Chapter 12: Aggressive Negotiations

The fate of the mission lay in the Normandy shuttle bay.

Shepard knew her people. Trusted them. She had no doubt most of them would step up to the line.

She needed a minimum of fifteen personnel – it was less than what she had when hunting down Saren but was the bare number needed to keep the frigate operational. Of her squad, at least six were needed to face the battle with the Collectors. It was the number she had when facing down Saren and Sovereign.

In her heart the Spectre knew who she would see lined up: Garrus, Tali, Dr. Chakwas, Adams, Joker, Mordin and probably out of sheer stubbornness Zaeed Massani. He wanted Santiago bad enough that apparently going on a suicide mission was worth it.

Of the Alliance marines, they would step up no doubt and do their part. They were always ready for the fight and this was going to be one hell of a fight. In her gut the Spectre knew that the turian troopers wanted to be a part of it, if only for challenge, if not to be shown up by their human counterparts. Unfortunately that wasn't going to be.

Williams would want to remain of course, but Shepard knew the special assignment that Hackett and Anderson had planned needed her to spearhead it. Same story with the STG, they'd love to know what was beyond the Omega-4 relay. Truth-be-told Shepard wanted to know what lay beyond the relay. The Collectors had Reaper tech, that much was obvious, but could any of it be used to fight the monstrosities? Perhaps. Shepard was cautious to the point of being paranoid to trust any Reaper tech against their creators, the threat of indoctrination just too high to risk.

That was what it was all about: risk. Sucking in a bit of air Shepard faced the thick double doors of the shuttle bay and stepped through. She had prepared to see a handful of the crew, twenty, perhaps twenty-five, but she did not expect to see the entire crew complement standing before her, especially those who were to be disbanded.

A crooked smile pulled her lips upwards.

"Ten-hut!" Williams barked, snapping everyone to attention. The room echoed with 150 pairs of boots clicking against metal, clothing rustling as each member military and civilian stood rigid. Even amongst the number was Weareth'bol, but of course 'their' clothing and boots didn't click as they were only facsimiles.

"At ease." Shepard was still smiling. She was touched enormously by the gesture. "Thank you, all of you. While I wish that I could take all of you with me, unfortunately that isn't possible. The Council has made their orders very clear."

"With all due respect, Commander, I say to hell with the Council's orders," Garrus piped up. "Two ships, two crews, and an air group and we'll stop those sons-of bitches."

"Here here!" Russan echoed his brother turian. "Commander, you should know I and the other turian commandos have filed an official protest to the Hierarchy about our reassignment."

This shocked Shepard. She knew for a turian to willingly protest such an act was a major statement. When a turian is given an order they might complain but they follow it. To actually stand up and say no was practically unheard of-not if they wanted to stay in uniform.

"As have we of the STG," Kirrahe said. "It is more strategically sound to retain the numbers we have. And the ships."

"We serve Shepard Commander to stop the machine devils; we answer to none but her. We will not be moved... The Council of enlightened and dim have a hive in service they need no other."

"And we've sworn an oath to the service of the T'Soni Bastian, Commander. Neither the Council nor the Asari Republic's High Command can disband us. We are with you," stated Lt. Morwen.

"Yeah and Dr. Baynham er Juliana I mean no Lizbeth," (there was a general low chuckle from the assembly for the need of clarification) "made a good point about helping with the science in a lab. But if we don't have to leave the Victory's labs then we can go with you, figure things out to stop the Collectors and those damned Reapers when they get here," Abby said with true Williams gusto and bravado.

"Be a shame to waste all the training we did," Chorban added. "Besides, we proved we can hold our own against the jarheads," he coughed a little embarrassed at his choice of terminology concerning the military personnel. "I mean marines. We can fight the Collectors. They'll never see the lab-coats coming." He smiled proudly.

"Stopping the Collectors only adds to the greater odds of the galaxy surviving the invasion. Deliberately handicapping us is just plain stupid on the Council's part," Naga'sadow said firmly.

"Believe me; I'd rather have it this way. Regrettably, the Council has a fair point; we can't afford a war with the Terminus Systems, not now. It is why they are pulling all of the military personnel save for the Alliance. They deem that the attacks are clearly an internal matter and they 'cannot become involved.' That being said, they have allowed the multi-racial flagship ground team to remain and they agreed to the plan of recruiting civilians and independent contractors—the ones Cerberus was headhunting. Save for the Justicar none of those in the dossiers have any governmental ties.

