One last shot and a lone geth soldier – what was left of the horde – lost its arm, its weapon skidding away from the rest of the short-circuiting body. Kaidan turned blue for a second and put it out of its misery, clearing the room while the dust settled. Shepard and Nihlus left cover, and she switched her sniper rifle to the pistol again.

There were more coming, she knew, because the Normandy had only managed to take out one of the dropships before Joker warned her Saren had disembarked and was making his way after the geth. She was making her way through them instead, unsure whether he knew who was systematically destroying his small army.

Regardless, there was only one more place he could be. They'd cleared whatever was still accessible of the abandoned facility, and now she would almost certainly find him in the security room where she'd once had to open the main door for the Mako, a couple of lifetimes ago. Kaidan and Nihlus flanked her strategically and she turned the final corner.

"Saren."

He whirled around so fast, her first instinct was to aim her weapon out of primal fear. "No. You were supposed to go to the Citadel."

A rush of satisfaction filled her immediately. For once, for once, she would be the one holding all the cards, and the one playing the trump. "What's wrong? Did your friend not know I could – and would - find you here?"

He tensed and Nihlus immediately trained his gun on his forehead. The small red dot signaling his target was steady, not wavering a millimeter, and Saren's eyes shifted to him. "My friend?" he said calmly, speaking to Shepard but looking at the other turian Spectre. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"It's good that there's still a lot you don't know," Nihlus mocked.

Saren smoothed out his expression so quickly and comprehensively that it looked artificial. "You cut a path through the geth, but you can't think you killed all of them. Why linger? You have me at your mercy. For a few more minutes, anyway." He took a small step to the side and Kaidan immediately lit up the biotic powers he should really be resting instead. It at least gave Saren pause, so Shepard supposed it was as good a warning as anything.

But he resumed pacing soon enough, and Nihlus' aim remained true, the dangerous little red light following his movements with ballerina-like precision.

Shepard had still not answered his question. "Well?"

"I have a few questions," she replied evasively.

"Truly?" He leaned against a wall, the picture of relaxation. "Me too. I heard you stopped by Virmire after I'd left. A shame you were too late, really wished we could have talked. There's a chance now, I suppose. We could trade answers," he said, smiling. A sneaking suspicion bloomed in her, but she kept quiet for the time being.

"If those you're slaving away for don't think you worth answering to, why do you think Shepard does?" Nihlus was smiling too, and somehow less benignly.

Saren's face tightened as much as a turian's face could. "I still don't know what you're talking about."

"But you do," Shepard interjected. "And doesn't it bother you that I know so much and the reapers have been telling you so very, very little?"

Saren stiffened. Her suspicions were confirmed. After all, a reaper agent who didn't know she'd discussed their very classified plans with the big boss? Someone was being kept in the dark. And she was willing to bet it wasn't Sovereign. "Oh?" he said calmly, the last word of someone who could think of nothing else to say.

She nodded, confidence growing tentatively at feeling the information on her side, lending weight to her plate of the scales from the ardent curiosity in her enemy's eyes. She had his full attention and he wasn't making a move while that was true.

She looked away from him and wandered around lazily, testing out the dynamics of their situation. He was overnumbered, clearly working with considerably less knowledge, and needed to get through her to reach his objective. Which he didn't necessarily want to do so fast, currently. Unfortunately, he was still every bit the indoctrinated reaper agent, and she didn't like her chances if it came to their will versus his.

But she could try.

"I know why you abandoned Virmire," she revealed. He didn't react in any particular way. She turned to him, catching his eye. "But do you?"

"Would I leave that base for no reason?" he deflected, letting a suspicious touch of defensiveness slip through.

She shook her head. "No, you left it because you were ordered to. But where did that order come from?"

He gave up. "You tell me."

She grinned. "Ah, Arterius. This is all you – you're doing it to safeguard yourself, because we don't stand a chance against the reapers and you're just salvaging what you can of this galaxy. Your decision, your logic, your mind, unaffected by anyone. Right?"

Saren was gapping at her. "You- no. You can't possibly know all this."

"But I do. And let me tell you something; for a guy with all the information he could have to make the correct, informed decision, you sure do seem to be out of a whole lotta loops."

His face contorted – in pain or anger, she couldn't tell. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Looks like Shepard knows much more than you do." Nihlus was enjoying himself, some vicious streak of his getting off on torturing the source of his own recent tortured thoughts.

