The tension rose again. The congregation was painfully aware that the saviour of the galaxy was about to demand payment for her sacrifice. The room became very quiet. Jess Akiyama sat like a statue, giving no sign that she knew anything about Jo's intentions. Jo leaned her elbows on the table and let her gaze linger on each of the Council members and on the leaders of the races:
"Tell me, leaders of the galaxy. Have we all learned something from this war? Anything at all?"
"I sure hope so," Wrex boomed from his screen. Several other people on the screens muttered their agreement. Garrus was grinning and desperately trying to hide it. Joker had become quite good at reading turian facial expressions. It surprised him that Primarch Victus also smirked.
"What is it that we've learned, then?" Jo caught Garrus' eye and returned his enigmatic grin. He was not the one she was asking the question, he was the one who already knew the answer.
The Council members exchanged glances. They hadn't been prepared for whatever Jo was cooking and they tried to communicate quickly before giving any answer. In the awkward silence Joker was almost surprised when Primarch Victus spoke up:
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I learned two very important things. One: we are stronger if we work together. And two: there is no war that cannot be ended, no hatred that cannot be forgotten, no wound that cannot heal. And I know who taught me each of those things," he slightly inclined his head at Jo. Joker saw from the side how she swallowed hard. There were tears in her eyes all over again.
"Thank you, Primarch Victus, you humble me."
"And I actually believe you when you say that," he smiled. "Which is refreshing."
"What is your point, Commander?" The asari Councillor spoke up.
"Primarch Victus just made my point," Jo said. "The only reason we won was because we worked together. God knows, I've put a mind boggling amount of energy into making you all believe that, and you resisted, some of you clung to your old hatred with teeth and claws, but the end result speaks for itself. We united our forces and we've won. Councillors, where would your races be now if it wasn't for the krogans, the quarians, the volus, the geth, the vorcha and all the others?"
"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting, Commander?" The Dalatrass snapped.
"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm telling you. Each race in the known galaxy has put aside their differences and contributed to the war. Each race suffered losses and each race fought for the survival of everyone, not just themselves. Nobody stood alone, even though you tried, Dalatrass. In the end even you realised that you couldn't win on your own. Those krogans that you still hate so much have died for you and your people. Those baratians that hate humans so much still came to the Sol system and fought for Earth. Those vorcha whom everyone treats like vermin didn't hesitate to join. Do I even have to say anything about the rachni?"
She got up from her chair and stood tall, unfolding the power of her personality. Everyone in the room and on the screens shuddered a little at the energy she radiated.
"We all contributed to this galaxy's salvation and it belongs to all of us equally. The old ways of thinking wouldn't have gotten us here today. If we continued to think in the elitist way of the old Council, elevating three or four races above all others for no other reason other than 'we've been here first', then we would all be dead right now. But the world has changed. We have changed. The Reapers changed the way we think. This is a new era and since we all fought for its arrival, we all have equal right to determine our future. We worked together against the Reapers and learned that only cooperation can truly move us forward, as individual races and as a community. This new community can not continue treating two thirds of its population as second class citizens who have to beg those in power for concessions. We worked together and we will continue to work together with a new Council leading us. A Council made of representatives from each race with equal rights."
The room exploded.
Joker almost laughed because despite all the noise the Dalatrass' shrieks could be heard above the rest.
"You cannot expect us to treat those animals like equals!" She screeched. Wrex growled, his brother roared, the rachni queen made an angry, clicking noise. The volus, the elcor and most of the others yelled their protests or agreement, when suddenly a high-pitched noise rose through all the speakers, cameras, omnitools and other electronic devices. It rose to painful volume until everyone stopped yelling and pressed hands against their ears.
When the people quieted down, the noise died away. The blank screen spoke with the Shadow Broker's authority (even though Liara's voice was not recognisable):
"We will continue this in orderly fashion, please."
"I will not tolerate animals and vermin on the Council!" The Dalatrass shouted again.
"If it wasn't for those people you call animals and vermin, your entire race would be extinct," Nyreen snapped back.
"I wouldn't mind working together," Victus piped in. "Shepard is right, we saved this galaxy together, it belongs to all of us."
The turian Councillor threw an alarmed glance back at his leader. In the end it wouldn't be the Council's decision, since the Councillors weren't the leaders of their respective race, only representatives. The real leaders would decide.
"I think we're long overdue a spot on the council," Wrex growled. "Even if it means working with snobs like you, Dalatrass."
