A/N: Some fun on Omega and then Athena's Alliance retirement ceremony. I have no clue how military retirements work; this is entirely made up. If I goofed on what side the medals go on and such, please let me know. Also, we apparently aren't given the name of Hackett's command ship for the Fifth, so it's going to be the SSV Okinawa. Just one section left after this one!
Omega was just as Garrus remembered. The asteroid had been almost completely mined out for eezo centuries ago, just a few of the former hundreds of mineshafts remained in use. Long spires protruded from the rock, remaining stable only through powerful mass effect fields. Everything on Omega was artificial, the lighting, the temperature, the people. There were a few honest individuals trying to make a living, but for the most part, it was run by gangs and mercenaries and the lowlifes of the galaxy.
It had been a good place to disappear after the destruction of the original Normandy. Garrus had walked off a transport and vanished into the crowd, just another turian on a world where turian mercenaries and assassins were as common as the stars in the sky. Of course, he hadn't been able to remain low for long, trying to take a stand against the corruption that ruled Omega.
It had almost cost him his life, if not for the timely arrival of a formerly dead Commander Athena Shepard. Now he walked next to her just outside the Normandy's docking ramp, staring at the hazy red lights and neon signs that had filled his dreams for two years. He was armed, as was Liara, their other companion. Until they knew what Aria wanted from Shepard, Athena had decided to just take two with her, joking that it was like 'old times.'
Athena had a pistol and nothing else. She was wearing a set of casual clothing that Garrus hardly ever saw her wear, a simple pair of brown, heavy-duty overalls and boots, with a small leather choker around her neck just above the collarbone. She'd tied her hair into a braid that curved around the side of her head and trailed down her shoulder.
There was a batarian walking toward them, armored and carrying weapons. Garrus tensed a little until he saw the smile on Athena's face. She stepped forward and said, "It's good to see you again, Bray. How has it been? I see you still get the crap duties of escorting people around."
The batarian gave a hoarse laugh, his second set of eyes flickering to Garrus and Liara before focusing on Athena. "Good to see you in one piece, Shepard. We couldn't believe it when we heard that you'd survived that final battle in one piece. You've got the craziest damn luck of anyone I've ever met."
Athena laughed. "You can say that again."
They started to walk away, Bray keeping pace with Athena. She looked at him and said, "You didn't answer me, you know. How are things around here? I don't see much remaining of the Cerberus occupation."
"Once you and Aria took Petrovsky down, his men were pretty much cannon fodder," Bray said. "We routed them pretty easily for the most part, but we kept finding pockets of them here and there for another month or so. Or those damn Rampant mechs they were using, those things are a pain in the ass."
"They don't like to stand still, do they?" Athena agreed. "They nearly managed to sneak up on me a couple of times, spooked us pretty good."
"Every time they popped up, they managed to take down one or two of our men. We finally found their command station though. One of our hackers turned them on the remaining Cerberus cells."
"Nice," Athena snickered. "I bet they loved that."
"Don't think they did," Bray said mock thoughtfully.
Garrus exchanged a look with Liara. They were both a little lost, Petrovsky, Cerberus, Rampant mechs? What exactly had Athena helped Aria with?
"Your friends look a little confused, Shepard," Bray said, grinning. "Didn't you tell them what you were doing with Aria?"
"Never really had the time, with Reapers knocking at our door," Athena said wryly. She paused, looking around. They were just outside Afterlife, the nightclub that was the uncontested heart of Omega. On the concrete in front of the club was a faint scorch mark, covering a good five or six meters across.
"We weren't able to remove it any more than that," Bray said quietly. "Hell of a monument, right?"
They started forward again, Athena pausing briefly in the middle of the mark to look around again, before striding forward.
The throbbing bass of the club music was audible even from outside the doors, where the elcor bouncer had resumed his post. They walked past, Bray waving at the guard by the door. They walked inside the outer doors, past empty seats in the exterior, and into the club itself. It was crowded as usual, full of people in various stages of intoxication, some completely sober but dancing like their life depended on it.
Bray led them around the outer ring and up a set of stairs. They turned another sharp corner and stopped. At the top of a raised platform was a long couch with its back to the open view of the club. Two shorter couches framed it on either side. Sitting on the long couch, surrounded by attendees and guards, was an asari with a delicate tattoo pattern on her face. She wore a white jacket over a skin-tight pair of black leather pants, knee-high boots, and a leather corset top that revealed more skin than it covered.
Despite having lived on Omega for just over two years, Garrus had never actually seen nor met Aria T'Loak, the infamous 'pirate queen' of Omega. She had an estimated 300-400 years of commando experience and was rumored to be part of the famous Armali unit. The asari councilor owed her favors and she had enormous pull over everything that happened in the Terminus systems. She was an incredibly dangerous person to have as an enemy. Garrus hadn't been stupid enough to try anything directly related to her.
She stood when she spotted them, walking forward. "Shepard, how good to see you again," she greeted, walking up to stand directly across from Athena.
