A/N: There is italic dialogue again in this chapter, the last major chunk I promise. Again, it is probably not word-for-word, but it's from Mass Effect 3.
ALSO, note that I've mentioned that this is slightly AU. I'm aware that the spacer background has Captain Hannah Shepard of the Orizaba as your mother and you can communicate with her, but we know nothing of her otherwise. For plot reasons, she is an LC on the Orizaba instead and her married name is Davis. Shepard is her maiden name. She's also a bit of a b*tch. You will understand why in this chapter. Warnings for implied conditioning, abuse.
The next day on Rannoch was spent wandering the makeshift city with Tali, taking in all of the changes and occasionally following her to a lab or two when someone requested her aid. Tali was a prominent engineer amongst the quarians, one with more experience with alien technology than others twice her age. She was brilliant, her custom drones were marvels in themselves, no matter how much Garrus teased her about them and the noise they made.
He was glad to tag along with her and Shepard, accompanying them to multiple places throughout the day. Wherever Athena went, random quarians waved as she passed, sometimes murmuring low under their breath in awe just at the sight of her. They owed her not only their lives but their homeworld as well. So many people owed Athena so much, yet she always seemed embarrassed by the attention, the praise they gave her. She had just been doing her duty, what was right.
Yet so many doors opened without hesitation for her. Her professional and personal reputation could never be any higher, but she still never wavered away from acting with integrity and honor. It was because of things like this that she had been able to gain the trust of so many different races leading up to the war. Not only for the war but beyond, as her interactions with his own people proved.
Turians were a proud bunch, considered somewhat rigid by other species. They held collective and personal honor in high regard, their entire societal ranking was based on merit and quality. With such high standards, personal sacrifices and heroic actions were almost considered to be expected behavior. Their interactions with humanity in the past were contentious at best. Garrus knew both sides still held grudges for the Relay 317 incident, which was how turians termed the First Contact War.
Athena had broken through those barriers like they were made of the thinnest paper. She was the first of her kind made a Spectre, a friend and ally of generals and leaders of his kind. She'd fought alongside his people, defending them as fiercely as her own. When she gave orders, they listened and obeyed her as they would their own commanding officers. Her authority was undeniable, every soldier from the rank and file on up heeded what she said, normally doing exactly what she told them to do.
To top that off, she'd achieved what was nigh impossible without even realizing it. To gain accord with a ranking member of their military was one thing. For a Turian General to sponsor her as a citizen, a respected member of his kind? There were very few that had ever achieved that status, and not one of them was human.
Garrus had always considered himself lucky to know Athena. Spirits, it would have been so easy for her to find out about Fist without even meeting him! Having her come for him on Omega had been a miracle, he'd seen her stay behind on the first Normandy, and all of them had heard that she was dead. Joining her for what most had said was a suicide mission hadn't even earned a second thought.
He never, ever would have considered that perhaps he had earned the love and affection of one of the most remarkable individuals he had ever known. But here he was, after the war, walking around with a woman who loved him unconditionally. A woman who had actually applied to live on his homeworld because she knew how much that would mean to him. Garrus doubted that he would ever find the words to express how he felt, but then again, maybe he didn't need to. Maybe, he thought as she turned to look at him, a smile gracing her lips, she already knew.
It was strange, but as evening approached and Athena contemplated heading out to say goodbye to Legion for the last time, she didn't feel the same overwhelming dread that she had with Mordin, or even just contemplating doing it a few weeks ago. She had Garrus to thank for that, he had known exactly what to say to break through her negative thoughts, exactly what she had desperately needed to hear.
She stood up, brushing imaginary dirt off her casual clothes. Grabbing her commemorative jacket, she shrugged it on and walked outside in the waning light, stopping to stare at the stars above her. On Earth, even before the Reapers had arrived, they were never so clear and bright. There had been too much development, humanity on the brink of pushing Earth past its limits when they had discovered the first data caches of Prothean information and mass relay technology.
There was a whisper of sound behind and next to her. Athena turned her head, not alarmed yet but still hyper-aware of her surroundings. The war was over, but her trained and war-honed instincts couldn't be turned off so easily. They all had little traits they couldn't let go of, like Garrus keeping a weapon nearby and sitting with his back to a wall or solid surface.
Garrus was one of the only people that could walk up on her and not cause a defensive reaction. She'd known it was him before fully turning around, but it still made her relax when she spotted his familiar face and casual posture.
They didn't need a vehicle this time, the place where Legion had 'died' was maybe a few hundred yards away and a little above them. It was a short but steep climb, leaving her a little breathless afterwards. The view out onto the surrounding terrain was as spectacular as she remembered, leading out for miles into the desert.
Athena took a few steps forward, still breathing a little harshly. So perhaps she wasn't as composed as she would like to think. She knew the last person to judge her would be Garrus. He was quiet, staring out into the world with a contemplative air. He didn't rush her, didn't say a word actually. He was just there, like he'd always been.
She activated her omni-tool, bringing up the file she was looking for with trembling fingers. Slowly, she queued the playback, lowering her arm. Legion was almost directly in front of her, facing where the Reaper corpse had been.
"Wait, Shepard-Commander. Do the geth deserve death?"
"What are you suggesting, Legion?" Athena asked, turning to face him.
"The upgrades. We could upload them to all geth, giving them true intelligence."
"You want to upload the Reaper code?" Tali asked incredulously, voice shaking. "That would make the geth as smart as when they were being directly controlled by the Reapers!"
"Yes, but with free will. Each of us would be alive, and we could help you. Our engineers could help build the Crucible and our fleets would support yours."
"My people are already attacking!" Tali's holographic form almost shouted. "If you upload the code now, the geth will attack us again."
"Do you remember the question that caused the Creators to attack us, Creator Zorah? Does this unit have a soul?"
"Upload the code, Legion." Athena ordered. "Tali, contact the fleet, call them off if you can."
Legion raised its arms, a holographic ball of information hovering in front of it. "Twenty percent."
"To the Migrant Fleet, call off your attack." Tali said into her omni-tool.
"Belay that order!" Gerrel barked. "Keep firing!"
Tali ran to face Legion. "Please, I beg you, do not do this."
"We regret the deaths of the Creators, but we see no alternative. Forty percent."
"Shepard, please," Tali begged Athena. "My people will be destroyed. Please don't chose the geth over my people."
"Legion, keep uploading." Athena said firmly.
"Shepard?" Tali's voice wavered.
Athena opened her own link to the fleet. "This is Commander Shepard, stand down."
"Sixty percent," Legion stated.
"This is Admiral Tali'Zorah," Tali said quickly, "Shepard speaks with my authority."
"And mine," Zaal'Koris input firmly.
"Keep firing!" Gerrel said, his voice desperate. "They're completely helpless, we can win this! We just have to keeping firing!"
"Eighty percent."
"The geth are about to come back online with the upgrades intact. If you continue to fire on them, you will be utterly destroyed. This war has been 300 years of you trying to destroy the geth. The geth are only defending themselves. The geth don't want to fight you. If you can believe this for just one minute, this war will be over. Please. Keelah se'lai."
There was a tense pause, then Gerrel said, his voice faltering, "Cease fire."
Athena smiled briefly, then looked at Legion.
"Error. Copying code is insufficient." With a strange tone in its metallic voice, Legion lowered its 'head' and said, "Direct personality dissemination required."
It looked at Athena and said, "I must go to them, Shepard-Commander. I am sorry, it is the only way."
"Legion," Tali said, her voice wavering. "The answer to your question is 'yes'."
"I know, Tali. But thank you."
Legion faced the Reaper corpse again, the lights over its body turning briefly red. Then it sank, first to the 'knees' before falling forward, optics turned to the side.
