Title: ME1: World Without End

Author: Amanda Rau (manda091987)

Game: Mass Effect 1

Characters/Pairing: (Characters) All from Mass Effect 1 (Pairing) N/A

Disclaimer: All characters, the name 'Shepard', and story are the sole property of Bioware. Hayden is mine. Some words and items are mine and are indicated with an *. Please ask for permission for use of these things.

—

"Why do you support me joining the Specter's, Nihlus?"

"I already told you, Shepard, not all of us are against humanity. I have seen what you can do, and I've heard numerous accounts about Elysium. Hackett speaks of you with great respect." There was a pause. "I knew Kam. He was a good man."

"You knew him?" The turian simply nodded.

*The past.*

"Kam!"

I fell to my knees next to his body. His gray eyes peered into my crystal brown orbs.

"I never wanted you to see me like this," he gurgled.

"Stop it. You are going to live to tell your children and grandchildren about the time you almost died."

"My child is witnessing it." He breathed.

"Don't say that, Kam," I cried. "You'll make it."

"I love you, Hayden. You're a good girl who will grow into a beautiful and strong woman. I wan-wan—" he grunted "—want you to get out of this and live a long, fulfilling life—" he panted "—full of love and happiness. P-Please, do this for me. It's my dying wish."

"Don't talk like that!" I protested.

"Do you remember the day that we found you?" He caressed my face. "I think about it a lot." He took a breath, trying to collect himself to speak more effortlessly. "You were the most frightened—" he coughed "—little girl I had ever seen. I thought to myself; I never want to see her like that again. But as I lay here—" he hissed "—it's slowly appearing. Don't be frightened. I will go on to a better place, and I will always—" he grunted again "—I will always be looking down on you, protecting you," he tensed. "I will always be with you. I love you, Lanura."

"No. Don't!" I protested. I saw him draw his final breath there in my arms. I sobbed so hard that my body started to ache, I yelled out.

I jolted awake from screaming. My body was tense as if the dream was reality. That familiar dark carapace, piercing green eyes gazing into my sap-colored ones. The eerie stillness from the surrounding darkness at that moment would make the skin on anyone else crawl with anticipation, especially with the presence of only one light illuminating the atmosphere of my dream. Nihlus's intense stare left me shaken for a reason I couldn't explain.

I took a labored breath, painfully remembering the next face to greet me in my dreams. I peered down at my hands, thumb gliding over my other fingertips. I could still feel the warmth of indigo liquid covering them as my stomach tied itself in knots. The second I heard that all too recognizable screech of absolute, guttural agony, I wanted to vomit. It pierced my eardrums like the residual ringing of a grenade going off close enough to leave you temporarily deaf. I hated reliving this nightmare. The suffering that came with it hadn't deteriorated over time; if anything, it worsened.

The hum of a transporter's engine jolted me out of my trance as it passed. My attention was drawn to the bedside clock, which showed the time as 04:15. I reluctantly peeled away from the blankets, stepping out onto the balcony, gazing at the Citadel's various stations. A skin-tingling chill washed over me, prompting me to tightly swaddle myself as I padded back inside.

I entered the bathroom and took a hot shower, standing under the water for several minutes before washing my hair and body. I reluctantly climbed out, dried off, and then exited, turning on the fan before leaving. I went through my bag and discovered no clean underwear, and my bra was filthy after Eden Prime. I activated my omni-tool and searched for Diana's shop.

"Diana's Lingerie, this is Diana-"

"Hey, Diana."

"Hayden?!"

"The one and only!" I winked. "I know it's early, but I fly out in about three and a half hours, and I am having a bit of an emergency. Think you could help me out?"

"Nonsense," Diana replied. "I will open for you. Ring the bell when you get here."

I rummaged through suitcases for clothing, quickly changing into a tank top and jeans, pulling my N7 hoodie over my head. Without bothering to tidy up, I shuffled out of my room toward the elevator as fast as my braless state allowed. Luckily, I was alone in the lift. On the ground floor, Ashley noticed me hurriedly exiting the hotel.

"Commander!" She flagged me down. "Where are you going this early?"

"A minor emergency is sending me to a very close friend." I looked back as I entered the shuttle. "You are welcome to join me."