"Aria," Athena greeted. "Looks like you've almost got the last of Petrovsky's reminders off of Omega."
"Getting that… asshole's stench off of Omega was my number one priority," Aria replied, tilting her heard a little. Her tone was almost annoyed. "It was embedded far deeper onto this station than you would think. We kept finding his little surprises for months."
"Bray mentioned you kept running into Rampart mechs and some of his soldiers."
"Yes, the mechs were a nuisance. No matter how many times I would tell my patrols to keep their guard up, I still kept losing a man or two to those things. At least, until we turned the tables on the Cerberus pockets and sent the mechs after them. They were practically begging to be arrested by my people after that."
Athena snorted. "I can picture it. Cerberus troops were never particularly known for bravery. Petrovsky's men even less so."
"The real problem was the Adjutants," Aria said, tracing the line of her jaw with a finger. "There were far more of them left than we initially anticipated. Clearing them out resulted in more casualties than I would like to admit. I took pleasure in taking out several of them myself."
"There were more of those things?" Athena asked, sounding slightly alarmed.
"Yes. More of his trial group, I'm presuming. At least, we never found anything amounting to a control setup like he had here in Afterlife. Thankfully, we took the last one out a few months ago. My people are keeping a sharp eye out just in case, but we haven't come across any bodies that have been… disemboweled the way the Adjutants did to their victims."
Garrus and Liara exchanged worried looks. Garrus didn't like the sound of these 'adjutants', not in the slightest. What the hell had gone down here?
"Why did you invite us to Omega, Aria? Not that I'm needing an invitation, it's good to see you again," Athena asked.
"I was able to retrieve this after we took care of Cerberus. Certain governments aren't very fond of me, the Turian Hierarchy chief amongst them. I thought if I gave it to you, you would be able to pass them on to the right person. Turians keep records of their military, even after they retire you know. Omega may be considered the lowest of the low, but I believe her last actions fulfill their 'society first' motto pretty damn spot on, don't you?"
Athena clicked the small box open, revealing a small curled bit of metal with a familiar insignia on it. It was the crest of the Turian Cabals unit, the unit for Turians who had active biotic abilities.
"You met a Cabal here on Omega?" Garrus asked curiously.
Athena nodded. "Nyreen Kandros, she led the Talons gang here on Omega. When she first joined, the Talons were more concerned with running red sand, weapons, and slaves. But she took over, led them down a new path. They were running a resistance against Cerberus when Aria and I arrived here, guerilla style hit and run, evacuating civilians."
Garrus blinked. That sounded a bit like what he had been trying to do with his much smaller squad. "What happened to her?"
"That scorch mark outside? Nyreen caused that. There were civilians being attacked by the adjutants we were talking about. Adjutants were a dangerous hybrid of Reaper-tech origin that they were experimenting with, capable of biotic attacks. Nyreen jumped in the middle of four or five of them and set off an entire string of grenades, containing the blast with her biotic shield. She died instantly," Athena explained quietly.
Aria's biotics briefly flared during the explanation before subsiding. "The adjutants were a trap; Petrovsky had hoped to draw more of us into the range of it before Nyreen died. I made sure he paid for her death; I assure you."
"We will make sure this gets to the right people," Athena reassured the asari woman, who was still obviously furious about the way they had been tricked.
"Thank you," Aria said graciously. "There is another reason why I asked you to come, Shepard, besides the temporary pleasure of your company."
She leaned back against the couch, smiling a little. "We are known for many things here on Omega, as I'm sure you are aware. One of the foremost of those, after the unsavory ones, is our ability to throw a party. We wanted to celebrate the end of the war with a little get-together here in Afterlife. I wanted to extend an invitation to you and your crew myself. I will be disappointed if you turn it down, but I understand at the same time. Needs must and all of that. It's tomorrow night, actually. Good timing, getting here when you did."
"We had a little detour," Athena said dryly, to which Garrus snorted.
"I seem to recall," Athena continued, "that you very specifically did not want me to bring my squad on our little mission Aria. You said, and I quote 'I have problems with some of the company you keep.' Are you sure this is an open invitation?"
"Retaking Omega was different, Shepard," Aria replied, crossing her legs. "I wasn't sure some of your crew wouldn't object to some of the things we had to do to oust Cerberus from the station. Moral judgements and all of that. I was reasonably sure you wouldn't object too strenuously to what had to be done. This is a different matter entirely."
"Then I think my crew would be delighted to take you up on your offer, Aria. Tomorrow night? What time does everything start up?"
"No set time, but we'll be setting up in here around 1700 hours," Aria replied, a smile on her face. "I'm glad you decided to come, Shepard. It seems you took my advice from the last time you were on Omega and loosened up a little."
"Perhaps," Athena replied, standing. "And my name is Athena, use it will you? I'd like to say that after everything we went through, I could consider you a friend, Aria."
"Athena, hmm? Earth goddess of wisdom and warfare? Fitting that should be your name," Aria said, then paused, considering. "Very well. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night, my friend."