Athena had a wavering smile on her face as the recording ended, a few tears wetting her cheeks. Legion had been a friend, a comrade, a valuable member of her team. They had overcome a lot of obstacles, including her own personal ones after fighting the heretics that worked with Saren. She had been prepared to shoot Legion herself, if necessary, there in the AI core when she had reactivated him.
"I was waiting with the geth ship Legion had commandeered, just in case we needed a quick getaway. I heard your message to the Fleet and I knew that millions of lives were riding on the line for either side. I was holding my breath the entire time, hoping against any logical hope that you would be able to end this conflict peacefully," Garrus commented quietly.
"If Han'Gerrel or Daro'Xen hadn't listened to me, it would have ended badly," Athena said. "When Legion and I shut down the server prior to the final fight, I saw some of the collective memories of the geth from when they were first activated by the quarians until the end of the Morning War. It changed my perspective on them even more than it had already, made me hope that we could resolve this peacefully, without having to destroy anyone else."
"Legion was a friend," Garrus said, "a pain in the ass at times, but a friend. I was wondering if we would ever see him again after we all came back alive from the mission against the Collector base. It was hard losing him, I know. But because of his sacrifice, the geth and quarians are allies, building a world that they will share together."
"Tali asked me if it was strange that she was mourning a geth, just after the conflict ended and Legion 'died'. I told her it wasn't strange at all," Athena said softly. "What I meant to say was that she wasn't mourning a geth, we were both mourning the loss of a friend."
This time, Athena didn't hesitate, raising her arm and queueing the file again. She stared at Legion's image for a long moment and said quietly, "Goodbye, Legion," before tapping the key to delete the file permanently from her records.
Garrus took her hand, leading her down the outcrop to a flat shelf of land. Athena recognized it instantly, the scorch marks from the Reaper's laser still decorated the ground and stone cliffs. This was the spot where she had faced off against the Reaper itself, armed with only a targeting laser.
She looked at Garrus curiously, barely able to see him in the darkening night. He let go of her hand, took a couple of steps forward and looked around. Observing the sheer cliffs to each side, the narrow plateau of land with a steep drop to the ground below. It had been a tight spot, far closer of an encounter than she would have liked with a massive Reaper, at least until Earth.
He turned around, looking at her. "When you ordered Legion to stop and got out of the vehicle, I knew that you were going to do something crazy. I never possibly imagined that you would confront the Reaper on foot. When you said that it had to end here, then told Legion to get out of harm's way, I wanted to come with you."
"Staying in that vehicle was tough, Athena. I had seen what those lasers did first hand. We were lucky to recover bodies back on Palaven and Menae when those things swept through. A direct hit and the heat would disintegrate armor, flesh and bone like it was made of plastic. Staying behind and letting you dodge that thing, multiple times, was the single hardest moment of my life."
"But you trusted me, or my insane luck, to get through it," Athena said quietly. "You've always trusted me without question, it's one of the things that I always felt honored by, Garrus. I know trust can be hard to come by for your military and your people in general. The fact that you trusted me, that you knew I would get us through, somehow, was always something that I treasured. There's a reason you were hardly ever out of my ground parties, after all."
"Well," he said with a mild cough, his sub vocals giving off a tinge of embarrassment, "that and you wouldn't have done it quite so stylishly."
Athena gave a soft snort. How many times had she heard him say that?
"Let's go," she said softly. "It's getting late."
"Right with you," he answered, giving the plateau one last, lingering look.
Then they both walked away, leaving their past memories and fears behind.
Tali agreed to accompany them when the Normandy departed a few days later. She was very curious however, and was the first to directly question Athena. "What is going on, Shepard?"
"I just wanted to get the group together again one last time," Athena insisted, not quite ready to explain. "The war is over, we're all going to be building our separate lives. We'll stay in touch of course, but it won't be the same, Tali. I missed all of you and wanted to see you again."
Tali merely hummed before disappearing to her usual haunt, the engineering deck. Adams, Donnelly, and Daniels had all returned for the Normandy's shakedown cruise. Gabby had returned with a ring on her finger, to which Athena had told Ken that it was "About damn time!"
"Where are we going next, Commander?" Joker asked her curiously.
"That's up to you guys," Athena said quietly. "If you feel comfortable doing so, I would like to see the world you landed on after the Crucible fired."
"You're with us, Commander. That was what made being on that world so hard. We didn't know if you were dead or alive, if the Crucible had actually destroyed the Reapers or if we were the sole survivors. Now we know we won, and you're with us. I don't have a problem with it."
None of the others did either, so Joker set a course for the garden world they had discovered. The recovery crew that had found the Normandy had marked the planet in their reports, right down to the coordinates where the Normandy had made its crash landing.
It would actually only take a few hours, being just two systems away from Rannoch. They hadn't realized at the time how close to their allies they had landed, nor how far the Normandy had actually gone when Joker had finally left the Sol system. That was enough time for Athena to give Garrus a gift of sorts.
She stopped briefly in her quarters to pick up a sleek case, then headed down to the crew deck. She waved to a couple members of the crew as she walked by, heading for the main battery. It amused her that even when the Normandy wasn't being used in active service, this was still where Garrus chose to hang out. She reached out and tapped the door, waiting briefly for it to cycle.
Garrus was sitting at the control terminal, staring out into the weapons bay. He turned his head and said, "Hey, fancy seeing you down here."
She smiled. "I've got something for you."
With that, Athena hefted the case up onto the terminal in front of Garrus, mostly using her left arm since the right shoulder was still not completely healed. This case was damn heavy, Chakwas would have her head if Athena injured it worse.
Garrus blinked, staring at the case. "What is this?"
"Open it and find out," she challenged, leaning back against the railing next to the terminal.
He carefully clicked the series of latches and spun open the small dial on the zip. Tugging gently, he opened the case. She heard the soft inhale of surprise as he stared at what the case held.
It was her Black Widow V sniper rifle, Spectre-issue and illegal for a civilian to own. She currently had an enlarged thermal clip and lighter barrel materials equipped, but there was an extended barrel in the case as well for increased damage, as well as an enhanced scope.
"I will not be able to use this again," Athena said quietly. "My shoulder will eventually recover, but the recoil on this gun will easily reinjure it. My hands also shake too much for it to remain accurate. I had wanted to get you a match when I first bought this, but it was incredibly expensive, even for a Spectre's wages. Instead of letting it gather dust or selling it, I figured I would give it to someone who could use it, and would appreciate it."
Garrus stared reverently at the rifle, his fingers reaching out to just barely brush the sleek matte black material. "Athena, are you certain you want me to have this?"
"Yes," she said firmly, which startled him. He looked up at her in surprise. "You're probably the best sharpshooter in the entire galaxy, Garrus. You ran a vigilante group on Omega using that skill and your training at C-Sec. Technically this weapon is Spectre-issue, but I'm still a Spectre. It's yours, if you want it," she arched a brow at him.
"If I-" He spluttered. "Are you kidding? This thing is incredible. Thank you, Athena."
"You're welcome," she said, grinning.
Athena walked back out of the battery, leaving Garrus staring at the rifle in awe. Soon he'd snap out of it and start examining the weapon in detail, tinkering with the settings. She was pretty sure that she had just made his day. It felt nice, being able to make the people she cared about happy.
As they approached the crash zone on the undiscovered world, Tali felt none of the apprehension she had thought she might feel at being back here. Like Joker had said, they had their beloved Commander Shepard with them and they knew the end of the war. All the uncertainty, the doubts, the fears, they were all absent. Now she was fully able to appreciate the beauty of this untouched planet that they had discovered completely by accident.
Trees and mountains rose high into the sky, the air was clear and crisp, the ground covered in rich vegetation and wildlife. She had a feeling it wouldn't be long before the Systems Alliance made this a colony world. When the Normandy landed, much more gracefully this time, they all exited the ship and stood in their clearing, looking around. When the Normandy had been rescued, they had removed the sensors keeping out the local wildlife, so James, Garrus, Steve, and Wrex were all armed.