The pain, though – it meant at least a small part of Saren was rebelling against the reapers' control. It meant there was at least a small chance. Not for him – it was too late for him – but a chance for closure all around. Maybe a fight they could avoid. After all, Sovereign was far away, at the Citadel, waiting for Saren. She didn't know how far its reach could go, or how fast it could get to Ilos, but she was willing to work with what she was given.

"The facility on Virmire. Where you were studying indoctrination," she said slowly, watching him wince and frown at yet more information she wasn't supposed to know. "You're no fool, Saren. Misguided, sure. Wrong, definitely. But not a fool. You knew. You know."

"You're wrong too," he said quickly before she had a chance to say what they were both thinking aloud. "Whatever you think you know about-"

"You're indoctrinated. And there's no way around it."

He inhaled and seemed to physically inflate. "No. You don't understand what I'm doing, why I'm doing it. You can't see."

"You're right that I don't understand. But I know what you're doing. And why. And you're still wrong."

"You're playing right into their hands," Kaidan spoke up, voice subdued like he wasn't sure whether it was his place. Saren glanced at him as though he'd just now realized he was there. "Think about it this way – if there was nothing wrong, would it worry you this much?"

"If I were being brainwashed, wouldn't they keep that worry out of my head?" he retorted, providing the clearest proof yet that this was something he'd thought long and hard about.

"Except you're consistently convincing yourself there's no indoctrination," Nihlus said in disgust. "You're fighting the idea. Under their influence. What a disgrace."

Shepard drew his attention back to her. "Listen to yourself. You think you'll change their minds. After so long, after so many cycles, you'll be the one to convince them it's the wrong way to go. But why would they? What possible indication do you have that they're deviating from the original goal? All you've done so far is their bidding, willingly. You've changed nothing."

Saren turned away from them abruptly and clenched a fist. "And if what you're saying is true?"

"It is true-"

"So we have no chance. Our time is coming to an end and civilization as we know it is doomed."

"I did not say that."

He turned back to her. His expression was back to serenity. "Oh? Then what are you saying?"

"That you're helping the reapers, not organics. That I'm going to see to it that this is not the end."

"That," he said, and she knew she was losing him. "is what I'm doing."

"No, it isn't."

"We can't stop them."

"Yes, she can," Kaidan said, something in his voice turning what at first glance was an opinion into fact. "And if it takes her life, she will. She hasn't given up before she's even started."

"You're delusional."

"Says the indoctrinated man," Nihlus countered.

There was a flash of something vulnerable in Saren's expression before he started pacing again.

"Everything I've done, it wasn't to help the reapers. We won't survive them. Our only hope is that they see us as a civilization worth saving. I have done nothing but work for this galaxy's benefit. I'm trying to save us, and if that's what you're working for as well, you should be joining me instead of training your guns on my head."

The look on his face, of a man who'd just made a passionate speech on his deepest beliefs, was the look of someone Shepard had little hope of convincing.

"You would have murdered me."

But Shepard wasn't there alone.

Nihlus took a step forward, even putting his weapon away. Saren had frozen in place. "You would have shot me in the back of the head, pretending to be my friend, if not for Shepard. Tell me, Saren, look me in the eye and explain to me how that is something a good man, trying only to do right by the people in this galaxy, would do."

Saren had screwed his eyes shut and turned his head firmly down, which was answer enough. "We can't stop them," he said in the smallest voice possible.

"That's not true."

He looked up at her. "Maybe. But I can't help you. I can't help anyone. Not even myself."

"There's one thing you can still do."

Saren looked at his hand, where a gun was still loosely held. "I-" He shut his mouth and looked at Nihlus. "I'm sorry." He looked back at her. "I hope you're right, Shepard. Maybe this isn't for nothing."

He shot himself the way he had, last time. Nihlus exhaled heavily, and approached his body slowly. His face was unreadable but the pistol was back in his hand.

Kaidan and Shepard hung back, and when the turian shot him again, she turned away and left the room, hearing one set of footsteps behind her.

"Think he needs a word?"

"Later," she murmured. She glanced at Kaidan's worried frown and sighed. "Let's just give him a moment."

"Yeah," he muttered. Hesitating, he shot one last furtive look in the general direction of the two turians, but kept pace with her, climbing into the Mako as she did. "Saren didn't have the weird implants, the ones the reapers gave him last time," he said, changing the subject.