Athena grinned, then walked down the platform, Garrus following her close behind. "Did you really just end up friends with Aria T'Loak?" he said incredulously.
"Apparently so," she said, looking amused at his expression.
"Only you, Athena. Only you," he replied, shaking his head.
Athena and Liara both laughed at him, but neither contradicted his point.
Athena didn't exactly have anything that would be suitable for an evening out on Omega. Grinning she took her pistol with her and left the Normandy, heading for a shop she'd spotted on one of her previous visits. It sold clothing popular here on Omega and appropriate for most clubs really, even people in Purgatory on the Citadel wore these kinds of clothing. She'd found an underground nightclub on Arcturus Station, after running away when Hannah had her arrested.
She'd spent more time there than she cared to admit, dancing, drinking underage, dabbling in a few of the 'lighter' drugs. Basically, falling apart and not caring if she picked up the pieces. At least, not until she realized that she enjoyed fighting just a little too much. She'd gotten into more than a few scraps in that year, nearly killing one of her attackers. After that, shaken, she had decided to enroll with the Alliance as a way of controlling her anger and focusing her 'talents' Hannah had forced upon her.
Pushing the old hurts back where they belonged, Athena picked up a couple pieces of clothing and a shoebox, smirking. She was famously known amongst her crew for being a terrible dancer. It was time to show them how wrong that was. She could dance just fine; it just wasn't acceptable for a respected commanding officer of the Systems Alliance to dance like that. But she was retiring at the end of this tour, she no longer cared. Besides, it wasn't like anyone on Omega would report her. They were probably the only Alliance members here.
Athena purchased her items and headed back to the Normandy. In her quarters, she put on the items. Applying some makeup and styling her hair, she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and swallowed. It had been some time since she wore anything like this. It was quite revealing and several of her pale, silvery scars were highly visible. She let out a breath, pulled her little daggers that had been backup weapons out of a case, and tucked them into her boots as a safety precaution.
Shooting a look at her clock, she grinned. Aria had said they would be setting up about now. Who said she couldn't leave a bit early? That way she could make herself a drink and let loose a little. She still remembered how to make one of her favorite drinks. Athena left the Normandy, walking confidently along the ramp towards the main area. Nobody she passed recognized her, which amused Athena. Apparently 'letting her hair down' so to speak had been a good idea.
Bray stood outside the doors. Athena sauntered up to him and said, "Fancy seeing you here. Securing the place for tonight?"
He looked up, frowning initially. Then he seemed to recognize her, and his eyes widened in surprise. "Shepard? Damn, I didn't recognize you when you look like that. Have any of your crew seen that outfit?"
"Nope," she replied, popping the 'p' a little. "I think I'm going to enjoy it a little, though. They're all used to a certain image from me."
He laughed. "Head on inside, Aria's finishing dictating what needs to be done. She'll be glad to see you."
Athena walked away, not seeing Bray shake his head in rueful surprise. She found Aria near the bar, going over some last-minute instructions with the bartenders. There were four of them for the 'party' tonight, a human, an asari, and two turians.
"Aria!" she called.
The woman turned and spotted her, perching a hand on her hip and laughing. "I didn't recognize you at first, Athena. That's quite the change from your normal appearance, isn't it?"
"I like to surprise," Athena replied loftily, before snickering a little. "I'm honestly looking forward to their faces, it's hard to surprise that bunch. Joker ought to be particularly entertaining."
As she approached Aria, the asari twirled her finger in a little circle, demand clear. Amused, Athena obliged her, giving a small, slow twirl to show off the outfit. "Very nice," she said, "you have a good figure, Shepard. It was just hard to notice it under all that armor."
Athena outright laughed, refusing to get embarrassed at Aria's words. That's just how she was, one either adapted to the hedonistic woman's behavior, or they fell behind and were ignored. Athena had gained an appreciation for the ruthless asari, she acted like a total bitch, but there were still things that she cared deeply about. Her reaction to Nyreen's death showed how important the female turian must have been to her at one time. She was possessive and controlling, not holding back on her criticism. But it was the way she showed her appreciation and care for the people that worked for her.
Striding around the backside of the bar, she hip-checked one of the human bartenders to the side. "Mind?"
He nodded mutely, too surprised to protest. Aria watched her, intrigued, as she began to pull several bottles of alcohol from behind the bar. Her hands remembered the order, even if she consciously didn't. Within twenty minutes, she was setting a violently green drink on the table between her and Aria.
"What is that?" the woman asked curiously.
"It doesn't have a name that I know of," Athena admitted. "It was just something that the underground bar on Arcturus Station served. I liked it so much I had the bartender show me how to make them. They've got one hell of a kick, I can usually only drink two of them at this size."
Spotting the woman's intrigued expression, Athena said, "Would you like me to make you one? I can show your bartender how as well."
"If you don't mind, considering you are using my alcohol," Aria demanded.
