A blur of movement and aggressive jostling later, and Shepard was speeding along a vaguely familiar and extremely foreign road – with an important difference. The ancient door did not slam on her face before she managed to skid the car beyond it. In fact, the need for skidding was non-existent, as Nihlus readily pointed out after she'd already done it, because Saren had clearly not arrived yet.
"So we wait."
"For once."
"This is a good thing. We have time to make this a fight on our turf."
"If they don't know about what originally happened on Ilos already, that is."
Liara had been initially aggravated at being left out of this mission, but Kaidan had taken her aside and by the time Shepard had tightened her boots, she'd been complacent and almost cheerful. If it didn't affect her, Shepard wasn't opposed to not asking questions, ever.
Besides, no one would have been quite as aggravated at not coming as the two men tensely looking around the prothean facility now.
"So, do we get to Vigil and the Conduit first, lock it behind us and let Saren overrun this place, or do we wait around for him?" Kaidan was eyeing all the priceless archeological wealth that Liara would probably have their heads for abandoning to the geth.
"No." Nihlus sounded menacing.
"We're here for him," Shepard elaborated. "He's not getting away. And afterwards, we head for the Citadel."
"Sovereign's not surviving the Normandy and human and quarian fleets put together," Kaidan said convincingly.
"I wanna see to it that it doesn't. And that not one geth gets near civilians, or the council."
Nihlus rolled his shoulders, and headed back to the Mako. "Let's get to this Vigil, then. How many dropships do you remember?"
"Enough that we've a fight on our hands. Even with the Normandy and her upgrades."
Kaidan chewed on some thought before spitting it out. "You think the geth will retreat once Saren's dead?"
Nihlus looked at her for the answer, and she kicked the car into gear. "I think they'll go back to Sovereign."
"The bulk of the fight is on the fleets, then."
Shepard sped up in the silence, quickly catching sight of the bright orange barrier in their way. Nihlus spent the whole path transfixed on the prothean pods on the walls, which Shepard tried to avoid looking at. She could tell a bunch of new questions were occurring to him, but he read the somber mood from Kaidan and Shepard's expressions and remained silent.
Of course, it certainly didn't stop him from downright interrogating Vigil, which couldn't be helped. Shepard's story was what it was – a story told from the safety and comfort of a top-of-the-line spaceship, but he was walking over the decaying bones of a civilization fifty-thousand years extinct.
There were some things that afforded glimpses into terrifying realities, and very little could break through the feelings engendered. Shepard didn't try, just let him ask questions and process the answers. She remembered going through it herself.
Vigil had questions of his own, of course. Saren hadn't yet stepped foot on this planet and, unlike last time, the ancient VI was not caught up on the current situation. Learning, however, resulted in much the same outcome – Shepard was handed the file and told to hurry and lock the Conduit behind her.
"You must go to the Citadel at once. There's no time to waste."
Shepard shook her head. "I will. But I'll greet Saren here first. This is as far as he goes."
"You hang the fate of your species – of species to come after you – on revenge." Vigil seemed disapproving.
"Tying up loose ends," Nihlus corrected in a dangerous tone.
Vigil remained silent for a few more seconds. "Very well. Let the chips fall where they may. A charming expression. This is the beginning to the end, Shepard. Be sure it is the one you envision." He blinked out. Shepard suspected it wouldn't activate again, even if Saren showed up.
"Commander, dropships incoming!" Joker's voice sounded the alarm. "Be ready. It's starting."
Shepard unstrapped her pistol while Kaidan and Nihlus followed her out back to the Mako, now free of the barrier's confines. "You see Saren, warn me. Don't take any risks – the minute I've got him in my sights and you can get away, head straight for the Citadel. The dropships should leave us alone when he's dead."
"Understood. Watch your back."
Kaidan hummed as they climbed into the car. "We're working on half luck and half skill. Mostly your luck and mostly your skill," he joked, glancing at her.
"Good thing I've got plenty of at least one of those."
"Yeah, but which one?" Nihlus asked, and she must have imagined the smile in his voice. She sped up, backtracking almost all the way to the original landing zone, and caught the attention of the first geth of the day.
"Maybe one day we'll all find out," she replied with a grin, and screeched the Mako to a stop before the first shot even sounded. Kaidan blew one of the hostiles apart in a bright blue explosion as soon as they got out. "But not today."
"This is Hackett. Who's got eyes on whatever's approaching from starboard?"
"Negative."
"Negative."
"It looks like-!"
"Admiral Xen here. That is a geth dropship. Obviously."
"More than one."
"As we expected, then."
"We weren't the ones expecting it. We have others to thank for that."
"I'm guessing we're about to lose the comms. Stand by and confirm position. We're in place."
"Ready."
"Confirmed."
"Ready."
"We're in place."
"Be prepared. Won't be long now."