"But each of you that have been disbanded can still help, still fight. To those that must go, take the warnings, take what you have learned and go back to your governments, make them see, make them do more. You all know what we're up against. Make people listen." A sudden thought occurred to Shepard and if true it was brilliant on the part of the Council. "Perhaps the Council wanted it this way. For you all to see, to experience and then to be recalled and do what they cannot do. Some of the populations in Citadel Space see the Council as weakened due to Sovereign and Saren's attack. They cannot be seen as weak again, for people to doubt their power, strength and wisdom.

"They must be seen as a foundation of strength once again. They must keep the pillars of peace intact even in the hurricane that will swallow us whole. So now that you have seen, you have heard, go back and warn, cajole, push each of your governments to take a more proactive , individual role within their own systems. Ensure that they are ready to meet the Reapers. For the only way we will win is if we all work together. One voice can become lost, or silenced. But we are now many. The governments must be made to listen. You all have the proof now. Use it! Make them believe! Make them listen!

"To those that will stay with me, that have leave to stay and serve, let us understand the situation. We are going into battle against a tough and determined enemy. I can't promise you that I will bring you all home alive. But this I swear...before you and before the gods, goddesses and spirits, that when we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field…and I will be the last to step off…and I will leave no one behind!" The Spectre looked to each face, human and alien in-turn. "Dead or alive we will all come home together."

A cacophonous "HOO-RAA!" boiled out of the mass crowd for there wasn't much else to say. In response Shepard saluted her crew before dismissing them.

Shepard watched the crew reluctantly milling near the cargo ramp so they might exit and return to the Victory in preparation to return to the Citadel. There was of course a few days worth of work yet to be done (like the new paint-job for instance) but for the most part the heavy lifting was nearly done if not completed.

The Spectre was remorseful and contrite to see them all go but the choice was taken from her. And yet in their dismissal was that faint silver lining that it was as she perceived. Now that the crew knew those that were to leave could carry the message to their home-worlds, and spread the warnings. Was this the peripheral aid the Council had promised? If it was, it had been well hidden and almost imperceptible. Layers upon layers.

"Skipper?" Ash's salutation pulled Shepard from the confines of her mind back to the Normandy. "Do you have a moment?"

"Of course. You need privacy or are you good here?"

"I guess here is okay. I know you'll be getting the transfer orders soon from Admiral Hackett but I wanted to tell you in person that I'm going to be reassigned to Horizon."

Shepard smiled a little as she nodded. "Yes I know."

Ash was taken aback a little. "Wait you knew? The orders came that quickly?"

A shake of raven locks. "No. The Admiral was looking to head the Horizon project. When he suggested you I said you'd be perfect for the job. Told him I didn't want to lose you but if you were needed there then that's where you have to be."

Williams was still dumb-founded, then as if a light switched on inside her head; "Is...is that what you meant when you said those things about me leading, being flexible before we hit that Lazarus base?"

Shepard nodded. "Partly. Also I think if your name ever comes up to be the next human Spectre you'd be perfect for the job. But you need the experience this new assignment will give you. This will be very different from Eden Prime. It's not just another Alliance Colony. Despite the fact Horizon practically seceded from the Systems Alliance and is not technically under our jurisdiction, they still need protection from the Collectors and from Cerberus. You're going to be completely in charge of the operation. You're going to have to make people trust you when they have so very little of it for the Alliance. It's why they're out there in the first place.

"You're going to have to assemble a team from the local population and that won't be easy, but it's a great opportunity to get your feet wet so to speak. You'll have to pick an XO from them as well, one they trust and respect and one you can form a mutual understanding with to build a solid relationship,and that definitely won't be easy either. Because more likely than not the one they trust will probably feel threatened by your position. But you just might get lucky and find a diplomatic minded person.

"Just remember, an XO isn't just a blunt instrument. You have to work as a team. There must be trust. My mother told me that after I got my first command." Shepard grinned "She also told me, 'Don't get into a battle you don't want to fight. That being said, use your own judgment.' That one is harder to follow because I sure as hell don't want to fight the Collectors or the Reapers, but I must. We all must. We fight or we die."

Williams nodded. "I get that. So you think I'll end up like you on Elysium where it was just you against a thousand batarian all there wanting to kill you?"