She glanced around a bit, then walked over to the shuttle. "Thanks, Skipper. I was a little bored."

"What are you doing up this early? Didn't you and Kaidan see the movie last night?" I asked.

"Yeah." She rubbed the back of her neck.

"What is it, Ash?" I questioned.

Commander. You have not specified a destination.

I peered out the window and realized we were still at the hotel. "Diana's Lingerie, please."

Of course, Commander Shepard. Estimated time of arrival is 16 minutes.

"Lingerie, huh?" Ashley raised her eyebrow.

"We were talking about you," I reminded her.

"Well, after the movie, Kaidan and I went out for drinks. While we were at our second club, I met this guy. We flirted and eventually went back to my room. I'm not usually the kind of girl to do it and leave but uh..."

"This isn't a cover-up, is it?"

"What do you mean?" Ashley wondered.

"'Guy' isn't code for Kaidan, is it?"

"No!" Ashley retorted. "I didn't realize how drunk I was because when I woke up… hair was everywhere. The guy looked like a werewolf, Skipper. It was..." she made another face.

I slightly smiled, changing the subject. "I am going to Diana's because I need bras and underwear. I am the type that likes having sophisticated undergarments, and since I am 'gifted,' I am rather picky about what I wear."

"You've never been to the Citadel. How do you know about her?" Ashley asked curiously.

I took a deep breath. "Hackett knew her. She had a shop on Earth for a while, still does. She is the only one who makes bras the right way and always has some in stock for me."

Ashley and I arrived at our destination seconds after I commented, which didn't leave Ashley much time to react. We walked into the store after getting out of the shuttle.

"Hayden!" Diana greeted. "You look fantastic. I wish I would have known that you were here sooner."

"I'm sorry, Diana, I have been going non-stop since docking, and we are leaving a little earlier than planned," I said, then motioned her attention to Ashely. "I would like you to meet a friend of mine. Diana, Ashley. Ashley, Diana."

"Nice to meet you," Diana cooed. "So, what is the emergency?"

"I have no clean underwear, and my only bra is dirty," I confessed.

"Ah. Well, you came at the perfect time. I am having a sale. Buy one, get one 50% off," she chirped.

"Great!"

She took out a datapad. "What can I get you?"

"I need two light green, two forest green, two light pinks, one fuchsia, four black, four white, two blue, two sky blue, two metallic blue, three red, one orange, two chocolate brown, two nude, and one yellow. I also need ten sports sets. Five black and five greys."

"All right. Let me get those for you. Also, athletic wear is on sale."

"Perfect!" I replied. "Oh, and get my friend here a regular chocolate brown pair and a black pair of the sports ones in a small, and my guess is a 30C?"

"Yeah," Ashley responded, looking at me oddly.

Diana yelled back an acknowledgement. "You got it!"

"I don't know how I feel about you buying me underwear, Skipper."

"You'll feel happy and proud when you put these on."

I went over and perused the workout clothes, selecting a few that I liked. Diana returned about 15 minutes later, handing Ashley a small paper bag with her store logo, giving me a larger one with all the clothes I had grabbed.

"I threw two of your favorite lounge suits in there, one black, one blue, and a few packs of your V-neck shirts."

"Thank you."

"Your total comes to 2,252 credits."

Ashley and I grabbed our things after I paid Diana, and we called for a shuttle.

"Feel like breakfast?"

"Breakfast sounds great," Ashley said, somewhat relieved.

Ashley and I stepped into the shuttle.

"Oceanic Crumble Bistro, please."

Yes, Commander. You will arrive at your destination in five minutes.

Ashley and I conversed until the shuttle landed. We got out and went into the bistro. An older human gentleman smiled at us.

"Please, take a seat wherever you'd like."

Ashley and I chose a seat by the window, and the waiter came over to us.

"Good morning, ladies," he chirped, pouring a steamy beverage into mugs. "Can I get you anything for this coffee?"

"Creamer and sugar, please." Ashley put her hand on her cup.

"You got it." He nodded. "A couple of specials to make a note of as you look over the menu. We have egg sauce over hash browns, which I know sounds interesting, but if you like busting your yolk over toast or hash browns, you'll love it. We also have a few special pastries from Thessia and Palaven, levo friendly. Then lastly, Eggs Benedict. Traditional, but delicious."

