The Lives and Deaths of Commander Shepard

by MosaicCreme

The essence that is Commander Shepard has fought the battle against the Reapers more times than she can count, only to find herself right back where it all started. Never the exact same body, never the same first name or history. The disembodied voice struggles to break her way through to the consciousness of her current incarnation, trying to find a way to break her own cycle.

69. Chapter 46: Ket'yah

Chapter 46: Ket'yah

The shuttles landed in a clearing just outside rows of sprawling buildings, crumbling into ruins, left to disrepair in the absence of the quarians for so many years. A geth drop ship flew overhead, the cargo doors opening to let geth platforms plummet to the ground. Others scrambled up from the ruins, making their way to the shuttles. Garrus opened the Normandy's shuttle door, and Shepard stepped out, the rest of her people following behind her.

Samara stopped next to her, looking out over the buildings. "I came here once, in my maiden years. War and time have not been kind to this place."

Shepard glanced at the ancient asari. "Are they ever kind?"

A gentle smile lifted the corners of Samara's mouth as she met Shepard's gaze. "No, but unlike the lives lost here, this place can be restored to its former beauty. You have done well, Shepard, to reunite these two races."

Zaal'Koris stepped out of one of the quarian shuttles a few yards in front of them, Lia and Legion right behind him. Tali and Kal made their way from another, stopping to talk to an older quarian woman who pointed at one of the buildings before swinging her arm around to point at another.

"Thanks, but I'm just helping things along. Making sure the peace isn't broken before it even gets started just because someone lets their fear make them twitchy." She nodded to where the quarians were starting to gather around the geth platforms emerged from the ruins and started walking in their direction. "Looks like the tour's about to start."

"These structures aren't habitable. They'll need serious work if the quarians plan to live in them," Grundan Krul said from behind her.

"Most likely will continue to live in ships while reconstruction in progress." Mordin moved up on Shepard's other side, keeping step with her. "Geth offered to help rebuild. Will shorten time it takes significantly. Planet viability more concerning. Geth efforts to clear away pollutants from air, water, and soil since Morning War crucial to re-habitation."

"Doesn't look like they've done much in this area." James stopped at the partially caved in entrance of a building, several quarians—Lia among them—disappearing into the shadows ahead of him, guided by a geth prime, two troopers, and Legion.

Mordin sniffed. "This area not essential. Efforts likely focused on areas closer to water and plant life; life sustaining areas of Rannoch."

James cocked an eyebrow, waving a hand around at the ruins. "Why'd they bring us here, then?"

Mordin opened his omni-tool, scanning the architecture. "Reclamation of cultural artifacts. Show of good faith to take back to Migrant Fleet."

"Right." James turned back to the piles of debris. "Are we going in there, too?"

"Nah, let them have their moment. Besides, the fewer people moving around in there, the better. The whole thing looks like it's one false step away from crashing down." Shepard sighed, sadness settling in over her, weighing her down. "Liara would've loved this."

"Yeah, she really would've." Jane hummed in the back of Shepard's head. "I wonder if after I died—if the reapers really were defeated and life went on for everyone else—if Liara came back to Rannoch. The quarian ruins aside, there's got to be some prothean stuff around here somewhere."

"I don't know, maybe," Shepard thought. "Wasn't she pretty busy doing the whole Shadow Broker thing? I'm sure the galaxy needed her help after the war, getting resources to all the right places."

"She was young, though, and archeology was her passion once." Heartache swept back and forth between Jane and Shepard in an endless loop. "I want to think she'd have returned to what made her happy. They all returned to what made them happy. Before all of the death and destruction."

"Yeah." She let the thought linger for a moment. "Me, too."

The joyous squeals of quarian laughter, echoing out of one of the other buildings nearby, cut through the emotional funk surrounding Shepard. A moment later, two quarians stepped out of the ruins, carrying a large painting between the two of them. Discolored by time and countless layers of dirt, Shepard couldn't make out the image. Whatever it was, the quarians sure seemed excited. She watched as they carried it over to one of the shuttles, propping it against the vehicle while one of them climbed inside. When he returned, he passed something to the woman with him, and she began brushing away the dirt while he scanned the painting with his omni-tool.

Shepard sat down on a fallen stone pillar in the shade and watched as quarians and geth moved in and out of the ruins, carrying things back to the shuttles. After awhile, her team began to wander off one by one, drawn in by the quarians' excitement. Despite what she'd said, she saw several of them entering the crumbling buildings. Letting go of a weary sigh, she shrugged it off; she hadn't exactly made it an order. She spotted James and Grundan Krul helping to move heavy pieces of debris while Samara and Thane helped in other areas, stabilizing chunks of rock with their biotics. Garrus became a pack mule, carrying armfuls of stuff to shuttles while Mordin scanned everything from the buildings themselves to the dirt and rocks surrounding the area.

"How old do you think this place is?" Shepard thought, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees.

"No idea, but if I had to guess, I'd say this place already started to fall apart before the war."

She grunted, letting her thoughts drift again. After awhile, restlessness set in and she pushed herself to her feet. Going in search of Zaal'Koris, she finally found him a few minutes later at the back of a building. It didn't take her long to realize the place was once a temple, or perhaps a museum of sorts. Near the middle of the building, entire rooms remained mostly undisturbed, the structure supported by columns holding the crushing weight of the caved in floor above at bay.

The admiral stood alone in a room not quite so untouched; the outer wall little more than a gaping hole letting daylight and fresh air inside. He had his arms crossed, looking down at a tarnished metal, egg-like shape tucked into an alcove. He glanced over his shoulder as Shepard approached before turning his attention back to the alcove.

Stopping next to him, she tucked her hands behind her back. "What is it?"

He shook his head. "I have no idea." Looking up, he turned in a slow circle, sweeping his arms out at the room. His voice took on a decidedly melancholy note when he continued, "All of this … my heritage, and I have no idea what most of it even is."

She let her gaze roam over the room, taking in several small stone statuettes, barely recognizable as a quarian's form, the finer details eroded away over time. A large metal basin of sorts set on stone pedestal in one corner of the room, its twin in the opposite corner. Torn and faded tapestries showing beautiful, lush grottos lined the walls.

The echoing sound of footsteps drew her attention to the door, and she saw a geth step into the grand archway and stop. Shepard tilted her head toward the trooper watching them, and Zaal'Koris turned to look. "I bet the geth can tell you." She smirked. "They have long memories."