"No. I think you're going to have it a hell of a lot worse. None of us has ever battled the Collectors, we don't know what we're up against, how they fight, what their tactics are. They have superior tech, those damned Seeker swarms and who knows what else." Shepard placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and gave a light squeeze. "But I have faith in you. You will protect those people, you will keep them safe. I know you're up for the challenge."

"I'm not like you. I'm not that heroic. I'm not that person," Ash murmured. "Pretending doesn't make it so. I can lead sure, but being a hero…"

"I'm just doing my job. I did it then as now. That's all," Shepard said with a dead voice. "That's all I've ever done."

"Phft. Is that what you truly believe?"

"You know what you get for being a hero? Nothing. You get shot at. You get a pat on the back, a 'that'a girl', a shiny trinket, hours of speeches, bla bla bla."

"So why do you do it?" Williams cocked her head to the side wanting to hear the answer.

"Because there is no one else to do it right now, that's why. Believe me if there was someone else to do, I'd let them do it, but there's not, so we're doing it."

The younger woman was now grinning, "Ah. But that's what makes you that person."

"And it's what makes you that person too, Ash. Remember they gave you a shiny trinket as well. And it wasn't just because you followed after me into battle. They gave it to you because you earned it. And if I thought you didn't have it in you, or you weren't capable, I would never had recommended you and Hackett would never have asked about your capabilities in the first place."

Ash graciously accepted the compliment for what it was. The words seeped the doubt from her mind until all that was left was her confidence.

"Skipper? About Cerberus...it bothers me that you actually believe you can trust Miranda. She's a loyalist to TIMmy. She'll stab you in the back and sell you out just like Udina did."

Shepard shook her head. "No I don't think so."

"Why, because you made a promise to help her sister?"

'And if I were to help your sisters?' sas at the tip of the Spectre's tongue but remained unsaid. "Partially. Let's put it this way, I trust her to do what she believes is in her and her sister's best interest. I trust her like I do Aria T'Loak. Believe me I'll not be turning my back on her anytime soon, but she wants to stop the Collectors as much as we do. That I also trust."

"Alright I get that. How you can work with someone so cold I don't know. She's frostier than Noveria," Ash said.

Shepard gave a half smile. "Oh don't be so critical. The universe, with the exception of asari space, still has male dominance issues. A woman is either too cold or too emotional. Too butch or too soft. Still, that being said, she does remind me of someone."

"Yeah, who?"

"Lady Macbeth, only with less sincerity." The comment caused both women to chuckle.

A small cough erupted from behind the two humans; they turned to see Tali and Weareth'Bol.

"The ship is completely clean of all monitoring devices. The tech-team and the STG made a third sweep then Weareth'Bol made sure of it. You'd be surprised where some of them were. There were quite a few in the heads, kinda creepy if you ask me."

"I'm not surprised. Mr. Illusive is a whack-job," Williams growled.

To be honest Shepard wasn't all that surprised TIMmy had his minions plant devices in the restrooms; she'd be more surprised if they weren't there. After all it was one stereotypical place were the mutterings of crewmembers were dislodged because people assumed no one was going to listen to them there. It was the same with broom-closets, laundry rooms and storage bays.

What did surprise the Spectre was that she hadn't thought of the beings of light in aiding the teams to sweep the ship. She was grateful the young quarian had taken the incentive. How Tali managed to talk to the enigmatic lifeforms was something of a quandary since they only seemed to acknowledge those who had biotics—the enlightened. But the tiny sentients had been present during the shuttle bay assembly as well as the seizure of the Normandy. They'd know what was necessary and required.

"We discovered a further thirty-two devices. They are destroyed along with the ones already uncovered," Weareth'bol reported.

"Excellent work, all of you."

"One last thing, Commander, what about that AI?" Tali pressed the issue that she and many others onboard felt needed to be resolved.

"Yes what about me?" the aforementioned AI piped up. Was that worry in her simulated voice?

"We can purge the machine from the ship," Weareth'bol confirmed.

"I would prefer that did not happen," EDI quickly retorted.

Ash was vigorously shaking her head. "It can't be trusted, Commander. It's Cerberus and it answers to the Illusive Man. He's gotta have some kind of weird override code written into its software, so it will stop obeying your orders and only his. Too risky."

Shepard thought about it for a long moment, troubled by the implications before her. It would be a weary matter to order Tali or Weareth'bol to terminate the AI. On the other hand...

