Chapter 14

"That's it?" Jacob laughed. "You pushed a button?"

Shepard grinned as the two walked through an archway and into the processing area they had met in earlier. "Were you not listening to what happened before that?"

"Psh, I was there! Maybe I wasn't rushing that beam, but I saw my share of action in London."

Shepard came to a stop with Jacob coming to rest beside him. "Yeah, you did. You're a good man, Jacob. I'm glad I had you there to watch my back."

Jacob crossed his arms. "Honestly, Shepard... I wasn't fighting just for you."

The commander smiled. "How's Brynn doing, by the way?"

The ex-Cerberus operative smiled and looked down. "Great. She's here, probably asleep already. We've got a nice plot picked out and everything."

"It's kind of hard to believe, isn't it?" Shepard took a deep breath. "We actually did it."

Jacob glanced back up, a half smile draped across his face. "Yeah. I guess we did. But I think everyone owes a bit more thanks to you than me. Or anyone else for that matter."

Shepard glanced up into the night sky. Horizon was virtually devoid of pollution and with few lights to drown them out a blanket of stars stretched over them as far as the eye could see.

"Everyone sacrificed for this. Some far more than I did. I just hope everyone remembers that." Shepard turned his attention back to Jacob.

"I don't think that's going to be an issue, Shepard." Jacob nodded toward the processing area. "You know... someone you might wanna see arrived earlier today."

The commander raised a brow. "Is that so?"

Jacob smiled. "Let's go ask processing where they stuck her."

Jacob led Shepard down a long hallway lined with dozens of number adorned doors. It reminded him of a very white, sterile hotel. According to Jacob it was the temporary housing for new arrivals until their permanent units were ready. Jacob came to a stop and nodded to a door marked "142" as he pressed the 'doorbell' on the holographic panel. The circle hummed softly and as it spun, waiting for the occupant of the room to respond. After a few seconds the lock chimed and turned green, allowing the metallic doorway to slide apart. Shepard smiled as a clearly exhausted Kelly Chambers stood to greet them, her face lighting up as she caught the first glimpse of her friends.

"Commander Shepard!" The redhead jumped forward and embraced the commander warmly. Shepard returned the hug with a laugh before she pulled herself off of him, her smile glowing brightly.

"Surprised?" Shepard mused.

"Am I! Jacob said this place was supposed to be a secret... at least for now." Kelly glanced to Jacob with a smirk.

"Don't look at me," Jacob said with a grin. "Miranda needs to work on her money laundering skills."

Kelly giggled softly and nodded back to the small room behind her. "Would you like to come in? I was about to have some tea."

Shepard and Jacob nodded thankfully as Kelly turned and led the two into her room. Shepard's analogy of a hotel held up inside the rooms as well. The room was sparse, but he had expected that much from a building on a few days old. A nondescript bed sat on the far side of the room. Upon it a pair of small packs lay open and half full of clothes. A small dining table was folded out from the wall with a chair on each of the three accessible sides. Kelly leaned over the table, removed the lid of a thermos and pulled three cups from a small compartment that the table appeared to fold over. Shepard and Jacob sat themselves in two of the chairs as Kelly poured them each a small cup of tea before pouring her own and sitting in the unoccupied seat.

"Sorry it's not very cozy... I only moved in a few hours ago," Kelly lamented bashfully.

"Don't worry, Ms. Chambers... er, Kelly... we'll have your unit done in a day or two." Jacob stretched his shoulders as he spoke. He looked as though he had had a long day.

Shepard took a sip of his tea. "How are you doing, Kelly? I didn't expect to see you way out here."

Kelly smiled thoughtfully as she took a sip from her own cup. "I'm doing wonderfully! But I could ask you the same question. What are you doing here?"

"Recon mission investigating some suspicious ex-Cerberus activity. Clearly it's not quite of the severity we anticipated." Shepard grinned. "Eager to ease into colonial life?"

Kelly smiled and shook her head. "Actually, I'm here to serve as the colony's therapist. Well, one of a few, I suppose."

"Oh?" Shepard perked a brow as he took another sip of tea.

"Miranda and I thought she did an excellent job on the Normandy SR-2," Jacob stated. "Why not keep the whole gang together?"

Kelly blushed softly. "That means a lot to me, Jacob. And so does the chance to do something for these poor refugees. I won't let you and Miranda down."

"I'm sure you'll do a fantastic job, Kelly," Shepard said with a smile as he finished his small cup of tea.

"It was hard having to sit on the sidelines while you saved the galaxy again, commander." Kelly looked woefully into the small puddle of liquid remaining in the bottom of her glass. "Every time I saw a report about you on the news I wished I had taken up your offer to rejoin the crew. Hopefully I can make up for it here."

"A lot of these new colonists have been to hell and back," Jacob stated while finishing off his drink. "They're gonna need someone like you to be there for them."

Kelly smiled softly. "I'll do my best."

Shepard smiled and rose to his feet with Jacob doing the same. "I know you will, Kelly. Sadly, I think Jacob and I need to get back to Miranda."

Kelly stood and gave the commander another warm hug. "It was really nice seeing you again, commander."

Shepard returned the hug and nodded. "Likewise, Ms. Chambers."

Shepard and Jacob walked through the complex in silence. Shepard's mind was racing about the past few days and everything that had taken place. He had barely been on this mission for more than a few days and it already felt like weeks. He glanced to Jacob as they approached Miranda's office. He was clearly dead tired and Shepard hadn't felt the need to force any conversation on a man who had probably been awake and working for more than twenty four hours straight.