Tali knew that Shepard felt vulnerable, but she had also learned the remarkable woman was restricted to carrying only a pistol, nor could she wear even the lightest armor, otherwise she risked setting back her recovery. Tali noted in amusement that the woman didn't really need to worry about anything, Garrus was hardly ever more than about five meters from her.
Athena was looking around, awe etched on her features. She stepped forward, following the small creek. Tali moved to join her, Liara on her other side. Together, the trio led the way down the creek bed towards the sound of rushing water. They emerged at what had drawn Athena, a beautiful waterfall over a steep cliff. Athena crouched low to the ground a few feet back from the edge, following the path of the waterfall with her eyes. Eventually she looked up and out over the landscape sprawled before them.
It was the most at peace Tali had ever seen Shepard since joining up with the woman three years ago. She was almost relaxed, not quite since they were in unfamiliar territory, but her face was calm, her expression open and curious.
"It's beautiful," Athena said quietly.
"It really is," Tali agreed. "I could not appreciate it before, not really. We were all more concerned with getting back to the fleets and figuring out what had happened to you. This stupid war has consumed so much of our attention that we couldn't really even see the beauty before us."
"It's over now," Athena mused, not really even talking to Tali or Liara. She seemed to be more thinking her thoughts out loud. "The Reapers are gone; we've built alliances where before there was only conflict. Everything the Reapers destroyed we can rebuild. No one is going to risk a war right now, we've all lost too many people."
"Peace," Liara said finally. "We've achieved peace. It's not perfect, but it's better than we had before."
"Peace," Athena echoed, a strange expression on her face. She looked like she had just made a decision, an important one.
Tali wasn't sure what it was, but it was important to Shepard, which made it important to her as well. Shepard may have started out as her commanding officer, but she was a friend, mentor, and family. Athena had done more for Tali than her birth family ever had, and that was a priceless gift.
They had returned to the Normandy, but Athena hadn't given them a new destination. Instead, as the sun began to set, she sent word that she would like to speak to all of them. It was decided that the best place for this would be the bridge, one of the largest areas on the Normandy. As the crew started to assemble, she drew Garrus aside. He frowned, curious as to what she was going to tell the crew, or him for that matter.
She looked to the floor briefly, as if gathering her courage. Then she looked at him and said quietly, "There is a reason I sent my initial message to Primarch Victus. Not that there needed to be another one besides just wanting to stay with you, and showing you in the best way I could that I meant anywhere. This shakedown cruise on the Normandy has proven something to me, Garrus. It's shown me that I achieved the goals I set out to do, that there isn't going to be another big war around the corner, another villain that wants to conquer our galaxy. At least, not in our lifetime."
She took a deep breath, then forged on. "I sent another message just after our visit to Rannoch. To the Systems Alliance and Admiral Hackett in particular. I told him that at the end of the Normandy's cruise, I plan to retire, from both the Systems Alliance military and the Spectre program. We fought a galactic war and won, Garrus, but as you said before we went to Earth, every one of the shots fired at us could have been our last. I want to stop while I'm ahead, and figure out what life can be like besides war."
A soft rumble started in Garrus' throat before she even stopped. He understood what she was saying, and a part of him was glad that she had come to the realization herself. "I lost you when the original Normandy was destroyed," he said to her, "and damn near lost you again when the Crucible fired. I understand where you're coming from with this Athena, and I'm glad. I'm not sure I could handle another time where I almost lost you. Our close calls are getting closer every time."
She looked relieved, and smiled a little. "It's strange, I knew you of all people would understand, but it still made me nervous to tell you about this decision I'd made."
Garrus looked at her and said wryly, "Now you've just got to tell the crew."
"Yay," she deadpanned, looking anything but excited.
"They're all behind you one hundred percent," Garrus promised. "They'll understand, and if they don't, they'll get over it."
He walked out from the area where they had been standing to join the others, standing behind and in the middle of Liara and Tali, next to Wrex. The crew lined the outer ring of the galaxy map in the CIC, leaving the raised access point open. Athena strode up the short ramp and stopped, momentarily placing her hands on the railing. She looked down, gathering her thoughts.
Looking up, her silvery eyes scanned the room, briefly catching the glance of each and every one of her crew. Then she drew herself up straight, linked her hands behind her back, and started to speak.
"When I originally joined up with the Systems Alliance, humanity was still a newcomer to galactic society. I never personally worked with any alien species until Elysium. It was after the Blitz and the N7 program that I was recruited personally by Captain Anderson as his second in command. About two months after that, Anderson came to me, said he'd been given command of a brand-new ship. It was based on a blend of Turian and human design, with an advanced drive core and prototype stealth system."
"That ship was the first Normandy. Our shakedown cruise ended with a trip to Eden Prime and we all know how that ended. A Prothean beacon was destroyed after giving me a vision, a Council Spectre was revealed to be a traitor, and I was given the immense honor and privilege of becoming the first human Spectre."
"Then Sovereign almost destroyed the Citadel, the galaxy began to recover, and I was called insane or delusional for demanding that Sovereign was just a vanguard for the real threat. Only a few months later, the original Normandy was destroyed, her original crew decimated. I was revived by Cerberus to destroy the Collectors, which I did with the help of an incredible group of individuals, many from my original crew."
Shepard looked down, crossed her arms across her front. "But I failed to see the real threat that Cerberus posed. I failed to see that beyond my crew, behind the façade the Illusive Man presented, was a web of deceit and lies. Lies that sought to undermine humanity, no matter what their stated goals were. Humanity on top at any cost, that was the Illusive Man's real goal."
"So, when the Reapers finally invaded, attacking Earth, Palaven, and so many others, we were both underprepared and fighting a war on two fronts. The Normandy became Admiral Hackett's spear, gathering allies and materials across the galaxy. I have asked so much of each of you, both personally and professionally, over the past year. You all have risen above and beyond the challenge, your trust and faith in me overwhelming at times."
"Ultimately, we won the war, but at a great cost. Family units have been severed, worlds damaged or utterly destroyed. Each and every one of us had to be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, and far too many did. But the Reapers are gone, Cerberus reduced to a few insurgents. The threat, for the most part, is gone. Finally, we have been able to take a step back, breathe, and live our lives."
"Which is why I am standing before you now. Every decision I have made has been a difficult one, and this one was no less so. Since the age of 18, I have dedicated my life to the Systems Alliance, the galaxy, to humanity. I died, was resurrected, and nearly died again. I am bruised and bloody, but I am still alive. But each battle I fought could have been the last, each breath the last I took."
"Which is why I have decided to retire, from both the Systems Alliance and the Spectre program. It is time I discover who Athena Shepard is, besides a Commander and the first human Spectre. It has been the highest honor I will ever know to serve alongside each and every one of you. When we return the Normandy from her shakedown cruise, Admiral Hackett and the Council will decide what happens to her next."
Startled murmurs broke out amongst the crew when Athena told them her decision, but by the end of it, understanding flitted across many of the faces in the room. It was Joker who stepped forward, stood at attention and snapped a salute to Athena. Across the room, the Systems Alliance soldiers followed the motion without hesitation, pride on their faces.
Garrus could almost see the emotion in Athena's eyes at the action, but she swiftly and smoothly returned the motion. She stepped off the platform, walking over to them.
"That's why you gathered us all again," Tali said quietly, "so that you could tell us in person."
"I wanted you to be with me," Athena retaliated. "You are all my family and my best friends. I wanted to see you, to tell you in person how much you all mean to me. But I also wanted you to be with me for this last journey on the Normandy."
Samantha Traynor walked up, saluted Athena and said, "Ma'am, it has been an honor serving with you. Also, there is a communication on your terminal when you are available."
Athena looked startled, then turned to her terminal, which was just next to them. She cued up the message, which was very short, and read it. Her eyebrows almost disappeared into her hairline and she turned to them.