"Shepard of the Earth-clan is right," the volus on his screen said next. "After everything we've been through together, my people will not let you treat us like second grade citizens. We've earned our right to have a say in the matter."
"Energetically, so did we," the elcor drawled. "Determined, we all deserve equal rights."
"Yeah, I think we do," Nyreen nodded. "You kept banishing those you didn't like to the Terminus Systems," she addressed the Councillors. "But when your ass caught fire, the Terminus Systems stood up to help out. We have the same right to govern the galaxy as you do, and we won't let you banish us again."
"How many of you remember what quarians look like under the helmets?" Admiral Raan asked. "Maybe an asari or two. That's what fighting among ourselves brought us." She reached behind her ear, something hissed and she took off her mask. People gasped. This was the first real public appearance of a quarian face in centuries. Joker looked curiously, like everyone else. Raan looked a lot like humans and asari did, but had very pale skin with a silver tint and two curved black lines from her eyebrows to the hairline. "I am only able to do this because a geth helped me by jump-starting my immune system," she said, her voice no longer distorted by the speakers of her helmet. "Working together is the only way to prosper."
Joker was curious why Tali wasn't the one taking off her mask, but the younger admiral remained fully clothed on her screen.
"This is unheard of!" The Dalatrass must have stomped with her foot because her picture shook a little. That was when Joker's jaw dropped. The salarian Councillor got up from his chair and turned to face his leader:
"I owe my life to a drell. Sur'Kesh and countless salarian colonies owe their continued existence to the krogans, the humans, the batarians and many fleets from the Terminus Systems. And we all owe our lives to a human. Dalatrass, I am sorry, but I have to disagree with you on this matter."
"Can't you see?" The Dalatrass hissed. "Humans would do anything to advance their power, and those brutes befriended Shepard to get her to tell us what to do because she's a 'hero' now."
"Actually," Jess Akiyama spoke up for the first time. "Humans would have had a lot more power and influence if we were one of four ruling races, not one of twenty. Expanding the Council doesn't give us anything except more potential opposers to bicker with. But it is the right thing to do and I, as the Prime Minister of human colonies, agree with Commander Shepard."
Joker noticed that the only ones keeping really quiet were the asari, the matriarch on the screen as well as the Councillor. They both looked worried, but at least they were not openly opposing the idea. He had no doubt that they were already planning on how to turn this to their advantage.
"I suppose it is decided, then," Primarch Victus declared. "Commander Shepard, your vision of a strong and united galaxy may just come true after all."
"It won't be easy, Primarch," Jo nodded with a satisfied grin. "But we'll all work on it."
"I presume you will be the new human Councillor, then?" The salarian Councillor asked Jo as she sat down again.
"Perish the thought!" She exclaimed. "I don't want to be a politician. I want to live the rest of my life in peace and quiet."
"Like that's ever going to happen," Garrus laughed.
"A girl can hope, no?"
The noise in the room rose again. Everyone was in dire need to talk to everyone else about this new development. Omnitools screamed with insistent incoming calls from countless people across the galaxy who'd watched the transmission live, journalists feverishly spoke into their cameras, and everyone suddenly forgot all about Johanna Shepard. She turned to Joker and smiled:
"Think we can leave now before anyone notices?"
"If we hide behind Vega and move very quickly, maybe."
"Madam Prime Minister," Jo then turned to Akiyama. "You have my private contact, don't be shy to use it, as long as you don't need a kamikaze."
"I'll keep that in mind, Commander," the young woman nodded.
They didn't even make it to the doors.
"Commander Shepard!" A familiar voice called with her snotty 'not so fast, missy!' attitude.
"Khalisah," Jo turned back to face the reporters again. Now thanks to Khalisah all the cameras floated closer and focused on her once more.
"You claim to have entered the 'collective consciousness' of the Reapers and to have spoken to them. How do we know it's true? You said it yourself, you are indoctrinated. How do we know that you really destroyed them all and didn't become one of them instead?"
"Mass effect fields are clearly responsible for the bent shape of the banana," Jo said with a serene smile. She took Joker's hand, entwined their fingers and leaned into him. Khalisah and the others blinked in stupefied surprise at her words. In the awkward pause Jo shrugged:
"If you don't want stupid answers, Khalisah, stop asking stupid questions."
The journalist collected herself quickly:
"A trial in-absentia has been started to verify how many of your actions have been in fact crimes of war. What do you have to say about that? Will you appear and speak in your defence?"
