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Beta(s) :
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When he woke up, he did it with a pained groan. His head throbbed with every beat of his heart, worse than when that Salarian had cracked his helmet, and his stomach was spinning. He shifted in his cot and felt a stinging burn run up his legs and spine, curling up in his head and drawing a hiss from between teeth pressed together so hard they ached, too.
But, he took a breath, and ignored it like he'd been trained to. Admittedly, this wasn't a bullet wound, but the training still worked…
"O-Oh, you're awake." He turned, looking at the entrance to see Beau, hair down around her shoulders and wearing her uniform, stagger around the corner with a tray of… Some kind of sandwich and a liter of water. Lifting the tray up and smiling, she said, "I, um, went and got us food. I had a killer headache when I got up, a-and Chakwas said that, um… That isn't the best idea when you're hungry. Or, you know, dehydrated."
"What do you mean by…" He blinked as he sat up and felt the cold air on his bare, scarred chest, and memories rushed back. Blinking, he tugged the blanket up on instinct and grunted a quiet, embarrassed, "Oh, yeah… I remember Boot teaching us that, back in the day. Never used it, so I… Forgot."
"Yeah, phys-ed told us, too… Just kinda, you know, forgot. Heat of the m-moment, I guess." She said, bouncing over to his makeshift bench to lay the food out and then plopping down on the floor and turning to him. "Boot?"
"Boot camp." He grunted, tucking the blanket around himself while he searched for his shirt. Then he sighed, remembering last night, and just grabbed his pants from the floor. Slipping out of the bed he tugged them on and joined her, sitting on the floor to eat the grilled cheeses while she looked his chest up and down. Smiling thinly he asked, "Problem?"
"N-No!" She blushed, cramming a little triangle into her mouth to buy her a moment. Then she explained, "Just, uh… You have a lot of scars. I didn't notice last night, in the dark and with… S-Stuff going on, but you do."
"I am a soldier." He shrugged, "We get shot a lot."
"That," she said, reaching out to run a hand from his stomach up to his shoulder blade, where a long, thin line traced along, "isn't a bullet wound. Or shrapnel."
"How do you know?"
"It's too… Neat." She answered, "It's straight, up to your, um… C-Chest. Then it hooks, b-but it's straight again, after."
"I'd rather not talk about old war wounds, if you don't mind, Eclaire." She was perceptive as always, though, and in a good mood too. She blinked, but he rushed on, asking, "Did you make these sandwiched, by the way?"
"Y-Yes, I did." She nodded, smiling thinly, "G-Gardner suggested I shred up some pepper jack he had stashed away to sprinkle on top of the, um, synth-cheddar. He said it'd make it taste less cheap and, um, I agree! I like it."
"So do I." He smiled, taking another bite and then blinking as a thought occurred. "Tonight, do you want to have din-"
"Pardon me, Lieutenant Commander Doe." EDI's voice suddenly cut in, echoing around the engineering sub-deck and drawing a sigh and a frown from him. "I apologize for interrupting you when you only just woke up, but the Commander ordered that I mute morning call alarms on the sub-deck for the two of you. As a result, you are running behind for a strategy meeting with Commander Shepard and the Coalition Council."
"Ah." He frowned when he saw Beau's smile dip, turning to the sandwiched in front of them with a small sigh. Frowning, he asked, "How long do I have, exactly?"
"Approximately ten minutes, Sir." EDI answered, quick and clean as always. Curiosity laced under her tone she added, "Why do you ask, Lieutenant Commander?"
"Tell the Commander I'll be there in fifteen minutes." He answered simply, shuffling over to anxiously wrap an arm around the woman. Unsure of where to put his hand, he laid it on the floor until, without missing a beat, Beau grabbed it and set it on her lap, smiling warmly. "I need to eat my breakfast with my, um…"
"Girlfriend." Beau answered simply, not the faintest hint of a stutter in her voice. "He needs to eat breakfast with his girlfriend, and take his meds from getting literally spaced."
"But Commander Shepard-"
"Can wait or come down her and square up against me her own damn self!" Beau snapped off suddenly, blinking as she realized what she'd said and flushed. Still, she held her ground and said, "And if you keep pushing, we'll make it twenty minutes."
