Chapter 14: Internal Problems
Traynor looked at the CIC as she exited the elevator, "Traynor." Liara walked pass her, giggling as she stepped into the elevator.
"Liara." Traynor turned to look at the elevator closing before heading up to the bridge, she could hear Garrus and Joker laughing. knowing Liara must have been there.
"Traynor, glad you could join us. Joker was telling me a story." Garrus said, looking at Traynor.
"Joker, tell a story... this has to be good." Traynor replied, smiling as she sat in the empty seat.
Joker smirked. "So anyway, this Turian guy was going nuts. Wanted to throw me in jail, and there's Anderson. Trying to recruit me. they argued for a good hour over what to do with me."
"Over what?" Traynor asked.
"Over the Normandy pilot, I wasn't originally going to be the pilot. You see, I applied but was rejected. The Turian guy said a cripple will never be the pilot of the Normandy." Joker replied, "If he could see me now, he would be jealous of the SR-2."
"You have your heads in the cloud Joker, you stole the Normandy. don't think they would have made you pilot." Garrus said, "The Turian guy who you wont give the name of would have had your head for what you did."
"I'm here ain't I? I was given the commission for this bird the next day. Spent the night in jail but worth it, piloting this. let's just say it's been an honor." Joker replied.
"Joker, you will probably be the last person off this ship again. However, you have saved our skins a few times. Specially in the collector base, I remember when we doubled back to the ship with the squad. Tali was still complaining about the vents. didn't shut up for a week about those goddamn vents, Jack was ready to kill her." Garrus said.
"I remember." Joker laughed, "Shepard sent her through and she nearly overheated because the last vent didn't open as quickly as the rest had."
"Poor Shepard." Garrus replied.
"Poor Shepard? he had moped around since bloody Horizon, I think when Tali was talking to him. it went through one ear and out the other." Joker said.
"Why does everyone go on about Horizon, what happened down there? I know Shepard saved the colony, Ashley was stationed there." Traynor asked.
"Shepard and Ashley... were close friends, they defeated Sovereign together with my help." Garrus replied.
"Where's Shepard? the last time I remember him being on board a Geth dreadnought." Traynor asked.
"He's heading down to Rannoch, rescuing Admiral Zaal'Koris. His ship went down." Joker replied. "He should arrive any minute."
"ok, thanks Joker. Is Commander Williams in charge?" Traynor asked.
"If she was, she would be telling you this. she is nowhere to be found at the current moment." Joker replied.
"She must have drunk a little too much last night." Traynor said, standing to leave.
"Where was my invite? I could drink you all under the table." Joker replied.
"You'd break a leg getting under the table." Traynor smiled, Joker looking horrified as she walked off.
"Not funny Traynor, I can get under a table. without breaking a bone!" Joker replied, Garrus laughing.
"I like her, she's good." Garrus chuckled.
Tali stepped off the shuttle, taking a deep breath before Shepard and EDI joined her.
"Rannoch, you finally made it." Shepard said, smiling at Tali before heading for the artillery site with EDI.
"Hard to believe my ancestors once lived here." Tali replied, following Shepard and EDI.
"We'll get your home world back, and then we'll finish this war." Shepard said, stopping at the top of a hill to see Geth below, scouting a downed escape pod.
"Alright. I'll lead, Tali. I want you to check for any survivors behind the escape pod, and then join the fight." Shepard ordered, kneeling as he inspected the area. Pointing towards the escape pod. "EDI, stay close. You're with me."
Tali headed left to the escape pod, checking the entrance when she heard Shepard fire his shotgun. Taking down Geth with EDI. She knelt and looked at a dead Quarian before seeing his omni tool beeping, she downloaded his omni tool. Knowing he must have left a message for his family as he didn't have any battle wounds unlike the one next to him.
"Tali!" Shepard yelled, laying down fire. He ducked behind cover, reloading. He saw Tali pop out just behind the main firing line, ducking behind cover before firing at them. Shepard jumped from his cover, sprinting for them. He jumped, shooting a Geth in the head before landing on it. Turning and unloading the rest of his bullets on the remaining Geth.