"I didn't know about that, but I'd say it's a good thing. It shows that perhaps the people are actually using their brains instead of trusting everything the vids say. And no, I can't possibly make an appearance and speak. This," she pointed at her throat. "Is a registered lethal weapon."
"How so?"
"I'm a Senior Field Agent of the ICA. It's an official degree and a seal of approval. Didn't you see what just happened?" She waved her hand at the noisy politicians. Khalisah swallowed, but continued with her questions:
"Some people say you became too powerful to stay alive. We will see how you use your influ..." Suddenly the reporter oomphed and bent over. A young asari, who'd just elbowed her in the stomach, stepped forward:
"Commander Shepard, Melora Ri'An, Skyward News. You made it very clear that you don't plan to return to active duty as a soldier or as a Spectre. What will you do with your new life, then?"
Finally, a real reporter. After Emily Wong had died, Joker didn't think there were any left.
"I don't know yet," Jo answered a serious question with due honesty. "I woke up from coma yesterday and it's a new world. Give me some time to figure things out. First, though," she paused and turned her full attention to Joker. Worry eased off her face and a smile spread on her lips, as if just looking at him made everything better and brighter for her. "First we're getting married, I suppose."
Eyebrows shot upwards. Eyes and cameras turned to Joker, probably noticing him for the first time.
"What's your name, sir? Are you Commander Shepard's lover? How long have you known each other? How did you meet?"
Questions came like bullets from Jo's automatic. Joker rolled his eyes. He and Jo had been gallivanting around the Citadel for months, and people still had ignored him completely, only caring about her.
"You really have no idea who I am, do you?" He asked the journalists. "I'm Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau, retired. I am the Normandy's pilot. I do believe that should answer all your questions."
"You're the man who accompanied Shepard to the charity event hosted by Elijah Khan," Khalisah returned to the front. "I remember you. You're the guy who walked funny back then, and you still do today. Commander, explain to us why you're marrying a cripple? Couldn't you find a healthy man among all those soldiers you fought alongside with?"
Joker made himself not tense. He'd heard a lot worse in his lifetime and Khalisah's opinion mattered less than the casing of a used bullet. He would not show them that he cared, never.
Jo however frowned in confusion, looked behind her at Vega and then back at the journalist.
"What cripple are you talking about?" She asked with such profound conviction in her voice that Khalisah was thrown off her track. Joker grinned. In Jo's world he'd never been a cripple, not even for a second. She believed it so deeply that she was honestly confused right now.
Melora stomped on Khalisah's foot and stepped forward again:
"Congratulations, Commander, Flight Lieutenant. When's the happy day?"
"We haven't decided yet," Joker said. Jo's arm crept around his waist and she leaned into him in a way that left no doubt: she was with him.
"He proposed right before the big battle. For the rest of you guys it's been seven months, but you forget that for me this engagement is about four days old. As soon as we know the details, we'll make an announcement."
"Commander," Melora continued. "Are you aware that there is a movement in the galaxy, under different names but with a common doctrine that can be summed up as 'Shepard religion'? What would you say to the people who worship you?"
"I'd say that I may have wasted my time saving some people if they have so much leisure to engage in idiocy instead of helping the galaxy rebuild."
"You must be aware that you have also become an icon and a role model for many people out there. Millions of young women find inspiration in you and your work. Is there something you'd like to say to them?"
Now, wasn't that a good question? She wasn't talking about worshipers, she was talking about girls, not unlike Alice, who looked up to Shepard and through her found courage to deal with their problems, to go for their dreams and goals with unwavering faith in a simple fact: even if you were born into the most disadvantageous milieu, even if you were a slender, pretty, blond girl in a violent world of war and destruction, you still had a chance to come out on top if you believed you could do it.
Jo stood taller and looked right into the camera floating over Melora's shoulder.
"The truth is startlingly simple. I'm not a superhero. I don't have superpowers. See? Two arms, two legs, eyes, ears and a brain. There is nothing special about me at all. There wasn't when I was born into a white trash family of drug addicts, there wasn't when I became a Spectre, and there isn't now. I'm just an ordinary girl. All I did was decide early on not to give in to my weaknesses. Instead I worked as hard and as long as I need to overcome them. I wasn't born with a good aim, I trained. Whatever skills I needed in life, I learned them one by one. It was hard and painful at times, but I don't regret anything. I showed the world what one girl is capable of. Now, if I could do it, so can you. What are you capable of, you, an ordinary girl?"