"Aria is inviting us to Omega," she mused. "What do you think?"
Garrus knew that question was particularly pointed at him and he was touched by her concern, but he didn't mind going back there. His team was at rest, the one responsible had paid for his actions. He had grown since then, in more ways than one. He shrugged, as Tali said curiously, "I wonder what she wants?"
"With Aria you really never know," Athena said wryly. "Hey Joker?"
"Yeah?" he called back, pausing on his way to the cockpit.
"Set us on a course for Omega, would you? We got an invite from Aria."
"Huh. Sure thing, Commander," he said, then walked away.
Athena was in her private quarters when her comm pinged. Touching the panel, she said, "Shepard here."
"Commander," Samantha's voice said, "you have a vid-com call from Admiral Hackett."
Surprised, Athena released the button and stood, queuing the vid screen behind her ship models with her omni-tool. Admiral Hackett's face filled the screen, his sharp blue eyes focusing on her.
"I received your notice, Commander. I am not surprised you decided to retire, after everything you have been through. We will discuss details later, for now I have a favor to ask of you."
"Of course, sir," Athena said, smiling. She had always enjoyed a slightly less formal relationship with the Admiral, thanks to the trust he had showed her, amongst other reasons.
"Word has it that you are headed to Omega on an invitation from Aria T'Loak. On your way, you will pass the Hudson, which is stationed near the Attican Traverse. I need you to pick up a passenger from the Hudson and return them to their own ship. The Orizaba is stationed in the Argos Rho cluster, which is closer to Omega than the Hudson's current location."
Athena narrowed her eyes. "Who is the passenger?" she asked tightly, having a feeling there was only one name that mattered.
"Lieutenant Commander Davis," Hackett said, confirming her suspicions.
"I don't like people who meddle in my life, Admiral," Athena warned.
"I am not meddling, Commander. I am a senior officer asking you for a favor. Would you prefer I ordered you to do it instead?" Hackett said curtly, a warning in his voice.
Athena looked down. Shame crept into her at her actions. That name just caused a lot of anger and resentment in her, something that she had tried to curb over the years. "No, sir. I apologize, my conduct was unseemly."
"I'm aware that you and the Lieutenant have a history fraught with problems, Commander." Hackett said quietly, eyes understanding. "I'm only asking you to give her a lift back to her ship on your way through."
"Of course," Athena replied, a sinking feeling in her gut. "The Normandy is at your command, as always."
"Thank you," Hackett said. "I will upload the Hudson's location to your galaxy map as well as the Orizaba's. Both will be aware of your arrival."
The screen turned black. Athena gritted her teeth. This was not what she wanted to deal with. With a sigh, rubbing her suddenly aching head, she said out loud, "EDI."
"I am here, Shepard," EDI responded promptly.
"Inform Joker that there is a slight change in our plans. The location of the SSV Hudson should be programmed into the galaxy map. We need to go there, please. After you tell him, inform our group that I need to speak with them in the observation lounge, and make sure both yourself and Joker are present. In person, please, this is important."
"Right away, Shepard. May I ask, are you okay? Your vocal inflections indicate considerable tension."
"I will be," Athena reassured her, "thank you for asking."
She headed down to the lounge herself, walking over to the bar and pouring herself a stiff drink. She was going to need one, probably more by the end of this little 'errand'. This is going to be fun, she thought bitterly.
She sipped at the tall drink, waiting. One by one, her friends and family filtered through the door, each looking at her curiously and with more than a little concern. After all, they hardly ever saw her drinking, especially while technically on duty. Garrus was one of the last through, and he shot her a very expressive look as she downed the last of her drink in a single go, setting the glass down on the counter and shaking her head a little to clear it of the initial fuzziness from the powerful alcohol. One plus, her headache had reduced considerably.
"What is going on, Commander?" Joker asked curiously. "I have never seen you drink that much in one go, let alone in the middle of the day."
She rolled her eyes, then leaned against the wall, crossing her arms across her middle. With a sigh, she said quietly, "I just received a call from Admiral Hackett. We're diverting to a location inside the Attican Traverse, to find the SSV Hudson. There's an Alliance officer there who we need to pick up and bring to their assigned vessel, the Orizaba."
"Hackett's making an advanced warship a glorified taxi?" James asked incredulously.
"It's a favor to him, the Hudson is watching for any unrest in the Traverse after the war. They can't leave the system, certainly not long enough to go to the Argos Rho cluster, which is where the Orizaba is. That's not the problem."
Athena hesitated, closed her eyes. She had hoped that this particular topic would never come up. There was a lot about her past that the crew of the Normandy had never known. Despite feeling like a bit of a hypocrite, she had preferred it that way. There were things in her past she'd hoped to never have to talk about.
"The problem is who we are picking up. Her name is Lieutenant Commander Hannah Davis. She's a respected officer on the Orizaba, with a steady career since joining the Alliance," Athena sighed. "The thing of it is, she's also my mother," she finally admitted.
"Your mother?" Joker said incredulously. "I knew you were a spacer kid, but I didn't realize your mother still actively served."
"I fail to see why this is such a problem to you, Shepard." EDI stated quizzically.
"It's an issue because I haven't seen my mother since I enlisted, with good reason. My mother and I have never gotten along, we have strong differences of opinion. To put it bluntly, my mother is a prejudiced, xenophobic hypocrite. She preaches Alliance doctrine of cooperating with other species. At the same time, she's held a deep grudge her entire life against the Turians for the war, which cost the life of my step-father, James Davis. He didn't actually die during the war, but from complications to his health afterwards. Her and I have never interacted, personally or professionally, and that's for the better. If not for it being a personal favor to Hackett, I would have told him to find an alternative rather than let her set one foot on the Normandy."
She looked up, catching each of their shocked gazes with an earnest, almost pleading gaze. "Please remember, no matter what she may say to you, that I do not and would never believe the same things. I had hoped to never have to deal with her again. I never wanted to have to expose you guys to her toxicity. If you feel more comfortable staying in your quarters for her visit, I will not be upset. I meant it when I said each of you is more my family than my actual, and this is primarily why."
"While we are shocked that your mother is alive and that she sounds the exact opposite of you, we would never blame you, Athena," Liara reassured her quickly. "We have been with you for long enough to know that you have respected and loved each of us from the very start for who we are. I am more concerned about the obvious impact that she has on you, even when she is not on board."
Athena gave a dry, bitter laugh. "Well, at least now you know why I never had a problem with some of your family issues."
"How long do we have until we reach the Hudson?" Athena asked EDI.
"An hour at most," EDI replied.
Athena gave a long, rattling sigh. "Wonderful," she muttered.
Joker pulled alongside the Hudson, within distance that allowed them to connect access ports. He couldn't help but feel immensely curious, wondering about this woman, Shepard's mother. She was apparently the type Cerberus enjoyed recruiting, by the sounds of it. He blinked suddenly as he came to a realization. Athena had said Lieutenant Commander Davis, which meant that she outranked her mother. That would be awkward!
"Commander, the Hudson is requesting permission to connect access."
"Granted," Athena said sharply. Her voice didn't come over the intercom, but from behind him. Joker snuck a glance after tapping the requisite buttons, finding his commanding officer and best friend standing at the airlock wearing her dress uniform, a tight expression on her face.
The airlock cycled, opening with a small hiss. On the other side of the doors was another individual in dress uniform, the other in casual uniform. The one in casuals, a male, saluted Shepard despite wearing bars designating a Captain. He'd obviously saluted first as a manner of respect, as he said with almost awe in his voice, "Commander Shepard, a pleasure to finally meet you. Captain Richards of the SSV Hudson."
"Captain," Athena greeted, returning the salute and then shaking his hand, "likewise."
"Thank you for offering to transport the Lieutenant Commander to the Orizaba. We would have done it ourselves, but we aren't allowed to leave system currently." Richards apologized.