"Sold," I said, handing him my menu. "It's the only way to eat eggs."

"I will have the same." Ashley handed him her menu as well.

"Two young ladies who come in, sit down, and make my job easier?" the waiter said with a smile. "Best kind of customer."

He set down the creamer that another waitress brought to him. He left, and Ashley and I made our coffees to desired taste.

"After Eden Prime..." Ashley shook her head. "I just want to say that I'm glad you're okay, Shepard. The crew needed good news after Jenkins."

"Jenkins was a valuable part of this team."

"I know his death has been on your mind."

I nodded with a bit of a sigh as I leaned forward. "It has. I'm sorry if it's made things harder on you and Scuttlebutt." Ashley chuckled. I continued, "I just need time to sort through things."

"I understand, Skipper," Ashley replied. "Part of me feels guilty over what happened. If Jenkins was alive, I might not be here."

"You are a good soldier, Williams. You belong on Normandy."

"Thanks, Shepard. I appreciate that."

"Things were pretty rough on Eden Prime. How are you doing?" I inquired.

Ashley paused for a moment, thinking. "I've seen friends die before. Comes with being a Marine. But to see my whole unit wiped out, and you never get used to seeing dead civilians. But things would have been a lot worse if you hadn't shown up."

"We couldn't have done it without you, Ash."

"Thanks," Ashley smiled. "I have to admit, I was a little worried about being assigned to Normandy. It's nice when someone makes you feel welcome."

"I think you are going to fit in nicely," I stated.

Ashley hesitated a moment. "I kind of wished you'd got there a lot sooner. No offense. I appreciate the rescue. I just wish..."

"You wish we'd been able to save the rest of your unit," I finished her sentence.

"Yes," she responded. "If I'd been more alert, we wouldn't have been cut down by an ambush."

"The geth are perfect ambushers." I exhaled. "They don't move, and they don't make noise—they don't even breathe."

"They have flashlight heads," Ashley pointed out. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Understood."

Mine and Ashley's conversation over breakfast consisted of the Citadel, the consort, what Ash and Samesh discussed, and my lunch with Kaidan. By the time we finished our meal and arrived back at the hotel, the time was 07:20. Ashley and I glided past the fountain located nearby the entrance. When the scent of the turian flowers hit me, I came to a halt, deeply inhaling that all too familiar floral bouquet.

"They are pretty, aren't they?" Ash said.

I bobbed my head. "Ashley and flowers. Now there's a combo I didn't see blending well."

Ash's brows furrowed. "Ouch, Shepard."

"Hackett used to bring some home after he would visit here. They can live for months off of the plant."

I heard Ashley take a deep breath. "Well, I am going to head back to my room and see if the werewolf is there."

Ashley disappeared into an elevator. I turned back, observing the fountain. I saw the turian from last night approach me. As his mandibles fluttered, he took a flower and put it behind my ear with a gentle bow of his head. He picked up the basket of collected flowers and sauntered back to the kitchen doors that connected to the restaurant. After a two-minute elevator ride, I continued down the hall toward my room, noticing Garrus and Kaidan. Garrus froze as soon as he saw my decorated state.

"Good morning, Commander." Kaidan smiled. I leaned back and crossed my arms. "Oh, uh right. Good morning, Shepard."

"Morning, Kaidan."

"You look better today." He cleared his throat.

"Thank you."

"Up and out a bit early for shopping." He pointed to my bag.

"Perhaps. I got up at about 05:00. I couldn't sleep anymore. I decided to shower, then realized I had no undergarments."

"Well, that's good." He blushed as Garrus and I looked at him. "Good that you found a place open, I mean. Sorry, ma'am. I'll meet you guys in the lobby." Kaidan walked away rather quickly.

I turned, Garrus inching closer to me. He brushed a gloved talon over the flower. "Did you put this there?"

I shook my head. "The turian from last night. He was picking them. Why?"

"Hm."

"Garrus?"

He gazed at me. "Nothing. When we do this on Palaven, it means something."

"So, what did he mean to say to me?" I was curious.

"That you are a rarity in this galaxy."