The two stopped and turned to one another as they reached Miranda's office. Jacob smiled wearily. "I hate to do it, commander, but I should probably say goodbye. I've had what you'd call a long day."

The commander nodded. "It was good seeing you, Jacob. I'm glad you've found some peace out here."

"I hope you found that peace too, Shepard. God knows you deserve it." The men snapped each other instinctive salutes before reached to shake each other's hands.

Jacob nodded and turned back toward the center of the facility as Shepard began walking up to Miranda's prefab. He noticed the office door was unlocked as he climbed the ramp and reached to open it. The door slid apart and he stepped in to see Miranda and Kaidan leaning over a large digital map on the desk. EDI stood to the side observing as well.

"Commander. Welcome back." Miranda barely glanced up from the map as she greeted him.

Kaidan finished analyzing a point of interest that he and Miranda had been discussing before looking up. "You should take a look at this, Shepard. It's a hell of an undertaking."

Shepard smirked as he came to stand at the side of the desk. "I'll take your word for it."

"Heh, yeah, I'm actually pretty impressed." Kaidan glanced across the map once again.

Shepard looked to Kaidan, waiting a moment before speaking. "So have you decided what to do about..."

"Yeah. I think I have." Kaidan straightened up and turned his attention back to Shepard. "I think I'm going to stay here for a while. I'll tell the Council I need some more time for my investigation. I think there's a lot of good to come from this place."

"Which means you'll be doing what, exactly?" Shepard inquired as he glanced between Kaidan and Miranda.

"Well," Miranda began, "We both agreed that having a Spectre around would make any off-colony errands much easier. I was planning on having Major Alenko be our unofficial ambassador to the outside world. At least for the time being."

Shepard glanced to EDI. "What do you think, EDI?"

The AI smiled as she was addressed. "I think it is an admirable idea. Kaidan takes after your diplomatic approach to solving problems. I think he would be an excellent liaison."

The commander turned back to Kaidan. "So you're really gonna do this?"

The new Spectre took a long breath as he collected his words. "Shepard, you know how it is being a soldier. We're expected to fight until the end. I'm not trying to dodge that responsibility, but I think I'm ready to fight to protect these people in a different way. I wanna help in a way that isn't just killing. I mean, they may have hated me last time I had this kind of assignment on Horizon, but I really felt like I was doing something."

Commander Shepard walked from the side of the table to Kaidan and Miranda. "I expect this place to put all other post-war colonies to shame when I come back in a few months."

Miranda grinned. "If that's a challenge then I gladly accept."

Shepard smiled and shook the hands of each of his friends. "I mean it... I foresee great things for this place. I know you two can make them happen."

Kaidan gave Shepard a slap on the shoulder and smirked. "Sounds like you're stalling, commander."

The commander chuckled and walked back around the table to where EDI stood. "I guess I've never liked goodbyes. How about I just say... until next time?"

"Plan on it," Kaidan replied with a smile. "Tell the crew I'll send a vid saying goodbye. And you take care, too, EDI."

EDI tilted her head to the side ever-so-slightly. "You as well, Kaidan. And it was good to see you, Miranda."

Miranda nodded. "EDI, Shepard. Stay safe. And good luck with the quarians." Miranda winked knowingly.

EDI and Shepard waved before turning to leave through the automatically opening door. As the human and synthetic reached the bottom of the ramp Shepard turned to EDI. The AI smiled and responded before he could speak.

"I've already sent a message to Lieutenant Cortez requesting a pickup," she stated.

"On the ball as always, EDI." Shepard said as the two began their walk back to the shuttle pads.

EDI watched him curiously as they walked. "Shepard? Is there something on your mind?"

The commander glanced to his companion and shrugged. "I've seen a lot of old friends come and go the past few days. It's nice to see them, but it's a little sad to say goodbye so quickly."

"I am not sure I can relate to the sentiment, but I do understand it."

"I guess you perceive time a bit differently from organics, huh?"

EDI nodded. "Yes. I suppose that might be part of it."

As the two reached the large, open area the transport craft had landed in earlier Shepard found himself looking up into the sky. It was the dead of night now and he was looking forward to some rest back on board the Normandy. He glanced over to EDI as she stood patiently, her eyes darting to and from various pieces of equipment scattered around the makeshift shuttle pad. After a minute or two of waiting the rumble of the Kodiak burst over the treeline and into the valley, following after the small shuttle that had begun its descent. The door opened as the craft leveled off a few feet from the ground, allowing EDI and Shepard to leap aboard.

"Where's Major Alenko?" Cortez asked from the cockpit.

"He's staying. Just me and EDI coming home this time."

"Roger that, sir." Cortez tapped a button and the large door slid shut.

Shepard dropped onto one of the benches, leaning his head back as the Kodiak rapidly began gaining altitude. He was starting to feel a little down... not something he normally felt after a successful mission. He almost would have preferred a fight with Cerberus to so many goodbyes. Shepard shook his head in slight frustration at his own feelings before shutting his eyes. Maybe there would be something to fight on Palaven to take his mind off of things.

Author's Note

This chapter presupposes that Kelly Chambers at some point assumed her old identity and hair color.

Whew, talk about a busy couple of weeks. I hope you all enjoyed the read. Now that I have the time to write I'll probably be hammering out maybe two chapters a week.