"He didn't," she agreed. "I think it might have had something to do with what I said to him back on Virmire. Messed with him, the reapers might have noticed. I never met him there, this time around."

"Huh." Their eyes met. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head. "I'll be fine as soon as we get to the Citadel and make sure Sovereign's dead. And hopefully not on top of the presidium, this time around."

"I hope Anderson's got it under control," Kaidan muttered.

"We'll find out, won't we?" Nihlus seemed unconcerned, appearing out of nowhere to quickly climb into the Mako. "We have no time to waste. Let's go."

No one made any comment regarding Saren, and Shepard supposed she'd find out later how bad an omen that was. "Joker should be well on his way," she said instead, and silence elapsed once more as she sped up back toward the Conduit. "We'll meet him there."


The presidium was empty as far as Shepard could see from where the Mako crash-landed. Avina was a few feet away, blabbering away in the high-pitched, overly friendly voice of hers.

"No geth," Nihlus noted.

"But no civilians either," Kaidan pointed out.

"The arms are closed, though," Shepard added, pleased. "Nice work, Anderson."

They crossed the distance between the Mako and the VI quickly and cautiously, weapons in hand. So far, it seemed for naught – the presidium was quiet but intact, and if this hadn't been before the advent of the collectors, Shepard would have been getting nervous.

"All individuals without explicit orders to be in the Presidium are advised this area is on lockdown until further notice, and are compelled to evacuate to the Wards immediately in an orderly fashion. C-SEC officers are on sight in each exit to further assist-"

Shepard hardly needed to listen to anything else. "You've got to be kidding. The Wards are the least defensible areas on this station," Shepard snapped through gritted teeth. Her squad exchanged a look. "Who gave the order?"

Avina paused her spiel. "The lockdown was installed by the Council under advisement of an undisclosed threat to the station."

"Undisclosed threat?" Kaidan echoed. "So there aren't any hostiles inside yet?"

"I am not aware of any current reports of unrest."

Shepard fiddled with her omnitool until she ascertained there was no way to reach Joker. "The geth aren't inside, but they sure as hell are here. I don't know how many dropships are outside, but I can't reach Joker."

"They'll hold. They've got the Citadel, human and quarian fleets between the Citadel and Sovereign. If it gets through them, they'll make it work for it."

"It won't get through," Kaidan insisted sharply. "Didn't survive us the first time, and we weren't prepared then. We definitely didn't have the quarians."

Shepard looked from one to the other, aware things would only get tenser from then on out. "Nothing we can do about it anyway. What we can do, however, is get those people out of the wards and in the Presidium. And it needs doing yesterday." She turned back to Avina as both men relaxed at the order, nodding. "Where's the Council? Captain Anderson? Hackett? I have Spectre clearance," she added quickly, in case the VI required credentials to provide her with that information.

"I have no information on any Alliance military leaders, or any specific persons. The Council is on stand-by in the event they are forced to evacuate the station. Ambassador Udina is with them in the Council Chambers." Kaidan raised his eyebrows, certainly thinking the same thing Shepard was – whatever the circumstances, Udina should really not be left alone with the councilors.

"Right," Shepard stated in a no-nonsense tone of voice. "We're gonna have to split up." She quelled immediate protests with a glare. "I'm heading straight to those chambers. Meanwhile, the two of you start going through the wards, get everyone in here as quickly as possible. I'll get the lockdown overridden. Stay sharp, and stay together – if any geth show up, you don't want to be alone."

"Oh? And you do?" Nihlus asked derisively, probably only because he was faster than Kaidan in getting over his vehement opposition to the plan.

"I don't have as great an area to cover. Besides, they'll come in through the wards anyway. I'm not the one who'll be in the line of fire, trust me." Her eyes switched over to Kaidan, whose expression was displeased but resigned. "Watch your asses. Don't linger, let people spread word once you're in each ward. I'm not sure how much time we have. Get back here when you're done."

"Be careful," Kaidan said apprehensively.

With that departure, they instantly headed in opposite directions, the only sound coming from their harried footsteps and clicking pistols.


Shepard's path was clear of people, geth or debris. The Presidium hadn't seen a fight, and if she had anything to say about it, that's how it'd stay. Somehow, though, it looked about as eerie as it had under siege by Sovereign and the heretic geth – empty of death but empty of life, and emptiness was never something that should apply to the center of galactic civilization.