On the other hand there was no sense in wasting a resource. It was a lousy excuse but to think the AI had equal rights as that of an organic got into a very messy moral dilemma, one Shepard wasn't all that comfortable talking right now. Later down the road it would surely be something she knew to the marrow of her bones she'd have to confront, just not today.

"EDI is an AI, a sentient, which makes things a little choppy. For one thing she's software like the geth, but like the geth she's a person and in this case one that belongs to the enemy so in a esoteric way it makes her a POW."

"It..." Tali said with a bit of venom in her voice. Perhaps more than she had intended. "It is a POW, not she. And no, Commander, it doesn't have the same rights as a real person... I wouldn't even go as far as to call it a POW."

"Tali I understand how you feel about the geth and any other AI. You've got a right to be concerned. You all do. But I trust my gut and my gut says EDI will be necessary to stop the Collectors. I'm not naive." Looking up to the ceiling of the shuttle bay as if addressing the ship Shepard continued, "EDI you are under the same probation as Lawson. Betray that trust and break probation and I will have to terminate the problem."

"Understood Commander."

"Speaking of termination and POWs, what about that that slimeball we have in lock-up?" Williams asked her CO. "Still alive and kicking so it doesn't seem like he took TIMmy's rules about the whole suicide thing seriously."

"I knew he wouldn't, it's why I gave it to him. Man's too much of a snivelling prick who thinks he's above all rules and regs. He has no integrity, no honor, no guts. He belongs in a merc band, not a military operation."

"He belongs in the grave," Tali's voice was laced with anger. Of course the fate of her fellow quarian was always there in her mind. It would forever be every time she looked at a Cerberus uniform.

"We'll soon find out if it's a cell or grave he's in," the Spectre said ignoring the bitterness in her young quarian friend. She understood it all too well. Taylor was easy, either he gave States evidence or he died a traitor's death under Council Law. It was Kelly Chambers that bothered Shepard. The girl was oblivious to the dark areas of Cerberus; she saw what the Illusive Man wanted her to see. She had swallowed his manifesto completely and only now was she choking on its contents.

The space-born Spectre felt no malice toward Chambers as she had with Taylor. The red head was a little naive but obviously intelligent, charming and wet behind the ears. There was something inside Shepard that instinctively wanted to protect the younger woman. It was probably something ol' TIMmy had planned in the first place, if only to tease Shepard away from Liara.

As if. Sam snorted. If that is the case I wonder if little Miss Chambers knows?

The raven-haired Spectre's footsteps lead her to the tiny brig within Normandy's shuttle-bay. She hadn't transferred the prisoners yet as Shepard had wanted them to hear what was being said in the assembly. A show of loyalty and strength of the troops, their belief in the cause not only to stop the Collectors but the Reapers as well. Shepard wanted the Cerberus personnel, which included EDI, to witness the unification of species and the determination of will. It was from the pages of the Art of War. Of course Sun Tzu was speaking of national unity, but it was still applicable on the larger galactic scene.

"Prisoner Taylor," she addressed him, dropping his rank as he had none as of his incarceration. "I see you have opted out of your organization's SOP for captured operatives. That tells me one of two things. One, you wish to be executed by Spectre or you will turn States evidence." Shepard's tone was cool, authoritative brokering no room for any other options. No 'what if' questions.

"I want to join you against the fight against the Collectors," Taylor said trying to sound just as firm and authoritative as his jailor.

Denied. Choose now," Shepard demanded

"Look, just hear me out-"

Shepard turned to Chief Petty Officer Peeks. "Master-of-Arms remove him from the cell and bind him. He will be led to the center of the shuttle bay, there I will personally shoot him."

"But I didn't give you my answer!" Taylor bleated.

"I gave you the opportunity. You wasted it on prattle," Shepard shot back. "Apparently you think I'm bluffing. Playing some sort of game."

"But I deserve a trial!"

Cold once more Shepard stepped up to him and hissed, "You admitted to being a part of Cerberus, that's a capital office. I'm a Spectre. I have the authority to execute the enemies of State. That's you."

"Lawson! What about her! Or Chambers" his voice now squeaked.

A crocodilian smile spread across Shepard's lips. "Lawson is cooperative. The fact you're standing on the SR-2 is testament to that. Chambers is not your concern."