"It was probably just his way of apologizing once again for the mistake with my room, which wasn't even his fault."

Garrus shook his head. "Think what you want, Commander."

"He's bonded." I raised an eyebrow.

"That has nothing to do with it," Garrus replied. "It doesn't always translate to a romantic gesture."

"Then he was just polite. No need to get green with envy," I teased.

"I have heard that one too, but I don't know what that means. Tell me?"

"If you can figure it out without any help from a human or looking it up, I will give you 250 credits, a new sniper mod of your choice, and another reward of your very own choosing."

"Damn. Prizes are nice, but how the hell do I figure it out without asking someone that knows?"

I looked at him, folding my lips in, and shrugged. "I don't know, Garrus. I am sure you will be successful, though." I observed him, brows molding together. "What are you doing here again?" My eyes grew wide. "Did you meet a hooker?"

Garrus paused for a moment, then looked at me, nodding. "Yes."

My new turian crew member padded away, once again in the direction of the elevator. I stood there, slightly shocked. I shook my head and went back toward my room, where my mind wandered back to the turian manager. I never thought one would make such a gesture, but it suddenly reminded me of something important.

"Call Captain David Anderson," I spoke into my omni-tool.

He answered seconds later, "Yes, Shepard?"

"I just wanted to make sure that we are taking plenty of 'Birds Bleeding Heart' with us."

"It's uh... it's taken care of Shepard," Anderson responded.

I noted defeat and exhaustion in his voice, with a hint of distraction. I was a bit worried. "Is everything okay, sir?"

"Yes, Shepard. Don't worry about anything. Everything that needs to be on the ship is there. I also made sure to get the best dextro and levo chef in all of the Alliance. It's unnatural for a human to be that good with dextro food, but he is. He's nothing of your caliber, but he'll get the job done."

"Thank you, Captain. I will see you in a few hours then."

I was uneasy about his distracted demeanor, but I shrugged it off because there was nothing I could do about it right now. I packed everything except my underwear and a white v-neck t-shirt and leggings, which I kept with my armor. I zipped up the suitcases and double-checked that my backpack contained all of my smaller belongings. I quickly dressed, then seized my possessions before exiting the suite.

Everyone was down in the lobby except Wrex and Tali. They nodded my recognition and led the way, but I held Garrus back a bit.

"I wanted to say sorry. For one, I didn't mean to impune," I murmured. "It's none of my business why you were here at the hotel."

He leaned close enough to whisper. "I wasn't here for a hooker. I'll tell you why later."

"Okay." I nodded.

"You said 'for one.' What's two?"

"I don't want to insult your people. I know some aren't too fond of humans—"

Garrus shook his head. "It doesn't insult me. Honestly, my opinion is the only one that matters."

"What opinion was that? You've never voiced it…."

He looked to the side and then back to me. "Come to think of it; I didn't. Hm… interesting."

Garrus slipped past my position, climbing into the shuttle. My tongue traced over my molars, leading me to bite my bottom lip as I clambered into the transport vehicle alongside Kaidan, Ashley, and Garrus. The ride to C-Sec was quiet, causing me to intently study the three crew members.

"All right, everyone, settle down. Let's not talk all at once," I jested.

Ashley and Kaidan were sitting across from me, and I was beside Garrus. Ashley chose to speak first, "Sorry, Commander. I guess we are still waking up."

"It's all right, Chief," I replied. "More coffee sounds amazing right now."

We arrived at C-Sec, meeting Tali and Wrex. I excused myself to speak with the requisitions officer. When entering, I was taken aback by how small the turian's office was. I immediately noticed a keeper to my left and hurriedly scanned it before the turian officer noticed, hoping that my tall but petite figure would still conceal what I was doing.

Keeper ID #17 registered name: Patches, scans complete. Credits transferred.

As I approached the desk, the turian requisitions officer glanced up from his computer. "One sec, looking you up." I waited patiently, studying the different lockers, wondering what was in them. "Commander Shepard, here with the Alliance Military. First time on the Citadel. That about right?" he asked me.

I had to admit; the turian was quite handsome. The officer's hide and scales were darker than Garrus's, and his tribunal paint was white. He reminded me of Nihlus in a way. I nodded. "Sure is. How did you know all that?"

