Kaidan rolled over in the bed and groaned. Damn Garrus right to hell, along with Vodka. That was the last time he would ever drink it, that stuff was only good for degreasing engines. Kaidan opened a bleary eye wide enough to read the time on the stereo next to the bed; 0800, far too early to be up on what was technically his duty free day especially considering how late he and Garrus had stumbled back to the Normandy and how much alcohol Kaidan had actually imbibed. Kaidan closed his eye again and pulled the covers over his head, feeling vaguely like a little kid as he did so.

A couple minutes later Kaidan groaned and sat up ruffling his hair with his hand. It was no use trying to go back to sleep, he was thoroughly awake now. Kaidan got up, usually he didn't drink so much, he'd really needed to unwind, apparently. With a sigh, Kaidan went to go take a shower and get ready for the day.

Kaidan, owing to his prevailing hangover, walked past the galley and into the Med Bay for something to kill his pounding headache. Wide awake and irritatingly chipper, Dr. Chakwas and Dr. T'Inga were showing Lieutenant Commander Sara Tremaine around the Med Bay. She was about Shepard's true age which meant she was more than likely an L3 rather than an L2 like Kaidan was. Commander Tremaine snapped to attention and saluted when Kaidan came in the room. Kaidan blandly returned the salute and said, "Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Commander Tremaine."

"Thank you, sir." she stood down from attention to at ease.

Kaidan smiled slightly, Kaidan wondered if Admiral Borshevsky actually insisted on this level of discipline as a matter of course, the Admiral certainly hadn't seemed like a stickler for formality, or if Commander Tremaine was nervous about being aboard the Normandy. Kaidan said kindly, "I don't keep things too formal aboard the Normandy most of the time."

"Yes, Commander," Tremaine murmured as she visibly relaxed.

Kaidan nodded to Tremaine and then to the two doctors before turning his attention to the medicine dispensary on the wall next to the door to the AI Core. Kaidan cached a general analgesic. That done he walked over to where Shepard was still asleep in her hospital bed. Kaidan brushed a hand across Shepard's forehead. Kaidan pulled back, he hadn't wanted to wake Shepard up. Never the less her eyes flickered a couple of times and she opened them. Her bright green eyes were blearily from sleep as she looked up at Kaidan and focused on his face. She smiled sleepily at him and rubbed her eyes.

"I was about to wake you up, Shepard; it's about time for your breakfast." Dr. Chakwas chimed in from behind Kaidan. Kaidan half turned when heard the Med Bay door open to reveal Dr. Chakwas's two corpsmen, Dmitri and Harris, came in. Dmitri was carrying a tray, presumably for Shepard.

Once Shepard was sitting up and fully occupied with eating her breakfast, Kaidan walked over to talk with the two doctors. Pitching his voice low so Shepard wouldn't be able to hear what he said, "Is really necessary to keep Shepard in the Med Bay twenty four seven?"

Dr. T'Inga nodded looking grim, "When Shepard woke up yesterday afternoon, we were going to let her move into Tali'Zorah vas Normandy's quarters, I understand she's away for the time being. But when she stood up she was having coordination problems."

"What? Why?" after a moment's thought Kaidan thought to add, "she wasn't having any problems like that while we were still on Camala."

Dr. T'Inga sighed and nodded, "So I was given to understand, she's have severe problems with muscular coordination and balance."

Kaidan thought about that for a moment, "Neurological stress?"

Dr. T'Inga nodded, "Based on the delay between the trauma and the onset, I would guess that this is a side effect of her conscious mind wanting to remember and some part her subconscious mind telling her that she really doesn't want to know."

Kaidan drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Classic; what, if anything, should we do about it?"

Dr. T'Inga pursed her lips for a moment considering, "I would not recommend doing anything until after her brain chemistry normalizes and then we'll reassess the situation."

"Right," Kaidan sighed and rubbed his eyes, "well I have some things I need to take care of before the summit tomorrow morning." with one last look at Shepard, Kaidan left the Med Bay.

Kaidan grabbed a bottle of orange juice from the drink dispenser and used it to wash his pills down. Rupert watched him surreptitiously with a slightly smug look on his face. Kaidan turned to look at the mess sergeant. Gardener's smug smile widened as Kaidan smirked back and rolled his eyes. Rupert was one of the reasons Kaidan drank so much last night and this morning. The man had challenged Kaidan and Garrus to a drinking contest.