Joker's throat tightened and so did his pants. Boy, she was good! Melora and many others wiped off errant tears.
"I had more questions, Commander," Melora sighed with a smile. "But it would be sacrilege to spoil the mood after that answer. Thank you for your time, Commander, Lieutenant. Congratulations on your engagement and keep us updated about your wedding plans. I want an exclusive!"
Oddly, the fifty or so other journalists didn't object to the end of the interview. Vega didn't even have to move anyone out of their way when they exited the conference room. The Council and the leaders of the races were still debating Jo's proposition and the journalists returned their attention to that.
"You know there is not an ordinary bone in your body, right?" Joker whispered into Jo's ear as they made their way through the people. He grabbed her hips and jerked her backwards to rub his erection against her butt. She had to know what she was doing to him. "I believe you not only hung the moon, you make the galaxy spin."
"I am ordinary," she protested despite a hitch in her breath when she felt his hardness. "The only special thing about me is that I'm your girl."
"Yes, yes, we know you both admire each other to the end of the world and back. Literally." Hackett interrupted their whispers and fell into step with them. "I'm just letting you know that I'm not resigning today. It would look extremely suspicious if you came back to life, humanity gained a new Prime Minister and I resigned all in one day. I'll make the arrangements and make my resignation effective August 1st."
Jo stopped and so did the rest of them. Joker and Vega flanked her, Gabby and Ken had her back, Link, Alice and Kolyat gathered around. Hackett was faced with a united front.
"You're right, Hackett. It might look suspicious. People might start thinking that I run the show from the shadows, and it could encourage them to come asking for favours again. So I'm willing to give you some reprieve. But look me in the eyes right now and understand this. If you don't do as you just promised, I will find you and cut you up. You know that there is no place in the galaxy where you can hide from me, right? If you have even a shred of integrity left in you that made you an N7 in the first place, you will agree that someone younger and less influential than you would have been discharged from the ICA for this conduct, stripped of his ranks and put on trial, like Kai Leng. Your expertise was needed during the war, but now you're just hungry for power. How did you become like this? When did you forget..." She suddenly stopped talking and frowned, an idea forming in her head. Everyone looked at her expectantly, even Hackett, but she turned around and marched on.
"Lola, wait up!" Vega and the rest of the group jogged after her. "What's going on?"
"He's indoctrinated," Jo said grimly when they were out of Hackett's earshot. "I used to wonder those same things about Anderson. How could he stab me in the back? How could he forget the principles we've sworn to uphold? How could he show such weakness by resigning from the Councillor's position and giving it to Udina? Well, Anderson didn't do those things. A Reapers' puppet did. Hackett's always been a tough son of a bitch, he was always manipulative and calculating, but he'd only become obsessed with his own ambitions in the last couple of years. Ii seems that he only cares about power and how to get more of it, and ten years ago Hackett wasn't like that. Ambitious, yes, but never power-hungry for the sake of power itself. He would never have ordered to keep the Prime Minister's successor a secret if he wasn't indoctrinated."
"So you're saying that even though the Reapers are dead, indoctrinated people still act on their directive?" Kenneth sounded grim.
"Aren't you also indoctrinated?" Joker asked. She'd said so in the press conference just minutes ago.
"No, she is not. Not anymore. I have neutralised all effects of indoctrination while Jo's body was being restored," Link declared. Everyone turned to look at him, astonished.
"Really?" Jo sounded hopeful and desperate. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am. It was one of your last direct orders for me before you activated the Pulse. To show you the reality as it was, remember? I may not have been self-aware, but I always followed your direct orders to the best of my ability. I had seven months and seven days to wipe your brain clean of all foreign influence."
Joker's jaw dropped when Jo suddenly surged forward and hugged Link. He didn't think anyone had ever actually hugged one of those synthetic bodies.
"Thank you. You don't know what it means to me."
"I think I really do," Link sounded smug.
"Okay, so maybe you do," Jo laughed through a tight knot in her throat, it was audible in her voice.
"Link," Joker had an idea. "If you did this for Jo, would it be possible to do this for other indoctrinated people, if we strapped them into that pod Legion used to interface with the consensus?"
"Yes, given sufficient time."
"How much time?"
"Based on the intel you gave me about Stephen Hackett's personality change I would estimate 145 hours, if the geth working on him were self aware. Approximately two and a half years if a seed like me were to be placed inside his brain."