"Omni-Tool. I need to make sure our buyers are authorized. Will you be purchasing anything, Commander Shepard?"

"I'd like to, yes. Can you show me what you got?"

"Sounds good. Let me just set you up to—whoa. This must be a mistake."

"What's wrong?" I suddenly felt a little panicked.

"System's telling me to offer you our secret stock, Spectre?" I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. "Well, I'd heard about that but didn't realize it was you. Sorry, Commander."

I lifted my hand. "No need to be sorry."

The officer nodded, then pushed a button on the console. "I'll open the rare stocks for you, Commander. Enjoy."

My eyes widened as the Kiosk opened. I felt like a little girl in a candy store. Mods, weapons, armor, omni-tools, and biotic amps were listed. I checked my business account, but there wasn't nearly enough. I wanted some items, which caused a debate on whether or not to delve into personal finances to make the purchases. Maybe Hackett could pull some strings for me with Anderson and Udina. I never liked using my connection as a crutch, but my team desperately needed the necessary supplies.

I bought Armor Piercing Ammo and Shredder Ammo upgrades, as well as a Kinetic Coil and Frictionless Materials for my shotgun and pistol. I used my handgun significantly more but still wanted my shotgun ready at a moment's notice. I also bought a Shield Modulator for my N7 armor. Another thing I needed to talk to Hackett about. Maybe ICT could get me a better suit of armor.

The officer handed me my mods, and I put them in my backpack. "Thank you, Commander. Enjoy your merchandise."

"Thank you!"

I returned up the stairs and around the block where my team was sitting at a table. I sauntered over and took the only seat left in between Garrus and Kaidan. Everyone who hadn't eaten took advantage while we waited for boarding. I was scanning the Citadel Daily News on my datapad and sipping the coffee Garrus purchased me. I found an article about Garrus and his recent career change. It went over his military service and cases he solved as an officer; some seemed pretty prestigious. When his father was practically forced to comment, he stated how this was a disastrous career move on Garrus' part and how he thought I would set a bad example to his son.

"Don't read that." Garrus's hand exited out of the article.

"Vakarian!"

"Threatening tone," Garrus teased.

"When I think of sinister words, I will use them."

"You can always call him what most krogan call turians," Wrex suggested.

"Oh, what is that?" My curiosity piqued.

"Kanalizace jíst pták," Wrex replied.

"Wow, sounds intense. What does it mean?" I wondered.

"The closest meaning in your language is a Sewage-eating bird."

Garrus put his talons up. "Just as bad as what I would call him: جسر متضخمة ترول."

I almost spit coffee out of my mouth. I glanced over to Wrex, stifling my laughter. Everyone was watching me, especially Wrex.

"What did he call me, Shepard?"

My eyes grew wide. "What makes you think I know? It just sounded funny, I laughed."

"You're lying," Wrex retorted.

I sighed, catching Garrus's gaze. He seemed eager to know if I was right. "It translates to 'Large Globit*.' To us, the closest translation is an 'Overgrown Bridge Troll.'"

"Is she right?" Ashley asked the turian.

Garrus acknowledged, "Yes."

"What's a globit?" Kaidan questioned.

I shrugged. "Globits are in children's tales mostly, much like our cranky bridge troll. However, unlike our bridge troll, globits are real. Though they're small creatures, who are more afraid of turians than turians are of them. They're pests on Palaven, kind of like rats on Earth but uglier. Much, much uglier." I stopped when my alarm sounded. "Come on; we need to head up to the docking bay."

We all gathered our things and took the elevator up. It was a long ride, but the messages and elevator music kept us entertained.

"In other news, Binary Helix has settled out of court with a krogan group that charged the corporation with fraud. They paid BH for research to cure the Genophage, and then sued for their money back when nothing came of the research."

Ashley glanced at Wrex. "Didn't know krogan knew anything about suing people."

Wrex shrugged at her. The elevator continued its climb with silent inhabitants. When we arrived at Normandy's docking, the elevator stopped the doors opening. I saw Anderson and Udina standing to the side of the ship. The more I observed them, the more that feeling knotted in the pit of my stomach.

"Udina. Anderson," I greeted as I approached them. "What's going on?"