Not put off in the slightest by the woman's voice, Athena made another one, showing the bartender what went in it, how much, and what order. He had a weird expression on his face after she finished, probably due to her very amateur mixing techniques. She slid the matching drink over to Aria. The asari raised it to her lips and took a sip, considering. Then a longer one, perhaps a good third off the top.
"Not bad, Athena," she said finally. "Can we use this here in Afterlife?"
"Go right ahead," Athena answered, "like I said it's not my recipe. Just do me a favor, if you name it, don't do it after me?"
Aria gave a small snort of a laugh and said dryly, "Deal."
Athena drank hers in three long sips, dropping the glass in the sink behind the counter. Then she walked out from behind the bar, took Aria by the hand, and led her over to where they were deciding what music to play. Grinning, she moved with the music, slowly at first. Aria smirked at her and joined in, her steps loose and relaxed.
Tonight, Athena planned to enjoy herself.
Aria T'Loak wasn't one to be caught off guard easily. Her ability at reading people was almost legendary. The skill was one of her most prized qualities, allowing her to remain in control at all times of the worst the galaxy had to offer. She had been called a cold, ruthless bitch and she knew it. Loved it even, there was nothing sexier in her mind than someone who had their own set of principles and lived by them.
Athena Shepard had managed to surprise her. First by her willingness to do what was necessary when liberating Omega from Petrovsky. Some of the actions Aria had been forced to take were deplorable by many standards, but Athena had seemed to realize they were necessary. It helped that the woman hated Cerberus almost as much as Aria, having been under the Illusive Man's manipulative control for several months.
But now she was caught off-guard for another reason. Aria watched the human woman dance, lost in the crowd yet standing out. It was like she blended in for a few moments, but shone so brightly compared to the people around her she couldn't help but draw attention. She'd had two more of those poisonous looking but tasty drinks she'd made for Aria, despite saying she could usually only have two. But now she danced, flowing to the music with a pattern that was so subtle the people around her couldn't match it. Many had tried, drawn to her like a moth to flame. But she always eluded them, dancing amongst people yet on her own.
Aria had heard comments from Shepard's crew before when in her company, they implied the woman couldn't really dance at all. She had them fooled, didn't she? Athena was no professional, but she was an incredible dancer, loosing herself to the thundering bass in the club and the beat of the music through the floor. Aria had joined her for a while, now she sat back at the bar and appreciated the sight.
To her right she spotted movement, turning her head. Athena's crew approached, all dressed in casual clothing that was technically nightclub appropriate, but more for high society nightclubs or the Citadel. They looked vaguely concerned, and Aria could hazard a guess as to why.
The asari amongst them, one infamous Liara T'Soni, greeted Aria. "Good evening, Aria. Thank you for the invitation, it was most unexpected but not unwelcome."
"Tell me, T'Soni, do you ever tire of being so… formal? I'm aware you have quite the reputation to uphold, being the Shadow Broker and all, but that tension and control has to go somewhere," Aria said, half-teasing, half-serious.
Several of them choked in surprise, staring at Aria, or at Liara, whose cheeks had gained a bit of color. She crossed her arms over her chest and said, "Your information network is impressive, Aria. You've never given any indication of knowing who the Shadow Broker is before."
"You're with Shepard," Aria rolled her eyes. "That woman is loyal to a fault, but she wouldn't still be your friend if you were the type of Shadow Broker your predecessor was. Tell me, what species were they?"
"A yahg," Liara replied. "Why?"
"Damn," Aria muttered. "I never considered the yahg. I was beginning to wonder if it wasn't either a human, batarian or possibly a turian. I owe Bray 100 credits."
"You were betting on what race the Shadow Broker belonged to?" the quarian in the group asked incredulously.
"Why not?" Aria asked. "I bet on many things; I have to occupy myself somehow when the people of Omega aren't being idiots."
The krogan in the group snorted. "You remind me of someone I used to know, Aria."
"Your name would be Urdnot Wrex, correct? You had quite the reputation as a bounty hunter before retiring to lead your clan," Aria responded.
"Someone had to do it, otherwise they would have run themselves into extinction," Wrex grunted.
"Aria," the silvery mech asked, "have you seen Shepard? She's not on board the Normandy, her clearance at the doors registered a few hours prior."
"She's here, enjoying herself. Made herself and me a kicky little drink and then wandered out onto the dance floor."
The human male with the hobbling gait snorted and said, "We apologize in advance."
"Why?" Aria asked mildly. They were setting themselves up perfectly, she couldn't pass up the opportunity.
"Shepard is not the best dancer in the world," Liara admitted.
Aria threw her head back and laughed out loud. She couldn't help it; it was just so priceless! "She really managed to play the lot of you, didn't she? If she's uncoordinated, I'd love to see what you look like."
"What do you mean?" the quarian asked curiously. "My name is Tali, by the way."
"Then, Tali," Aria said, standing up, "let me show you."
She led the way to where she had last seen Athena dancing. She spotted the woman from a way off, but the people following her remained clueless. Amused, Aria meandered through the crowd, perching on the edge of a table. Making sure she had a good line of sight, she pointed.