"...Commander Shepard says she can buy you eighteen minutes." EDI answered quietly after a long moment, "Any longer and members of the meeting will have to be called away for war duties at hand. She can't do any more than that."
"Thank you, EDI." Beau said simply, turning a smile on him and offering another sandwich. "Hurry up and eat then. You have work to get to."
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When he stepped out onto the Command Deck, it was a scene of familiar, semi-controlled chaos. The crew, sparse as it still was even now, so late in the war, were rushing across the deck, checking systems, supplies, and running computer suites through drills. The four aid officers stationed on the deck, meant to see to wounded as needed during a fight, were also running around in circles to store supplies in easy to access but out of the way places. Marines stationed as guards on the deck were tucked into a corner where they'd be well enough out of the way, running through checks of their armor and weapons, and counting Thermal Clips out.
"Finally escape the evil, dastardly clutches of the technician that's probably about half your weight?" Shepard asked, leaning against the wall beside the elevator and paying him a little nod. "Also, did she actually threaten to kick my ass if I didn't leave you two alone, or was EDI exaggerating?"
"Her phrasing was a bit different, to be fair..." He shrugged, dodging the question as best he could and bobbing his head at the Command Deck. "What's all this, then?"
"I have the crew drilling and checking supplies." She answered simply as he leaned against the wall beside her and folded his arms over his chest. "We're on the verge of the last leg of this war, and I want everything ready. Or at least accounted for, if it can't be dealt with in time."
"Damage control." He nodded, "If you can't prevent it, then it's the best thing to be doing."
"Mhm." The woman nodded, offering him a bottle of cool water. He gave it a look, his brow furrowed, and then turned to her and she explained, "Just figured you might be thirsty, Doe. Nothin' else to it."
"Uh huh." He grunted, rolling his eyes and taking the bottle. Truth was, his head was still just a bit achey, and he knew why. And he was pretty sure Shepard knew, too. Sidestepping that issue, he asked, "How long until we hit the Reapers, then?"
"Depends on when the other fleets get lined up." She shrugged, pushing off the wall and waving for him to follow. He did and she went on, "Little bit of catch up since someone skipped the pre-briefing."
"Not my fault." He grunted, "And no regrets."
"Good, I'd have to kick your ass on her behalf if you did have any." She laughed quietly, her armored boots clanging heavily on the metal grating as she walked. Where her helmet was, he wasn't sure, but it didn't really matter right now. "Gist of it was our fleets are setting up for a broad general offensive all along the edge of Reaper territory. Nothing ongoing has been halted, but the fleets are holding."
"For?"
"Operation : Troy." She answered with a smirk as they stepped into the wide, semi-circular War Room. "We're just about to get into the details, though. Find a spot."
Initially, the Normandy had been intended to serve as Hackett's flagship for the war against the Reapers, and thus a lot of the retrofits had gone to that end. Heavier armor, better point defense, and even an overhaul of the ship's already advanced stealth systems. Hell, the QEC had only been installed for Admiral Hackett to use. The War Room was no different from any of the rest of the ship's mostly finished overhauls. It was large, semi-circular, with two tiers circling a large central holo-display that, as of now, showed Hackett himself, waiting patiently and speaking to someone off-screen.
"Doe!" Wrex called, projected from one of the smaller terminals that ringed the room. He turned to pay the High Chieftain a nod and Wrex smiled, "Good to see ya. Heard you had a bit of fun a few days back."
"In a manner of speaking." He nodded, "I killed Kai Leng. Shepard got The Illusive Man, too."
"Yeah, I already heard all about it through the old vine. I get to read all of your reports now, after all." Wrex grunted, turning to pay attention to something off-screen for a moment and huffing. "Send the fifth and ninth defense fleets then. Oughta be close enough to help the idiots out."
"Problems?" He asked worriedly, explaining when the warlord raised a ridged brow at him, "You're dispatching the defense fleets. I was in the room when the idea was being bandied about. Which means something is wrong."