She stepped out of the elevator to the Chambers, even more unnerved than usual by the perky soundtrack it offered, and instantly heard aggravated voices in the distance, maybe not quite arguing, but certainly not in good spirits.

"Yes, well, unfortunately, there seems to be no way to reach Admiral Hackett or Captain Anderson at the moment, or in truth anyone at all," Tevos was saying, in the thin voice Shepard had long since learned was a very bad sign coming from inconvenienced asari women.

"Which is convenient for some and alarmingly suspicious to everyone else," Sparatus added viciously, in a patently better mood than Tevos, if he was still resorting to veiled accusations.

"I can assure you, Councilors, Captain Anderson is acting only in the best interests of this station," Udina maintained, voice nearly as strained as Tevos'. "If he has been – misinformed – I'm sure the fault doesn't lie with him." Or me, was the shout that rang as clearly as if he had actually said it.

"Well, that's true, at least," Shepard commented casually, finally within sight of the Council. They spun to face her. "I thought my evidence had been convincing enough? Anderson seemed sure you were taking the threat seriously."

Udina groaned, running a hand over his face, and she couldn't decide whether it was at her presence or at her words. Regardless, she felt quite proud of the achievement.

The salarian dalatrass waved violently. "Look around! What do you call this? Of course we're taking it seriously. But the communications are down, we have no way of knowing what's happening outside, and we've been watching the hours count down without discernible change in the situation-"

"You mean apart from the comms. being down and the fleets not having returned to base after hours of what you suppose is nothing happening?"

That shut them all up. "Something is obviously going on outside," Sparatus admitted grudgingly. "So might you explain what, exactly? How did you get here?"

"Can't tell you what's going on outside without speaking to my pilot, because I don't know either, and my communications are as shot as yours. Geth," she explained when Tevos opened her mouth to ask. Shepard took the opportunity offered in the shocked silence that followed to continue. "As for how I got here, it's a story best told once we get through to the fleets."

"You think geth left their space to attack the galactic-"

Udina clearly found holes with her story. Pity that, the first time around, they'd mysteriously disappeared once she'd tried to explain them away with the reapers. "The geth aren't behind this, they're just a tool."

"A dangerous one, regardless, I'm sure," Sparatus said, following her as she briskly walked over to the control terminal.

"What are you doing?" Tevos asked sharply, watching her bring it alive.

"Frying a security loophole."

"Beg pardon?" Valarian said, aghast.

Udina looked on the verge of a breakdown. "Shepard, you don't even have clearance to-"

Everyone fell silent as Shepard suddenly gained access to systems reserved for councilors and a few select others. Shepard was definitely not selected.

"Is that – how did you do that?!" Tevos' voice was now high-pitched instead of thin, which wasn't a positive development.

"Councilor, I appreciate that you don't understand how time sensitive this is right now, but I need you to trust that I'm working for you and I will give you a full debrief as soon as this is done."

Silence fell, but no one tried to knock her out of commission, which really proved nothing, because as far as she knew, they just thought they had no chance of dissuading her, whatever methods they used. With Vigil's file, she managed to open a channel and breathed a little easier as soon as she heard Joker react with the speed she'd come to expect from him.

"Commander? That you?"

There was some restlessness behind her as though someone wanted to demand she explain how on earth she managed to contact anyone through the geth, but it seemed her words had made an impact, because no one spoke up.

"I got you, Joker. Give me the run down."

"Oh, thank god. Took your sweet time," he griped, but the relief in his voice was evident.

"Joker, we're blind here," she reminded him. "Tell me what's going on."

"Right – it's not too terrible, but the big bad hasn't joined the party yet. The quarians are goddamn champs, they've got flanking skills a mile wide," he said appreciatively. "Some of ours have taken a few hits so the flotilla doesn't have to, but nothing serious. No casualties as far as I've been told, and not one spaceship out of commission."

Shepard grinned. "That's what I like to hear. Good going."

"Now, the dropships, those are dropping like flies," Joker sounded particularly pleased with himself, more so than usual. "The Normandy's a beauty as always, and the turians have got one hell of a kick. The geth brought a lot of friends, but we're bringing down more than they can produce. New ships keep showing up, though. I maintain we've got it well in hand anyway."