As he pleaded and argued Taylor was struggling against the two alliance marines who were attempting to place the binders on him. Having enough of the resistance one of them took a law enforcer's stunner-baton to the back of his knees causing them to buckle. Taylor yelped in pain and shock and the binders were swiftly clapped around his wrists which were behind his back.

Shepard shook her head. "I gave you choices, Taylor; personally I wish you had chosen to turn evidence. By this appalling show of uncooperative behaviour you have chosen death. At least man up and face your execution." She nodded to the guards and they promptly hiked the massive bulk of the man to his wobbly feet. No doubt his legs were all pins and needles from the slight electrical charge in the stunner baton.

"But I didn't choose this," Taylor pleaded once more as he was being frog marched out into the middle of the bay by the marines and Peeks. Of those that remained and were in the bay, they turned to watch the spectacle. No one could not help but overhear everything that had been said. "You didn't give me a chance to finish! I just wanted to help fight the good fight!"

Shepard stood before him mute, no weapon in hand that any could see. Her body shimmered in biotic energy which coiled around her activate omni-tool. From it sprang the distinctive orange omni-blade, a new addition to the ever versatile holographic interface for the soldier in the felid.

"God-damn it Jacob! Just tell her what she wants to hear!" Miranda's voice called out from the crowed. Bodies were pushed aside as the dark-haired woman shoved her way to the forefront of the gathering audience. "Jacob!"

Shepard was still silent as she gripped the square jaw of the man and pulled back the blade ready to shove it into his chest cavity. Augmented with her biotics she'd have no issue cracking the ribcage to get to his heart.

"STATES EVIDENCE! Alright for fuck's sake. STATES EVIDENCE!" he screamed.

The blade hesitated then plunged, sheering the side of the man's uniform but not lacerating the skin.

"Remember this day, Taylor, the next time you choose to play games."

Taylor felt meek and deflated before this woman. All the posturing and bravado had left him bereft of everything save for what little dignity had remained. Which wasn't much.

" I see by your face, understanding dawns," Shepard said smoothly. "It would be most unfortunate if you would do something so foolish as to betray your word."

"The thought never crossed my mind," Taylor mumbled unable to meet the Spectre's gaze.

"Indeed? Then in your case if I were you, I would sue my face for slander."

His only answer was to groan.

The Spectre turned to the blond junior officer "Peeks oversee his transfer to the Victory. The binders remain until he is the hands of C-Sec. Inform them he is a hostile witness."

"Yes, Ma'am," the Master-of –Arms saluted. Then a thought crossed her mind, as it was clearly written on her face. "Ma'am what about that cyanide pill? We never took it off of him."

"Oh that," Shepard drawled, waving aside the legitimate concern. "I replaced that thing with a sugar pill. I knew he wouldn't take it but I couldn't risk him trying to somehow use it as some kind of ill-conceived escape attempt. Say, for instance, drugging Chambers then crying out for help that she's gone down in order to overpower the guard when he or she came to investigate. If he had convinced Chambers to fake it, it'd show up on an omni-scanner that she was in perfect health. But if she were doped by cyanide that would raise just enough of an alarm on the scanner for a guard to enter her cell."

The Spectre looked around the shuttle-bay, not exactly an ideal place to put the make-shift brig but there was no other spot for it in the amount of time the crew had from leaving the Lazarus Base to Illium. How easily would it be to overcome the guards and steal either the shuttles or the hammerhead? Shepard knew she'd make the attempt if she were in this situation. She'd see it as her duty to try to escape. The frigate didn't necessarily need a brig but sometimes there was call for one. Perhaps one of the storage rooms on the Crew Deck might suffice but that might leave key systems such as life support open to sabotage. Of course any crew slammed in the brig would be due to insubordination or off-duty unruly conduct including being drunk and disorderly. In that though, the prisoners would simply sit it out and not make a go of escaping or sabotage. That being said, the small tank in the shuttle bay was sufficient. This was a thought to be filed away for later deliberation.

"If I may say, ma'am, you sometimes have a very wicked mind," Peeks said. "Or you watch too many action-vids."

"I have an active imagination, what can I say. And yeah, I may have seen one or two vids." Shepard smirked. "And I can see by the prisoner's astonishment that very thought of such an escape had crossed his mind." There was also a weird hybrid expression of relief and guilt shining in his eyes. "Let me guess you did do that didn't you? The bars between your two cells weren't reinforced with an energy barrier. Pretty easy to slip a few grams into her food or water- what, maybe half the capsule maybe a little less?"