Almost directly in front of them was Athena. She wore pure black leather pants that were tight to her skin, hugging just above her hips and below her navel. Underneath a sheer black top that stopped just at her ribcage was a black lacy bra, around her throat a glittering black choker studded with small silvery metal dots. Her black hair was loose and wavy, with a single braid at each temple to keep it out of her face.
She danced slowly, her movements sensual and graceful. Curling her entire body to the beat of the music, her arms flowing as an extension of her. Twists of her torso, waist and hips moved her seamlessly in a small circle, her feet cutting a pattern into the floor. A few people on the sidelines were watching her with admiring eyes.
"Athena!" she called.
The woman, who had been dancing with her eyes closed, paused and turned towards Aria, opening her eyes. The rich silver color flashed brightly in the dim lighting, almost glowing in the black and sooty gray eyeshadow she had on. A smile crossed her lips, painted a glossy dark red, and she moved towards Aria. Slinked, more like, her steps flowing and graceful. Helped along by the boots she wore, no doubt, which had a good couple inches in chunky heels.
The look of realization on her friends' faces were priceless to Aria. The male who had 'apologized' for her dancing actually looked quite shell-shocked. Athena approached them with a smile on her lips, a smile that only got wider as she realized who Aria had in tow.
"It's about time you lot showed up," she teased, giving a husky, breathless laugh. "I know I was early, but it usually doesn't take you lot that long to get going."
"Apparently they spent some time looking for you," Aria responded.
"Ahh, I knew I should have left a message," Athena frowned. "I'm sorry if I worried you guys, I figured you would realize I had come early."
"We did, eventually," Liara replied quickly. "It wasn't a big deal, don't worry about it. You look nice, by the way."
Amused, Athena said, "I know it's definitely not my usual wear. But it feels nice, I haven't worn anything like this in years. Not since my time on Arcturus before I enlisted." After I ran away went unvoiced but still heard.
"Now that I've pointed you out to them, I'm going to take my leave. Enjoy the party. Don't be a stranger, Athena. You're always welcome to join me upstairs if you wish."
Athena smirked at her. "I'm sure," she said coyly. "Thanks for the offer, and for pointing me out to this group. I'm sure we'd have run into each other eventually, but it might have been a while."
Garrus had never seen Athena this relaxed and playful, almost. She cut easily through the crowd, leading them back to the bar. One of the human bartenders spotted her and shook his head. "You're not back for another one of those crazy things, are you?"
Athena laughed, the sound rich and full. "No," she reassured him, "three of those were definitely enough. I will take a Serrice Ice Brandy on the rocks if you have one."
With a snort, he quickly poured one of the short drinks for Athena, sliding it across to her. When she went to pay for it, he raised his hand. "Aria's covering it. That drink you showed us is pretty popular."
Athena sighed. "Very well, Aria gets her way, for now."
"What drink are we talking about?" Liara asked curiously.
"If you make it for the levos here, a shot glass should be plenty," Athena advised him.
Taking the hint that it was not friendly to dextros, Garrus and Tali ordered a drink each from the two other bartenders. Garrus leaned against the bar on Athena's left. "It's nice to see you enjoying yourself," he commented.
"Nothing like a couple of strong drinks and an Omega bar to lighten things up," Athena replied wryly, smiling at him.
"Omega does have its own particular charm," Garrus mused. "Smelly, dirty, full of criminals and lowlifes… sounds like paradise."
Athena laughed softly, spinning lightly on the stool so that she was leaning against the bar. He looked around at the partying people, then back at Athena, who was smiling, watching their friends and strangers enjoy themselves. Garrus considered for a moment and then said, "Want to get out of here? There's somewhere I'd like to go while we're on Omega, actually."
"Of course," she said, standing easily. They left the nightclub, Athena giving a soft sigh as the cooler night air hit her. The silence was almost deafening after the pounding bass and horde of people inside the club. She walked next to him in a comfortable silence, a small smile on her lips. Garrus thought she was beautiful, as he always had. There was something about her, she drew people to her like a beacon. Himself included; Garrus being hopelessly caught in the presence she gave off from the moment he'd first met her as a C-Sec officer investigating her claims against Saren.
They walked over to a public shuttle, Garrus dropping a couple of credits in the meter to borrow it for an hour or so. Athena sat on the passenger's side without a murmur, her implicit trust in him offering Garrus an honor he doubted he would ever be able to voice. They set off; he didn't even need the navigation system functional. He knew these alleys like the back of his hand still. They flew for about ten minutes in comfortable silence before Athena sat up a little, looking around.
"These streets are familiar," she said.
"They should be," Garrus answered, before setting them down on a bridge. One that was very exposed from both sides, with little cover offered. On one side was a covered market/boulevard. On the other was an abandoned apartment complex that looked a little worse for wear.
Athena got out, looked around, and then said to Garrus, "Admit it, you zinged my shields on purpose."