"Creator Koris, are you in need of assistance?" The trooper stepped into the room, moving a few feet closer before coming to a stop again.

Zaal'Koris glanced back and forth between the geth and Shepard before looking over his shoulder at the alcove. "Perhaps … do the geth know what this is used for?" He stepped aside, gesturing at the lump of metal.

The trooper crossed the floor, stopping in front of the alcove. Tilting his head to the side, he examined the object in question before picking it up, cradling it against his chest. Turning it first one way and then the other, the geth touched a few places, mechanical fingers gliding over the metal surface, and the device began to unfold into the vaguely familiar shape of a horn of sorts.

"The creators used this to make music by breathing through here," He said, pointing at a flattened piece with a slit, the slight concaved underside clearly designed to fit comfortably against a lip, "and alternating the airflow by covering the holes here." He pointed out the three rows of holes along the sides and top before holding the instrument out toward Zaal'Koris. "We cannot demonstrate; the geth do not breathe."

Zaal'Koris accepted the horn from the trooper, turning it over in his hands. He stroked the metal as lovingly as if it were a newborn child. After a moment, he carefully set it back in the alcove and opened his omni-tool. Running his fingers over the keys triggered a hissing sound from his suit. He closed the omni-tool again and lifted a hand halfway to his mask, hesitating.

Shepard raised an eyebrow, watching him with curiosity. "Antibiotics?"

He turned to look at her, his eyes widening behind his mask for just a second, giving her the impression he'd forgotten she was there. "It's foolish, I know. Sentimental, but …."

"But you're standing on Rannoch, the safest place in the galaxy for you to remove your mask, and you've been given an instrument made by your people, capable of making sounds no quarian has heard in hundreds of years." She pursed her lips and nodded. "Do you want to be alone?"

He blinked several times, a wry huff of breath—almost but not quite a laugh—light up his respirator. "You're not at all what I imagined, Shepard." He squared his shoulders, raising his chin in an almost defiant motion. "I'd be honored if you'd stay."

She chuckled, moving back a few steps. "Sounds like I don't really want to know what you thought of me before, do I? I'd be honored to stay." She backed away a little further, putting extra distance between the two of them so at the least she wasn't breathing on the quarian when he'd be the most vulnerable.

"Probably about as much as we thought of him."

Brushing aside her rhetorical question, he bowed his head, and lifted his hand to his face once more. Pulling his mask away, tendrils of silver hair fell free from his hood, leaving Shepard wondering just how old the admiral might be. His smooth skin certainly showed no sign of the wear and tear she'd expect to see on a human with grayed hair. Looking around him, he blinked a few times, his eyes reflecting the soft light of the room as he took in his surroundings. The geth platform stood motionless next to him, but Shepard new the programs inside studied the quarian's every move with rapt attention.

After a moment, he picked up the instrument before carefully setting the mask down in its place. His gaze flicked to Shepard before lowering to the horn in his hand. A sudden blush sprung to life on the admiral's angular, high cheekbones and his gaze shifted to her again, only to flit away just as fleetingly as the first time. He cleared his throat. "No one's seen my face in nearly twenty cycles. I'd forgotten how unnerving it can be. Perhaps more so being seen by someone who isn't quarian."

Shepard smiled, crossing her arms loosely over her chest. "I can still leave if you want."

He kept his gaze lowered but shook his head a little, letting more hair spill free to frame his face. "No."

Of all the admirals, Zaal'Koris had always been the stuffiest, so seeing him thrown off kilter tickled her a little. She bit the inside of her lip, giving in to the urge to tease the quarian. "If it helps, I can honestly say you're the most attractive male quarian I've ever seen."

He scoffed, just a gentle huff of his breath, but the corner of his mouth twitched up. "I'd wager I'm the only male quarian you've ever seen." Meeting her gaze, he raised an eyebrow. "Unless Kal'Reegar has also been removing his mask aboard the Normandy?"

She shook her head, her grin growing. "Nope. You're my first." She nodded her head at the horn. "Let's hear it."

He brought the instrument to his mouth, shifting his hands as he tried to figure out how best to hold it and which holes to cover. Glancing between the geth and Shepard, he sucked in a deep breath and blew into the horn. The resulting high-pitched screech brought a grimace to her face and made Zaal'Koris flinch. He adjusted his fingers, covering different holes and tried again, blowing a little softer. A deep, almost mournful sound filled the air; sounding no better but definitely less painful than the first.

He moved his fingers around some more, playing a hodgepodge mix of poorly executed notes before he finally stopped. Pulling the instrument away, he looked at it, brow furrowed and eyes narrowed, as if it deeply offended him. Shepard let go of a bark of laughter. His gaze shot up, his eyes widening as if her sense of humor shocked him more than the sounds he'd made with the horn.

She covered her mouth with the side of her fist and choked down the fit of residual giggles. Shaking her head, she cleared her throat. "That was terrible, but the look on your face is worth the damage to my ears."

"What happened to diplomacy?" Jane asked, her voice light and teasing.

"If you think you can do better, you're welcome to try." He raised his eyebrow, his moment of shyness apparently a thing of the past; the haughty expression she'd always imagined from Zaal'Koris appearing on his face.

She held up a hand in surrender, both to the admiral and to Jane. "The only music I'm good with is the sharp staccato of rapid gunfire."

"Mastered those instruments long ago."

"I've heard her sing in the shower, she's not lying." Garrus' voice drew her attention to the doorway where he stood, mandibles fluttering lightly as he watched the mask-less quarian. "The shuttles are as full as they can be and still carry everyone back to the ships, Admiral."

Jane snickered in the back of Shepard's mind, bringing another light titter of laughter from Shepard.

"Thank you," Zaal'Koris said, picking up his mask and setting the instrument back down. "I suppose there will be time for further exploration later." Tucking his hair back inside, he slipped his mask back into place, his suit hissing as it resealed. He turned, leaving the instrument behind as he and the geth made their way toward the door.

Shepard picked up the horn, reaching out to touch the quarian's arm. She held the horn out to him when he turned to look at her. "Take it with you. Clean it up a little. These things take practice, I'm sure you'll get better."

He hesitated a moment, his gaze shifting between the horn and Shepard before he finally nodded. "I think I will." He took the horn from her. "Thank you, Commander."

