He's Gone
"Third and Fifth Fleets retreat! Second Fleet, hold until everyone is through the relay!"
No. Hannah stared at the screen shouting orders at her, at the image of Hackett on the monitor interrupted by static from the battle. "Sir, the Orizaba and the Logan have the biggest guns, we can stay behind to pro-"
"Damnit, Shepard, I gave you an order. We need those guns for another day."
"Sir-"
"This battle is a massacre. Arcturus is gone. We need to regroup. Meet at the rendezvous point. "
She faltered, not expecting him to be so blunt. She looked to the readout screens, one of which showed Arcturus Station, sections of it blinking frantically with red damage alarms. One section, one very familiar section, already completely destroyed.
She knew her orders. She knew what they meant. She knew what they were leaving behind. She should have retired. They should've found a nice little place out on one of the colonies - Elysium, or Benning. They should already have some fat grandchildren by now. Their daughter shouldn't be in a jail cell, Hackett shouldn't be ordering her away like this, none of this, none of the last three years this should have happened. He's gone. She told herself. He's already gone. She tore her eyes away from the screens, and prayed that Jane had gotten off of Earth, somehow.
"Yes, Sir."