He smirked at her, a rumble of amusement in his throat. "Perhaps. It did feel good to be one of the only people to ever fully drop your shields for more than a second."
She laughed, the sound soft and low. Turning a slow circle, she admitted, "I don't remember much of our surroundings when we came here. It stuck in my head more as the moment I found you again, after wondering what had happened to you and the rest of the crew after the original Normandy was destroyed."
Garrus took her hand and they walked inside the building, up the rear stairwell, and into the room that overlooked the bridge. He sat down on the wall, in near enough the same spot where he'd been at the time. Athena sat next to him, remaining quiet, but her eyes were inquisitive, questioning.
"After the original Normandy was destroyed," Garrus began quietly, "I went back to the Citadel. I re-joined C-Sec, tried to put your advice to good use with the renewed patience and respect for doing things the right way you gave me. But I'm not you, Athena. I grew short-tempered and frustrated with all of the restrictions attached to the Citadel. So, I quit, disappointing my father. I floated around for a few weeks and then remembered that most of the products we seized on the Citadel came from here."
"I stepped off the transport shuttle and disappeared, another face in the crowd. Within a month I'd destroyed one of the Blue Suns' shipments, and soon after the first of my squad joined up. I kept the helmet on unless it was just us here in the building, I didn't want to risk anyone recognizing me and going after my father or sister. We were doing some good, making a little bit of a difference."
Garrus looked down, thinking. It was harder than he'd thought, being back here. Back where he'd made one of the worst mistakes in his career. "Then Sidonis betrayed us. I can't explain the emotions I felt, Athena, running back here knowing that my team was vulnerable. Bursting into this building to find all but one of them dead. Weaver was the last, and he didn't survive long. It was just me, pinned down in this building. They knew my location; I couldn't afford to stay."
"I stayed anyway, prepared the best I could. I think, at the time, I was looking for an honorable way to join my squad. I'm too stubborn to just die, too proud to commit suicide. But making a stupidly heroic last stand, avenging the squad of people I'd worked with? That appealed to me. I'd been here for two years, Athena, thinking you were gone. That I'd lost the chance to let a human woman know how much I cared about her, how much an impact she had made on my life."
Athena smiled a little, emotions darting across her face. She reached out her hand, lightly placed it over his. He appreciated the touch, the quiet reassurance. She knew how difficult it was for him to talk about this, so she was offering support the way she knew how.
"I'd been holding out here for two days, enduring endless runs of mercenaries from the Blood Pack, Blue Suns, Eclipse, and freelancers. Two days where I'd had little more than a quick half-hour of sleep, a mouthful of food or water. I was hoping the bosses would get tired of the show, that I would at least be able to take one of them out with me. But it seemed that I wouldn't be able to. I called my father, apologizing for disappointing him, for being so reckless and hot-headed. He's sharp and quickly realized what was going on. Tried to convince me to finish my 'target practice' and come home."
Garrus looked up, catching and holding her gaze. "Then you, Jacob and Kasumi jumped the barrier. I saw that N7 insignia on your armor and shook myself. There was no way you could be there, that you could be headed in my direction. So, I raised my sniper rifle again, pointed it down there," he indicated it with his free arm, "and saw your face in my scope. I'd dreamed of seeing you again, Athena, for two years. And suddenly you were in front of me, alive, fighting again like you'd never died in the first place."
"It was a rush of emotion that I'd never felt in my life. I'd acknowledged in my time here that I must have fallen for you, that my attachment to you and to being in your presence was more than just friends, companions. It was amazing and devastating at the same time, because you were gone. But then you weren't, you were right in front of me, smiling like I'd never seen before because I was there in front of you."
"There's a lot of things I regret in life, Athena, but I never regretted coming to Omega."
When Athena looked at him, he elaborated. "I lost my squad here, but they're at peace, Sidonis regretted what he did to his dying breath, and I moved on. I gained the love of a woman I never thought would even acknowledge me. One who is amazingly strong, courageous, talented, and generous. I helped my species prepare for an invasion we could never be ready for, then won it. This place was a low point in my life, but it's gotten a hell of a lot better since then."
Athena gave a small, watery laugh. "I'm sure your opinion is just a bit biased on a few of those things, Garrus. But you know something? This place was where I realized I loved you. When we found you here, I was exhilarated. It relieved me more to find you than any of the others, though don't tell Tali and Liara that. At the end of this, when Tarak arrived in that gunship and shot you? I have never felt fear or anxiety grip me that badly. If you had died, Garrus, either here or in the course of this insane war, I don't know what I would have done, or even if I could have done it at all."
She leaned against him, and Garrus wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close. They stayed there for a while, watching the Omega skyline. Eventually they returned to the party, dancing together for a time. When they returned to the Normandy, Garrus knew he'd never set foot on Omega again in his lifetime, and he was fine with that. That chapter of his life was closed, behind him. Ahead was the unknown, but for the first time in his life, that excited him.
All he knew for sure was, it would be one hell of an adventure.