"None alive?" Shepard asked, reloading his shotgun as EDI jogged over to join them.
"No. I downloaded a recording off one of them, it's addressed to his family." Tali replied, walking ahead. He knew it affected her, it would affect anyone. Seeing the dead of their species, only the Geth didn't put their kind on spikes, unlike humans fighting the reapers. They are being converted into their army.
"Tali, at least they aren't husks. And they saw the home world, they would have died knowing they made it." Shepard said, placing his hand on her shoulder to look at her.
"I didn't want this stupid war, the conclave has to see a united admiralty board. So I let it happen, I took the admiralty job because of you. I thought what would you do." Tali replied.
"You didn't have to take the job because of me." Shepard said.
"But I want to make a difference." Tali replied, stopping when they saw the artillery site below. They knelt behind some rocks, remaining hidden as they inspected the area.
"AA towers, it's like Virmire all over again." Shepard said, looking at the geth patrolling.
"Virmire is a topical planet, this is classified as a desert planet." EDI replied, Shepard sighing.
"Don't need facts EDI, just that there are Geth protecting an AA tower." Shepard said, "Alright, this is how we're going to do this, EDI. Your going to hack that AA tower, shut it down while Tali and me shoot the Geth down."
"Reinforcements will be inbound once we attack." Tali replied.
"I know." Shepard said, jumping over the rock and sliding down the hill to hide behind a rock cover. EDI and Tali followed, Shepard sprinted across the bridge, knocking a Geth with the end of his assault rifle.
Tali followed closely, firing the shotgun at the downed Geth as EDI shot a mine near one of the Geth. Killing it.
"Nice EDI, keep an eye out for them." Shepard ordered, ducking behind cover before shooting a Geth to the right of him. He rolled across to another cover, making his way towards the console with Tali and EDI close behind. He felt himself step on a trip mine, Tali took down the last Geth in sight.
"Shepard, you're standing-" Tali said, the mine went off. Taking down Shepard's shields, Tali and EDI watched as he took a deep breath.
"I hate mines." Shepard replied, looking at them. "EDI, go hack the AA tower and Tali... Go get the heavy rifle, reinforcements are here." Shepard saw the Geth heading down the hill from the main base to the north.
"Certainly." EDI replied, heading over to the console.
Tali picked up the heavy rifle, tossing it to Shepard who caught it. Kneeling behind cover across from Tali. "So what's it like being back on the Normandy?" Shepard yelled, firing his heavy rifle at the Geth.
"Good, already put my engineering at work. Fixing the Normandy, Joker said the Normandy missed me. I think he just missed having conversations about Quarian masks!" Tali replied, seeing a Geth prime land. Shepard immediately fired the heavy rifle at it, taking it down with ease.
"It's Joker, he missed having you in engineering, said the Normandy didn't run the same without you!" Shepard shot the tank on a Geth Pyro, watching it explode. Taking a down a few Geth surrounding it.
"Some people are irreplaceable, Joker is the best pilot the Normandy could have. Nobody could do what he has." Tali replied, finishing off the last of the Geth in the area.
Shepard jogged over to EDI, reloading his rifle. "You done EDI?"
"Yes." EDI replied, finishing up. Shepard watched the AA tower shut down. "We better go shut down that main base, it's blocking communications and there is another two AA towers from the look of it." Shepard looked at the base further down. "EDI, your hacking again and Tali. you're with me again."
Shepard led the way to the next base, taking down a scouting party surrounding a downed Quarian pod. he shot a Geth trooper through the head as it went to finish off an injured Quarian. he quickly slid down the hill to him, putting his gun down at his side.
"I'm here to help, what happened?" Shepard asked, applying Medi-gel to the injured Quarian.
"We crash landed here, got out and the Geth attacked us. we held out for as long as we could." Kal'hol replied.