"Perceptive son of a feral Varren…" Shaking his head he turned back to them and rumbled a laugh, "Reapers thought they could launch an attack on Tuchankan space. Puttin' up a fight, the bastards, but we got 'em trapped. Just had a dumbass commander make a dumbass choice was all."
"If you're sure…"
"There isn't much we could do about it even if he wasn't." Shepard pointed out quietly, bobbing her head to the waiting Admiral. "Except our jobs, which we should get to."
"Right." He'd delayed them a few selfish minutes as it was, and he could feel the guilt for that crawling up his back now, to be certain. Shaking it off he asked, "Where do you want me?"
"Next to me, Sand Swimmer." Wrex grunted shortly, grinning toothily when he turned to him in confusion. "After everything you've been through, I wanted you here for this noise, too. Felt wrong not to. So you're my advisor for this."
"I see…"
"Yeah." Wrex grinned wryly, cocking his head and chortling, "Sorry to drag you off from your mate, but I'm sure she can wait."
"I'll go tell Hackett we're ready to convene, finally." Shepard said while he sighed and glared at the much older warrior. The two of them both turned to nod respectfully as the armored woman sauntered off.
"So," Wrex rumbled, "when can I expect the first pups?"
"I will find the nearest airlock and shove you through it the next time I see you." He threatened quietly, "Don't tempt me, lizard."
The old Warlord only laughed, a deep rumbling sound that sent static echoing across the link.
The first to join the call, fairly predictably, were the Geth and the Rachni, sparking into life on the same upper tier as Wrex. Next, also on the upper tier, the Primarch flickered to life along with three more Turian officers which, combined with the other three, filled out most of the upper tier. The last spots available on it were split between a Batarian and a rough looking, armored mercenary that John immediately pegged as the new 'ruler' of Omega.
Which was all fine by him, as long as he kept in line with the Coalition and its laws.
The bottom tier swiftly filled with a more eclectic collection of aliens, from Volus and Elcor to Asari, another couple Batarians and Turians, and even a Vorcha on the other end of the room. A few Humans were the last to join, one of them dressed in a fine civilian suit while the others wore military uniforms that off the cuff John didn't recognize. And, finally, a Slarian logged onto the call, covered in scars and wearing what for a Salarian was heavy armor.
"Welcome, representatives of the Coalition's states, major private military holders, and allied planetary states." Hackett finally rumbled, clasping his hands behind his waist and turning a look on each of them in turn, his hologram turning of its own accord to survey them. "I'd like to start this meeting with a word on the kinship you all share. Every last one of you, man and woman, and even synthetic, has seen your world occupied by the Reapers. Some have seen that occupation end. But all know the pain regardless."
"And some of us haven't had anything coming our way to help us." The Batarian at the top snarled, folding his arms. "I hope that I wasn't invited here for no reason."
"As promised, General Konas Sos'Mab, you will be reinforced by the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Coalition fleets, as well as their supporting ground detachments and elements of the Omega Defense Force." Admiral Hackett answered breezily, clearly having expected the Batarian to interrupt him and prepared a reaction ahead of time. Still the picture of cool, he asked, "I trust that the Hegemony Remnant fleets will be in place to receive them and aid in the liberation of former Hegemony space?"
"Not former." The General snapped, "But yes. Around forty ships of varying size, and two hundred thousand of the hegemony's finest. Just hold up your end."
"That's half the infantry you reported three days ago." Wrex called out, "Did you lie, or did something happened?"
"Reapers located one of the underground bunkers on Khar'Shan, and overwhelmed it." The General answered quietly, sighing tiredly at the end. Like his teeth were being pulled, he went on, "The forces that were hiding within, and the surviving government, were slaughtered to the last man. They won't be able to assist our lance attack on the planet."
"Were they terminated or captured?" The Geth asked quickly, "If the latter, then our plans are compromised."
"As soon as the Reapers overwhelmed them, they blew the bunker's reactor." The Batarian answered coldly, "A last effort to preserve the Hegemony."
