Chapter One
One Week after the attack on the Citadel
The orange display flickered and danced under Joker's practised fingers and with each key that was hit and each switch that was flicked the Normandy responded in her own subtle way. A deep purr emanated from the bowels of the ship as the mass effect core came to life; a moment of vertigo, as the world turned sideways and the Normandy was away.
There was a rush of activity then, as the crew took their places at the Normandy's controls. They know their parts from heart by now; respond to silent cues and invisible signals that anyone else, any other crew would ignore. They do not need to be asked, to be told or instructed, the running of this ship has become as seamless and beautiful as the elemental principle that powers its engines.
"FTL is engaged Commander; we will hit the next relay is approximately three hours."
Joker's voice informs, the words crackling and popping as they pass through speakers wounded in the attack on Sovereign. I nod in conformation, making a note of the damage on my ever increasing mental list of things that need to be repaired and step up onto the CIC platform.
"Pressly, do we have a vector for our approach?"
"Not yet Commander, reports from the last comm buoy suggest solar interference for fifty parsecs either side of the system where the Antarctica is docked. We wont know any more until we exit FTL."
I wave my hand over the Galaxy map and watch as the twin arms of the Milky Way expand on our position. With a few imperceptible movements of my fingers the Kepler Verge comes into view; and with it the current position of the Space station Antarctica, the Alliance's closest interstellar base and our destination. I cast an eye down at Pressley.
"Do we need to adjust our timings?"
"Shouldn't be necessary, our drop point its far enough outsid-"
There was a crackle of static as Joker interrupted.
"Might wanna pass any adjustment in our course by the Helmsman, just to, stop him getting cranky, or I don't know accidently dropping us in the middle of charge field cos he's not expecting it. Just saying."
"Lieutenant Moreau, are you aware keeping a comm.-link open after a transmission can cause the Helmsman to run diagnostics for the next week?"
There was a moment of silence before the link closed with a resounding thud.
"Apparently you are." Glancing at the navigator I shrug a little and he smiles a small weary smile back up at me.
"As I was saying Commander, we should come out of FTL far enough away from the station to avoid any problems."
Chewing on my bottom lip, a habit I picked up from my father and furrowing my eyebrows like my mother I look over the data that scrolls across the bottom of the holographic galaxy. Solar wind speeds, radiation readings, shipping forecasts, travel advisories, Geth sightings; more information then I can absorb pass by beneath as I think over our position. Satisfied, I descend from my position of power and pat Pressly soundly across the back. He lurches forward, spluttering slightly from surprise but is as ever his professional self.
"Keep me posted. If anything changes let me know. As soon as you have any information regarding our approach tell Joker, just to keep him happy. Oh and Pressly? Try to get some rest before we arrive."
"Aye aye Commander."
As I turn away I fire up my omni-tool, ignoring the dismissive head shake Pressly gives me as I leave, and scroll through the messages and data files that have been sent to me during the launch.
Every flight is the same, a rush of activity and action as the ship hits the mass relay and the drive core comes to life. There is a relentless list of systems and processes that need to be checked and monitored, any variation above or below the normal requires investigation and every station knows which reports need my attention and which don't. My crew knows what it is required of them and most problems can be resolved with out my intervention or assistance but still every flight I receive enough data to strangle a varren. It is especially true now, with everything she has been put through I'm surprised the Normandy still flies; the catalogue of faults that flicker on my wrist it testament to this.
One report, ten from the top in a list of nearly a hundred, catches my eye.
"Serviceman Danes." I call, crossing the deck at a jog, the lights on my wrist dancing under my eyes. "Are these numbers accurate?"
"Commander?"
He spins in his seat as I approach, gazing up at me as if I've caught him in the middle of some illicit act, which for all I know I have. There is panic in his visor covered eyes from the sudden attention on him; I give him a reassuring smile.
"The data feed you just sent has some strange readings. Can you replay the feed for me?"
"Yes Ma'am, sorry, I was just about t- to er, to come see you about that"
He fidgets in his seat, rewinding his log on the transparent screen. I've been getting this reaction a lot recently, somehow flying a Mako through a mass relay, destroying the Citadel Tower and defeating a gigantic sentient machine has made me more menacing. I guess I can see their point.