Kaidan was mildly proud that he'd succeeded in drinking both of them under the table. Rupert had been the first to drop out; he'd fallen asleep right on the table. After that Garrus and Kaidan had gone shot for shot. By the time Garrus had slid out of his chair to the floor they'd each drank twenty one shots. Kaidan drank one more shot afterwards to officially finish the contest as the winner. One thing about being a biotic he metabolized alcohol, and drugs in general, rapidly.

When the medicine began to work Kaidan felt the muscles in his back and shoulders relax. Kaidan sighed and looked back at Rupert with a slight smile, "What's for breakfast Rupert?" the mess sergeant fixed Kaidan a tray; eggs, bacon, waffles and toast with butter. Too bad none of it was actually real, but at least it tasted good. "Thanks," Kaidan said and bore his tray to his office.

After several hours of working on his console, looking up information on the founding of democratic systems from different worlds, Kaidan sat back with a sigh. By far the most useful, to him anyways, was the Articles of Confederation from the United States, which was written in the late eighteenth century. Though he'd found a copy of the Asari Republic founding Constitution very helpful as well. Perhaps he was over estimating what his 'Apollo Coalition' could become, but something told him that whatever else happened, this was the next logical step for galaxy. To Kaidan this Coalition was the next evolution of galactic civilization, a step that the older civilizations of the galaxy, asari, salarian and turian, seemed unwilling to take for whatever reason.

The Citadel Council was all well and good but the Council itself was to discerning in which species were allowed to have a representative. Perhaps it was a human thing, or maybe his Canadian upbringing but Kaidan firmly believe that every species ought to have a right to have a voice when the laws governing them were decided.

Kaidan was so focused on what he was doing that he nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise when the door to his office opened. Kaidan turned from his console and looked up, attempting to bring his breathing under control as surreptitiously as possible. Thane, his son Kolyat, and Rei T'Inga were walking into Kaidan's office. Kaidan sat back in his desk chair and smiled welcomingly, "Good morning, Thane, Ms. T'Inga. It's been sometime Kolyat, how are things going for you in C-Sec? Is there something I can do for the three of you?"

A thin smile curved the corners of Thane's mouth as he said, "It is no longer morning, Commander. Rupert mentioned that you had not eaten yet, we thought you might join us for a late lunch."

Kaidan dug out the watch Shepard had given him on Arcturus and blinked in surprise, he'd been working for nearly five hours straight. Kaidan stood, "Thank you, I think that would be a good idea."

OoOoO

The next morning in Councilor Anderson's office, Kaidan, Liara and Garrus were waiting for the representatives from the various Apollo Group factions. The Councilor's office had been rearranged to accommodate the summit. His desk was pushed back and there were five tables arranged in a pentagon in the middle. Each table had a card with the name of the delegation and the appropriate numbers of chairs were set out for each delegation.

Admiral Borshevsky, Admiral Hackett and Captain Roy Mustang came in together trailed by two aides, one for each of the admirals. Kaidan and Garrus exchanged salutes with their fellow Alliance officers. Kaidan was getting slightly nervous when Admiral Hackett pulled him aside.

Hackett, his voice pitched low so it wouldn't carry, "The Alliance command has found independent confirmation to the Reaper reports that Shepard has been putting forward. The Prime Minister is going to be going on in less than an hour to officially report it to the public."

Kaidan's eyes widened in surprise and he cleared his throat, "What confirmation?"

Hackett, looking deeply ironic murmured, "I sent Captain Mustang and the Ain Jalut through the Omega Four Relay as a scout ship to take a look at the Collector Base; what was left of it anyways. They found undeniable evidence of an extra-galactic communications device. It was nearly intact and far more advance than anything our tech boys have even dreamed of."

Kaidan whistled quietly before something else occurred to him, "What about the indoctrination threat?"

Hackett smiled tightly and nodded, "One of the things the Watch Dog sent us was a full report of the Cerberus research team that was indoctrinated on that derelict Reaper last year."

Kaidan furrowed his brow and cocked his head to the side, "I remember that one, I didn't really pay attention, I was more worried about current projects and bases, and anything about Shepard's where abouts."

Admiral Hackett nodded, "Most of us were, but that particular report caught my attention specifically because the Prime Minister himself asked me to brief him on everything we had about the Reapers about a week ago, hence the scouting mission beyond the Omega Four."