She smiled and nodded. "My pleasure."

Garrus stepped aside, letting the quarian and geth pass before he stopped Shepard. Pulling her into his embrace, he pressed his forehead against hers. "How are you holding up?"

She reached up, tracing the edge of his mandible before pressing her lips to his. "I'm alright, I promise. Stop worrying." She smirked, tugging gently at his mandible. "Come on, let's get out of here." Threading her arm through his, they followed the geth as he led the way back out of the building.

"Shepard, the geth have invited me to upload to the Consensus," EDI said through Shepard's comm.

"What? No, she can't go. We need her. What's she talking about?"

She stopped next to the Normandy's shuttle and glanced around, making sure Zaal'Koris and the other Migrant Fleet quarians were out of ear shot before lifting her hand to her mic. "What? Like join them?"

Garrus flared his mandibles, cocking his head to the side. Shepard held up a finger by way of asking him to give her a minute. Apparently intent listening to her side of the conversation, he leaned against the shuttle and watched her instead of climbing inside.

"No, it would be a temporary arrangement intended to accommodate a faster transfer of data."

Shepard glanced around her again. "EDI, if you upload to the Geth Consensus … the geth will have access to everything you know, won't they?"

Garrus' brow ridges rose to near comical heights. "That sounds like a terrible idea."

"Not necessarily," EDI said. "I won't be fully integrating into the Consensus, so I'll retain control over what is shared with the geth, just as they will control what is shared with me."

"It might actually be really useful. She might be able to make sense out of information the geth have on the reapers. Make some connection the geth can't."

Shepard licked her dry lips. "Is this something you want to do?"

"Shepard, are you sure about this?" Garrus pushed away from the shuttle, taking a couple of steps closer to her.

She met his gaze, resting a hand on his arm. "She says she'd have control over what information the geth receive."

"It is, yes." EDI paused. "There's much to be gained from such an opportunity; for everyone involved."

"I say let her do it, we've never been given this opportunity before."

Shepard took a deep breath. "As long as you protect the privacy of the crew and don't divulge anything classified according to the Alliance or Council, or anything that can jeopardize the safety of the Normandy … I trust your judgment, EDI."

"Thank you, Shepard." EDI closed the comm link.

"I hope you're right about this." Garrus opened the shuttle door, waving her inside.

She climbed in and settled into her seat. "So do I." Glancing around her, she spotted a pile of statuettes, small paintings, and various other quarian artifacts. "These going back to the Normandy?"

After looking to where she pointed, he nodded. "Yeah, our three wanted to keep some things with them."

"Oh." She took a deep breath, Jane's sudden relief echoing her own. "I've been dreading takeoff, expecting them to decide they wanted to stay on Rannoch or return to the Migrant Fleet. Not that I'd blame them, but …."

He lifted his shoulder, his mandibles fluttering. "They all seem pretty intent on returning to the Normandy as far as I can tell."

"Good, good." She buckled her harness and leaned her head back against the seat, letting her eyes drift closed. She opened them again when the seat shifted next to her, finding Garrus occupying the space, she smiled. "You're not piloting?"

"I promised Vega he could." He rested a hand on her knee.

"Fantastic. Let's hope he doesn't decide he needs to crash it with us inside."

Shepard snorted, settling back in and closing her eyes once more as she covered Garrus' hand with her own.

"What's funny?"

"Jane." She rolled her head along the back of the seat to look at him. "James might have a history of intentionally crashing shuttles into other shuttles." She smirked. "Jane's hoping he doesn't decide to do it with us inside."

"Wait, when and why does he crash a shuttle into another shuttle?" His mandibles drooped, flaring wide.

"On Mars … when the reapers show up and Hackett sends us to get the prothean data from Liara. James crashed into a Cerberus shuttle to keep them from escaping with the data … but none of it will happen now." She sighed and shrugged. "Not saying missing out on James' kamikaze days is a bad thing."

"Shepard?" Tali called from somewhere outside the shuttle.

Shepard leaned toward the shuttle door as much as her harness allowed. "In here, Tali."

A moment later the quarian appeared, blocking the sun's rays. "The geth want to take us to Ket'yah."

She blinked, her mouth opening a little. "OK. Uh, what's Ket'yah?"

"Oh, sorry. Ket'yah is one of our old settlements; it's located not far from a river. Well, it was … the geth said the river has shifted some over the years, but it's still relatively close to a fresh water supply and there's still plant and animal life there." She leaned against the shuttle's doorframe. "Legion said they've repaired some of the buildings, and have viable farmland there. It sounds like the best place for us to start rebuilding our home. It's only an hour from here in the shuttles."

Shepard suppressed a groan. 'Only an hour' sounded an awful lot like 'only a year' when all she wanted was to go back to her climate controlled ship and rest. "Alright, tell the Normandy team to get over here. We'll take ten to eat some dry rations and rehydrate before heading to Ket'yah."

Tali stepped inside the shuttle and shoved her arms behind Shepard, pressing the side of her head against Shepard's face. "Thank you, Shepard. This is … I can't even begin to tell you how much this means to my people. Thank you."

Shepard chuckled, patting Tali's back. "The credit isn't mine, Tali, but I'm thrilled to be a part of this."

"I'll go let everyone know." Tali hopped down out of the shuttle and disappeared from sight.

Garrus hummed beside her. "You've been awfully humble about this whole reunion." Turning his hand, he closed his fingers over hers.

"This needs to be her victory. The Migrant Fleet needs to see Tali's role in all of this, they need to see her as responsible and worthy of leadership. I don't know how much saving her father and everything else is going to affect her path, but when the war really starts, we want her to be an Admiral." Shepard squeezed his hand. "And Lia's bravery, the way she embraced Legion so easily … she really does deserve credit for bringing her people home."

The conversation trailed off as the others began piling into the shuttle. Rations and water bottles were passed around, and Shepard ate in silence, listening to the others chat about Rannoch and everything they'd seen so far. Fatigue set in, her muscles feeling weak, and her brain feeling slow. She'd be concerned by how easily she'd grown tired, if not for the heavy doses of sedatives the evening before and the dry heat sapping the life from her like nothing else.