"It looked like there was a spike in the auxiliary heat sink, I wasn't sure if it meant anything or…. Erm, if it was just a console fluxing. Here we go."
I lean in, peering at pages of numbers as they flash across in front of my eyes, gradually rising and falling. "What's the range?"
"Thirty-six percent outside of normal parameters…." The Serviceman replies after a moment, fast forwarding through the feed. "With a duration of four minutes. After we passed through the relay it died down again."
"Hmmm." Making a note of this I straighten up again, thinking over the numbers, chewing on my lip like a compulsion. "Probably nothing, then again we might all end up being crispy fried in our sleep." I pat him on the shoulder, feeling as if I'm repeating myself. "Keep an eye on it, keep me posted."
"Yes Commander."
My intention is to speak with Engineer Adams about the anomaly just to ensure there isn't a serious problem that's been over looked but as soon as I turn away from Danes I'm called for again.
"Commander!"
Another crew member shouts the instant I leave the Serviceman's side. Looking up I see Ensign Liddell heading in my direction at a pace, weaving her way through the crew, a data pad in hand.
"What can I do for you Liddell?" I ask, pausing in my progression towards the CIC to give the blonde a chance to catch up with me.
"I have the manifest and inventory you asked for Commander." She replies jogging to keep in step at my side. "Sorry it took me so long, there was a problem in the armoury and I totalled the-"
"Let me see." I interrupt, gesturing at her to hand me the pad, studying it closely as we continue walking. After a moment of silence I ask. "How is your sister? Her husband worked in one of the lower wards didn't he, as barman?"
"Yes Commander, I didn't think you…." She shakes her head, timid and a little taken back "I haven't been able to contact her since the attack, and I've used all of my comm. minutes trying to get through."
Passing the tip of my finger over the data-pad screen, I continue through the manifest. "I have a slot booked on the next buoy I want you to use it, check on your family okay?" I look up at her and she smiles at me.
"You don't have to do that Commander that's…"
I wave her off. "The inventory seems fine but the crew list is short, who's missing?"
"Nobody is missing Ma'am."
"I know how many people are aboard my ship Liddell, who is missing?" I thrust the data pad back at her, fixing her with a stern stare.
"That would be…" she fidgets, typing something into it before handing it back. " that would be Lieutenant Alenko, Ma'am."
Her words hit me hard, stopping me midstride; the digital reader in my hands wavers, its glossy screen mocking me.
"Oh…" I rub the back of my neck, watching Kaidan's name as it flickers in my hands. "Of course." Collecting myself I return it to Liddell. "Everything seems fine. Put it on the server so we can transmit it when we come out of FTL. And phone home."
"Yes Comman-."
The blue and grey split doors close behind me, biting off the end of the Ensign's words and finally I can breathe. Out of eye line and earshot, away from my crew, hidden in these isolated halls I can let my bravado go, however briefly, and just be.
For the briefest moment I close my eyes, bracing myself against the brushed steel walls and breath deeply, forcing the air into my lungs and Kaidan's final transmission out of my mind.
"I understand, Commander. I don't regret a thing."
His words sit in the pit of my stomach, so calm, so damn understanding, gnawing at my insides, making me feel faint. The world begins to fall away from me. Deep breaths, Shepard, cleansing breaths, take in the re-circulated air and concentrate on its familiar taste.
It has been seven days since the attack on the Citadel, Saren's defeat, Sovereign's destruction, and death of the Council. It has passed in a frenzy of debriefings, arguments, meetings, repairs, calibrations, celebrations, inventories and reports; lots and lots of reports. This whirlwind this never ceasing rush of activity has left little time for anything else, be that conversation, sleep or thought. Every turn of the corridors and pass of the ship the crew calls my name, their voices resonate against the walls, hitting me like a shockwave demanding my attention, my opinion or my signature.
It's only in these brief moments of solitude that I don't have to pretend, that I can let my smokescreen fall and admit; I'm not ok. Clutching my side and gritting my teeth I let the pain that shoots intermittently through me die away, leaving me short of breath and shaking. With a ragged gasp and trembling hands I reach into my pocket and withdraw my medication pen, apply it to my pulse point and press the end, expecting a rush of relief. Nothing happens, I try it again. It beeps three times in a staccato rhythm informing me I've reach my limit.