Having completed everything that she had wanted to do, tested all of the Normandy's systems, made most of her goodbyes, Athena told Joker to head to the coordinates listed for the Okinawa. It was time to finish her journey with the Systems Alliance and officially retire from active duty. The Okinawa was actually not that far away, being in the Sol system near the Charon relay. Bidding Aria farewell, they set off, gliding out of Omega's atmosphere and making a smooth jump to FTL.
Athena passed the time in her quarters, beginning the process of removing all of her personal items. Her pets were back on Earth, passed on into the possession of Kelly Chambers, her assistant from their Cerberus days. The young woman had been helpful and very brave during their conflict with the Collectors, Athena had given her the pets as a sign of that friendship.
Her ship models, gear and other personal effects went into various storage crates. Among them she included her old dog tags from the original Normandy, her old helmet, the strange sphere from the Hammerhead missions, and Aria's 'souvenir', the chess set from Petrovsky's takeover of Afterlife. The last of these was the strangest on first sight, a chunk of rock that glowed with different colors in various lighting. It was perhaps dangerous to keep part of a Leviathan 'artifact' around, but that mission had been one of the strangest she had ever experienced.
Her weapon mods went into a sleek metal case, she'd hand those off to Garrus, who would certainly put them to good use. Her few articles of non-uniform clothing went into the top of the last crate, aside from her casual and dress uniforms from the Alliance. She'd be wearing her dress uniform for her retirement ceremony, and during their last trip to wherever the Council had decided on for her Spectre retirement ceremony, she would wear the casual Alliance outfit.
By the time she finished, Joker was signaling their arrival to the Sol system. She left her cabin and headed to the bridge, standing in her usual spot. To their left was the scaffolding of a new, expanded Arcturus Station, to the right was their destination, the Fifth Fleet. The Okinawa was clearly visible, the massive dreadnought holding center stage in the Fifth's precision staging.
Joker hailed the Okinawa, getting a prompt response. "SSV Normandy, we see you. How did your cruise go?"
"Much less eventfully than a war, that's for sure, Okinawa," Joker responded.
"Admiral Hackett has directed the Normandy to dock via airlock. He wishes to speak to Commander Shepard in person here on the Okinawa."
"Understood," Joker responded. "Normandy out."
With a grace that belied her size, the Normandy flew through the formation of ships, coming up on the Okinawa's right side to the indicated airlock passageway. Docking protocols swiftly executed, creating a safe bridge through space from the smaller frigate to the larger dreadnought.
Athena walked through the gap, her steps brisk and purposeful. Looking inquiringly at the soldier on the other side of the Okinawa's airlock, he respectfully indicated a viewing port off to the right, overlooking the reconstruction of Arcturus Station. Athena could see Admiral Hackett from here, now that she knew where to look.
As she approached, Hackett turned, hearing her footsteps. She stopped and snapped a brisk salute, which he returned. Reaching out a hand to shake hers, he said in his distinctive gravel voice, "Commander. How did the Normandy perform out there?"
"Very well, Admiral," she responded. "The Normandy is still a remarkable piece of engineering, regardless of the beating she took during the war."
"That ship and its crew are resilient, that much was never in doubt," he agreed.
Looking out the window at Arcturus, he continued. "I received your official notice of intent, Commander. As I said to you about a week ago, your decision doesn't surprise me. You have been through more than any Alliance soldier would expect, we can ask no more of you than what you have given. Your retirement ceremony from the Systems Alliance will be here on the Okinawa, this evening. Afterward, you will retain command of the Normandy for our journey to the site selected for your retirement from the Spectre program."
Athena gave a small sigh, reading between his words. "It's become a bit of a thing, I take it?"
"Indeed. The Council has had no real opportunity to mark the end of the war, with rebuilding the Citadel and restoring travel and communications throughout Citadel space. So, they intend to make a bit of an occasion out of it, holding a small gala after your retirement ceremony. The big debate, at least for a while, was location."
"Tell me it is not on the Citadel," Athena said quietly. "I'm not ready to set foot there again, nor am I sure I will ever want to."
"It is not on the Citadel," Hackett said. "You have done a great thing for all of the Citadel species and indeed for the galaxy. There are many that wished to pay their respects by holding this. However, one group won out. Your Spectre retirement ceremony and the gala will be hosted in the Apien Crest, above Palaven, courtesy of the Turian Hierarchy. Councilor Sparatus and Primarch Victus insisted, as a way to repay you for all you have done for their people. Plus, as they pointed out, you are a citizen of the Turian Hierarchy as well as humanity."
Athena blinked. She hadn't anticipated that. The turians prized social and personal honor and conduct, but the amount of respect they had shown her, and continued to, was staggering. "I never expected that," she said quietly.
"Leave it to you, Commander, to thoroughly impress one of the most militaristic and strict races in Council space. Let alone one that had a shaky beginning with humanity," Hackett looked rather amused.