"Let's abduct us an Admiral, then," Vega grinned. Joker didn't know what got him so excited, but the buff guy seemed to really enjoy the idea. "I'll get right on it."
Jo seemed a lot more cheerful when they continued on their way out of the palace. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice the different, longer route they were taking. They were already almost at the main entrance when she finally looked around her with confusion. Joker stopped her and took her hands in his. Their companions tactfully hung back.
"Jo," he said, holding her gaze. "You're suffering an identity crisis now that you're back alive. You said this morning that you don't know who you are. You're in great pain and your spirit is broken. You insist that you killed EDI and it weighs heavily on you. You keep thinking about all the people you've killed, about all the genocides you've committed. I know it was a hard situation and it's a good thing that you're not just dismissing it. You're suffering and that tells me that your heart is still in the right place. But you've focused all your attention on this one thing, on the gigantic pile of bodies of all those you've killed. I invite you to look around you and notice all the people you've saved."
"What do you mean?" She actually looked around at Vega, Donnellys, the kids, Link.
"Yesterday I made a few calls. Those journalists may not know me, but there are people who do. So, I sent a call for everyone who was alive because you actively saved them. Not just generally saved by eliminating the Reapers everywhere, but people whom you've saved personally. I don't know what's waiting for us out there," he nodded at the grand doors. "I suppose many couldn't get here on such short notice. But whoever showed up, they're a counterweight to that pile of dead bodies you keep staring at. Even if there's just one man or one woman out there waiting for you, they're alive thanks to you. That's who you really are and you need to remember that."
"What did you do?" She whispered, petrified. Her hands grew cold and wet and her knees almost gave in.
"Let's have a look at the real Johanna Shepard, shall we?" He grabbed her hand and physically dragged her to the door. Two security guards dramatically swung the doors open and the bright Spanish sun blinded them for a second.
The main doors let them out into the front plaza of the palace. The wings of the building hugged a huge paved square and it was completely quiet. For a split second Joker thought that the plaza was empty, but then his breath caught in his throat. Next to him Jo almost fainted.
The plaza was filled to the brim. People stood shoulder to shoulder, front to back, like fish in a barrel. People stood on the balconies, sat on the fence and on top of the gate. People stood in tight clusters beyond the gate as far as Joker could see. There was no pushing around, no elbowing, no complaining, no fighting for a better spot. They just stood there, thousands of people in complete silence, and smiled at Jo.
"Holy crap," Vega whistled from behind them. "Lola, just so you know, Joker specifically told the Normandy crew not to show up. Would have been too easy. So we're not actually part of that congregation."
"Yeah," Jo squeaked and clawed at her throat. "Thanks for clarifying." Her gaze frantically jumped from one person to another. She had difficulty breathing and her knees shook.
Closest to them stood a little family of three. A young woman of Jo's age with black hair and olive skin stood next to a man who carried a girl on his shoulders. The girl was about nine years old, had her mother's black hair, big brown eyes and a faint scar over her left eyebrow. When Jo focused on them, she violently sobbed.
"Belinda," she wheezed and stepped towards the family. The man put the girl down and she flew into Jo's arms.
"Belinda Johanna Wells," the girl announced proudly.
"You've gotten so big," Jo cried, but she also grinned like a madwoman. "Last time I held you, you were tiny, like this," she spread her hands to indicate a newborn baby's size. She looked at the girl, brushed the black hair out of her face, touched the scar. "Sorry about this. I did my best to shield you from the shrapnel but..."
"It's okay," the girl declared with the infinite wisdom of a nine year old. "I even like it. I sent you a message when you were held in Vancouver, did you get it?"
"Yes. Not right away, but yes, I did. It meant a lot to me." Jo kissed the girl's forehead and stood up to pay attention to the adults that came with the girl. "Jocasta," she greeted the mother. "You look beautiful."
"And so do you," the woman grabbed Jo and hugged her. Belinda tugged on Jo's sleeve:
"This is my new daddy, Elliot."
The man stepped forward and shook Jo's hand. He said:
"When we got the message from Joker, we were on Benning. A shuttle arrived to pick us up within an hour and we jumped at the opportunity. Jocasta and I got married last year and I will forever be grateful to you for the two amazing girls in my life. Thanks to you I have a family."