"Great." I grumble putting it back into my pocket with a sigh. "Great."
Flexing my fingers I stare down the spiralling staircase, watching the way the blue light falls on the steel and listening to the sounds coming from below me: the noise of a crew celebrating their success. Taking a few deep breaths I drop my hand from the wall and descend into the mess with a straight back and neutral features.
A group has amassed around the deck, soldiers not needed for the jump who are using their free time to eat, talk or play cards. Four marines are standing by the lockers, laughing over a vidfeed on their omni-tool, at the table Ashley is facing off against three other marines in a game of First Contact surrounded by a cheering crowd. If I'm lucky and quiet I can circle behind the elevator to the med-bay and have Chakwas change my dressings and replenish my painkillers without being seen…
"Commander! Hey!"
Or not….with a sigh and a set smile I turn on my heels and round the corner to the mess.
"Commander Shepard, can you settle a bet for us?"
One of the four marines by my locker calls, waving me over with a gloved hand and shit eating grin. Seven months on this ship and I still struggle with some of their names, I can only recall three of the foursome and unfortunately not the one who's talking. The good thing about the Navy though is that sometimes you don't need a name, sometimes a rank will do.
"What's that Lieutenant? Gambling on my ship?" I give him a wry look, still trying to pull his name from the depths of my mind. "Because I know you wouldn't go against regulations in such a blatant manner; that goes for you to Chief."
"Just playing for pride Skipper." Ashley calls over to me, her grin evident in her voice.
"Keep it that why. What was you're question LT?"
"You've served on the Antarctica haven't you?"
I raise an eyebrow. "You were taking bets on my service history? Life must be more boring on this ship then I thought; not to mention highly inappropriate."
"Yes Commander, I mean no, not that your history is uninteresting but yes we were taking bets" I continue my raised eyebrow stare, enjoying the way the Lieutenant visibly shrunk. "I mean, no because that's, like you said, that's, erm….can I start over Ma'am?"
"I think you better Evans, otherwise Shepard will think you're a dumbass, which you are." The solider next to him mocked, I fix him with a glare. "Commander Shepard will think…. Ma'am." With a meek look and a nod he sunk to the back of the group.
"I don't have all afternoon Evans, what was your question?"
"Right, sorry, yes erm…" He paused taking a deep breath, obviously wishing he'd never asked the question at all. I fold me arms over my chest, staring the quintet down. "Right. You served on the Antarctica? Before coming here? You know a little bit about it?"
"Technically my parents served there when I was a child, but I did live on it for a few months if that's what your eloquent haiku was trying to get at LT?"
"Haiku Commander?"
"The point Lieutenant." I reply with a exasperate sigh, rapidly loosing my patience with the whole damn lot of them. "You have exactly fifteen seconds to reach it otherwise I'm putting you on cleaning rotation for the next solar month."
"Is it true that in the 70's someone hacked into the VI and changed it's programming so it would do nothing but read back issue of Fornax?"
He finishes in a rush, his face reddening slightly when he realises he stopped his commanding Officer to ask such a futile question. I barely notice his discomfort however, I'm too busy trying not to let the firm look on my face drop in astonishment. It's been a while since I've thought about that story.
"Where did you hear that?"
"Hong found a feed on the extranet, look it's pretty funny, but we weren't sure if it's a hoax or not." Evan fiddles with his omni-tool and brings up staticy vid on a loop. "Aroth thinks it's a fake but I'm not so sure. I wouldn't be that hard to-"
"Bypass the command module and splice in a new set of protocols." Watching it for a moment I suppress a smile at the quintet's surprise and turn away from them. "I'm afraid I can't-"
"Bite this Kirkbride. Infantry flank, Admirals over Privates." A cheer goes up, interrupting me, as Ashley slams down her cards. I glance over and back again.
"I can't help you LT."