"I've got big news for you, Shepard," Udina started the conversation. "Captain Anderson is stepping down as Commanding Officer of Normandy. The ship is yours now."

Anderson nodded his head. "She's quick and quiet, and you know the crew. Perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well, Commander."

"I'll take care of her, Captain," I replied.

Anderson stretched the corner of his mouth into a smile. "I know you will, Commander."

"You guys can head in and start getting settled." I grabbed Garrus's and Ashley's arms and held them there. "Except you two."

Ashley and Garrus both stayed. Everyone else nodded and began to gather their belongings. The other three crew members also seized our belongings so we wouldn't have to worry. Wrex grabbed Garrus' bag, Kaidan snagged Ashley's, and Tali picked up mine. I returned my attention to Anderson and Udina after everyone had boarded the ship.

"I want the truth. Why are you stepping down, sir?"

"You needed your own ship, Commander. A Spectre can't answer to anyone but the Council. And it's time for me to step down. Saren's gone, don't even try to find him. But, we know what he's after: the Conduit. He's got his geth scouring the Traverse looking for clues."

"We have reports of geth in the Feros system shortly before our colony there dropped out of contact. And there have been sightings around Noveria," Udina said.

"Find out what Saren was after on Feros and Noveria," Anderson added. "Maybe you can figure out where the Conduit is before he does."

"Is there any other information that might help?" I asked, more toward Udina.

"We have one more lead," he replied. "Matriarch Benezia, that other voice on the recording, has a daughter, a scientist who specializes in the Protheans. We don't know if she's involved, but it might be a good idea to try to find her. See what she knows. Her name is Liara, Doctor Liara T'Soni. We have reports that she was exploring an archaeological dig on one of the uncharted worlds in the Artemus Tau Cluster."

I turned and looked at Garrus and Ashley, who were off to the side. "Sounds like we should head for the Artemus Tau Cluster."

"It's your decision, Commander. You are a Spectre now; you don't answer to any of us," Anderson stated.

"Your actions still reflect on humanity as a whole, Commander. Don't make a mess of things that force me to have to clean up after you."

"I'll try not to make things any harder on you, Ambassador." I bowed my head.

"Glad to hear it. Remember, you were a human long before you were a Spectre. Now, I've got a meeting to go to." Udina looked from me to the Captain. "Anderson, meet me in my office later." Udina left the docking area.

"I will find a way to stop Saren, Anderson," I promised him.

"I know you will, Commander." He chuckled. "Let's just say; I would hate to be on your shit list."

"We'll get this done, Captain." Ashley saluted. I saluted as well, and so did Garrus, out of respect. Anderson mirrored the action.

"I know you guys will, now if you'll excuse me, I better get to Udina's office." Anderson walked over to the elevator, stepping in.

Ashley and I stood watching the doors erase his image. As we were getting ready to enter Normandy, I noticed something over to the side.

"Oh, Keeper." I went over and scanned him.

Keeper ID #13 registered name: Yoshi, scans complete. Credits transferred.

"I wonder if this is the same one you tackled and kidnapped while you and Chellick were drunk?" I caught a glimpse of the turian's carapace.

"Spirits help me." Garrus let out a breath.

I crossed my arms. "I have never seen a drunk turian before. It's rather intoxicating."

"Laugh it up, Commander." He shook his head. "I hope you enjoyed the video. You'll never see it in person."

"That's okay." I shrugged. "Chellick gave me a copy of it."

Garrus stopped dead in his tracks, and Ashley looked at me. "I confess, now I'm curious."

"See me later. It's about two minutes long, maybe more."

Behind me, I heard Garrus lightly growl. Once aboard, I told Garrus and Ashley to meet in Cargo with everyone else. I peered into the cockpit, noticing Joker's frustrated tapping.

"Joker?"

"Yeah?"

"You all right?" I wondered.

"No. I just heard what happened to Captain Anderson. Survives a hundred battles and then gets taken down by backroom politics. Just do me a favor and watch your back, okay? If this mission hits a shit storm, you might be next on their chopping block."

"Joker," I said softly, "your sentiment is showing."

He turned to look at me. "I'm serious, Commander. I don't get too close to people quickly or easily..."

"I know. I've read your file."