"It's not a problem, Captain," Athena was quick to reassure, "the Normandy was passing by both systems anyway, it's easy enough for us to drop off the LC."
The woman, Athena's mother, had a sharp face and almost sallow complexion, sharing only her daughter's black hair. Hers had turned grey with age and was tied into a severe bun. Her eyes were brown and slightly narrow-set. Her lips were thin and currently set into a pinched expression. This only seemed to grow as she realized that Shepard wasn't going to salute first, meaning she had to.
So, with an increasingly deep expression of displeasure, Hannah Davis was forced to salute her own daughter, who made her hold it a few seconds before returning the gesture. Joker got the impression that Athena was savoring the moment, forcing her mother to acknowledge her with the respect the military dictated. Captain Richards departed, the Hudson disconnected, and Joker had to turn back to his ship as he piloted them back to the mass relay.
Behind him, Athena said in a very cold voice, "Welcome aboard the Normandy, Lieutenant Commander Davis."
"Did you enjoy that little power play, Athena? Forcing me to salute my own daughter in front of the captain? I would have thought you above such petty moves," Hannah's voice was sharp, cutting. Joker grimaced, both at her tone and the disrespect she was offering Shepard.
"Rich words for the one who always took pleasure in petty moves and actions," Athena shot back. "Shall I show you around, or would you prefer I show you to your quarters instead. I'm sure you're probably tired after all."
Joker winced at the sharply fired insult, insinuating Hannah's age and decrepit condition. Athena's insults had always been piercing, but never quite this much.
He heard the very quiet, annoyed hiss from Hannah, before the woman snapped, "I'm aware you hold rank here, girl, but don't forget who I am."
"I never could," Athena said bitterly. "If not for Admiral Hackett, you wouldn't be setting foot on my ship. Let me be clear about that from the beginning, Lieutenant Commander Davis."
"I think it would be best if I went to my quarters," Hannah finally said. "It's apparently past time for this crew's night cycle, by your behavior."
Athena just laughed, the sound cold and angry.
As their footsteps faded away, Joker exchanged a look with EDI and said quietly, "She just got here and I'm already wishing she was gone."
"You are not alone in that sentiment, Jeff."
It was a five-day journey to the Orizaba's location. Garrus was beginning to wonder if they would make it with Hannah Davis alive. He'd never seen Athena so tense and irritated as she was now. Not that he blamed her, LC Davis was one of the most unpleasant humans that he'd ever been around. She hadn't spent more than five minutes in the company of Athena's crew unaccompanied, and Athena always cut her off from her most acerbic dialogue.
Still, Garrus got the gist of the woman's thinking, and it appalled him. She represented the worst of humanity, holding all the old prejudices that the humans had brought with them to the galaxy. She hadn't held back on voicing any of her opinions, including the really offensive ones. If not for how obviously embarrassed and upset Athena was at her mother's views, Garrus would have wondered what was going on.
But Athena was clearly cut from a different cloth, as he'd heard a few of the human crew say before. She acknowledged, celebrated and relied upon each of their differences and skills. She showed through her actions and words how much she appreciated them all. Not to mention that she very clearly loved him. She was also dedicated to him and his people with a single-minded focus that leant her a greater understanding of the turians than any other of her kind.
How much would it infuriate her close-minded mother to learn that Athena was in a dedicated relationship with a turian? The thought greatly amused Garrus.
Four days into their trip, Athena had clearly had enough of her mother's close-minded behavior. They were dropping off the LC tomorrow, the Orizaba already aware of their impending arrival. Athena and the crew were hanging out in the observation lounge, talking and laughing. It was the most relaxed Garrus had seen her since her mother had boarded the Normandy.
Wrex was playing poker with James, Steve, and Kaiden. Liara, Tali and EDI were involved in a conversation near the bar, talking about something technical that went over Garrus' head. Meanwhile, he sat next to his beloved Athena, Joker across from them telling a joke. There was a small smile playing on Athena's lips, she was clearly happy to be in their company.
The lounge door cycled open and Garrus blinked. Hannah stood in the doorway, frozen. Her gaze drifted over them, taking in each and every one of the different species represented and finally finding Athena, sitting next to him in relaxed comfort. Garrus could feel the tension building in her back in shoulders, belying the casual appearance. She was coiling up almost as if she were expecting a fight.
Hannah spoke. "I'd always heard that the Normandy crew was full of non-humans, that they were treated exactly the same as those from the Alliance. I'd heard that you and your crew were different, that you didn't seem to care who you fought with. But I never," her voice dropped to a low, harsh tone, "ever expected it to have gone this far. What do you think you're doing, Athena Davis? Who do you think you are?"
Athena stood up; tension visible in every line of her frame. "I'm the first human Spectre, a Systems Alliance Commander, an N7 program graduate, and the hero of the Skyllian Blitz. I'm everything I ever wanted to be, no matter what you wanted of me, mother."
"Do you really think," Athena almost hissed, "that I will ever forget what you did trying to make me what you wanted, mother? That I will ever not be damaged, haunted by a childhood that never existed? Do you think, after listening to your hate-filled bigotry, that I would ever share your opinion on anything? You are nothing to me, Hannah Davis. These people, all of them, are my family and friends, the only ones I have as far as I'm concerned. My name," she finished coldly, "is Athena Shepard."
It happened before any one of them could comprehend it. One moment the two women were standing across from each other, Hannah's face full of anger and spite, Athena's chest heaving with emotion. The next, Hannah pulled her right arm back and punched Athena across the right side of her face, staggering her with the impact.
Garrus was on his feet in a split second, enraged. When Hannah went to repeat the move, he reached out and grabbed her arm by the wrist, tightening his grip just short of breaking bone. Hannah gasped in pain, and then seemed to realize who had grabbed her. Her expression tightened in rage and disgust and she spat, "Let go of me!"
"I don't think so," Garrus said, his sub vocals growling with protective fury. He didn't bother to control them, enjoying the way the woman's eyes widened in sudden fear. He had a good couple of feet on her in height, Athena being taller than her mother. She suddenly seemed aware that she was in acute danger if she pushed the issue.
"We've got her, big guy," James said reassuringly, taking Hannah's other arm and pulling it firmly behind her back. His voice was tight, but controlled.
Reluctantly, Garrus let go, watching with narrow eyes as Steve moved forward and took the arm he released, pinning Hannah in place. He turned, spotting Athena, who was being looked at by Liara. Liara's eyes were narrow and she spat at Hannah, "What kind of woman are you, that you hit your own daughter?! Not just hit her, but hit her hard enough to break bone?"
"It's not the first time," Athena muttered, making the hackles on the back of Garrus' neck rise at the implications.
"You have no right to judge me, asari," Hannah spat.
"I do when our Commander is my friend and sister," Liara answered, eyes turning dark with anger.
"Enough!" Athena said abruptly. She straightened up, ignoring the pain in her cheek. Garrus growled again, lowly, at the bruise that was already forming on her pale skin. She shot him a look, and he took a deep breath, trying to control his irritation.
"Until we reach the Orizaba tomorrow afternoon you are confined to quarters, Lieutenant Commander. A report on your behavior will be filed with both Alliance Command and your XO on the Orizaba."
She laughed bitterly, wincing at the pain in her cheek. "I always knew you hated me, Hannah, but I never thought it ran this deep."
"I don't hate you," Hannah said coldly, "I wish you didn't fucking exist."
Everyone in the room froze, at both Hannah and the expression of rage, pain, and shame that scrawled across Athena's face at the woman's words. Lips curling into almost a snarl, she spat at James and Steve, "Get her out of here."
"Gladly, Commander," James said grimly. They marched the woman out of the doorway. Athena pulled away from Liara and marched out the door soon after, ignoring their calls.
Garrus frowned, concern filling him. What exactly had just happened?