"We all kind of agreed to sum up our stories with you in a hundred words," Jocasta waved at the entire plaza. "Just in case you don't remember some of us. So here's mine. Some nine years ago turians attacked a science research facility in the colony where my first husband and I lived. I was nine months pregnant when we were given the order to evacuate and I went into labour before we reached the LZ. My husband was killed when the gunships dropped a dozen bombs on our settlement. I was alone when you and your team found me smack in the middle of a dead zone. You carried me behind a low wall and you proceeded to help me give birth to my daughter, Belinda, right on that battlefield, while bullets were flying right above our heads. I remember you like an angel, so calm, efficient and gentle with me..." Jocasta suddenly sobbed. "I would have died, my baby would have died, if it weren't for you. You kept me from panicking for the entire four hours it took. God, you shielded me from bullets and shrapnel with your own body. I remember you so tough and calm, like a rock, and the only time you actually panicked was when you held Belinda to your chest and a shrapnel hit her in the face. You were so sorry," she laughed through another sob. "God, you were so sorry about that."
"I still am," Jo looked down, humbled.
"I'm not!" Belinda declared.
"I wasn't alone there saving you," Jo added then. "There were eleven men and women surrounding us for all those four hours, holding position to give me the time and space to take care of you."
"And as their team leader you not only delivered my baby, but continuously kept giving them orders, coordinating them. You saved all of us that day, Johanna, and I will never forget it. Thanks to you I'm alive, my daughter is alive, and I'm married again to the most wonderful man."
"Sorry to disappoint," Jo laughed in return and jabbed her thumb at Joker, who stood close behind her, watching the emotional scene. "That's the most wonderful man in the world and I'm marrying him."
"God bless you both," Jocasta kissed Jo's cheek, Belinda kissed the other and Elliot hugged her. With the last look of gratitude and appreciation Jo turned her attention to the next random person standing close.
"Corporal Koovan," he introduced himself. "You wouldn't remember my face because I wore a helmet. I was with the Hammer forces on the ground in London when we pushed towards the beam to get you there. I never made it that far, though, I was injured and my shields were down. A few of those freaky turian things were shooting at me when you came out of nowhere, grabbed me and shielded me with your own body while Lieutenant Vega over there killed the marauders. You were really just passing by, hurrying forwards to do more important things, but you didn't hesitate to put yourself between me and the bullets. I was evacuated eventually and got to go home and see my sons again, all thanks to you." He saluted, not even hiding the tears of gratitude in his eyes.
Jo saluted back. Next guy told a similar story and shook her hand. One after another men and women, old and young, mostly humans but with a few asari, salarians, krogans and turians among them, told their short stories of being personally saved by Jo. They saluted her, hugged her or shook her hand and released her to move on to the next person on the plaza. Some of them she clearly recognised, some she didn't because like Koovan they had been wearing helmets and armour at the time.
Jo couldn't possibly speak to each person that came here today, there were simply too many. She just made a random line through the crowd, talking to whoever caught her eye. It hardly mattered because all those people came here with one single purpose. They all answered Joker's call. It wasn't the story of each individual that counted here today, it was the sheer number of people who happened to be within a day's journey and were grateful to Jo for something she'd done.
Her eyes never really dried. Joker watched her all the time and it amazed him that she was actually surprised by the stores she heard. Delivering a baby on a battlefield might have been a big deal even for her, but most of the time she didn't remember pulling random soldiers behind cover, shielding them with her own body, helping civilians to evac shuttles, didn't remember all the people trapped with her in a facility where she'd disabled a bomb, and many others. To her it was all in a day's work. To them it meant everything.
He estimated they were in the middle of the plaza, surrounded by the most well-meaning crowd of people Jo could ever land in, the safest crowd in the world, when she looked at the next guy and laughed out loud.
"Commander Shepard," he said, grinning back like a lunatic. "I kind of really hope you don't remember me."
"Sorry, I'm afraid you made a lasting impression," she grinned back, folded her arms on her chest and tilted her hip in a challenge. "Got something to say to me today?"
"Okay, yeah, I'm really sorry," the guy rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I'm Staff Lieutenant Acosta. I was just a grunt when we met, nineteen and cocky as hell, stationed in a hot spot in Albania. It was a tense situation and we were on edge and bored at the same time, so can you blame me when I saw you walking out of the Commander's tent, all gorgeous, wearing black clothes without any military markings? I thought you were a civilian. I came on to you and may have used some words I'd prefer you forgot. I was being rude and offensive and I know now that any other woman in your place would have slugged me or kicked me in the balls. I would have deserved it for sure. But you - you were so serene, so fucking unbelievably tranquil, it made me even hornier for you."