I nod at him, clasp my hand behind my back and try, again, to make it to the med-bay. About twelve people have gathered round the mess hall table to watch the card game but they part like a tide as I move through them. They don't salute even though they have to and I don't reprimand them even though I should. A Serviceman catches my eye and I point at her.
"Patelli, I still haven't received you sit-rep from the Citadel." I say as I pass her, she sends me a cursory nod just before I pass through into the med-bay; the noise and energy muted to nothing more then a rumble of sound as the doors shut tight.
I let out a breath, drawing Doctor Chakwas' attention, who looks up at me from her deck.
"Commander," She pushes back on her chair and stands, closing her terminal with a flick of her wrist. "To what do I owe this honour?"
"You told me you wanted to give me a final check up before we hit Alliance space." I hold my palms up in what I hope is a submissive gesture. "So here I am."
She smiles at me and gestures me over to an examination table while she darkens the windows to the crew deck. "I've told you numerous times you need to come in for your physical examination, this is the first time you've ever listened to me."
"Maybe I just enjoy your company Doc."
"Perhaps." The Doctor replies, opening and closing drawers as she selects her medical equipment. "However, the realist in me is leaning more towards you avoiding a different situation rather then encouraging this one." She gives me a small, knowing quirk of her brow but doesn't push any further and I silently thank her for that. Instead she places a circular disk onto the inside of my arm, drawing a few drops of blood. "So how are you feeling Commander? How are your ribs?"
"Fine, practically healed." I gasp as she probes my side, catching one of shattered ribs as she does so. "See, fine."
"Hmm." Chakwas mumbles as she runs her scanner along my torso. "Any trouble breathing?"
"Only around you." She prods me again, I grit my teeth. "Sometimes, it hurts more when I move suddenly, or laugh, but as long as I stay away from Joker, I'm ok there."
"And sleeping?" She asks, raising my arm above me head and scanning along my rib cage and shoulders.
"I don't know what the word around the ship is Doc but there is nothing inappropriate between me and Lieutenant Moreau. For one thing I'm not partial to stubble and for another I seriously think I'd break him in half."
The Doctor let out a small laugh as she uploaded her readings to her omni-tool, taking a few minutes to analyse them. Sovereign may have been defeated and destroyed but that doesn't mean he didn't leave us all with nice parting gifts. The entire left side of Chief Williams' face is held together by nothing more then Chakwas' precise stitching, Garrus now sports a metal pin as an accessory to a shattered femur, and Wrex may have healed almost the instant he was injured but if you study his face carefully you can see scars that weren't there before. Even Tali and Liara didn't escape injury free. As for me, well…
"Do you want the full run down Commander" Chakwas asks closing her scanner. "Or would you prefer the cliff notes?"
"Hell, lay it on me Doc, why not." With a wave of my hand I lie back fully on the bed and close my eyes, listening to her words, the soft grinding of the bulks heads and droning of filtration fans. Familiar sounds, safe sounds.
"You have four broken ribs, a fractured humorous and hair line crack across the base of your occipital bone. Your right lung is still considerably weakened after the trauma you sustained and if you're not careful, under the right, or should that be wrong amount of stress, it could collapse again. The burns on the back of your neck, arms and lower back are healing nicely; as long as you keep applying the ointment I gave you there shouldn't be any scarring." She took a deep breath. "Should I go on?"
"Is there more?"
"Your cortisol and norepinephrine levels are raised and your blood pressure is ten percent higher then it should be, especially given the low gravity surroundings."
I open an eye and peer at her. "Cortisol and norepin-no huh?"
"The hormones released in high stress situations, under the circumstances it's not that surprising but I would have expected them to have returned to normal by now." Chakwas took her seat at her desk again. "Overall Commander, I'm surprised you can remain on your feet."
"My mother did always tell me learning to walk would come in handy. Which reminds me, in a round about not very related way; my pens all out can you give me a refill?" I pass it, ignoring the look the Doctor is giving me. She studies it for a moment, swiping it over her terminal.
"The medication will only go so far Commander; you need to let your body rest if you want it to heal." Closing her med-station the Doctor extends the refilled pen to me but doesn't let it go. "When was the last time hand a full nights sleep?"