They ironed out the details for her retirement from the Alliance, then she headed back to the Normandy. By 2100 hours tonight, she would no longer be an active member of the Systems Alliance.
Garrus had never seen nor been part of a ceremony of the Systems Alliance. Now here he was, boarding the flagship of the Alliance fleet, a member of the Normandy crew. He was wearing his shiny silver and blue armor after realizing the event would be broadcasted throughout the Alliance, not to mention the rest of the galaxy. Liara wore her black and blue armor; Tali had ornamented her suit with the gold wraps and headdress.
The human crew all wore their uniforms, freshly cleaned and sparkling. They lined the entire ring of the Okinawa's CIC from the airlock to the wide upper platform, along with the highest-ranking officers and crew of the Okinawa. At the pinnacle Admiral Hackett waited, as well as two other admirals Garrus did not immediately recognize. Discreetly asking Joker on his way by had revealed them to be Admiral Ines Lindholm of the First Fleet (a stern woman with brown eyes), and Admiral Nitesh Singh of the Third Fleet.
These three were the highest-ranking individuals in the Systems Alliance Navy, with Admiral Steven Hackett in control of it all. The Normandy crew were arranged in a curved line up the last part of the platform, with an open circle on the pinnacle in front of the three Admirals. Garrus was fourth in the line, next to Tali and Liara. In accordance with the seniority of the Systems Alliance, the first and closest was Major Kaiden Alenko. Diana Allers was present, recording the event. Her camera drone waited at the base, on the opposite side of the airlock from the line of soldiers.
At precisely 2000 hours, the airlock door cycled open. Athena stepped out of the airlock, letting the doorway close behind her. She wore her blue and gold dress uniform, appearance impeccable and intimidating if you didn't know her. She began the slow process of walking the entire circle, passing soldiers and ranking officers alike. As she started passing the Normandy crew, they all snapped brisk salutes, holding them in respect. It followed her path all the way around the ring, the movement of their arms the only sound.
Her pace was steady and rhythmic, never faltering in either surprise or hesitation. As she passed her crew, the temptation to smile at them must have been overwhelming. Yet she retained a straight, smooth expression. They could all see how much it meant to her in her expressive silver eyes, however. They were a little dark with emotion, but clear and focused. She stopped, almost level with Kaiden, snapping an effortless salute to the trio of Admirals.
They returned it one at a time, first Singh, then Lindholm, and finally Admiral Hackett.
"At ease," he said in his rich voice.
They all stood at a military parade rest, aside from Athena, who still stood crisp and square, arms at her sides.
"The Systems Alliance has gathered today for a momentous occasion. We are here to remember the career of one of our own, and celebrate with her as she retires from active service. Commander Athena Shepard has served with distinction since enlisting with the Systems Alliance in 2171. The Commander has embodied all of the characteristics that we as a species value, using her gifts and talents to do tremendous things."
"From saving Elysium during the Skyllian Blitz, to saving the Citadel, to ending a galactic war that would have meant the end of not just humanity, but all species everywhere. Your courage, strength, dedication and willpower honor all of us, Commander."
"The Systems Alliance may be the newcomer to galactic society," Admiral Lindholm began, "but you have represented humanity with a grace and character that transcends all species. You forged alliances between species that had declared eternal feuds and ended a conflict that threatened genocide. As a member of the Systems Alliance and a Council Spectre, you have earned humanity a respect that we could not have earned on our own."
"So today," Admiral Singh spoke, "we salute you, Commander. For your actions, your achievements, and your 17 years of loyal service to the Alliance. For these deeds and actions, we chose to take another step to honor you, Athena Shepard. While you will not carry this as an active member of our forces, you have earned this respect. We promote you, Athena Shepard, to the rank of Captain within the Systems Alliance Navy."
Singh stepped forward, removed the pin that designated a Commander of the Systems Alliance, and carefully replaced it with the one for a Captain. He stepped back and saluted her, which Athena quickly returned.
Admiral Hackett stepped forward, holding a solid silver plaque shaped in the form of the Systems Alliance insignia. It was framed in a dark wood, with clear glass over the plaque itself. Beneath the plaque was a gold plate. "As Commander in Chief of the Systems Alliance Navy, I present to you this plaque as an official representation of your service with the Systems Alliance. Go in peace, Captain Athena Shepard, with the sincere gratitude of the Systems Alliance."
Outside the viewport, a series of shots were fired by Alliance Navy vessels, arcing over and in front of the Okinawa. The sound was exceptionally loud, echoing in the Okinawa CIC. Athena stepped back, saluting the three Admirals one more time. The moment they returned the motion, the applause started rippling through the room. This was quickly followed by cheers when Athena turned, waving to the people around the room.
In a relatively slow and controlled fashion, people left their spots around the room and came up to her, congratulating her on the ceremony, or giving thanks for all that she had done. The smile on Athena's face was wide and genuine, her eyes sparkling. Garrus was happy for her and very proud. Both that she was his, and that he'd had the opportunity to serve with such a remarkable human being.