He looked at Joker:
"Sorry, but it's true. Anyway, I couldn't believe a civilian wasn't impressed by me in any way. And then my Lieutenant walks up to us, salutes you and says: 'Ma'am, your package has arrived.' I thought: what the fuck? Because suddenly there were people fussing around you and a gunship descended right on top of our heads. It was the most advanced fucking gunship in the entire Alliance, all new and shiny. We, simple marines, couldn't dream of such assets, we only salivated at promo vids of those gunships. I had the shock of my life when I realised it came for you. You turned to me then and said something that just happened to save my life in the very next battle. You said: 'The cocky ones die first. Those who think they're indestructible, die right after them. And those who think they're unstoppable killing machines just because they were given a gun to play with get their teams killed and live the rest of their lives nursing PTSD, drooling into a beer bottle and jumping at every sound.' Then you got into that gunship and flew off."
Jo rolled her eyes, but the man wasn't finished.
"My Lieutenant stepped to me then and said: 'You should remember this day forever, Private, because you've just met the most indestructible killing machine you'll ever get a chance to see. I've read somewhere that it costs the Alliance up to five million credits to have one of them made. And this one is pretty, too.' I asked: 'The gunship?' And he said: 'The girl, Private. The girl.'"
Joker could just imagine what the guy was talking about. The Ns were legendary in the Alliance because that was what they did. An entire Division would keep insurgents under fire for months and nothing would change, draining human and material resources from both sides. Then the Alliance would drop one N in the middle of that war zone. The conflict would be resolved within days, as if by magic. That was the reason why grunts admired the ICA so much, and why the officers hurried to get those agents whatever they needed.
"So, you heeded my advice, then?" Jo asked the guy.
"It really got me thinking, you know, what my Lieutenant said. You looked like a civilian to me, and it turned out you were better alone than our entire Division. We moved into the camp of the extremists to clean up after you were done. My team ran into an ambush. My cockiness almost got all of them killed. So I remembered your advice and it kept me alive until today. I kinda hoped to meet you again to apologise ever since, so when Joker's call came through, I had to come. So here it is: I'm sorry I came on to you like the stupid, horny prick that I was back then."
"I was never actually mad at you, Acosta," Jo shrugged. "You weren't even a blip on my radar, to be honest."
"Yeah," he grinned, relieved. "I know. But you were a huge blip on mine."
"Jerked off in the shower often thinking about me since then?" She inquired. Joker snorted, as did Vega and everyone else within earshot. Acosta turned tomato-red. "I know you did, don't bother answering. It's all good, I get that reaction a lot. I'm glad you got more out of that encounter than some jerking-off material, though."
She moved on to the next person then, but her heart was lighter, he could see it in her eyes and in her body language. Acosta had managed to break through her tension, he got her to laugh and to relax.
When they finally reached their shuttle five hours later, Jo was a different person.
"Thank you," she said and flung both arms around his neck. "I didn't know how much I needed that."
"Well, I needed it, too," he whispered back, holding her tightly. "It's not just the Normandy crew and your close friends who really appreciate you. There are lots of people out there who also know the real you. Wherever we go from here, there will always have been this." He waved at the crowd, now slowly dispersing.
"Where do we go from here?" She asked.
"Want to see the safe house for the kids in Riga?" James asked. "I could use some help there."
"Sure. I think I just instructed the whole galaxy not to come to me with their problems anymore, so my schedule is free."
"I'll meet you there, then," Vega nodded happily. "I'll make a few calls regarding a certain admiral and then I'll take my own shuttle."
"I will join Lieutenant Vega in preparations and planning," Link said.
Since it was just the two of them in the Kodiak, Jo sat in the second pilot's seat and watched Joker fly. Low altitude allowed them to view the whole magnitude of destruction the Reapers had rained on Europe. The high population density before the war made the whole area more or less one big city with a few patches of green in-between, but now most of the towns were ghosts, empty and decaying. Earth was a dump now. It was a good thing they hadn't fought for Earth in the first place, but for the people of the galaxy. Otherwise they would have been disappointed in the result.
A huge mountain massif crossed their path some time into the flight and Joker took the scenic route. A lot less destruction in the less populated area. They were almost over the sharp tops when some sort of a pulse hit them and all Joker's screens went out.
"Oh, shit," he gasped. They were taking a nose dive.