"I honestly couldn't tell you, probably the night before Ilos." My eyes involuntarily go to the door at the end of the room, listening, wondering, Chakwas catches my gaze and I quickly look away, and roll down my sleeves. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed I push myself up with some effort, my thumb brushing over the med-pen's tip. "Thank you for your time Doctor I should really be getting back to my duties."
"Commander, please at least attempt to sleep before we arrive."
I glance back at her and give her a cursory head tilt and cocky smile.
"Aye aye Doctor."
The med-bay door opens in front of me and once more I'm thrown into the pandemonium of the celebrating crew. More cheers are coming from the card game and the quintet of marines is rolling with laughter again. Just as I'm leaving the doorway Ashley looks up and calls to me again
"Skipper, hang on a minute, I'm out boys." Her counterparts groan and argue as she throws down her cards, grinning at them in her usual wicked way. Leaning against the hull I fold my arms and watch in amusement as she detangles herself from the throng squadies hanging on her every word.
"I need to check on engineering Chief,"
"This won't take a minute." She finally makes it through to me, her brown eyes gleaming with very contagious glee; apparently she had a good game.
"How much?"
"Skipper…please, a lady doesn't tell." Her eyes twinkle.
"I meant how much is this going to cost me?" I push off the wall and together we walk towards the elevator, Ashley looks at me aghast.
"Honestly Shepard, is that how little you think of me? That I only talk to you when I want something." Eyebrow raised no need for a question. "It's just one upgrade for my riffle, but it will increase me rate of fire by 20% and I'll finally be able to fire the Incendiary XX ammo."
"I've told you Chief if you want something just write up a requisition order, give it to the RO and I'll sign off on it when I get the chance." I swipe my hand over the elevator call button, there's a deep grumbling as it comes to life.
"Well it's not really that simple," She rubs the back of her head sheepishly. "It's a Spectre only upgrade so I thought…"
"You thought your favourite neighbourhood Spectre could pick one up next times she's-" The elevator doors open with small gust of air. "Next time she's…"
"Good evening Commander, Chief Williams," Liara greets with a polite nod to me and Ashley as she steps out of the carriage, her hands clasped behind her back regally. "I'm glad I ran into you Commander, I was wondering if I could speak to you for a moment?"
"Of course Doctor T'Soni." I look back at Ashley. "I'll think about the upgrade Chief."
"Ok Skipper. I err…" She frowns at me. "I thought you needed to speak to Adams about something?"
Doubt flares in the asari's eyes "Oh, I did not mean to interrupt" she begins uncertainly, rocking on her feet. "If you have things that need your attention, this can wait until later."
"It's no problem Doctor, I was just going to have them look over some readings, but it's not important. How about we talk in the comm-room?"
"That sounds fine, thank you Commander."
We begin our ascent of the stairs side by side, and I can feel Ashley's eyes against the back of my head. Arms crossed behind me I clasp my fingers around my wrist as we ascend together, trying to ignore the tight silence that has fallen between us. I make it up three steps before I give in.
"I haven't seen much of you recently; I was beginning to think we'd left you on the Citadel."
"I've been examining the Prothean data disks you have amassed on your travels. Are you aware that you have a collection that the University of Serrice and Museum of Antiquities on Thessia would die to obtain? It is really very impressive."
"I'll have to take your word on that Doctor, to me they look like mess cans that have been run over by a Mako." The doorway opens in front of us, and I step aside allowing her through before me. "How are you? How's your leg?"
"It is healing. Doctor Chakwas has me on strong pain medication and it is less severe as long as I'm doing nothing too strenuous. That is one reason why I have remained in my quarters."
"Sounds like you can't wait to get away from us."
Her head snaps round to me, a slight purple hew rising in her cheeks. "Oh no, I did not mean- I did not wish to imply that….that I have been avoiding the crew. They have all been very polite to me; it is just that since the attack they have become rather…."
"Annoying?"
"I think energetic is more accurate." Liara replies meekly. "I'm still becoming accustomed to being in the company of this many individuals; humans especially. You are very vocal in your success. "
"It's not just success we can be vocal in."
I key into the communication room access control and the room opens.
"Yes, I've believe I've had first hand experience of this."