"Per my calculations, Shepard, we should be seeing the last of the entourage you met on Ilos."

"Then Sovereign should be showing himself soon. Thanks, EDI. Both of you, be ready," she warned. "Hackett and Anderson?"

"Last I knew, they were each gonna be ordering a bunch of ships around – one over and the other under the fleet. Wildest guess? They're both right upfront taking most of the hits. I'm sure I'll turn out to be completely wrong about that. I'm trying to keep the Normandy a bit behind, as hidden as possible. Can't be the ace if everyone sees me coming."

"Got it. Don't go silent. The minute Sovereign shows up, you tell me. I'll be here, trying to coordinate everyone. Not one ship left in the open, Joker, clear?"

"Aye aye, Commander. Joker out."

The twisted knot in her stomach hadn't exactly let up at the good news – it reminded her this battle was hardly over, had a few turns left to take still. She took a step back, caught between two polar opposite emotions: the familiar warrior instinct berating her for not being up there, leading from the trenches, adrenaline burning in her veins; and the new one, born from the bone-tiredness of too many years spent fighting, that kept trying to pull her away from her place in the galaxy.

Pointless. Nothing she could do but wait. And there were other matters to focus on. She glanced back at the Council, who was watching raptly and tersely, and searched out Tevos. "I need you to lift the lockdown on the Presidium. The Wards aren't safe if something gets through the defenses."

"That security measure was put in place in the event that any threat might blend into the crowd," the dalatrass spoke up.

"The Council can't be compromised, Shepard," Udina said quickly, obviously hoping she'd cave without a fight with any councilor. "Surely you understand-"

"I understand those people are in danger if they stay in the Wards," Shepard argued, temper flaring even if she kept her tone under control. "They'll be safe out there. By all means, lock these chambers, but let them come up to the commons."

Tevos strode forward without a word and accessed the appropriate features on the terminal. "It's done."

The Council had its flaws, but for the most part, Shepard knew every single one of them was there to serve a greater purpose. Occasionally, they even figured out that purpose was the good of the people. "Good. Thank you, Councilor. Alenko and Kryik should be on their way up."

Sparatus glanced at the terminal, which was emitting several soft blinking lights and the faint sounds of a fighting fleet. "Until then," he said, "you have a few questions to answer."


The questions actually lasted far longer than it took for Shepard's squadmates to return. Increasingly loud chatter floated up from beyond the walls of the Council Chambers, as clear an indication as any that too many people were being crammed somewhere without a specific purpose. Soon enough Kaidan and Nihlus were stepping out of the elevator, looking no worse for wear.

"Councilors," the turian Spectre greeted smoothly, on the verge of irony. It was an improvement from his previous dealings with the Council, so all in all Shepard took what she could get. Tevos pinched the bridge of her nose, possibly at his presence.

"No trouble, Commander," Kaidan reported, only putting away his weapon when he saw Shepard's wasn't in her hand either.

"Where you expecting any?" Udina snapped. The man's mood had anything but improved the longer they remained stuck there.

Kaidan spared him a glance but deferred to his commanding officer, which was probably a wise decision. "There are several geth dropships outside, Ambassador. I'm sure you understand the caution. It's the same that you were insisting on for the Council, before," Shepard said pointedly.

"I'd hate to interrupt this all around joyous reunion, but I'm not done questioning Shepard," Sparatus said, patently in an even worse mood than the Ambassador.

Kaidan's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Shepard shrugged at him, and turned back to Sparatus. "Where were we?"

"I believe you were about to explain the ancient prothean ruins you discovered on a planet long thought inaccessible."

"I told you we found the Mu Relay."

"And Ilos?"

Shepard shrugged. "I'll be happy to help you plan an expedition the minute the dropships clear. You can see for yourself what was left of the protheans after the reapers came."

"I think what she's trying to say is shape up or we'll go down the same way," Nihlus piped up, casually leaning against the wall in the shadows.

Tevos spared him a glare. "Let us keep to reality, shall we? There's nothing helpful about nihilistic outlooks for the future."

"I'm sorry – facing facts is hardly nihilism. It's the first step to creating a plan."

"A plan?" Valern asked shrewdly. "A plan for what, Commander?"

"Meeting them head-on. And coming out on top," Shepard replied firmly.

"Do enlighten us."