The crew of the Normandy felt only an increasing concern as the hours wore on. Athena had disappeared, presumably up to her private quarters. She had locked all of them out, temporarily revoking their clearances. Including Garrus, which worried him more than anything. What was going through her mind after that confrontation with her own mother?
Liara suddenly stood, moved over to the bar, and opened her omni-tool, rapidly typing on the interface.
"What are you doing?" Tali asked curiously.
"Getting some answers," Liara replied, her voice cryptic.
The glass-fronted cabinets holding fine spirits turned black, and a flickering image appeared on the screen. It was the command deck of an Alliance ship. Admiral Hackett walked into view, and suddenly Liara's words made sense.
"I received your message, Dr. T'Soni. What did you want to speak with me about?"
"Have you received any form of report from the Commander in the last few hours? A duplicate would have been sent to the Orizaba," Liara asked.
Hackett gave a deep sigh. "I did. I should have guessed something of that nature would happen, the Commander has never had a good relationship with her mother. I had hoped that the transit time between the Hudson and the Orizaba would be too short for a major conflict to occur."
"Did Shepard include what her mother said to her? Specifically, the end of the confrontation?"
Hackett's eyes narrowed. "She did not, Dr. T'Soni. Is there something I should be aware of?"
They all exchanged exasperated glances, because of course Athena would have left out her mother's parting words on the official report.
"The Lieutenant Commander told her daughter that she wished she didn't exist in the first place, sir. Athena has since disappeared to her quarters, locking out all of our clearances and EDI's camera and intercom access. We are concerned, Admiral. To put it bluntly, we were wondering what exactly caused all of this. Until you requested the transport, we didn't even know Athena's mother was alive aside from a brief conversation she had with Garrus when she first woke up."
Hackett sighed. "That sounds like the Commander." He appeared to think for a long moment before he nodded sharply, waving at someone off-screen. "Normally I would not do something like this, Dr. T'Soni, but all of you are close to the Commander. More than once, she has referred to you as her family and closest friends. It is for that reason and that reason only that I am doing something most would consider a breach of privacy. I am sending you Athena Shepard's complete service record and personal history. It should give you the understanding you seek to help her, but I ask that you treat her personal information with the respect it deserves."
"Of course, sir," Liara said quickly. "Thank you, I hadn't expected you to give us that kind of access."
"Like I said, Dr. T'Soni, normally I wouldn't even consider it. But I believe the Commander won't mind in this case. If she does, she can take it up with me. Hackett out."
"It's an extensive file," Liara told them as she studied the downloaded information. "EDI, would you mind reading it out loud for us? It would be easier for us to process the information if it were shared between us."
"Of course, Liara." EDI replied, then she stood, walked over to the door, and tapped the interface, locking it. "To keep this information private."
"Good thinking," Kaiden remarked.
Then EDI downloaded the file herself and opened it. "Processing."
A second later, she began to speak. "Systems Alliance ID designation N7-24957. Athena Hannah Shepard, born Athena Hannah Davis. Athena Davis was born August 26th, 2154 at the Mars Naval Center. According to her date of birth and Hannah Davis' date of marriage, Athena Shepard is not the daughter of Hannah's late husband James Davis. Her biological sire is not listed in the file."
"At age five, Athena was enrolled in a child education program on Arcturus Station, where her family had moved due to James Davis' posting. She was by all accounts bright and charming, easily endearing herself to other children. When Athena was seven, James Davis passed away, leaving Hannah Davis a widow after only eight years of marriage. Hannah Davis transfers postings to the colony world of Terra Nova."
"Upon arrival at Terra Nova, Hannah enlists Athena in an Alliance youth program. Athena shows raw talent, but mid-level range amongst her fellow students."
"Those youth programs were advanced classes, stepping stones for kids that wanted to join the Alliance when they reached legal age," Kaiden remarked. "They were referred to as 'boosters' by people back on Earth. The programs caused a lot of controversy. They said the kids were pushed too hard. The program was shut down a decade or so later."
"Athena Shepard's skill levels improve prodigiously in all of her studies. Within a year of joining the program, she was amongst the top of her class. Several instructors note that she comes to the program daily with small health issues, being short of breath, a strange bruise or two. These are never investigated legally."
The tension in the room rose exponentially.
"In another year, Athena has run away from the residence she shares with Hannah Davis no less than four times. Physical conditioning instructors note that her pain tolerance is exceptionally high, as it appeared that she had broken her ribs in practice with another student and refused to back down or seek medical attention. The instructor intervenes, sends her to medical and finds extensive bruising and several minor scars. He lodges a request for investigation with his superiors, but it is turned down due to Hannah Davis' excellent professional reputation and conduct."
"By age 10, Athena has successfully run away from home for over three months no less than twice. She is noted at being talented with hacking and omni-tool skills, slipping past security cameras and modifying her personal records to reflect a falsified identification. Hannah Davis only reports her as missing once, so an accurate record of how many times this occurs is not available."
"Athena becomes reclusive and sullen, lashing out at any form of authority. She's a loner amongst the students, isolated and rejected by her peers. After this is logged in her education files, Hannah Davis suddenly transfers again. It's noted that the transfer was unexpected, her career on Terra Nova was very successful."
"Hannah Davis transfers back to Arcturus Station, enrolling Athena in the Alliance youth program there. Her attitude changes drastically, she's no longer at the bottom of her classes but always near the top, if not the very first. Physical combat instructors note that she is very aggressive, taking out her opponents before they have an opportunity to lay a hand on her. She is still isolated from her peers, more from jealousy at her abilities than anything else."
"August 16th, 2170. Arcturus Station law enforcement officials are called to the apartment that Hannah Davis shares with her daughter, Athena. Officials enter the residence to find Athena, armed with an M-98 Predator pistol, which is aimed at Hannah's head. Official reports note that the safety is off, the pistol armed with live rounds."
"Hannah Davis loudly proclaims that she intends to press official charges against her own daughter, a minor. She calls Athena an unstable delinquent, claiming that the girl's behavior is erratic and she fears for her own life. The officers are forced to arrest Athena, noting that she is 15 years old and will turn 16 in ten days."
Garrus softly rumbled in distress. He couldn't have even begun to guess exactly what Athena had gone through. He'd had concerns after seeing Hannah and Athena interact, and hearing what the vile woman had said to her daughter. But this?
EDI continued, frowning a little. "Athena Davis is never processed by Arcturus authorities, however. Officers conclude that her early talents with omni-tools and hacking abilities have grown exponentially. She apparently hacked the door controls to the patrol vehicle and also her handcuffs, escaping without causing any damage. A search is sent out for her, but she is never located."
"Athena Shepard enlists in the Systems Alliance Navy on August 26th, 2171, from the Mars Naval Center. She does so by using a forged copy of her own official identification that lists her age as 18 instead of 17 and using her mother's maiden surname instead of Davis. The forgery is good enough to pass Systems Alliance inspection without suspicion."
"Her instructors in basic training note that she is quick to catch on to new concepts and tactics, willing to learn, and recklessly sacrificial. She is quoted as saying that she will do 'whatever it takes' more than once. Her skill, dedication and abilities have her graduating at the top of her class. After her space combat training is finished, she is assigned to the Kilimanjaro, the first of a like-named class of dreadnought. She is quickly promoted through the ranks, reaching Lieutenant by 2176, when she is only 22 years old."
"Already noted for her skills with tech abilities and sniper rifles, she is given Infiltrator designation and specialized training. She is sent down for mandated shore leave by her commanding officer, to the capital city of Elysium, in late 2176."
Garrus exchanged glances with the others. "She was there during the Blitz by sheer chance?" Liara murmured, shocked.
"A combined army of mercenary groups attacks the capital of Elysium, intent on sacking the city and capturing the occupants as slaves or bartering tools. Athena Shepard joins the defense of the city, rallying troops stationed there and civilians in order to defend the city. When the main defense grid fails at the southern gate, she volunteers to hold it until reinforcements arrive, along with three others."
