"I'm not loving this plan," Vega announced flatly, crossing his arms over his chest while frowning at Raan.
"That is understandable," Raan answered calmly.
"I'm not liking it either," Alenko and Garrus said at the same time, both of them scowling.
"We've had your fleet shooting at us once already. It wasn't pleasant," Alenko continued.
It was impossible to tell whether Raan blushed or not.
Shepard cracked her neck restlessly. She didn't like this plan much, either, but she couldn't see a way around it. They had to take out the Reaper signal. Paradoxically for something so obvious, it caused too much interference to target it clearly for an orbital bombardment, even with EDI trying to make adjustments to clarify the signal.
"I apologize for Admiral Gerrel's misdirected actions. Again."
"We never officially apologized, Raan. So not 'again,'" Tali noted waspishly.
But despite the waspish tone, Shepard could see the classic signs of uneasy agitation, as if Tali had committed herself to something and was dealing with decision-maker's remorse.
Raan sighed. "If Adm. Gerrel tries anything so ill-advised, it's entirely possible, after Tali's little letter, that the captain or security officer on his flagship will remove him to the brig."
"Letter?" Shepard asked, looking over to Tali.
"I sent a letter to the Conclave and the captains of all the vessels. All of them," she added firmly. If she'd had hair, Shepard could imagine her giving it a toss. "Requesting them to figure out a way to change out our Admiralty Board, because the Board won't change itself. How it is you say it? Like a diaper, and for the same reasons."
Several people snorted down chuckles.
Raan sighed. "It would have been better if you had waited."
"It would have been better if you'd let Gerrel's fleet be shredded. We've all made bad decisions these past few days," Tali retorted icily.
Shepard inwardly winced. If Tali had had backbone issues previously, she wasn't having them now!
"I'll be on the ground with Shepard, too," Tali continued. "And with the Council already having sent a 'what the hell?' message to us, I think we can feel confident that it will be the painted targets and not us being shot at."
"You're still asking us to go in on foot," Garrus broke in gently. "With a gun designed by Xen, which ostensibly paints a target, which willt hen be bombarded from orbit—no offense to EDI's aim. Do you realize how close we'll have to be?"
"I do," Tali answered, unoffended.
"Fortunately," EDI broke in, "we can paint the target, then withdraw to a safe distance. And this is a precision strike."
"Once the signal is dead, we can figure out what to do between us and the geth," Tali concluded.
"What do you think about this plan, Legion?" Shepard asked, turning to face the silent geth.
"We think that it has as much of a success ratio as any other plan. In fact, it is likely the best plan."
"Will you come with us?"
"Of course. You will require knowledge of the area."
Shepard nodded. "Okay. I'm going to be frank with you, Admirals: the quarian leadership is on extremely thin ice with me. If Gerrel screws this up, I'm going to find him, I'm going to hold the Council Spectre version of captain's mast, I'm going to convict him, I'm going to shoot him, and I'll space his remains so he never sees his precious homeworld." She didn't like the threat, but the situation was dicey at best, and Gerrel had already proved himself a danger to his people. If they didn't have what it took to do something about him, she would.
Raan stiffened in offense, but Tali did not. "I'll even help," Tali said flatly. "What matters now are the lives of the quarians in the Fleet. Anything other objectives are secondary. Anyone endangering those lives further should be held accountable."
"Good. Thank you. Now, how are Koris and the Civilian Fleet holding up?" Shepard asked.
"He's fine. His crew who survived being down on Rannoch are also recovering—no further casualties. Vega was right to go get him. The Civilian Fleet was about to come apart and just start running every which way. We've got them to the back of the fighting, but still can't safely withdraw them through the Relay," Tali answered.
"If the Old Machines' signal is destroyed, there will be a short period of confusion among the geth. It would not be unlike the organic experience of being too close to a large motor for a prolonged period of time, and the disorientation that follows when said motor is disabled," Legion pointed out. "It would be wise to start evacuating ships during that period of readjustment."
Shepard read into this the hope that a ceasefire would follow, and during that ceasefire, people might be able to talk back and forth. She felt sure she would be the one helping to arrange those talks.
How likely was it that the quarians would act on Tali's plea for the civilian government to step up since the military government failed? Because contrary to what her question earlier suggested, Tali had copied her on the document so she knew what was going on. Shepard opted to play ignorant rather than stir up the distraction of a foreigner interfering in a legal government beyond the extent she already was. She wasn't sure how far her actions as a Spectre would be supported when it came to meddling in other sapients' political structures.
Then again, Tali was the one doing most of the meddling. Shepard was merely making strong suggestions. Still, better not to alienate people.
"I'll make sure Koris knows, and have him tell all the civilian ships. He can handle the logistics for evacuation order and the like," Tali said, getting out of her chair. She didn't leave immediately, however, merely waited, one hand resting on the back of the vacated seat.
"Please do," Shepard said, nodding.