"I learned something on Ilos, from the VI," she lied. "The location of a weapon schematic the protheans were working on. To use against the reapers."

Udina wasn't on the same page. "Shepard," he started, patiently. "before we start developing mass destruction weaponry to use on an enemy we still don't know exists, maybe we should start with investigating that enemy in the first place?"

Sparatus didn't look happy about it, but he seemed to agree. "Good point."

Kaidan uncrossed his arms, but before he had the time to say something that the Kaidan of this year would never have thought to say, Joker saved them. "Commander! I see a big ugly ship pulling physically impossible turns and coming straight for us, which can only mean one thing. What's the plan?"

Shepard had already surged forward to the terminal at the first word, and cursed under her breath the fact that she had no way to see outside. "How many geth ships left?"

"Two, Shepard. They won't last long, however. They have both suffered several hull breaches, and I believe the quarians are in position to strike. Warning: trajectory calculations complete. Jeff-"

"I know, I know, I see it!" The obvious panic in his voice wasn't reassuring. "Shepard, they're in the way of that thing," he warned. "It'll cut right through them."

"How many?"

"At least four quarian ships, but I don't think any of them are civilian – yes, Tali, I-"

"Joker, focus," Shepard requested. "Have they not seen it? Can they evade?"

"I believe they have time to maneuver, yes. Communications appear to be back online. Please hold," EDI said politely.

Shepard utilized every shred of willpower she had left to keep her mouth shut and wait.

"The quarian fleet is in danger?" Tevos said worriedly.

"I'm sure they'll be fine, Councilor," Kaidan said, in an attempt to give Shepard some breathing room. "Let Shepard do her thing. She's got it under control."

Well, no she didn't, but she appreciated his loyalty.

"Shepard," EDI called, and there was an unwelcome strain in her synthetized tone. "The quarian captains in the endangered ships have decided to not retreat. They want to give Sovereign a target."

"What?!" Shepard couldn't be sure which of them had said it, if they all had at once.

"They reason if we set up to expect the reaper in their position, the rest of us will have a better shot at taking it out all at once. And the geth ships drop anyway," Joker said tersely.

"Negative. There are other options. We're not sacrificing people."

"With all due respect, Captain, I'm afraid this isn't your decision," the smooth flanging timbre of a quarian voice sounded in Shepard's ear. She guessed EDI had taken the initiative to connect her to the problem. One day, Shepard was going to figure out a way to repay her for being flawless.

"You're putting the flotilla on the line for this mission, Captain," she replied instantly, adapting her demeanor to the situation and not bothering with pleasantries. "We've no need to risk people yet. Reconsider."

"I know what we're doing, thank you," she countered drily. "And I understand the risks." There was a pause. "I can see that ship from here. I have also become suddenly and starkly aware of the consequences if we fail."

"If you just-"

"An opportunity has presented itself, Shepard. We will take it before it has a chance to get the upper hand."

Shepard's mind raced. "That thing's not a ship. It's an AI, it's called a reaper. And you're not prepared for what it'll bring to the fight," she stalled.

"Will this plan not work?"

"Maybe it will, maybe it won't." An idea occurred to her. "Which is the point. How open would you be to – an adjustment? A suggestion, for your safety."

"I'm all ears."

"How fast can your ships disperse, if about to be under fire? Not necessarily to strategic positions, just – out of the way."

There was silence for a few seconds. "Not fast enough that we wouldn't suffer serious damage."

"But the ships would survive?"

"Possibly," she said, noncommittally.

Shepard ran a hand through her head, feeling her hairdo loosening slightly. After the day she'd had, she was surprised it was still holding. "If you want to give Sovereign an obvious target, fine. But you can get out of the way when it does, and let the rest of the fleets attack. If the dropships are left right in the middle, they won't survive. But you need to tell me that you can pull off a maneuver like that, or I swear I'll have the Normandy physically shove you out of the way if need be."

The quarian captain seemed to weigh her options in the silence. "Give me a moment, Captain." Shepard refrained from correcting her and drummed her fingers on the side of the terminal, wondering how much time they could possibly have left.

Several long moments later, Shepard was gripping the metal, knuckles white and about to call up Joker, when the quarian re-established communication.

"Captain Shepard? I've discussed your idea with the rest of the ships here with me. They have green-lit it. What's the ETA on the reaper?"