"The three individuals who are working with her are swiftly killed by the mercenary groups. Athena holds off the mercenaries single-handedly for more than 12 hours before reinforcements arrive. She has shattered ribs, severe cuts and a burn on her face, but she'd held off what Alliance officers estimated to be over a hundred mercenaries single-handedly with a sniper rifle, pistol and grenade launcher. She's declared the Lioness of Elysium, the Hero of the Skyllian Blitz, earning high honors and praise for her actions."
"It's at this point she's sent a commendation for the N7 program by Captain David Anderson, who has found out that she was underage when she enlisted. He notes in his records that he gave her the ultimatum, go through the N7 program, or retire now. He states that she never hesitates in her response. 'I'll do it.'"
"The N7 program is a rigorous training regime for Alliance officers who are slated for leadership roles. It is considered one of the most taxing, advanced programs not just in Alliance space, but Citadel territory. Athena Shepard excels in the program, seeming to find the deepest levels of her resolve and resilience when under overwhelming conditions. She almost breezes through the program, attaining the N7 designation by the end of 2181."
"Athena Shepard is personally recruited by Captain Anderson for his commanding officer, promoting her to Commander. Athena had gained the rank of Lieutenant Commander after the Skyllian Blitz as part of her military honors. She joins him as part of his crew. They go on several missions together. Outside crew note the relationship between the two is more of siblings or family than mentor and mentee."
"In late 2182, Anderson is approached with an offer. The Alliance is nearly finished constructing an advanced warship, a frigate, in partnership with the Turian Hierarchy. The ship features an oversized drive core and a prototype stealth system. It is designated the Normandy SR-1 during construction. SR-1 being short for stealth and reconnaissance."
"At the same time that Anderson takes control of the Normandy SR-1, Shepard's name is raised as a candidate for the first human Spectre. Spectre Nihilus Kyrik joins the Normandy SR-1 at the conclusion of her maiden voyage, coinciding with reports from Eden Prime on discovery of intact Prothean technology. The vessel sets off to Eden Prime, to recover this technology as a protection against raiders from the nearby Terminus Systems."
"The rest of Shepard's file I'm sure we are all familiar with," EDI concludes, closing the file. They all sit in silence, taking in the information about their commander and best friend.
"I knew that Hannah woman was unpleasant, but this?" Tali waved her hand. "She abused her own daughter trying to force her to be the best. She probably hoped Athena would get herself killed after she enlisted!"
"It's crazy to think that Athena had that kind of life growing up, yet she's the complete opposite of her mother," Kaiden mused. "Sometimes you have to wonder where she gets that strength of character from."
"How did no one ever notice?" Liara cried out, tears streaking down her face. "How did it get pushed under the rug so many times? You all heard it, the bruising, the broken bones, running away from home. She was so desperate she drew a weapon on her mother! Why did no one think to ask what was going on for her to lash out like that?"
"We'll probably never know, Liara," Steve said quietly. "But it makes a few parts of the Commander's personality make a bit more sense, doesn't it? She lashes out as soon as someone disrespects her. She always instinctively moves to defend herself if you sneak up on her, even if she knows we're not in a battle zone. I'm honestly surprised Shepard didn't kill Lieutenant Commander Davis, none of us restrained her, after all."
"Ugh," Joker suddenly grumbled. "That woman is still on our ship. Now I want her off even more than I already did. No wonder Shepard's hiding in her quarters."
Garrus growled lowly, having forgotten that she was still on the Normandy. "How far out are we from the Orizaba?" he demanded.
"Eleven hours," EDI replied promptly.
Garrus made a displeased noise, then stood. Guessing his intentions, EDI opened the door. "Remember," he warned, turning to look at them all, "do not discuss this anywhere where you could be overheard. This is Athena's private history, after all. And guessing by how long she hid it from us, she doesn't want it bantered about."
He strode over to the elevator, stepping inside. He took it up to Athena's quarters, on the very top level of the ship. He stepped out, considered the locked door, and leaned against the railing. How was it possible for someone to treat their own family like that, their own child? Athena was lucky that she was so resilient, Garrus knew many would have shattered emotionally and psychologically after that kind of history.
He rumbled angrily at the very thought, pushing down the urge to find out exactly what room James and Steve had put that woman in. He wanted very much to give her a piece of his mind, but in the long run it wouldn't do anything. He wouldn't be able to change her mind, nor make her regret her actions. He knew the type, they thought that their actions were right, justified even. No wonder Athena had closed off so quickly when he'd asked her about her family!
He raised his arm, launching his omni-tool. He intended to contact EDI, see if she could force the doors to open by overriding the mechanics. Then he paused, staring at the door and his omni-tool in consideration. Opening his message system instead, he selected Athena's name and tapped out a rapid message, basically just 'It's me, will you open the door?'
Then he waited, patiently. It would take only a moment for her to receive the message, unless she had blocked omni-tool messages as well. They hadn't thought to try this earlier, and he was mentally kicking himself at missing something so obvious. Garrus leaned against the railing again, waiting. He knew better than to try and be impatient with Athena, she tended to shut down if people tried to force her to do something she didn't want to.
Just when he was thinking of giving up and contacting EDI, the door gave a small beep. The interface, formerly red flashed briefly before turning green. Garrus blinked, surprised in spite of himself. He wasn't entirely sure she was actually going to unlock the door. He stepped forward, tapped it, and entered her quarters before she could change her mind.
She was sitting on the bed facing her desk, wearing her casual uniform in lieu of her hoodie or dress uniform. Her black hair, once only long enough for a short bun, tumbled down the right side of her face and the back of her neck, blocking her face from view. Her posture gave enough away as it was, sitting on the side of the bed, shoulders curled forward, forearms resting on her knees.
She didn't look up or say anything despite having heard the door cycle open. The only movement she made was to lock the door again, before turning off her omni-tool. The only sound in the room was the squeak of her space hamster and the bubbling of the massive fish tank that lined the opposite wall. That and a quiet rattling noise, which Garrus realized after a minute was Athena's shaky breathing.
He strode forward, sat down on the bed next to her. Gently reaching out to touch her shoulder, he said quietly, "We know, Athena. Hackett gave us access to your files. We were concerned about you, what with that confrontation with her."
Athena let out a soft sound, perhaps a derisive snort or a dry, humorless laugh. "I always knew my mother hated me," she said, voice cracking, "I just never knew how much."
"Do you know why she hates you so much?" Garrus asked quietly.
"No, but I can hazard a guess. She got pregnant with me when she was engaged to James Davis, you see. I wasn't his daughter, though he always treated me like I was. My guess is that she hates herself but projects it onto me, or that she didn't want a daughter in the first place. She was always going on about how male superiority ruled the Alliance. I think she was hoping I would be a son, that I would elevate her somehow."
"So instead, she got one of the most forgiving, amazing people I have ever met as a daughter, and she treated you like dirt," Garrus grumbled.
"She had a garden on Terra Nova," Athena said sourly. "Pretty sure she liked dirt more than she did me."
"Not helping," he muttered. "I really want to go down and find her, give her a piece of my mind. But I know it won't help, so don't worry. She'll leave the Normandy in one piece, sadly."
For the first time Athena looked at him. Her eyes were sad, disappointed, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. "Believe me, if not for Hackett, I'd be tempted to show her a few hard truths myself."
"No wonder you froze when I asked you about your family," Garrus sighed. "I'm sorry you went through that, Athena. I'm sorry the justice system failed you so badly, that nobody seemed to notice."
"I'm not," she said, her voice quiet.
Garrus snapped his head to look at her, startled. "What?"