"Do you know where the Admiral is?" Shepard asked.
"He was the last one-off the ship, I saw a crash pod crash towards the east." Kal'hol replied, Shepard looking east.
"Alright, you going to be ok?" Shepard asked, the Quarian coughing.
"No, I'm not. just leave me, rescue the Admiral. He's more valuable than me. An engineer." Kal'hol replied, "I made it to the homeworld, I saw it with my own eyes. I can die in peace."
Shepard sighed as the Quarian died, his head rolling towards the base. Tali placed her hand on Shepard's shoulder, "We need to keep moving."
"I know, it's just that he died in vain." Shepard stood. walking off, Tali knew what he meant. it was over a pointless war, one that could have been avoided.
"I agree, but there isn't much you can do about it now." Tali said.
"You could have tried harder." Shepard replied, annoyed.
"I did, but Gerrel was determined to have this war and it didn't matter what anybody said." Tali said.
"Shoot him then, he's the reason thousands of Quarians are dying." Shepard yelled, pointing towards the dead Quarians. "He's caused everything that is happening."
"There isn't much we can do but end this war quickly." Tali replied, Shepard taking a deep breath before heading down the base.
"We! I have to save the Quarians again, you are the exception Tali. Because you've helped me but these Quarians don't think about the consequences of their actions until it's too late." Shepard said, heading into the tower.
Tali shot down a rocket trooper, Shepard picked up the rocket launcher. Firing at the Pyro geth, hitting its fuel tank. it exploded, EDI went around the back of the Geth. approaching the geth manning the turret, shooting several bullets through the chest.
"Turrets free Shepard!" EDI radioed to Shepard who sprinted across, sliding under a railing to reach it. he pushed the Geths leg off the turret before taking its place. He loaded bullets before firing at the enemy. Tali knelt behind cover, shooting the occasion geth that got around Shepard.
EDI finished hacking the tower, "we need to move to the another side, there is another console."
"Alright, Tali. You take point, you get EDI to the tower and I'll get to the turret on that side." Shepard ordered, Tali moving ahead first with EDI just behind.
Shepard grabbed his assault rifle, loading ammo before following. He picked off any Geth that Tali hadn't shot, making sure that none were left as EDI approached the second panel, quickly getting to work as Shepard loaded the turret.
"Tali, as soon as EDI has the second AA tower down. Radio Cortez, get him to pick us up." Shepard ordered, firing the turret at enemy Geth as Tali took her position behind some cover.
"Copy that Shepard." Tali replied, shooting down any Geth trying to flank Shepard.
"Tali, find the Admiral's position.." Shepard yelled, taking down a Geth prime. he ducked his head from a rocket, it went pass both EDI and Tali no problems but quickly took it down. hopping off the turret when he finished it off, looking at the all the Geth he killed. they were throwing themselves at them but they suddenly backed off, he knew something was wrong. he turned his head as seeing a Geth fighter fly down, "Cortez! take down that Geth fighter!"
"EDI, you need to take the AA towers offline." Cortez replied, Shepard saw the shuttle in the corner of his eye but the AA guns didn't fire at him. he sprinted over to Tali, pulling her over to EDI.
Both the AA guns suddenly fired, Shepard looked at EDI who was still busy. "Geth fighter down." EDI said, looking at Shepard. "I've set the guns to self destruct."
"Nice going EDI but warn me next time. I need to know the next time you pull a stunt like that." Shepard replied, EDI nodding as Cortez landed the shuttle by them.
"Thank you EDI, it was good work. Tali sent me the Admiral's crew location, she couldn't find Admiral Zaal'Koris location itself, EDI pulled their main satellite facility offline so we have planet wide communications for the moment." Cortez explained as Shepard approached his side.
"Alright, EDI. your his copilot. Tali, be ready." Shepard said, walking back through to his squad. "Admiral Zaal'Koris. come in, this is Commander Shepard. Alliance Navy."