Taylor continued to look very intently at his boots. She had it in one. When Chambers didn't go down after he had drugged her food (he had asked for a taste of her MRE version of curry chicken as opposed to his beef stroganoff) he knew something was amiss and suspected that the pill Shepard tossed him hadn't been legit. What he didn't suspect was that Shepard had already thought of how he was going to use it.

"I'm thinking maybe carrying out your execution is preferable to handing you over to Citadel authorities." The Spectre's face became frigid once more. "Peeks get him out of my sight."

"Yes, ma'am."

Miranda had bore witness to the whole exchange. She was no fan of the little red-headed twit but she didn't want to see the girl dead, however she was an underling and therefore disposable if needs be. Taylor's intention of escape, however, she could approve of, just not how he carried it out. It was sloppy and amateurish. Hollywood melodrama, just like his clumsy attempts to sway Shepard to allow him to stay and fight had been. Whatever respect she held for her colleague had decomposed into so many dust motes. There was no doubt in her mind that Shepard would have carried out the execution. She saw the look in the younger woman's eyes. Conviction and determination. Had Jacob not agreed to give evidence his body would now be laying on the floor of the shuttle bay cooling, waiting for techs to carry it away after a medic called the time of death.

Was it mercy that stayed Shepard's hand in those last precious nanoseconds or had it been her own conceptions of what was right and what was law? Lawson doubted she'd ever find out, she wasn't sure she actually wanted to. It brought up that damned uncomfortable 'Thing' again. Her hand strayed idly to her collarbone and scratched it.

Shepard met Miranda's steady gaze as if she felt the older woman's eyes upon her. There was a barely perceptible nod of the dark head before the Spectre moved off to carry out further ship's business. For the moment the Cerberus agent didn't know what do with herself until she saw her sister exiting one of the inbound shuttles that was to carry Jacob back to the Victory.

For a moment Miranda held her breath as the two passed. Jacob gave a look to the younger Lawson sister then to Miranda and back again to Oriana. If he was going to say anything he was interrupted by Chief Petty Officer Peeks shoving him squarely in the back between the shoulder blades.

Once Oriana saw her big sister she waved cheerfully and ambled over with a smile upon her face. Shepard watched as the sisters Lawson embraced and moved away from all the hustle and bustle of the crew to a more private corner where they were out of the way.

That was Miranda, EDI and Taylor sorted. Three down…well technically four if you counted the Normandy, which Shepard did. One to go.

What to do with Chambers. Ideally the red-had should be turned over to the Alliance HQ same as Taylor. However if she were willing to testify against Cerberus she might be another source of information on the organization recruitment and decorations for the more civilian minded people. How did a person like Chambers even become swayed to swallow the tripe Cerberus was serving? And if she was handpicked personally as she claimed by Mr. Illusive, perhaps she might be able to give some insight on how he worked. She was clearly more openly cooperative then Lawson would be. Definitely friendlier.

Chambers had witnessed the removable of Taylor and dreaded what fate awaited her. The grim face of the Spectre was softer then it had been a few short minutes before.

"If you're worried about your colleague you needn't bother, he's alive. He came to his senses though it took Miss Lawson's voice to convince him. I hope you are more pragmatic. Do you still wish to serve on the Normandy, to stand with her crew to defeat the Collectors?"

"I do!" Kelly leapt to her feet, her hands coiled around the bars of her cell.

"You realize I'm at an impasse. While I believe your convictions, you still serve the enemy of the Alliance and the Council. By rights I should simply turn you over to the Alliance as a POW as I did with Taylor. That being said, Miranda Lawson has pledged to aid me and my crew against the Collectors; she has no issue following my orders. Thus I have allowed her to remain. While Taylor might have sworn the same, the man is loyal to no organization he pledges to serve and chafes under following rules and regulations. Now I'm a reasonable woman, I understand being frustrated and even fed-up with bureaucracy and red tape. I face it nearly at every turn with the Council.

"Indeed his interrogation revealed much about him. He is a man who cannot be trusted. I ask, are you a woman to be trusted? I know you want to serve humanity, to protect it, as do I, but will turn aside from Cerberus to do so? Like everyone else you had a day to decide. Do you join Taylor in a cell on the Victory or stay here on the Normandy under my command? And I will warn you if you do intend to share a cell with Taylor don't trust your food around him. If I hadn't done a bait-and –switch you'd be dead now. He put a portion of that cyanide capsule Cerberus Brass meant for him if he was captured into your food so he could make an escape attempt."