Kaidan turned to look at the Captain of the Alliance's other stealth ship briefly before turning back to Admiral Hackett and asking quietly, "I like Captain Mustang and it's not that I mind him being here but I'm not sure I understand why he is here."

Admiral Hackett smiled slightly, "The Prime Minister fully intends for the Systems Alliance to be a signatory of the Apollo Coalition. To that end the Ain Jalut is going to be pledged to your Apollo Coalition's Navy."

"Oh…" was all Kaidan could think to say. To have the only two stealth ships in existence under his command…

Kaidan was thinking along this line when the door to Counselor Anderson's office slid open and Urdnot Wrex walked in followed by Grunt and another krogan. Kaidan grinned widely and strode forward to clasp arms with the Krogan Battle Master and Clan Leader.

"Alenko!" Wrex exclaimed happily.

Kaidan was still slightly taken aback by Wrex's appearance never the less said, "Wrex! I wasn't expecting you to come yourself."

Wrex nodded, "I haven't been off Tuchanka for over two years, but your message convinced me it was time to make the trip back to the Citadel."

Kaidan nodded still smiling, "How's Clan Urdnot? Who did you leave in charge?"

Wrex nodded, "Clan Urdnot is getting stronger by the day; there are very few clans that have not joined. I left my broodbrother Wreav in charge while I'm gone." Wrex gestured to the krogan Kaidan hadn't recognized, "this is one of my other broodbrothers, Urdnot Worin."

Kaidan nodded to the krogan, who grunted and nodded back. Kaidan hid another smile that threatened to form. Worin was much like his brood brother. Kaidan remembered the laconic 'Wrex' 'Shepard' that the two had used when speaking on the old Normandy.

Councilor Anderson's door slide open once more, this time it was Jelvan Del'amon of the Batarian Rebellion, no it was the Batarian Republic now. The relatively small liberation front had gained legitimacy by taking Camala away from the Batarian Hegemony. Behind Del'amon was Verha Had'deh, Kaidan nodded in greeting to the combat specialist, and two other batarians that Kaidan didn't know. Del'amon introduced them, "These are my fellow representatives, Kolper Ger'wen and Inya Fah'run."

Kaidan nodded and shook the two batarians' hands saying, "Nice to meet you." Kaidan turned back to Del'amon and said, "I'd heard you refused political office in the Republic. May I ask why?"

Del'amon frowned, "I'm a soldier, that's all I ever wanted to be. Leading the Rebellion, it was just something I did because I was good at it. When my predecessor was killed there was no one else who could follow in his footsteps. Now that there are others, I'm free to simply be a soldier again."

Before Kaidan could say anything the door slide open again, this time a dark purple asari came in followed by three rachni 'children'. Kaidan supposed the Earth equivalent would be worker bees or drones but neither was respectful enough for sentient beings. Kaidan stepped forward and bowed to the three rachni and said, "Welcome." turning to the asari he shook the woman's hand and said, "welcome Kolna T'Orin."

The asari smiled and replied, "You may call me Kolna, Commander Alenko." she gestured to the rachni and indicated one at a time as she introduced them to Kaidan, "This is Yuut, Saaeve, and Intia."

Kaidan smiled and bowed to the three children again before saying all four of them, "Excuse me." Kaidan caught Councilor Anderson's eye and nodded, the Councilor nodded back. Kaidan pitched his voice louder to carry over the slight noise of conversation and said, "If you all will have a seat we can get started."

Garrus, Liara and Kaidan went to their own table. Kaidan stayed standing while Liara and Garrus sat down. Kaidan waited for everyone to settle into their places and then cleared his throat, they looked up at him. Kaidan swallowed, he hated pubic speaking, and began, "When I formed the Apollo Group it was with the expressed purpose of restoring Captain Lucille Shepard to who she is, our greatest leader against the Reapers. But now I see that the organization I created to dismantle Cerberus has grown into more than I ever dared to hope it would become."

Kaidan paused and swallowed again, "With that in mind, I ask everyone here to help me draft a document that will recreate the Apollo Group and forge it into the weapon that we can use to protect the galaxy against the Reapers."

The gathered delegates clapped and Kaidan glanced at Councilor Anderson. With a smile the Councilor nodded at Kaidan in approval.