A/N: Canadians are awesome. Any Canadian readers/subscribers out there?
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-Base camp-
Shepard
"Comrades...", he started. "We have come a long way. From being total strangers, to forging a friendship, a bond that can never be broken or destroyed. This alone, is a victory against the Reapers.".
Shepard scanned his eyes across the view in front of him, where each and every member of his squad stood, eyes burning with that defiant flame. "We have all been though thick and thin together. From aboard the first Normandy, to the Collector base, the curing of the Genophage, taking back Rannoch... Of course, there were also losses.". Like Wrex, Mordin, Thane, Legion, Jenkins.
"But ultimately, we have all grown. Let their sacrifices mean something. We give those machines nothing less than our very best! Don't dwell on those we couldn't save, but rather, focus on those that we can protect. Every mother, every son, every unborn child. Just think of the safe and peaceful lives they'll live in, a future that would never be threatened by the Reapers!". Everyone seemed to straighten up at his words.
"The road will be long, the battle will be tough, but no one said it was going to be a walk in the park. You're all in the military! So suck it up, and give nothing less than your very best! Be fearless."
He started to quote a particular poem a particular someone had taught him.
"Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever Gods may be,
For my unconquerable soul."
Ashley smiled a little at his recitation. He continued on.
"In the fell clutch of circumstance,
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of Chance,
My head is bloodied, but unbowed."
Her smile grew wider. He let her quote the third stanza.
"Beyond this place of wrath and tears,
Looms but the horror of the shade.
And yet the menace of the years,
Finds and shall find me unafraid."
Little did he know, Kaidan joined in, so did Garrus and Tali.
"It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
The captain of my soul."
They can throw everything at us, shoot at us with their beams, send send waves after waves of husks. We'll stumble, limp, get battered mercilessly, but know this: we'll remain standing! Victory of failure, we're all on our own two feet!". He gave them a smile this time. "I know you'll make me proud, and I thank you, on behalf of the future generations you now fight so hard for."
He hoped his speech was good enough to make them forget about the most important of things. He was wrong. "Hold on, Shepard, who's going with you?"
He tried to purge all doubts and hesitation from his voice. "Nobody."
"What?"s traveled throughout the room. "You can't do that!", they all said.
He tried to calm them down. "Relax! I have Anderson and Major Coats with me, along with those Makos and a whole battalion. With covering fire from Joker and EDI, we'll be fine."
"Come on, Loco-"
"Shepard-"
"Commander, you can't-"
Time to go renegade. "I can! As of now, I call the shots here! You all have your respective duties, so go! That's an order!"
Reluctantly, they grumbled as they filed out, in a futile attempt to make Shepard change his mind. Soon, only two men were left to themselves.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Shep.". Colburn was expressionless, tone bland.
"Are you going to talk me out of it?"
"No."
"Then why are you still here?"
"To do the only thing I can - wish you luck."
Shepard tried to imitate his favourite Krogan. "Heh, who needs luck when you have ammo?", he claimed in a gruff voice.
"You'll need it all, Commander. All of it. Just don't make us get your sorry ass out of there like Cortez. Only makes our job worse at it is."
Shepard grinned at his XO. "Copy that."
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Colburn
"Please tell me you made him change his mind."
He kept his voice to sound oblivious to her statement. "Hey, Ash."
"Answer me, damn it."
He decided to play coy. "Whoever told you I stayed back to dissuade him?". His voice if not arrogant, was surely tempting enough for her to punch him in the face. To her credit, she didn't.
"Then what the hell did you say to him in there?"
"I wished him luck.", he replied nonchalantly.
"Are you mad? He's going to get ripped out there!"
He shoved her forward, making her face only inches from his. "Listen to me, Williams, I know you guys can't lose-"
"Damn straight we can't! And you don't know anything. You weren't even there when the SR1 got shredded by the damn Collectors. You've never seen him suffocate in space right in front of your eyes while you're in a escape pod! You were never part of the old crew. Don't you dare think you know him better than us."
Each sentence was like a stinging slap to the face, but only because they were true. Colburn faltered slightly, but he didn't show it. Instead, he made himself sound more confident than ever. "Maybe you do know him better than me, so show it! Put your money where your mouth is. Because if you really understand him, you'll know better than to go against him.", he taunted. She didn't reply.
"Think it about it, Ash.", he said, this time much calmer, before walking off.
A/N: Don't know about you guys, but I liked that lowblow, a lot. I mean, it's kinda normal for someone like Ash to just say everything out loud in an argument to win. And also, I thought it'd be more interesting to write an argument instead of those sappy farewell conversations or something. I told you I wasn't a romance person.
Ps: I just realised I'm such a meanie towards Cole. Lol. I keep getting bad stuff to happen to him.
Pps: Oops, forgot to add this in - the poem is called Invictus, by Henley. If any of you find it familiar, it's the one Ashley recited to Shepard at Huerta.