CHAPTER 26

Balint picked them all up outside of Goggles – in a non-loading zone. She didn't question the legality of his parking – they had more important things to stress about. She frowned when Oliver and Keeya leaned on the two giant plush animals, heavy-lidded and yawning. "Shouldn't we drop the kids off at home, first," she asked Balint.

Balint shook his head from the driver's seat. "They can sleep there. It's a disaster, Rose."

Rosemary winced. "How bad?"

"The buildings are there, but the ships were due in two weeks. They're not prepared. Only half of the people you need were hired. All available C-Sec officers are pulling overtime and heading to Bridgeton to help – and you'll need all the help you can get. … Nice name, by the way."

"I thought so, too," Oliver chimed in sleepily.

Rosemary bit her lip, thinking. She was already running on fumes and caffeine. This isn't good.

When they got to the development – Bridgeton – Meeno was waiting for them at the gate. He was pacing in a very frantic manner. When he saw her, he all but went limp with relief.

Rosemary was already being intimidated by the magnitude of all that needed to be done – but Meeno was a mess.

"What's wrong, Meeno," Rosemary asked, jumping down from the skycar.

Meeno ran to her. "It's a disaster! I don't know what to do," he wailed.

Rosemary couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was a far picture from the composed, educated quarian she'd met earlier that day. He was a nervous, hand-wringing mess! "But – you have training... degrees! You must have been prepared for this." His nervousness didn't make sense...

"I don't have experience," Meeno blurted out.

Rosemary could feel Balint and the other guards' frowns from behind her. "What do you mean by 'no experience'," Balint demanded, his voice harsh. "You wouldn't have been hired without experience."

From inside his mask, Meeno sounded like he was wincing as he explained, "I lied! So I lied on my resume! Who doesn't do that?"

Rosemary couldn't quite recall the details of his resume – but she remembered one thing. "You have degrees! You have a few of them!"

Meeno's shoulders slumped. "... and they're all from the extranet."

"What?!"

"Yes, they're all legitimate... but I got all of them in the span of a year... and maybe I had some friends who helped me with the work..."

Rosemary covered her eyes with a hand. This isn't happening... "... Why, Meeno?"

"What? Did you think I went on my Pilgrimage and did the whole college experience? No!" Meeno was starting to sound defensive.

Rosemary had... never thought about that. The quarians hadn't been on Rannoch long – and they were just now getting an embassy... But Eastment should have noticed. Had he been blinded by the degrees themselves and hadn't seen beyond them – maybe looked into the colleges behind the degrees? Seen that they had all been extranet colleges? Granted, they had been pinched on time from the get-go – but still...

This wasn't fair. She was supposed to be the experienced one. Meeno was freaking out – and where was everyone else? "And the other staff?"

"Oh, they're more... legitimate."

Something was off. "And... where are they?"

Meeno sounded like he was wincing again. "They... decided to celebrate the naming of 'Bridgeton'. We've been working nonstop for months, you see... and they needed to unwind. I was finishing up some work and was going to join them, so..."

"So, they're... drunk as shit?"

"... Yeah."

"Crap."

"Yeah."

For some reason, Rosemary didn't feel so... frazzled now. Maybe it was because she didn't feel so intimidated anymore. She wasn't just the inexperienced, under-educated figurehead she thought she'd be... Experience-wise, she was the lowest rung on the ladder – but she was all they had! She was literally, their last resort! It wasn't like she could make things worse! The thought cheered her up immensely – and completely washed away the panic she'd been feeling.

Suddenly, she knew exactly what needed to be done.

"Who do we have?"

Meeno checked his omni-tool. "Well, it's you, me... your C-Sec people... and that's it."

"Perfect!"

"Perfect?" Meeno tapped his omni-tool. "My translator must be glitching, because that is not the word I'd be using," he grumbled.

XOXOXOXO

After reporting to Veracia, Balint rejoined Meeno outside of the office Rosemary had shut herself in. "How long has she been in there now?"

"She's been in my office for ten minutes," Meeno told him, looking worried. "She's not... She's going to help us, right?"

Balint didn't think that ridiculous question needed answering. Instead, he asked, "Your office? Doesn't she have one of her own?"

The quarian shrugged. "Not until after her trial period – and if she takes the job."

"Ah. Did she say what she was going to do in there?"