"I'm not sorry. It's because of my shitty mother that I enlisted a year early while I was underage. It's because of how I was raised that I developed this desire to do the impossible. It's because of everything that I've been through that I was on Elysium completely by chance. If not for all of this, no matter how hard and horrible and painful, there's a good chance I wouldn't be sitting here with you. I wouldn't change that for a thing, Garrus."
He shook his head, "You're incredible, you know that?"
Her pale skin flushed a little and she ducked her head, staring off into space again. Garrus reached out and touched her soft hair, pulling it back. Athena froze, and he quickly realized why.
"Did you never get that looked at by Chakwas?" he growled quietly, rumbling a little at the sight of the nasty black and blue bruise and the clear dent in her skin indicating broken bone.
"No," she said quietly, "I'm used to pain, Garrus. Like my file probably told you, that's hardly the first time she's broken a bone expecting perfection from me."
"Come on," he said firmly, standing. "You need to get that looked at."
She stood, then hesitated, wavering a little. Guessing what was on her mind, Garrus said to her, "No one on this ship is going to judge you, Athena. We're all firmly on your side, remember?"
She forced herself to move, pace faltering a little at first. Then she appeared to take a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes. When she opened them, there was a little bit of that familiar glint in her steel eyes. Nodding approvingly, Garrus opened her door and cued the elevator.
Chakwas fluttered around in front of Athena, clucking reprovingly under her breath as she scanned Athena's face, eyeballing the massive bruise on her right cheekbone. She reminded Athena of the chickens her mother had kept on Terra Nova, before James had died. After his funeral, she had gotten rid of everything, the garden, the chickens, any form of affection.
"You should have come to me sooner, Commander," Karin fluttered, staring at her reproachfully. "There is no need for you to remain in pain any longer than necessary. And our fellow crew had better hope none of them were responsible for this."
"It was our guest, Lieutenant Commander Hannah Davis," Garrus said, his voice almost a growl.
She made an angry humming noise and said, "I see. That is disgraceful behavior for a member of the Systems Alliance, or any organization, for that matter. You had better have filed a report, Commander. Otherwise, I'll do it myself."
"Don't worry Doctor, I filed one," Athena reassured the woman. Her worried hovering almost made Athena smile. She was lucky to have a ship and crew that so deeply cared about each other.
"Luckily the bone was only fractured, not completely broken. It is easily reset without having to make an incision, though it is slightly painful. Would you like a topical med for the sting?"
"No need," Athena said quietly.
She didn't even jump at the small snapping sensation, followed by warm stinging, tingling feeling. Karin carefully applied a topical paste and let it sink into Athena's skin before wiping it off with a damp cloth.
"That should take care of the bruising, it will fade within a few days. I would advise some form of concealer in the meantime, unless you want people asking awkward questions as to why you have a bruise on your face."
"Thank you, Karin," Athena said, smiling a little as the woman whirled to face her. She had never used the medical officer's name before, something Chakwas had always commented on when Athena asked why the woman never called her by name.
"You are most welcome, Commander," the woman replied primly. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"No, that's all," Athena answered, standing. "Unless my timing is off, I need to go back up and change into a uniform. We should nearly be to the Orizaba."
"I'll go see," Garrus answered her, heading towards the door. He stopped, turned, and said, "Don't go to get her by yourself, Shepard."
"I wasn't planning on it," Athena reassured him. "I'll have James and Steve bring her up."
Garrus strode out the door, heading for the elevator. Athena afforded herself a small smile. He was so protective of her. Not that she blamed him after this mess with Hannah.
She walked out of the medical labs herself, heading up to her quarters. Pulling her casual uniform out of her closet, she eyeballed her timer on the Orizaba's location and nodded. She had time for a quick shower. She set the water, stepped in and scrubbed her skin down rapidly, taking care with the right side of her face. Washing her hair thoroughly, she stepped out, toweled down, and dressed with the brisk efficiency 17 years of military service gave her.
Tying her hair back in a loose ponytail at the base of her neck, she took out a small container of foundation Allers had insisted she try and patted some over the bruise. It hid the ugly mark pretty well; she was reluctantly impressed. Then she strode to the elevator and took it down one floor to the CIC. Striding up to the bridge, Athena wasn't surprised to see Garrus there still, talking with Joker and EDI.
"How far are we out from the Orizaba, Joker?" she asked curiously as she came to a stop behind him.
"Not even twenty minutes Commander. EDI already sent word to James and Steve to retrieve our 'guest'."
"Good," Athena answered, watching the multitude of stars outside the viewport. "I want this done quickly so that we can be back on our way. Remind me EDI, who is the commanding officer on the Orizaba?"
"Records indicate that the Orizaba's ranking officer is Vice Admiral Davidson, Shepard."
Slowly the Orizaba drew into view, the Kilimanjaro-class dreadnought more than twice-again the size of the Normandy. She walked over towards the airlock and waited. Steps on her right indicated approaching figures, and she subtly tensed. There was Hannah, being escorted by James and Steve. James gave the older woman a warning look as they approached, and Hannah remained silent. Athena arched a brow at James, impressed despite herself. It was hard for anyone to get Hannah to shut up, especially if she felt belittled in any way.
Hannah was shooting her a poisonous glare, but Athena ignored her, facing the airlock instead. That woman had gotten all the rise she would get out of Athena, ever again. She no longer cared if it was a 'personal request' from Hackett or anyone else, she would not speak to the woman for the rest of her life. As far as Athena was concerned, she had no mother.
The door cycled and opened, and Athena snapped a sharp salute. Davidson returned it, nodding at her. "Commander, a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise, Vice Admiral."
His eyes flicked over to Hannah and he frowned. "I received the report about the incident with my crew member, Commander. I apologize on behalf of Lieutenant Commander Davis; I had thought she would conduct herself with better behavior than that as a guest on the ship that led Sword to victory."
Athena resisted a smirk at the outraged expression on Hannah's face, though she didn't dare say anything to her commanding officer. "I'm sorry we had to send you that report, Vice Admiral. A duplicate was sent to Hackett, he apologized for sending Davis via the Normandy with that kind of conduct report."
"Clearly," he turned the full force of his frown on Hannah, "she forgot her place. Have you apologized for your unseemly behavior, Lieutenant Commander?"
Inwardly, Athena wanted to laugh at the look of absolute horror on Hannah's face. "No, I have not, Vice Admiral," she said curtly. "There are other circumstances to this story- "
"I don't care what they are, LC. The woman before you is the reason we won the war and you can stand here and disrespect her. I won't stand for it. Apologize, now."
Hannah gritted her teeth. Then, looking like she'd swallowed several lemons, she said, "I apologize for my behavior, Commander. It was unworthy of my rank and yours."
"Forgiven this time, LC," Athena said, her smile a little sharp. "Hopefully you don't offer anyone else the insult you offered me, nor this crew."
Davidson grabbed Hannah by the arm and marched her to the airlock. "Proceed, LC. We will cover your behavior in detail back on our ship," he said curtly.
Hannah was forced to make a humiliated retreat, unable to have the last word as she always liked. Davidson saluted Athena and said, "Goodbye, Commander. Smooth sailing."
He retreated after Athena returned the salute, the Orizaba rapidly retracting the bridge and moving away. She sighed, rolled her shoulders and then said, "Good riddance."
James snorted, "You can say that again. What an unpleasant bitch, Commander."
Athena actually laughed out loud, the sound startling her. "That's an understatement if there ever was one, Lieutenant. Thank you for bringing her up here, both of you."
"No problem," he said, before the pair turned and walked away.
"Now that she's gone," Athena said to Joker, "how far away from Sahrabarik are we?"
"Just over a day," Joker replied. "The Orizaba really wasn't that far out of our path."
"Do me a favor then, and get us out of this system?" Athena asked.
"Gladly," he replied, fingers dancing over the controls. The Normandy made a smooth arc through the sky, heading back to the mass relay. They swiftly left that system, the Orizaba, and one Hannah Davis behind.
Good riddance indeed.