A/N: The mutiny of all mutanies. Following Saren to Ilos.
"They can't do this! They can't just throw us off our ship! They...they can't take her away! Do something Shepard!" Joker pleaded in the barracks.
The Normandy was in lockdown thanks to that prick Udina. The brass had moved the crew to one of the Alliance bunkers until they figured out what to do with them. Joker had called a meeting to discuss action plans.
"What the hell am I supposed to do, Joker? Am I supposed to walk in to Udina's office, punch him in the face, and override the lockdown?" she asked with sarcasm.
"Why the hell not?"
"Umm I don't know...maybe because I don't want to get court-martialed? Or shot by one of his guards," she said with a crooked frown.
"Fine! I'll do it then," he said as he hobbled to his feet.
"SIT DOWN, Marine! We'll figure something out. Besides, how would you fly her with a broken hand?"
"This isn't fair. He can't just lock us out. She's ours. We need her to stop Saren," argued Fredricks.
"How else are we going to get to Ilos?" asked Garrus.
"Well, do you have a plan, Vakarian? Know anybody at C-Sec who'd want to assist us with a mutiny?" There was a long uncomfortable silence.
"Yeah...that's what I thought. Anyone else?" she asked as she scanned the room for dissenters or an idea.
Her eyes met Kaidan's. Her heart fluttered. "That hasn't happened in awhile," she thought. She figured it was due to the moment they shared a few hours ago.
She was clearing out her locker when he approached. She had just talked to the Council who agreed with Udina that the Normandy should be grounded. She was boiling with rage and ready to admit defeat.
The Council had dismissed her claims against the Reapers. They were naive. She knew she had to do something to stop Saren and Sovereign before it was too late. But they took away her ship. She was helpless.
He managed to talk some sense into her and offer up some hope. Afterward, they shared an intense moment. Those were becoming more frequent since Virmire, and she had a harder time resisting the urge to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him.
At this point, she no longer cared about regs. What could they do to her that had not already been done by grounding her and her ship? Consequences be damned, she leaned in for a kiss. Before contact, Joker conveniently interrupted.
He thought he was helping out. He did not need his CO getting thrown in the brig for fraternizing with her subordinates. Not to mention the fact that he was a little jealous. Not of Kaidan or Shepard, but of anyone in a relationship.
Joker had known Shepard longer than anyone else on board. He felt he had a responsibility to keep an eye on her. She did not need a babysitter, but as the helmsman, it was his ship and he felt it was his duty to protect her. Even if it was from herself.
He also had a good reason for interrupting. Captain Anderson asked to speak with her in the nightclub Flux. She thought he was going to ream her for losing the Normandy, and she wanted to delay the meeting for as long as possible.
Instead, she joined the crew in the barracks. She knew Joker was in love with the Normandy, and she figured she should make sure he did not do anything stupid. Like steal her the way he did six months ago before he was given the helm.
She walked towards the corner past rows of neatly arranged bunks. She threw her bag on one before turning to face her flight lieutenant. He was sitting on a bed with his feet dangling off the edge. A small circle of crewmen were gathered around him.
"I know you're pissed, Joker! So am I, but we'll find a way to get her back. I promise," she said in an attempt to reassure him. He shrugged and shook his head.
"Look, I need to go meet Anderson. Just don't do anything stupid before I get back, okay?"
He sighed before answering, "Fine...just make it quick."
"Garrus, Kaidan, you're with me," she said as she looked towards each of them standing to her left. She figured she would need a little extra courage walking into Flux, and they were the two she counted on most.
XoXoX
"JOKER, get everyone back to the ship," she ordered through her comms.
"You don't have to tell me twice. Are we clear?" he asked not caring about the answer.
"We will be. Now move!"
"Aye, aye, Commander!"
"Do you really think Anderson will be able to get us cleared?" asked a pessimistic Kaidan.
"I don't know, but we're gonna find out," she replied with confidence.
"Has he ever let you down before, Shepard?" asked Garrus.
"Nope. And he's not gonna start now," she added.
XoXoX
All communications were running silent since leaving the Citadel. Shepard did not want to hear the hundreds of messages telling her to return to the Station. Her focus was fully on Saren and stopping the Reapers.
She sat at her small round table going through datapads of information when there was a knock on the door.
"Who's there?" she asked with a little apprehension.
She had not wanted distractions. She went so far as to tell Kaidan that if he tried to bring her food one more time, that she would throw him out the airlock. Secretly, she hoped he would disobey so she could punish him.
"It's Tali, I was hoping we could talk for a few moments," said the young woman.
"Come in." The door slide open and Tali stepped inside.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you, but I was wondering if you had some time to talk," she said nervously.
"What's on your mind, Tali?" she asked a little concerned.
"I just wanted you to know that I'm with you one hundred percent, Shepard. When I stepped onto the Normandy, I told myself that I would see this to the end and I will," she said as her mask added a vibrating noise to her voice.
"I appreciate the support, Tali. I just wish we had more of it," she said as her eyes fell from the purple haze of Tali's suit to the metallic datapad in her hand.