"Commander Shepard, you need to save my crew. The Geth are overwhelming them, they landed south of my position." Admiral Zaal'Koris replied.
"Admiral, I was ordered to rescue you. I need you to send me your location." Shepard said, looking at Tali who was concerned.
"He will sacrifice himself to save his crew." Tali replied, Shepard nodding when he heard the Admiral.
"You must rescue them, one man isn't as important as them." Admiral Zaal'Koris said.
"The Civilian fleet will leave if you do not return with me. The relay is blocked by a Geth army, they will die if you sacrifice yourself." Shepard replied.
"One for the many, I'm being overwhelmed by the Geth myself. I'm the only one left out of my pod, the rest were killed." Admiral Zaal'Koris said.
"Then let their sacrifice drive you to finish this war, to give your people a place to call their home. I'm fighting for my homeworld and people, what are you going to help your people?" Shepard asked.
"I'm sending you my location." Admiral Zaal'Koris replied, "Forgive me ancestors."
"They will. You're doing the right thing Admiral, you'll see it." Shepard said, Tali receiving the location on her omni tool. she immediately put it through the shuttle. Cortez heading for it.
"I hope so." Admiral Zaal'Koris replied, taking a deep breath.
Shepard opened a panel in the shuttle, pulling out a compacted turret. quickly pulling it up and locking in the bolts as Tali watched from her seat.
"Arriving now commander." Cortez said, Shepard loading the turret.
"Open the side door." Shepard ordered, Cortez clicking a button on his console.
Tali watched it open, seeing the admiral pinned down. she got up and stared at him. "Admiral Zaal'Koris!"
Shepard opened fire on the Geth surrounding the admiral, cutting them quickly as the admiral made an escape to the shuttle. Tali pulled him up, making sure he was in before nodding to Shepard who moved over to the open door. "Let's get out of here!" Shepard yelled, closing the door with his hand. tapping on it as Cortez quickly took off for the Normandy.
"How bad?" Admiral Zaal'Koris asked, looking at Shepard.
"Bad enough that your the only thing keeping them here, they were going to leave. You can thank Admiral Gerrel for that." Shepard replied, walking around them to sit.
"Let's end this war, together." Admiral Zaal'Koris said.
"Agreed, hopefully we have a location for that main base. Will have to deal with that Geth fighter base beforehand." Shepard replied.
Cortez entered the Normandy hangar bay, parking and shutting down the vital systems before opening the door.
"Tali, can you please escort Admiral Zaal'Koris to the war room. I'll catch up with him after I've dealt with some issues." Shepard said, Tali nodding as she led Admiral Zaal'Koris away. Shepard sighed as walking over to the nearest bench and removing his armor, he heard someone stop behind him, "Yes?" He asked, not turning to face the person behind him as he finished with his gear. He couldn't be bothered with dealing it, "Cortez, clean my gear for me will you please?"
"Yes Commander." Cortez replied, yelling from inside the shuttle.
"Ah Shepard." Trayor raised her voice, Shepard turned and lent on the bench behind him. She watched as he crossed his arms and looked at her, "I found a Cerberus encryption being sent out to all Cerberus bases. I managed to decrypt some of it." Traynor handed over the data pad, Shepard surpised as he took it and read what she had.
"Cerberus scientists, defect." Shepard scratched the back of his neck, "Can you get anymore?"
"I could get more if I had a chance to contact Alliance headquarters on the Citadel but I need an Executive officer or Commanding officer to approve the transmission." Traynor explained, Shepard sighed. Rubbing his eyes as he handed it back, "I couldn't find Williams."
"Did you ask EDI where she was?" Shepard asked, pointing out the obvious.
"I did but Williams blocked EDI from disclosing her location." Traynor replied, Shepard found that odd unless something had happened and she wanted privacy.
"Go ahead and contact HQ. I'll find Williams." Shepard ordered, Traynor nodding as she left him alone. He turned and placed his hands on the bench, he looked at his armor before pushing off and approaching James who was busy at his station. "James."
