Shala'Raan vas Rannoch regarded the judicial review with more than a little trepidation, and knew it was cosmic payback for that farce of a trial poor Tali had been forced to endure. Even though the other three Admirals all believed she ought to have recused herself, she knew she should have begun making a stink when she realized that Tali and her fate were unimportant in the matter, despite being the central topic.

She felt her age as she settled into the defendant's chair, hands twisted together on her knees. Her stomach squirmed and writhed with nerves as she regarded this unprecedented demonstration of the Conclave's authority. To think that so many quarians had no faith in the Admiralty Board…and to think that she should live to see it happen, to be part of the reason for the lack of faith.

"Shala'Raan vas Tonbay nar Rayya," Xala'Far began, tone unusually formal. "You have resigned voluntarily from the Admiralty Board. We consider this a sign of good faith, even if it does not absolve you of complicity with decisions that endangered and nearly destroyed the Flotilla."

"I understand," Raan answered humbly. Looking back, she found herself cringing from the number of votes she had either abstained from, or simply gone with the majority on. She recoiled from her own lack of strength, which Tali had brought to her attention. She could see, in retrospect, just how long she'd allowed Xen, Rael, and Gerrel to lead her about by the nose…and she had no excuse.

"Former Admiral Tali'Zorah requested of the Conclave and all ships' captains that you be allowed to retire, and have no more said about it. Were you aware of this?" Xala asked.

"I received a copy of her plea when she sent it," Raan answered. "It was…gracious…of her to make such a request."

"It was. Unlike our first two defendants, we have no concrete cause of complaint against you, except to complain of your capitulation when Gerrel unilaterally changed the plan, which prevented the escape of the Civilian Fleet. Someone's fleet was going to be decimated, Raan, and you decided that the Civilian Fleet was better able to deal with geth firepower than the Heavy Fleet."

Raan looked up. "I don't deny it. I-I was afraid to lose the weapons of the Heavy Fleet."

"Even knowing the Civilian Fleet lacked the Heavy Fleet's defensive capacities?" Xala asked.

"Even so. It was…a poor decision. The crowning poor decision on a history of weakening leadership." It was bitter to admit, but admit it she must. It wasn't guns or shields that won back Rannoch. It wasn't even the quarians who won back their home. It was the diplomatic efforts of one human, who refused to accept the quarians' side of the story…and who wasn't afraid to let synthetics defend themselves from aggressors, just like organics.

"This charge is really the only one that we can bring against you. All other votes, all other decisions, fall under the heading of your conscience, and your belief that you were doing what was best for the quarian people," Xala concluded.

The jury began to chat among themselves, voices lowered.

Raan approved the jury—fifteen members from the three major Fleets. It was impossible to have a tie, impossible for one Fleet to swing a decision through weight of numbers. She tried to feel pleased with this precedent: if there were no more Heavy Fleet, Civilian Fleet, and Patrol Fleet, how would the Admiralty Board even work?

Regaining the homeworld had introduced things no one had really thought about, and if governmental restructuring had to happen, perhaps this was best. While ideas were fairly unified.

Although it was far from comfortable being the target of that unified thought.

Raan waited silently, glancing around the room from time to time for lack of anything else to do.

Finally, one of the jury, an older fellow, got to his feet. "We have reached a consensus," he announced.

"Very well," Xala nodded.

"Shala'Raan vas Tonbay nar Rayya. Firstly, we recognize your request to be tried under the name Shala'Raan vas Rannoch." A murmur went through the audience.

Well, with Rannoch regained, why not change her surname to reflect that the quarian people had a home again?

"The jury has considered your part in the decisions that have cost so much, and created so much strife. We have ruled…that it is enough that you have resigned your post voluntarily. We add the condition that you will never again hold any further public office. Apart from that, there is nothing else."

Raan's stomach lurched to smack against her diaphragm, then down to bounce against her bladder. Shakes began to wrack her hands. "I…thank you," she managed, getting unsteadily to her feet.

"Your years of service are appreciated," the juryman declared. "You are at liberty, and may leave when you are ready."

Raan inclined her head to the jury and to Xala, then withdrew. This time, the two security officers who conducted her did so more to ensure she didn't collapse than because it was their job to escort her to and fro.

She felt lightheaded, unsettled, as if a tight grip on her throat had suddenly and inexplicably released.

The two security officers deposited her in a nearby office space, advising her to let the starch come back to her knees before she tried to walk any real distance. Raan waited a few minutes, then returned to wait with those who had not fit into the chamber of judicature. Tali's trial was next, and Raan felt she owed it to Tali not to sit cowering and grateful that she hadn't been exiled in an office, when Tali's own fate remained undecided. In this, she needed to show the strength she failed to show as an Admiral in later years.

She watched as the two security officers walked Tali through the crowd and into the chamber, at which point she had to be content with listening to the audio-only feed.