Shepard closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll patch you through to Joker. He's got eyes. Whoever's in charge of the different front, they'll work out a plan. I can't see what it looks like up there, I can't help."

"I'll make sure to connect to my Admirals and yours, Shepard. Thank you," she finished sincerely. Shepard pressed several controls and before long she heard Joker ring out contact protocols to the relevant men and women in charge.

"Impressive," was Sparatus' only comment. Nihlus glanced in his direction with a funny smile on his lips, and whatever way he'd thought up to finally ruin his relationship with his employers, Shepard cut him off.

"Let's pray it works," she muttered.

"You think one ship is a match to the three fleets?" the dalatrass asked dubiously.

"One reaper," Kaidan corrected.

She waved him off. "You know what I meant."

"I think it could be, if we're not careful."

Tevos was biting her nails, which would have been amusing in literally any other circumstance. "We'll see those quarians duly decorated, when this is done. No matter the outcome. And the humans as well, of course," she added in an afterthought. "Everyone out there right now."

Udina perked up at that. "A most admirable, honorable display of courage and service," he stated gravely.

Kaidan crossed his eyes in mockery behind his back, which was extremely childish. Shepard turned her back to them all before they saw her smile in such dire circumstances.

"Now!" came Joker's sharp cry from the terminal, and just like that, the amusement drained away.

The next thing she knew, the arms of the Citadel were opening.

The sight that greeted her was terrifying and familiar – the sky littered with spaceships of every race and creed, looking somehow alone, small and vulnerable facing a single reaper. The silence in the Presidium was incongruous with the scene.

Then she saw the Normandy speed forward, covered extensively by several fleets of the Alliance navy, to fire a proximity shot with such impact that Sovereign reeled back, and she remembered the reaper was the one who was alone.

"The arms-!"

"We need to get the Council out of here," Nihlus muttered, priorities straight if nothing else.

"Wait," Shepard murmured. Everyone froze. "Don't. We need to stay here. Just – get away from the general impact area, in case something goes wrong." She took a few steps back herself while everyone else scrambled, gaze trained on the terminal. She wasn't sure what she was waiting for.

And then the interface lights flickered and shone red, and Shepard stopped. A miniature hologram of the reaper outside stood over it, clear as day, and projected by means Shepard – or anyone else in the room, for that matter – couldn't begin to guess.

"That was impressive, Commander Shepard. And almost unexpected."

"And we're just getting started. Imagine what else I've got up my sleeve," she provoked airily.

Sovereign flickered slightly, maybe because it wasn't brushing off the damage from the combined strength of three races as well as it would like her to think. "I was warned of your probable flippancy."

"You know, I'd focus on the battle you're losing badly outside, instead of me."

The silence carried a definite sense of amusement, even if the reaper could hardly smile. "Ah, but aren't you the main threat?"

"Am I?"

"Do not play the fool." Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Kaidan bring up his omnitool, and she hoped he was making sure he touched base with Joker, whatever else he was doing. "You'll fail," it warned. "This isn't a threat – it's advice. Heed it. Regardless of what happens to me – it's almost irrelevant at this point. The rest of the reapers will not wait around for this entrance. It's past time they've given up on it."

"I'm sure they have. But I haven't lost yet."

"Honor and bravery – certainly admirable qualities, or at least I'm sure find them as much. But romantic notions of fighting to your last breath leave you just as dead, Shepard."

She walked forward, coming to a stop almost on top of the holo. "Don't underestimate me. Don't underestimate the people in this galaxy. You're about to be brought down by a few of them."

The threatening image of the reaper vanished, and there was a loud boom overhead they could hear even inside. Shepard's head snapped up to see Joker put the Normandy through paces only he could achieve, to manage a maneuver that would have killed three Alliance fifth fleet cruisers and one quarian ship if anyone else had been at the helm. Instead, it successfully diverted Sovereign's attention away from several vulnerable dreadnoughts on its underbelly, which could then collectively take aim and nearly shear it in half.

"C'mon, Joker," she muttered, tensely keeping her eyes on too many things at once. The reaper was surrounded – and with the damage it had received, the fleets could dodge faster than it could aim its deadly gaze. It was going down. She only hoped they remembered to make sure it fell far way from anyone's gravitational pull – the Citadel's in particular.