"Shepard, what do you need?" James asked, busy cleaning his shotgun. It was dismantled and covering his bench, Shepard crossed his arms as observing him.
"I don't need anything, I just want to know how your drinks and poker went last night? I know you faced down the cleaner last night." Shepard smirked, he knew Ashley would have cleaned him out. She was good at poker, she cleaned him out once back on the old Normandy and it was enough to make sure he avoided playing poker with her.
"You mean Williams right? She cleaned me out good, I'm poor until my next paycheck Commander. We're playing tomorrow night, hopefully I can win back some of my losses." James chuckled, it was a good night.
"She's cleaned me out a couple of times. Anyway, did you guys hit up the bar when you played?" Shepard asked, James nodded.
"Yeah, I put her in the observation room across. I promised to cook her eggs this morning, figured she would need them after how much she drank." James replied, Shepard nodded before heading for the elevator but he heard James cough, he stopped and turned to face him. "She rambled on about you, I'd be careful. She cares about you more than you realize."
"Thanks for the heads up, I think I can handle Williams." Shepard said, continuing on his way to the elevator. He hopped in, eager to find Ashley and where she was. Traynor looked concerned, but didn't say anything, she looked happy once Shepard put himself on the job.
Shepard headed for the observatory deck on the right of the elevator. He stopped at door, entering his code. it unlocked and he slowly stepped in, he didn't see her which was strange.
"Ash." Shepard said, not being too loud when he heard a groan. He took a deep breath as walking around, seeing her laying on the floor. He knelt by her side, seeing her open her eyes before quickly closing them.
"Shepard, I'll be out in 30 minutes... Maybe 45 minutes, just leave me until then." Ashley replied, trying to push Shepard's leg away.
"Here." Shepard put his hands underneath her, lifting her up. He turned and looked at the couch before heading for the elevator, making sure no one could see them.
"Why do you always help me?" Ashley asked, looking up at him. He walked into the elevator, managing to click for his quarters. putting his captain code in to lock it behind him.
"Because you're my friend and I help my friends." Shepard replied, waiting for the elevator.
"I mean why? I got the professional answer then Shepard, I'm not stupid." Ashley said, Shepard smiling.
"Because I will always make sure you're ok, I made a promise to someone and I intend to keep it." Shepard replied, walking out of the elevator and into his quarters. He approached his side of the bed, laying her down before sitting at her boots. "And I care about you that I couldn't leave you there like that." he didn't look at her, focusing on getting her boots off when she pulled them away. Slowly sitting up.
"I know it hurts to hear anything loud but be honest, I deserve it." She said.
"Ash, I know we had something. And I know this war has changed everything we thought about this universe but I know one thing. It will never change what happened between us." He replied, grabbing her left boot and pulling it off.
"I understand that. Shepard." Ashley moved closer to him, grabbing his hands. "I need to know if there will be anything between us again?"
Shepard looked at her, he didn't want to hurt her again like last time. But at the same time he wanted to be with her, she meant everything to him. She was the main reason that kept him going when hope was lost.
"Ash... I, you mean everything to me." Shepard smiled.
"Shepard." Ashley smiled back, closing the distance between them. "Stay with me."
"I can't." Shepard replied, he had work to do.
"You can and you will. Because I command it." Ashley said, smirking as Shepard looked at her.
"There's the Williams I know." Shepard replied.
"Exactly, now get over here." Ashley moved over to the opposite side, pointing Shepard back to his side.
"I'm fine, have some reports to finish anyhow. Haven't had a chance to get them done yet. Need to update Hackett on the situation." Shepard replied, getting up and walking away. Ashley sighing before lying down on her side, facing away from Shepard who rubbed his chin as looking at her briefly as he sat at his desk. Grabbing a data pad and checking Traynor's report of the status of communication from the Normandy to Alliance headquarters on the Citadel.
Hope you enjoy and please review, have updated for editing. Just fixing general mistakes.