Garrus nudging her awake, telling her they were there brought her back to consciousness. She must've fallen asleep as soon as James climbed behind the controls, because she didn't even remember taking off. Yawning, she stretched, feeling her spine pop half a dozen times before undoing her harness. With all eyes on her, she couldn't help but bristle a little; either she'd been snoring, or they'd all been talking about her while she slept. She pushed the paranoia aside and opened the shuttle door.

A cool breeze hit her the second she stepped out, the air a little moister. Deep, lush vegetation colored the horizon, and here and there through breaks in the foliage, Shepard saw the sun glinting off of water. She moved away from the shuttle and turned around, looking at the buildings behind her. Far from pristine, the low lying domiciles seemed to make the most out of the land, nestled in next to a cliff side for shade, surrounded by fruit bearing trees and farmland. She saw evidence of a pump system, running water up from the river to irrigate the land and feed a well.

"Keelah se'lai." A soft, uncharacteristic laugh followed the admiral's exclamation.

Shepard glanced over toward the next shuttle, finding Zaal'Koris gazing out over the settlement, his hands clasped over his respirator. The quarians surrounding him were likewise gawking, their body language speaking of utter awe even if their expressions remained hidden and unreadable. She yawned again and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, trudging after Tali when the woman moved past her.

"Look at this, Shepard!" Tali glanced back over her shoulder. "The geth must've put in so much time and effort here."

"Looks like." She grinned, finding her friend's enthusiasm contagious. "By the looks of things, quarians might be able to move in a lot sooner than we thought."

Tali stopped under a tree, running her hand over a piece of purple fruit. "I wonder what it tastes like."

Mordin stopped next to them and opened his omni-tool, scanning the tree and its fruit. "Dextro based. Relatively pollutant free. Safe to consume after standard quarian purification process."

Tali scoffed. "Yeah, it'd be relatively tasteless, too." She ran a finger over the fruit again before pulling it from the tree. "What if I didn't purify it? What if I just eat it?"

Mordin blinked a few times. "Probably no worse than suit breach. Possible digestive upset and mouth ulcers. Would clear up in day or two with antibiotics and antacids."

"That sounds really unpleasant."

"Seriously unpleasant," Shepard said, not bothering to keep her response silent.

Tali turned the fruit over in her hand, mumbling, "Totally worth it." Before anyone tried to convince her otherwise, her mask left her face and she bit into the purple skin of the fruit, revealing its bright red flesh underneath. Juice dripped down her chin when she looked up. "Keelah, it's so good," she said around a mouthful. She giggled, wiping the juice from her chin.

Shepard laughed and shook her head. "You're so going to regret this."

"Stop raining on my parade, Shepard." Tali scrunched up her nose a little. "That's the saying, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Shepard said with another laugh. "That's the saying." She opened her omni-tool. "Can I take your picture?"

Tali smiled, taking another bite. She looked up toward the tree, her eyes narrowed in contemplation as she chewed. "Maybe when I'm finished."

Shepard stuck her lower lip out in a pout, earning her a devious grin from the quarian. Hearing footsteps behind her, she glanced over her shoulder to see Thane, Kal, and Garrus approaching. Garrus' mandibles flared wide when he caught sight of Tali's bared face, while Thane offered her a soft smile. Kal's reaction, though, spoke volumes.

He stopped, nearly stumbling over his own feet, the glow of his eyes widening behind his mask. Definitely not the fearful reaction she'd seen from him and the other quarians when Lia took off her mask, but Tali's face seemed to leave him stunned nevertheless. Shepard raised an eyebrow and glanced back at Tali to find the quarian flushed red. If she didn't know Tali better, she might've thought her red throat and cheeks could be a sign the fruit triggered an allergic reaction. But no, the look on Tali's face was nothing more than good, old fashioned fluster brought on by her boyfriend's sudden presence.

"Look at them. I don't think he's ever actually seen her face before." Jane sounded as surprised as Shepard felt. "How long have they been together?"

"I don't know," Shepard thought, "but I don't suppose they've had a lot of time together around a clean room on the Fleet."

"Uh, Mordin, why don't we go check out the water pumps." Shepard found first Garrus and then Thane's gaze, jerking her head to the side. She slipped her arm through the salarian's, guiding him away, not giving him the chance to argue. After a few steps, she glanced back over her shoulder to make sure her men were following her, too.

"Yes, should confirm water systems functioning properly. Legion said purification systems in place as well. Should check filtration. Need to run tests on soil; food supplies." Mordin seemed completely unfazed by Shepard's sudden shift in attention. "If soil adequate for growth, suggest quarians start by transplanting from ship gardens. Natural mutations in Rannoch plant life may present digestive problems initially."

Thane and Garrus caught up to them, and Garrus took her hand. She looked up at him and smiled before taking another peek over her shoulder at Tali and Kal. She saw Kal held his own mask in his hand, but with his back to her, she couldn't see his face. The look of pure serenity radiating from Tali warmed Shepard's heart more than anything else so far from the trip to Rannoch. Kal ran the back of a finger along Tali's cheek, and she closed her eyes, her smile doubling in size. Shepard couldn't even bring herself to care she'd probably be returning ships full of sick quarians to the Migrant Fleet, not to mention nursing three of her own.

She admitted, though, she was impressed with how well the quarians handled the entire thing. Aside from Han'Gerrel's near-catastrophe, beginning talks went rather smoothly. Of course it helped immensely the geth didn't really want much; all they demanded is for the quarians let them live in peace. Other things were suggested and bartered for, such as the exchange of technology and the continued efforts of the geth to rebuild. Offers were made to help educate the geth on quarian and other species in the hopes the geth might someday integrate into galactic society, and geth programs offered to install themselves in quarian suits to help their immune systems.

Everyone seemed so excited by the prospects—even the geth, as much as geth can be—she felt a little sad knowing they'd be leaving Rannoch again with nothing set in stone. It's the way it needed to be, though. Each side needed to know what the other brought to the table before any final decisions were made. All things considered, the talks left everyone feeling optimistic; giving them more than the quarians hoped for a few days ago. She just prayed Zaal'Koris would be able to make the sell when he got back to the Migrant Fleet; it'd be difficult without Han'Gerrel backing him.

They stopped next to a junction in the piping and Shepard moved to Mordin's side, watching as he popped a set of clasps before opening a small hatch and peered inside. He pulled a filter partway out, grunting in approval before sliding it back in place. Opening his omni-tool, he scanned the system before closing the hatch and moving on. He looked over the readout on his omni-tool as he walked, stopping at the next junction.