"Is this station secure?" Tevos demanded, regaining Shepard's attention. Her face was as pale as an asari's could get, but she was clearly prioritizing her problems. "If it can open the arms, what else can-!"

"It can't," Shepard said, realizing she wasn't referring to the danger of the heavy machine crashing against the station. "This is as far as his control reaches. Why he needed Saren here. I've told you this," she explained, glancing back. Sparatus took that as assurance enough to stride forward and stand at her side, looking up at the stars.

"Does it die?"

"Hell yeah, it does," she replied. "Soon enough, I'd say."

She looked away and Kaidan caught her eyes. He was just doing away with his omnitool. "I was recording your interaction with Sovereign. And broadcasting it outside," he said casually. "Never know what we might need to comb through, over the next few months."

Everyone turned to stare at him. "Good thinking," Shepard praised, smiling broadly.

No one else – except Nihlus, anyway – seemed particularly amused. "And there was a need to broadcast it as well, was there?" Udina said harshly.

"We should all know who our enemies are, Ambassador. Shouldn't we?" Kaidan defended, maintaining eye contact with him.

Shepard cleared her throat before Udina got suspicious. "I'm sure the Lieutenant had only the best intentions."

"Yes," Valern said, drily. "Like making sure you're controlling the narrative, Commander Shepard."

"All he did was transmit a recording. Hardly controlling the narrative, more like telling it. And I hope you were paying attention too."

She wasn't concerned. They couldn't do anything to him over this. No one declared it classified. And now, she thought with petty satisfaction, no one could.

"Commander," came the call that was becoming depressingly common for the night,"report in. One more hit and it's done. Having trouble figuring out how to make sure it's not done on top of you."

Sparatus followed her right to the terminal instead of backing away with the rest of the Council, which just complicated matters further, namely in regards to her feelings on the councilors. She couldn't pin any of them down for long. Even Shepard herself was more predictable than this.

"What's the situation, Joker?"

"Quarians took a few bad ones, but the turians are guarding them like their lives depend on it now. They'll be alright. The Alliance took up the brunt of the fight, and I haven't had a report from the ones out front in a while. There aren't any ships down, I can tell that much, but that reaper has one mean hook. Fleet's gonna be down a few for at least a couple months after this, no way around that," he reported critically. "We've got it cornered, though. We've been in control the whole time, which is kinda amazing. You say the word, and we get it with such a nasty hit its grandchildren will feel it. Well, you know what I mean."

"Do I?" Shepard replied drily, at the same time Sparatus snorted, "Charming."

EDI decided to take over before Joker put on his stand up for the audience he was getting. "My suggestion, Shepard, is that you close the arms again. I don't believe we have gone anywhere near them, so it should be safe. As soon as you do, we strike. If there is a collision, it will be against the hull. Any urgent debris cleanup can be handled by undamaged ships before you reopen."

"Yeah, what she said. Easier than trying to drag it away."

"I find the probability that Sovereign will try to open the arms again when you close them extremely low. He won't exactly have a chance," she added, casually dangerous. Sparatus didn't comment. Shepard didn't hold any illusions that the councilors hadn't figured out what EDI was by that point, but if they were going to refrain from asking questions, she was going to refrain from raising them herself.

"Understood," she agreed, drawing up the relevant controls. "Activating it now."

The arms started moving again, and the reaper certainly noticed. She was caught in its red gaze just as the arms came together all the way to the top.

"Now, Joker."

There was a lot of yelling, and then the loudest explosion from outside of the whole night. Afterwards, complete silence fell. Even the nervous crowd noises from the commons had muted. Tevos began pacing, but her footing was so light, the quiet wasn't disrupted.

For a few seconds, Shepard waited with baited breath – and then Joker called her back up on the channel.

"All good, Shepard," he said boisterously, and behind her, Nihlus actually cheered. "The big metal baby didn't even go near your gravitational field," from the tone, she could tell he was grinning. "He's in three different pieces, kinda drifting away. My advice is someone should really go on a fetch quest. Not it," he added immediately.

Shepard was laughing, seeing as it was over and Joker was funny, whatever else she told him on a regular basis. "Get back here, Joker," she said, smiling and opening the arms. "You've done good."

He whooped, and it was a good feeling, looking at the sky and seeing only pieces of the enemy, and her people (mostly) intact.

Kaidan caught her eye and smiled, putting his pistol away. One down.