"What? Why?" Chambers asked incredulously.

"As I said for an escape attempt," Shepard repeated then explained to Kelly just as she had with Peeks and Taylor's reactions to the allegations. "To him you were expendable, an acceptable loss."

"That bastard!" she frowned. "I always thought he was such a nice guy even if he hated small talk."

Cerberus, was on the tip of the Spectre's tongue but she kept the snarky comment to herself.

"So what's it to be?" Shepard folded her arms over her chest and rested most of her weight upon one foot.

"I'm not a soldier, not like you but I want to help, to be a part of this. I can…I can do for you what I did for Operative Lawson." There was a clear tone of hopefulness like an eager puppy sitting at the foot of a baby's highchair waiting for something to eventually fall. Shepard hid a sudden lurking desire to chuckle at the thought of Kelly Chambers with a little tail waggling in earnest behind her.

"What, be my yeoman?" A black eyebrow quirked upward.

The younger woman nodded nervously, wringing the fingers of one hand with the other. And still the tail-waging image persisted. Shepard managed to keep her face straight even if her eyes twinkled in merriment at her delinquent thoughts.

"We can give it a shot. I warn you, one mission report, one document about the soundness of the crew's mental health sent to The Illusive Man and I dump you into the stockade of the nearest Alliance base. Understand?"

Prompted by another nod, Shepard went to the brig's control terminal punched in her command codes that released the locking mechanism.

"Go to the requisitions officer and she'll see to it you're properly kitted with appropriate uniforms, a footlocker and dog-tags. They won't be Alliance issue of course, but no one wears Cerberus colors on my ship. And another thing, as there isn't a lot of space on this ship, you may end up hot-bunking it."

"That's okay, Commander. I don't mind. And thank you. Thank you for giving me a chance."

"You're giving yourself this chance Chambers, don't blow it." Shepard said not unkindly.

"Commander if I may…why? Why are you giving me a chance when you didn't Mr. Taylor?"

"You were not in command of a squad that kidnapped, brutally tortured and killed a young man whose only trespass was to be ignored by the Collectors on a colony of humans," Shepard said simply.

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

On the bridge Shepard discovered Joker had already ousted Naga'sadow from the pilots chair and set up residence. He was comically wiggling his backside in the ergonomic leather seat as if to conform it to his liking.

"I see you're settling in." Shepard offered a bemused grin at her pilot's antics.

There was more wiggling. "Just like the Norm…I mean the Victory. Custom leather seats, very nice. Our Alliance engineers never got the need for a helmsman's comfort. Hard to do great impossible maneuvers when your ass is numb from sitting all day."

"Aw poor baby. How about trying to do great impossible maneuvers while under constant fire and explosions in hostile environments and making sure you ass isn't shot off by some sniper and your team remains whole and alive."

"Hey it's not like I just sit on my ass. Without me at the helm you'd never been able to land like you did on Ilos," Joker felt a little defensive.

Shepard ignored the comment and turned her attention the holographic projector. She was taken by surprise to see her own image looking back at her

"What the…"

"If you recall I have wetware and cybernetic warfare capacities, Commander, it was relatively easy to highjack the VI."

"You know it's weirding me out that it has your body and that voice," Joker said. "Can't you tell Tali to get a move on? "

"Yeah no kidding." Still, it was marginally better than that eye-stalk-vagina representation Cerberus techies dreamed up. Instead of focusing on the AI's new body Shepard directed her attention elsewhere. "How are you getting along with Joker?"

"Lt. Moreaudose not trust me. It offends him that I am installed aboard his ship's computers."

"Yeah, the last Normandy, and I'm talking about the real one, did just fine with out without an AI reminding me that 'the airlock is ajar'."

Sam smirked. "That might be so, but I'm sure you can adapt. And don't bother to tell me we can't trust her, I've got an entire crew telling me that. Tali and Weareth'bol are on stand-by should she decide to betray us."

"Don't you mean when?" Joker looked at the hologram of the Spectre and shook his head.

"I have been programmed with the prime directive to obey Commander Shepard's orders," EDI reassured both humans.

"Yeah right, until Mr. Thumb-up-his-ass TIMmy decides to send the override code and tell it to open all the airlocks and space us."