"STG spy satellites also showed the explosion, which annihilated the capital city, and the several million prisoners being held there for processing." Shepard reported quickly, no doubt reading information Liara had handed to her ahead of time. "The explosion also destroyed several Reaper Destroyers, infantry policing the city, and a single Harbinger class ship that landed in the city for unknown reasons."
"If that is the case, then the Geth will transfer surplus worker units to use as light support infantry." The Geth offered quickly, "If the general would permit us, that is."
"Don't have a choice." He answered with a resigned sigh and weary shrug, "We can't retake Khar'Shan with what we have, now. I'll forward the coordinates for our infantry meet-up, and my field commanders will coordinate redrafting plans with you."
"Acknowledged."
"To the next order of business, then." Hackett said, turning to Wrex and asking, "How fares Tuchanka? Can Turian and former Alliance space expect Krogan shock forces for landfall?"
"You'll have what you need." Wrex promised firmly, "The Reapers weren't able to punch through orbital defenses. And most of the ships lost were Rachni ones, too, so your shock corps is… Well, mostly intact."
"We are also already replacing the lost vessels." The Rachni said, Asari voice filtering in from off-screen from one of the willing translators that had been drawn from the incoming refugees. "By the time of launch, we anticipate having replaced seventy four percent of our losses. Well within the margin of error."
"Palaven's situation is the same as before." Primarch Victus reported when Hackett turned to him, "With the Krogan's help, we've secured most of it. And with the Rachni and Alliance, we've reclaimed most of our core space."
"And Earth is unchanged." Hackett reported finally, "Good. Everything is how we needed it to move forward with Operation : Troy. To the next matter at hand, then…"
As if on cue, the doors to the War Room sealed, angry red locks glowing. EDI, over the intercom, reported, "All broadcasts save the QEC broadcast into the War Room are being blocked, Admiral. The line is secure, and I am receiving green alerts from assets with the other representatives."
"Very well." Hackett nodded, his hologram flickering away and reappearing at the only empty display left, attached to the main display in the center of the War Room. In his place, a small ball appeared and Hackett explained, quietly, "These are specialized, very rare receptor nodes provided to us by a new ally to the war. They have been designated Puppet Masters. The goal of this operation is simple. Spread these among the Reaper's space and ground forces across every theater, as thoroughly as feasible."
"And then…?"
"And then it's simple, Primarch." Shepard grinned ferally, eyes glinting in the blue light of the holo-displays, "The Leviathans will send every last one of the bastards into their system's suns."
A rushed murmur ran over the crowd until Hackett spoke again, "Data packets are being hand delivered to you as we speak. They will detail the First Contact with the race in question, as well as their coming role. Adjust your plans accordingly. Now, onto logistical affairs…"
He tuned the rest of the Admiral's words out, mostly, as he looked at Shepard. Could it really be…? Smiling, she met his gaze and nodded.
They were going to win the war, then, in one decisive move.
XxX-XxX-XxX
Dasgun :
Smokey Panda :
Doe needs a god damn FLEET. Early versions of this scene included, but are not limited to, Shepard locking them in a closet, WREX locking them in a closet, EDI locking them in engineering, and Grunt telling him he's a dumbass that needs to get laid when he as the chance to 'make some badass kids for the Clan'. There are a lot of versions of this story, but eventually, the character's arcs made Beau be the one to push things.
Foxcomm :
Fun fact, as I can't bring this in any other way, Chakwas is so hard on him because she's aware he's mostly standard Human. She's too good a doctor, and experienced with genetic situations thanks to Joker, to miss that sort of thing. There's no time to rectify it, though, as in ME proper mods can take weeks to install and weeks more for the body to adjust to. Also, as the author, I didn't know or want to research how the differing Mods might butt heads.
Mr McNasty :
Yeah, due to the events I detailed prior, I dropped word goals - my minimum word count for a post - from 4K words to 3K words.
Predator 1701 :
Generally, a line of officers are standing as the commander on deck, in most militaries. In ME the Second Officer, in this case Doe, is one of them. He can take command. But others are shown to as well. Chiefly, Joker, who often seizes command in combat while the Commander is dispatched.
It's likely that it goes Shepard Doe in this story (Or the XO) Joker.