"Not a clue. I just hope she hurries," Meeno fretted.

The turian stared at the quarian. "You act like she'll be the one doing all the work. Aren't you going to help?"

"... Pass?"

Balint all but growled at the quarian. "You cannot be serious."

"I told you," Meeno said weakly. ", I'm just your regular, average fraud."

"Get over yourself," Balint snapped. "There's work that needs doing, and you're going to help. Even frauds have their uses."

Rosemary opened the door to the turian snarling at Meeno. Meeno huffed and crossed his arms. She shook her head. Whatever. She already had her omni-tool up and ready. "The three buildings closest to the gates," she said to Meeno.

"Yeah?"

"We're using them for processing. Hybrids with families, the ones without, and the help." Rosemary brought up the notes she'd typed up. "The hybrids with families – confirm their identities – flag anyone with childcare experience – send them to the third building. I sent the file to you, Meeno. What are you waiting for? Bring it up!"

Meeno rushed to comply. Balint nodded. "And C-Sec?"

"Have the bulk of them doing quick background checks. For everyone else – check identities, register them, and send them to the appropriate buildings. Get the cafeterias going, the building managers situated..."

Meeno shook his head. "We can't – they're asleep. It's not even dawn."

Rosemary and Balint stared. "Then wake them up," Rosemary bit ruthlessly.

"O-Of course!"

Rosemary shook her head. "Balint – please manage the background checks. I don't want anyone who can be an agent of Divide getting in through all this chaos." That was her biggest worry.

Balint nodded and started tapping at his omni-tool, sending out messages. "You know," he said, while he worked. "You're not doing half bad."

Rosemary smiled, grateful for the compliment. "I just learned from the best."

He had been half-listening. "Sorry?"

She just waved it off. The truth was, she'd been watching Balint for a while. Well, not just for the physical, sexy reasons – but for the many things he'd taken responsibility for. Not only did he manage a whole security team, but he was regularly consulted by Captain Veracia and the Councilors. And he still managed to help Oliver with his homework every night. And he'd been the one to help her organize all this. He... was an impressive person. She wasn't about to tell him that, though. He had a big enough bird-head, she thought, grinning to herself. "I'm going to need your help, Balint – to bring a little order to all this chaos."

Balint squeezed her shoulder. "You can do this, Rose."

"I have to," she agreed solemnly.

XOXOXOXO

Rosemary continued working for hours, assisting everyone all over the development – going wherever she was needed most. She did everything from changing diapers to checking identifications to reporting her progress to the Council. She had gone nearly forty hours without rest, and when she had been just about to collapse from exhaustion, Balint found her and took her to the security wing of the primary administration building to rest with Oliver and Keeya.

She slept a dreamless twelve hours straight – before forcing herself to wake up and go back to work.

Three days later, Rosemary and her workforce had miraculously managed to press the chaos into some semblance of order. Everyone was finally starting to settle in. Her plan to include the hybrids' families in the management of Bridgeton was finally starting to bear fruit. In a very short time, they started to feel less like refugees and more like true citizens of the Citadel. They had homes, jobs... they had purpose.

Imitha came by the administration building's cafeteria with fresh loaves of bread. After she dropped them off, she started looking for Rosemary. She was finally pointed in the right direction – in the storage closet of one of the infant dormitories. Rosemary was sitting in the corner of the large closet, her head resting on her knees – fast asleep. Imitha knelt down next to her friend and grimacing, took a wet cloth from a nearby dispenser to wipe away crust and dirt from Rosemary's skin.

Rosemary remained asleep while Imitha cleaned her of what looked to be the dried remains of vomit, milk, and asari anti-rash ointment. "Ugh. When was the last time you took a shower, Rosemary," Imitha muttered, mostly to herself.

Rosemary stirred. She smiled appreciatively when she realized where she was and what her friend had done. "Thanks, Imitha. I... think I showered maybe... yesterday? No, the day before that?"

Imitha shuddered. "And the last time you slept?"

"Um..."

Imitha stood and put her hands on her hips. "Rosemary Fletcher, you are taking a break. You are going home, showering, and going to sleep!"

Rosemary shook her head. "Can't. Too much to do."

"Tough! Move it!"

Rosemary sighed. "No need to yell."

"You won't listen if I don't. MOVE IT!"