On and on they went, checking each filter and stopping to access the user interfaces along the way. Occasionally Mordin veered off to scan a plant or small, furry animal rustling around in the underbrush while prattling off information to himself. Garrus seemed to understand at least a third of what Mordin talked about. Shepard and Thane held back, walking a little slower with her arm through his as they followed along, only half listening to the stream of chatter coming from Garrus and Mordin.

"I spoke with Kolyat this morning." Thane settled his hand on top of hers, tucked into the crook of his elbow.

She looked at him, an easy grin spreading across her face. "Yeah? How's he doing?"

"He's well." Glancing at her, he returned her smile. "Less angry with me … with life. He's been spending a lot of time in contemplation. Perhaps he will find the answers he's looking for."

"Have you, uh, have you talked to him about our relationship?" She'd been wondering for awhile. They hadn't talked about Kolyat much since Thane and she started pursuing a relationship, so she didn't really know where things stood with the young drell on anything.

Thane lowered his gaze to the ground in front of his feet before gently shaking his head. "No, I'm sorry, siha. Please understand, I wish for him to know, and I hope he'll be happy for me, but I don't think he's ready to hear …. The arrangement you and I have—with Garrus … and Garrus with Jack …."

"And you're not Irikah."

"You don't think he'd understand?" She slowed down, and he glanced at her. "He seemed pretty open minded when it comes to relationships to me. Well, at least sex."

He chuckled, slowing his steps until they both came to a stop. "Indeed. Although, I'm not sure he sees me—his father, the man once married to his mother but always absent—as a sexual being." He took her hands in his, holding them up next to his chest as he ran his thumbs over the backs of her hands. His smile faded and he swallowed, the movements of his eyes just visible in the light of day as he searched her face. "I don't know how to explain the particulars of our relationship to him without him believing what we have is somehow less meaningful because it is shared with others. I've learned to live with him thinking less of me, but I won't give him reason to think less of you."

"And you're not Irikah."

She forced a smile on her face, wanting her ire to be felt by Jane alone when she thought, "I get it, Jane."

"Sorry." Jane huffed, retreating to the recesses of Shepard's mind.

Slipping a hand free from his, she pressed her palm against his cheek. "I'm pretty sure I did that all on my own, letting Jack tattoo me and getting drunk with the Unwed." She leaned into him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "Tell him in your own time, and when you do, stick with whatever feels right to you."

"Thank you, siha." He hooked a finger under her chin, urging her back to him for another kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered against his lips before pulling away again.

His jaw twitched, head cocking just a hair to the side before he turned to look at something off to his left. "Ah, I believe James wishes to speak with you."

She followed Thane's gaze, seeing James trudging toward her, the easy smile of his light on his face. He lifted his hand in a half-wave half-salute before letting it drop back to his side. She brushed her thumb across Thane's cheek once more before letting it fall away, turning to face James. It pleased her when Thane held on to her other hand instead of breaking contact with her completely. He'd never been a huge fan of public displays of affection, especially while they were the direct focus of someone else, but he seemed to be growing more comfortable with the simpler things.

"Hey, Ídolo. The quarian admiral is looking for you," James said when he got within easy speaking range.

"You know you could've just called me on the comm, right?" She cocked an eyebrow.

He came to a stop a couple of feet away from them and shrugged his shoulders. "I was feeling restless, thought you might need a guide back through the maze."

She snorted. "Alright." Turning her attention back to Thane, she squeezed his hand. "You coming?"

He glanced off toward the rows of tilled soil. "I think I might just walk around for awhile, if it's alright with you?"

"Sure," Shepard said with a shrug.

He lifted her hand to his lips to kiss her knuckles before letting her go. "Call me if you need me, siha."

"Of course." She gave him another smile before turning back to James, patting the bulky marine on the shoulder. "Lead the way through the maze, my well-muscled lab rat."

"Ah, c'mon, can't I at least be the bad ass bull thing?" James turned, glancing back over his shoulder at her as he started walking.

Shepard pulled her brow in tight, puzzling out the question as she followed. "You mean the minotaur in the labyrinth from Greek mythology?"

He bobbed his head a little. "Yeah."

"You do realize he was trapped in there, right?" She snorted when he shrugged. "They built the labyrinth as a prison; he couldn't find a way out and eventually someone killed him."

James grinned, leading her down a side road. "Well, yeah, but he was a bad ass, right? Got to be better than a lab rat."

Her omni-tool pinged, and she stopped, opening it to find a waiting message from Kal. She quirked an eyebrow and glanced around, trying to spot the quarian but the buildings around her didn't leave much open to view. She opened the message and grinned. He'd sent her a picture of him and Tali, both without their masks, standing together beneath the tree where Shepard last saw them. The only thing written with the picture was a simple 'thank you'.

"It's really not fair." Shepard studied the image a moment longer, comparing the slightly darker complexion of Kal's to Tali's pale skin. His hair didn't look as dark as hers, though, more of a mahogany with … green highlights? She figured it must be the lighting.

"What's not fair, Ídolo?" James leaned against the building next to her.

She turned a little, letting him see the photograph. "I've seen four quarians without their masks and they're all … this! Look at them, perfect skin, high cheekbones. It's not fair. Do they all look this good?"

"Is this Tali?" James leaned down to look closer, pointing at the image.

"Yeah, with Kal."

"Damn, who knew? Wait; is some of his hair green?" James glanced up at her, his eyebrows pulled together.

"It kind of looks like it, doesn't it? It might just be the light." Shepard shrugged, tilting her head toward one of her shoulders. "Then again, who's to say quarians can't have green hair just because we don't? Without dying it, anyway. They're gorgeous though, aren't they?"

James straightened back up. "Huh."

She closed her omni-tool and looked up at him, finding him studying her with narrowed eyes and slightly pursed lips. "What?"

He pulled his shoulders in a little and shook his head. "Just didn't take you for one of those women."

"One of what women?" Shepard cocked an eyebrow.

"You know; the type to get worked up over looks." He let his shoulders drop, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smirk. "Who doesn't get they've got nothing to get worked up over."

She snorted, closing her omni-tool. "I'm not entirely sure that made sense, but I think there's a compliment in there somewhere."