"I think you have all the support you need right on this ship. When we defeat Saren, everyone will know the truth!" Tali said with assurance.
"I hope you're right...when our job is done, what will you do?"
"I'll probably return to the Flotilla. I'm pretty sure this mission will conclude my pilgrimage. They may even promote me to soldier after this!" she beamed.
"You deserve it," Shepard said with a smile.
"I should be getting back to engineering. I don't know what they'd do without me down there."
"Thanks for the talk, Tali," she said as the Quarian exited.
Tali broke the floodgates. Afterwards, everyone else began filtering in for a chat with the Commander: Greico, Chase, Waaberi, Tucks, the Draven couple. Even Wrex stopped by. They wanted to voice their support.
"Looks like we're heading for one hell of a fight," said the beady-eyed Krogan. His voice was deep and reverberated off the walls.
"Looks like," she said in return.
"I'm glad I decided to come along. You Humans aren't so bad after all. And you're one hell of a fighter, Shepard."
"Thanks, Wrex. It wasn't so bad having you aboard, either. Maybe on my next ship, I'll request a Krogan bunk."
"Ehehe, Good. Can't wait to rip that Turian from limb to limb," he said as he began to exit.
"I saw him first, Wrex. You'll have to get in line."
"With pleasure," she heard him say as he rounded the corner.
"Commander?" said the soft-spoken Asari. "Would it be alright if we talked for a second?" she asked through the comms.
"I'm free right now. Come on over," she replied.
Two minutes later, the blue Asari entered the room. Her brightly colored skin was accentuated by the artificial lights. Sky blue eyes pierced through the darkness.
"I just wanted to let you know that you were the first person I have ever joined with. It may not be a big deal to you, but for the Asari, it is significant," she said with her trademark cadence.
"Glad I could be the one to pop your cherry, Liara," she said with a cheeky grin.
"Cherry? I do not understand," she replied with confusion.
"It was a joke. Ask Joker, he'll explain. Seriously though, it's been an honor. You have helped us tremendously on our mission. I don't think I could ever repay you for that."
"There is no need, Commander. I have learned more about the Protheans on this ship in three months than I have in ten years studying their ruins. I owe you just as much," she said bowing her head with gratitude.
"Some how I doubt that, Liara. But thank you."
"And thank you, Shepard," she said before turning to head back to her office across the deck.
Next came Adams, Tanaka, Felawa, Gladstone. They all noted their support and admiration for her service. Every one of them was proud to serve under her. But the revolving door was starting to make her head spin.
The door opened again. This time she did not look up. She was pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to read the same line she had been staring at for an hour.
"And when do I get my audience with the queen bee?" a deep voice bellowed. It was Garrus. "Did I get that right?"
"Yes, and whenever you like," she said, looking up to greet him.
"Look, Shepard. I know it was hard to sit there under 'house arrest'. But commandeering a military vessel? I don't think I would've had the quad," he said with a snicker.
"That's why I'm in charge. Someone's gotta make the tough calls," she said with a smirk.
"I know...and about Ash..." He sucked in a deep breath before continuing, "You did the right thing. I know you may not want to hear that or believe it, but it's true. We all stand behind that decision. And we all stand behind you."
"I appreciate that, Garrus. I really do," she said with a kind expression. "This may be a weird thing to say, but you're like a brother to me. An odd, slightly less attractive, Turian brother. And I'm proud to say that."
"I was just about to say the same thing, Shepard!"
"I'm like a brother to you?" she asked with a deadpanned expression.
"Yes. An odd, slightly less attractive, Human brother," he said with a chuckle.
"Thanks, Garrus. It's good to know you care," she said sarcastically.
"But, if you're going to continue to commandeer Alliance vessels, we may have to invest in a few eye patches and a pair of peg legs for Joker."
"I heard that, Vakarian," said Joker's voice over the comms.
"What were you saying the other day about eavesdropping on your Commander?" he asked the pilot.
"When, uh, you said my name, the comms system must've, uh, picked it up," he said stammering.
"Bullshit, Joker! You little Palavenian shitworm. I'll be right there to install those legs," he said with a confident tone.
"How do you know about Human pirates, Garrus?" asked Shepard.
"Who doesn't?" he asked rhetorically as he began his trek to the cockpit.
"Uh, Shepard? What the hell is a shitworm?" asked Joker as the door shut behind the Turian.
"Hell if I know...but with a name like that, it can't be anything good."
"We'll be at Ilos in eight hours, Commander," he added before dropping the comms.
An hour later, the door opened one final time. It was Kaidan. He had spent the last twelve hours in the infirmary courtesy of a migraine. That was not going to stop him from getting his time with Shepard.
"Finally!" she thought to herself before letting out a sigh of relief as he entered. He was the only person left that she wanted to talk to. But talking was not what either of them had in mind.
AN/: A BIG THANKS to everyone who's still reading this. I'm shocked that I have followers and favorites! Thank you! This is the first bit of fiction I've ever written and I hope it's gotten better as it goes along.