"You know Ash said nearly the very same thing," Shepard chuckled. "I admit it's dangerous to have operating, but it might just be that extra edge we're going to need when we get into conflict with the Collectors."

"One hell of a gamble, Boss, but you led us this far, I trust your hunches. Just don't ask me to trust that thing."

"I need you to cooperate with it," Shepard said firmly.

"Aye aye, Commander. I roger that," the helmsmen sulked. "So…ah…the Doc, I mean Liara, she's really leaving the ship and setting up shop here? You're okay with that?"

"That's a bit personal isn't it, Joker." Arms fold about her chest as the Spectre studied the man before her almost amusingly. She loved putting him on the spot.

"Just trying to switch gears, ma'am. I mean it's going to be super weird you and her not traipsing around in the mud together. I mean, um, you two make one hell of a team. And then Ash is getting transferred and Wrex already gone. Sounds like the band is breaking up."

There was no smile on the commander's lips this time. "Yeah it does, and we're picking up whole new untested replacements. Not exactly ideal but those are the orders. I don't like it anymore than you do."

"Yeah but they can't tell Liara to…" Jeff stopped as soon as he saw the expression of indifference in his superior officer's face suddenly grow much colder. He knew if he didn't back down now she would come down on him and get all professional. "Yeah anyway at least we still have Tali and Garrus. Right?"

A nod. "Yes we do." The smile was back even if it was one of simple pretense. "Carry on Mr. Moreau."

"Aye aye ma'am."

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

Tali and Garrus, two of the very few people Shepard trusted explicitly, along with her beloved bondmate Liara, Ash and Wrex. That trust was equally shared between them all. It was what made them an extraordinary team. The Spectre only hoped that these new recruits could not only cut the mustard but be equally as reliable. Sam had no doubt the Justicar would be honorable, but the assassin, outcast krogan warlord and a convict, as well as two Cerberus agents and an AI, was a lot of unknowns to work with.

Passing back through the CIC she saw Garrus standing on the ramp leading up to the galaxy map staring that the holographic representation of the great Milky Way.

"Something on your mind Garrus?" she said walking up the ramp to stand beside him.

The turian shrugged. "I was just thinking what this place will look like covered in Reaper infestation." He shuddered. "Hard to fathom that most of those worlds will crumble…"

"We're not going to let that happen. What happened to the Protheans won't happen to us. They won't wipe us out completely, not if we're unified."

"Sometimes I don't know Shepard. I look at us and I see … I don't know… uniting us all is going to be just as much of a battle as it is to fight those damned monsters. You have more optimism than most, I'll give you that,"

Sam clapped the tall man on the hump. "Garrus, we can do it. Hey, just a couple of hours ago the whole crew was down in the shuttle bay, a hundred and fifty souls all vying to stay together, to work together. That gives me hope. Yeah we're being separated but that willingness is still there."

"Without you holding us—them- together it might fall apart."

Shepard shook her head. "Very pessimistic of you, buddy. I don't believe that. I can't. Even if they start to forget I'll just slap them upside the head and say 'what the hell!' and get them back into shape."

To this Garrus laughed. "You always did have a way with words, Shepard. If that fails you could always use your default setting and blow something up."

The Spectre frowned or at least pretended to which caused the former C-Sec officer to laugh all the more.

"Hey, you know I'm actually glad I caught you here. I need to you do so something for me, well the Normandy really."

"Anything."

"I hope you still think that because I need you to be my XO."

Garrus's eyebrow ridges arched and his mandibles twitched in disbelief.

"What me? You want me as the XO?" try as he might the former C-Sec officer couldn't keep the astonishment out of his voice.

"Yes, you," came a response as if the Spectre was talking to a particularly dull-witted child. "You're qualified, I trust you, the crew trusts you, you have experience leading a team and I need you."

Vakarian though for a long moment before he answered. "Shepard.. this is…hell sure why not. Of course I'll do it."

Shepard's lips pulled into a crooked grin. "Good because if you didn't accept voluntarily I was going to order you to take it."

"Good to be queen of your ship isn't it?"

The grin became a full smile. "Absofuckinglutely."

They both chuckled.

"Oh and there are some perks to the job. You get the XO quarters, which incidentally is just large enough to share with say a certain quarian chief engineer."

The mandibles flickered into a turian version of a smile.