James grinned, pushing away from the building and turning to face her. "You're hot as hell, Ídolo." He started walking away from her backwards. "Don't sweat it. I mean …" he said, gesturing to himself before straightening his arms out in front of him, muscles bulging as he flexed his pecs a few times and waggled his eyebrows, "… maybe not as hot as me, but we can't all look this good."

She laughed, rolling her eyes but followed after him. They continued to weave their way through the settlement, passing several geth and mask-less quarians as they went. Every time they passed a quarian not wearing their mask, James nudged Shepard and made one joke or another about her taking them home with her or how she's more attractive. By the time they came to a stop and he pointed out a building, telling her Zaal'Koris was inside, James lifted Shepard's spirits almost completely—thoughts of war and treason nearly non-existent in the back of her mind.

She studied the low building, sprawled out against the cliff. She didn't know much about quarian or geth architecture, but she didn't really need to in order to figure out the place was a warehouse of sorts. She sighed, her good mood dimming just a little, the mental fatigue creeping back in around the edges. "Back to diplomacy and politics."

James planted a hand between her shoulder blades, jostling her with the heavy-handed pat on the back. "Come on, Ídolo, you've got this. We can blow something up later."

She snorted and nodded her head. "Definitely." She started walking again, making her way toward the door. Realizing James still followed her, she glanced over her shoulder. "Politics your thing now?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Hell no. Just thought I'd stick around, you know, hang back a little but be there if you need something."

She stopped, turning to face him again, narrowing her eyes. "You babysitting me, James?"

"Uh …," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Garrus put you up to this?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Who else?"

"He's worried about you, Ídolo." James dropped his hand from his neck and furrowed his brow. "We all are."

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Alright."

He relaxed, his shoulders visibly drooping as his infectious grin spread back across his face. She huffed a little, shaking her head as she turned and made her way inside. True to his word, James kept his distance, watching her from the sidelines as she made her way to where the admiral stood, looking up at a stack of crates. She watched him for a moment as his fingers ran over his omni-tool, his head turning back and forth between the tool and the crates. She cleared her throat, drawing his attention as she leaned against the wall next to him.

He glanced up and closed his omni-tool. "Ah, there you are."

"Here I am." Shepard slid down the wall until her ass hit the floor and draped her arms over her bent knees. "So, what do you think, Admiral? Will the rest of the Migrant Fleet be as pleased as all of you seem? Well, except Han'Gerrel."

He surprised her, coming over to lower himself to the floor next to her. Extending his legs out in front of him, he threaded his fingers together, holding his hands in his lap. "Han'Gerrel is scared." He turned his palms out for a second, fingers still intertwined. "We all are; some perhaps more than others." The admiral let out a heavy sigh, leaning his head against the wall. "I still believe once he sees this is real, he'll realize his mistake."

"Well isn't he the optimist? Han'Gerrel isn't going to be so easily swayed."

"You always try to see the best in everyone?" She turned her head to watch him. "Because I've got to say, his ravings didn't exactly inspire faith for me. I think he'd rather fight and lose, than live with the geth."

Zaal'Koris scoffed, following it with a light laugh, meeting her gaze. "If you asked any of my people, they'd tell you I hate everyone but the geth. It's not true, of course, but it's not exactly easy making friends when you're outspoken on your views against war with the enemy of your people."

Shepard smirked, thinking of Tali's long-held belief about him hating her. "Yeah, I might've heard something to the effect. First impressions … well, with all due respect, Admiral, you don't exactly come off as warm and inviting."

"No, I suppose I don't." He looked away from her, staring at the opposite wall where James rifled through a crate. "I haven't seen much reason to care what people think of me since my wife and child died." He cleared his throat, waving a hand as if he it'd dismiss the sudden pain in his voice. "To answer your question: I think the rest of the Flotilla will be understandably skeptical, but if Shala'Raan remains in support of this union, many will follow her lead."

"I didn't know he ever had a family. I guess I just can't imagine anyone putting up with his personality enough to marry him." As snide as the comment sounded, the feelings accompanying Jane's words were anything but spiteful.

"I'm sorry to hear about your loss." She mentally kicked herself, wondering how exactly she'd stumbled into personal information territory.

"Death is constant presence on the Flotilla, Commander." He glanced at her again before turning his gaze to his hands. "There isn't a single quarian alive who hasn't lost someone due to an infection of one sort or another. Unfortunately, my wife fell ill while pregnant, and the virus spread to our unborn son. He would've died either way. He wasn't yet of an age where he'd survive outside of his mother." He cleared his throat and turned his head, holding her gaze once more. "If you don't mind, I'd really rather not discuss it further. I don't know why I mentioned them at all."

"I seem to have that effect on people." She stretched out her right leg, letting her hand fall to her lap. "So, Daro'Xen …."

Jane sneered in the back of Shepard's mind at the mention of the other admiral's name.

"Ah, yes, Daro. She'll be a problem of a different sort. Her views on the geth are rather disturbing. While Han'Gerrel treats them as monsters and war criminals, Daro sees them as nothing more than property to be reclaimed."

It wasn't news to Shepard by any means. She remembered the discussions with the disturbing quarian all too well. She fought back a shudder thinking about what Daro'Xen might do if she got her hands on Legion. "The geth are sentient now. 'Reclaiming' them would be no different than enslaving them."

"I've said exactly the same thing, many times over, but it's a futile argument and as I've already mentioned: it's won me no friends among the quarians." He laughed. "I can't tell you how refreshing it is to have a conversation with someone who shares my views. I haven't felt this relaxed around other people in quite some time."

Zaal'Koris waved his hands as he talked, gesturing at nothing in particular. "Having to constantly argue and defend my position is tiring. I've spent years trying to convince the Flotilla to give up on the idea of reclaiming Rannoch. The geth have just as much right to life as we do. Making a new home on another planet would have its difficulties, but it's feasible. The longer we wait, however, the more difficult it'd be. I never dreamed of this, though, this chance to live on Rannoch with the geth." He turned his gaze back to her. "As grateful as I am to you, Shepard, I can't help but find it a little disheartening it took a human to imagine this possibility."

Jane scoffed. "He should try convincing the Council the reapers are real."

Shepard scoffed, running a hand through her hair. "Why does everyone insist on pinning this on me? All I did was poke and prod a little, raise my voice at an admiral or two." She grinned when he chuckled. "The only thing I can take credit for is encouraging the quarians on the Normandy to speak up for what they saw with their own eyes. I didn't have a clue Lia let Legion upload programs to her suit until she found the courage to tell me."