Joker groaned. "Great, so that also means you know about—"

"Yes," I confirmed. "Chakwas gave me her clearance. I firmly believe that despite your condition, Joker, you will be okay. You are a hell of a pilot, and I am not one to let a piece of paper tell me otherwise. I won't poke at your condition, but I know there are down days, so please communicate with me? I won't make it a big deal, but I need my pilot at 100%."

Joker was surprised; even his voice portrayed it. "T-Thank you, Commander."

Joker went to stand up and fumbled. I grabbed him gently, knowing if he slipped, his fall would have been a painful one. I nodded to the console. "Can you call everyone to Cargo Bay?"

"Aye,' Aye', Commander."

As Joker made the announcement, I descended the stairs. I glanced over my shoulder, politely asking Pressly to escort my pilot. I stood near Garrus and Wrex in the cargo bay, waiting for everyone to settle, whether it was in seats or leaning up against something. I took a step forward when the crew had all filtered down.

"Captain Anderson has stepped down and given me Command of Normandy. It isn't what I wanted. I wanted him to fight alongside his crew, but he felt I needed to finish what Saren started on Eden Prime. I hope that this doesn't cause an upset, and we can work well together moving forward."

"Are you kidding?" Joker remarked. "Working with the great Commander Shepard is gonna make us all look like badasses."

Everyone hollered and gave each other high-fives and chest bumps. I couldn't help but shake my head as I hid my amusement.

"Thank you. Quick debrief before you resume stations. All duty operation hours will remain in effect under my command. The rules are non-negotiable unless Chakwas or your superior officer have given me a reason you cannot be at your station. Understood?"

Everyone agreed, so I continued, "Secondly, we will be spending a significant amount of time together. I have no use for soldiers under my command who can't think for themselves, so I maintain an open-door policy to any rank and file for constructive criticism on any decisions I make. Understand that respectful tactics still apply, which means that this is not an opportunity to step out of line. I am willing to listen to any complaints you may have, whether or not I agree with them. There is always a way to meet in the middle without compromising values, opinions, or viewpoints. Understood?"

There were no contests to my words, so I proceeded, "Anderson and the council gave us our orders: find Saren Arteries before he finds the Conduit. I won't lie to you: this mission isn't going won't be easy. Saren and the geth attacked Eden Prime first, but we know he won't stop there. His geth armies aren't going to stay on the far fringes of Citadel space. It's time for us to step forward and do our part for the rest of the galaxy! He can't hide forever. Wherever he goes, we follow. We will hunt him to the very ends of the galaxy and bring him down. Everyone is counting on us. We must stop Saren! Captain Anderson gave up everything so that we can have this chance. We can't fail!"

Everyone was excited. I glanced at my team. "Main body crew, please stay. Everyone else, see Pressly for the information you need on our current missions." Everyone filtered out, leaving me with Tali, Wrex, Garrus, Kaidan, and Ashley. I handed out datapads Kaidan readied for me. "Mission brief. We are looking for Doctor Liara T'Soni. She is somewhere in the Artemus Tau Cluster. It might take us a few days of scanning, but we will find her."

"Do we know anything else?" Ashley peered up from her tablet.

"The only information we could obtain was from Councilor Tevos. Doctor T'Soni is an asari archeologist famed for her knowledge and study of the protheans. Aside from that, she's a gifted biotic with masters in pistol and SMG training."

"Probably why Saren is looking for her," Kaidan deduced.

"It's a logical conclusion," I agreed. "Doctor T'Soni's last known location was Artemus Tau. That was all Councilor Tevos could find out. Apparently, the location is classified, or there are too many possibilities to narrow down a more definitive region."

Joker's voice came over comm. "Fifteen minutes to departure."

I looked at my people. "Dismissed."

Everyone scattered, but I followed Garrus over to the tank. "All right, Vakarian, you have been given full access to the specs. If you see anything that needs upgrading, let me know, I'll make sure you get what you need."

Garrus nodded. "You got it, Commander."

I hopped into the elevator. Ashley was cleaning weapons, Wrex leaning against some crates shooting things like rubber bands at Garrus, who was trying to look over the Mako. I couldn't help but quietly laugh at Garrus' reaction as the door closed.