She shifted a little, arching her back as she wriggled, working to find a comfortable position against the wall again. "And Tali … her father had the wrong ideas, but they were for the right reasons. He was respected before his trial. If it gives her voice a little more weight, no one's complaining, but she's standing straight with her own backbone. I might've made the suggestion, but I didn't give any orders. Lia, Tali, and Kal didn't come to you because I told them to; they came to you for the good of their people."

Meeting his gaze, she shook her head, her voice softening as she continued, "Don't take it away from them and don't let anyone else, either. Besides, look around you, Admiral. The geth were imagining this possibility for a long time. Before I was even born."

"Before any of us were born."

He sat in silence for a moment, seeming to weigh her words. "It is quite the surprise to see Rael'Zorah's daughter, of all people, speaking in favor of the geth."

"So what happens if not everyone agrees to return to Rannoch under these terms?" She took a deep breath and let it out with a huff. "What if Han'Gerrel doesn't change his mind and others who share his opinion still think the geth need to be destroyed?"

"I can assure you of one thing." He pulled himself up a little straighter. "I will be returning to Rannoch and I will do everything in my power to make certain every quarian who wishes to do the same gets to as well."

"Even if it means splitting up the quarians? What, the naysayers stay on the Fleet?" Shepard asked, raising her eyebrows. "You know quarians fought each other during the Morning War—Geth War, or whatever it is you call it." She held a hand out at him. "There were many like you, who tried to defend the geth …. The geth still have data archived from the war. They can show you recordings of quarians mowing down geth and quarian alike. What's to stop it from happening again?"

"But apparently the geth can learn to lie. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't believe everything Legion showed us, but the quarians might not be so easily convinced even if presented with his evidence."

"Yeah," Shepard thought, "let's not point it out to them."

"I don't have all of the answers, and as much as I wish I could, I can't see the future." He lifted his hands, turning his palms out. "I don't know how this will all turn out for my people, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't try. I know you want some assurances your time here hasn't been wasted—."

"No, Admiral," she said, cutting him off before he went too far down that path. "I want some assurances for when the reapers invade the galaxy—and I promise you, they are coming—the quarians and geth will be ready to fight against the reapers for the sake of all life and not wrapped up in fighting each other."

"The reapers. Yes, of course." He sounded almost chagrined. "For the first time in nearly three-hundred cycles, we have a planet to defend. We won't let it go without a fight, I assure you."

"I'm glad to hear it, but let's not mince words here." She pushed herself to her feet, brushing off her hands as she turned to look down at the quarian admiral. "The reapers don't give a damn about your planet. This isn't a war for territory or resources; there aren't any politics or religious views involved. They just want us dead." She held her hand out to him.

He watched her in silence for a moment before his gaze slid to her hand. "Message received, Shepard." He gave her his hand and let her help pull him to his feet. "The quarians are nothing if not resourceful. The Admiralty Board will take the information you gave us about the reapers, and we'll use it to prepare for the invasion. Research into weapons and defenses; when the time comes, we'll have something to offer the galaxy. You have my word." He gripped her hand a little tighter, giving it a firm shake before letting it go.

"We'll hold them to it."

Shepard gave Jane an internal nod and thought, "Damn right we will."

"Thank you, Admiral." Shepard took a deep breath, letting his promise ease some of the tension built up inside of her.

"Please, call me Zaal." He dipped his head. "I owe you at least that much."

She smiled and returned the gesture. "Thanks, Zaal, but forgive me if I don't extend you the same courtesy. It's nothing personal toward you; I just very rarely use my first name with anyone."

"No offense taken." He gestured toward the door, letting her take the lead. "Is this a human custom? I'm afraid I don't know much about human cultures."

"Mmm, it's more of an Alliance thing. I joined at eighteen. I didn't have any family left, and no real friends outside of the Alliance." She shrugged, stepping back outside into the shade of the cliffs. She glanced over her shoulder at him as he followed her out. "It's not a secret or anything; it's in my public files. I just went so long without using my name it got to where it feels … intimate for someone to call me Dawn."

"I see," he said, tilting his head. "What a shame; I find I rather like the name."

She laughed, finding it odd how much she actually enjoyed talking to the quarian when he stopped strutting around like a peacock. "Thanks."

"Yeah … I guess he's not so bad."

"Well, Shepard, I believe it's time we return to the Migrant Fleet. There's much work to be done." He glanced at the shuttles before looking back at her, "I assume the Normandy won't be joining us?"

She shook her head. "Afraid not. But the Admiralty Board is welcome to contact me anytime."

"I thank you—on behalf of the Admiralty Board, and the entire Migrant Fleet." He extended his hand, clasping her fingers in a shake when she accepted. "We won't forget all you've done for us, Shepard."

"I'm just glad it all went off without any shots being fired." She let go of his hand. "I'll see you back at the ships."

She made her way to the Normandy's shuttle and climbed inside. James wasn't far behind her. He passed her a bottle of water before taking one for himself and slid into the shuttle's pilot seat.

Instead of buckling in, he sat sideways to grin at her. "Hey, I think he likes you, Ídolo."

"Who? The admiral?" She furrowed her brow and cracked open the water bottle.

He waggled his eyebrows at her, tilting his head back to take a heavy pull from his own water.

She and rolled her eyes, picking up a mental image of Jane doing the same, but she laughed despite herself. "Alright, alright, James. Give it a rest."

Once everyone returned, the shuttle took off and headed back to the landing zone. Shepard settled in for the long ride, stretching her legs out as much as possible in the full shuttle, listening to the quiet chatter of her team as they discussed everything they'd seen on Rannoch. Personally, she'd seen enough quarians without their masks—and indeed, green as well as blue, purple, and silver were perfectly normal hair colors for their perfectly featured species—the novelty long since wore off. She'd be content never seeing another quarian face if it's what it took to get off the dry, hot planet.

By the time the shuttles made it back to the landing zone, she wanted nothing more than a cool shower and to fall down face first into her pillows. Bed needed to wait a little bit longer, though; she had a prisoner to deal with. Leaving everyone else behind, she climbed out of the shuttle and headed for the Normandy.

She made her way up the ramp and went straight to the elevator, taking it up a floor. The elevator opened and she hung a left, making a beeline for the port cargo. She found Han'Gerrel sitting on the floor in the corner of the room. Grunt leaned against the wall across from him, beefy arms crossed over his chest as he glowered at the admiral. Jane did much the same in the back of Shepard's mind.

Grunt glanced at her, his chin just barely lifting in acknowledgement. "Shepard."

She stopped next to the krogan and stuck her hands in her pockets. "Grunt. How's it going?"

"Boring." He scoffed, disgust heavy in his voice. "I kept hoping he'd do something. Give me a reason to scare him a little, but he just sat there all day doing nothing."

Shepard chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, you're relieved of guard duty. Thanks for keeping an eye on him."

"Yep." Grunt dropped his arms to the side and moved past her, heading for the door. "I'm going to find something to eat. It stinks of quarian in here."

She watched him leave, wondering what exactly a quarian smelled like. Turning back to Han'Gerrel, she pursed her lips. "Let's go, Admiral." She held her hand out to him. "Zaal'Koris and the others are unloading the shuttles, but they'll be ready to take off soon."

He looked at her hand for a moment before ignoring it altogether, pushing himself to his feet. She sighed, pulling her other hand free from her pocket and gestured toward the door. Han'Gerrel walked past her, head held high. She followed him out, feeling Jane scrutinize his every move, but he didn't say or do anything, only coming to a stop in front of the elevator and tucking his hands behind his back.

She leaned past him and pushed the elevator call button. "I know you're scared, Admiral. I get it." She ignored his disdainful scoff and continued, "When you get back on your ship, you're probably going to hear all about the wonders your people saw today. They're going to tell you about the farms and houses, show you the artifacts they gathered to take back to the Fleet …. This is real, Admiral. What the geth are offering is real. You want what's best for your people; let them have this."

The elevator door slid opened, and Shepard held out her arm, ushering him inside. Han'Gerrel entered, turning at the back of the elevator to face the doors, still silent with his hands behind his back. She stepped in and pushed the button to take them down to the hangar. Zaal waited just outside the Normandy's ramp with the quarian members of the Normandy crew and Legion. He glanced up as she made her way down to them, Han'Gerrel at her side.

"Han," Zaal said, dropping his weight to one hip and crossing his arms, "it's a shame you missed out on today's events. I think what we've seen today would've convinced even you to give this peace a chance."

"So I've been told." Han'Gerrel stopped next to Zaal, his gaze steady on the other admiral. "What now? Are you going to drag me before the rest of the Admiralty Board like some common criminal because I tried to protect our people?"

Zaal tutted. "I'd hoped some time to think this through might've done you some good. I see I was mistaken." His gaze shifted to her. "Thank you again, Shepard."

She shook his hand for the third time that day when he held it out to her. "Glad I could help, Zaal."

Han'Gerrel scoffed, apparently disturbed by her familiarity toward Zaal, but he said nothing.

Turning to Kal and Tali, Zaal nodded his head. "Kal'Reegar, Tali'Zorah, find me when you come aboard." He gestured back toward the quarian ships, and Han'Gerrel started walking, Zaal right beside him.

"They're leaving us? I thought Garrus said …."

Shepard swallowed back the sudden heartache and turned her attention back to the others. "You're going with him?"

"Just for awhile." Tali took a few steps closer to Shepard, closing the ranks around her. "We thought it'd be a good idea for us to be there when the Conclave reconvenes to discuss the negotiations."

"We'll rejoin you right after, Commander." Kal moved a little closer, too, resting his hand on Tali's back. "We plan on being there when you go through the Omega 4 Relay, don't worry."

Shepard tucked her hands behind her back and nodded; relieved to know it wouldn't be a permanent arrangement but still a little disappointed they wouldn't be around for awhile. "Of course." Her gaze shifted to Lia and Legion.

"Oh, no, we're staying with you." Lia moved a little closer to Legion. "Right, Legion?"

He looked down at the quarian next to him, optic plates fluttering. "Yes, Creator Vael."

"Okay. Well, we'll be headed out soon, so do you two need anything off the Normandy before we go?" Shepard asked, her attention back on Tali and Kal.

Tali nodded. "Yeah, I should grab a few things." She and Kal started up the ramp to the Normandy.

"I'll be in the AI core with Legion if you need me, Shepard." Lia looped her arm though the geth platform's, and together they followed after Tali and Kal.

Yawning, she rolled her shoulders before stretching her arms out behind her. Lifting her hand to her mic, she called EDI. "Hey, EDI, are we good to go? You back inside the Normandy all the way or whatever?"

"Yes, Shepard. Thank you." EDI's voice came through her comm. "Joining the Geth Consensus was very enlightening. I have much to discuss with you when you have the time."

"I'm glad to hear it. Do me a favor and round up the crew. Tell Joker to get the Normandy ready." She stifled another yawn. "I'm tired and want to get out of here."

"Right away, Shepard."

"Thanks, EDI." She took a deep breath, taking one last look around her at Rannoch.

It really was a beautiful planet, even if mostly desert land. Her gaze snagged on Thane off by himself a few feet from the cliff's edge. His hands tucked behind his back, he stood with his face turned up to the sun. She smiled and made her way over to him.

He held his hand out to her as she stepped up beside him, but he didn't turn to look at her. "Hello, siha."

She slid her hand into his, lifting her other to shield her eyes as she let her gaze roam over his face, taking in the glint of his scales and the soft upturn of his lips. "Hey, you look happy. Enjoying the dry air?"

"I am, yes." He took a deep breath and glanced at her. "It must be uncomfortably bright for you."

"A little." She shrugged. "Granted, my eyes don't have built in sunglasses like yours."

He chuckled, turning his face back up to the sky, his eyelids falling closed again. "It's pleasant here for me; the drier air, the warmth of the sun on my scales … the quiet calm of the planet. It's soothing."

"You thinking about staying?" She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles, working a teasing quality into her voice. "Making Rannoch your new home?"

He smiled, squeezing her hand. "No, but I'm grateful to have the chance to enjoy it for the moment."

He tugged at her and she stepped into his side, sliding her arm around his waist. He moved his hand to her shoulder, thumb brushing back and forth against her with gentle, lazy strokes. Resting her head on his chest, she closed her eyes and tilted her face up, soaking in the moment with him.