With a wicked grin she turns to me and I reach for her hand, interlocking our fingers and pushing her backwards against the door as it closes. We meet in a crushing kiss, Liara's hands working their way into my hair, mine resting on her hip and small of her back, my lips moving against hers at an increasing pace. The heat of her body against mine, the smoothness of her skin, it's all invigorating and I have to remind myself where I am before my body carries itself away. Pulling apart I let out a long, controlled breath and rest my forehead against hers. Liara's intense blue eyes sparkle at me.
"Hello Commander."
"Hello Doctor."
I smile at her, and lean in for another kiss, losing myself in the blissfully sweet taste of her lips. It's intoxicating, so different from anything else I've ever known, so alien; addictive and wonderful. Everything about her thrills me, from the way she smells to the shape of her nose and the roll of the syllables when she calls me by my rank and not my name.
"I feel like I haven't seen you in days."
"Three days, seven hours and fifty eight minutes." Liara blushes as soon as the words leave her lips. "I have a very good head for numbers."
"You have a good head, and neck and lips." I kiss her again, on the forehead, under her jaw and against her lower lip.
"Shepard, remember where we are," She gasps as I reach a sensitive spot. "Navigator Pressly could walk in at any second."
"Let him," I mummer, working down along her slender neck, "I don't care, I've missed you."
"Goddess I've missed you to." The asari words catch in her mouth, her resistance dissolving with each touch of my lips but even so she lifts her hands and gently pushes me away. "But…but I have something important to discuss with you."
It pains me to admit that she's right, that this is not the place for this but it doesn't make it any easier to stop. I'm not so naïve to think that any of the goings on of this ship escape the notice of my crew but in fact I know from experience that the favourite subject of any scuttlebug is who the commanding officers may or may not be sleeping with. For a time whenever I entered a room I would catch the tail end of whispers, rumours of me with seemingly every male on this ship. Joker, Pressly, even Anderson on occasion and of course their was the ever present gossip about Kaidan and his feelings for me. They all stopped after his death though, all of them, as if the crew suddenly doubted my ability to feel any more, as if they thought that someone capable of leaving one of their closest friends to die was incapable of love. The lucky upshot of this though was that I'm almost certain not one person on the Normandy knows about my relationship with Liara, and I'd like it to remain that way. Lowering my hands from her I put them into the smooth, lined pockets of my Alliance uniform, holding onto my med-pen to keep my restless finger busy.
Liara moves to the centre of the room, her green and white lab coat trailing behind her as she takes each elegant step. Something has changed about her in those few short strides, her shoulders have raised, and her body tightened; she's more measured in her movements, as if one wrong sway of her arms could give her away.
"What is it Liara?" I ask, coming up behind her, placing my palm against the small of her back. She pulls away and looks at me.
"I've received a communication from Thessia, my presence is required to settle Benezia's estate." She lets out a long breath and lowers herself onto one of the round backed chairs.
"Problems?"
"It's nothing really, just a small taste of asari bureaucracy that I would rather avoid. But I am her only daughter; it is my duty to see to this."
I take the seat next to hers. "When do you need to go?"
"As soon as I am able." Reaching over I take one of her hands in both of mine. She looks over to me, seemingly misreading the look in my eyes. "But I am aware that I am required to give my account of Sovereigns attack to the Alliance board. I will of course fulfil my obligations to you before I depart Shepard."
"Sure, right."
Required…..
Dropping her hand I give a careless laugh and stand, rolling her words around in my mind like thunder.
…obligation
"Well don't think you have to stay on my account."
"Commander?" Liara calls to me, the confusion in her tone hits me like a wall to the face and I know I'm being selfish and immature but part of me doesn't care. Is it so bad to want her here with me? Is it too much to ask for her to want to be here to?
"When we dock with the Antarctica, I'll make arrangements to have you put on the first available transport heading to asari space."
"Shepard," My jaw tenses, but I don't turn to her
"It was nice having you on my crew Doctor."
"Shepard." She says again and this time the bewilderment and hurt draws my eyes. "Have I said something?" The sight of her, dwarfed by the Normandy's chair with her hands meekly crossed in her lap is too much for me. I close my eyes and sigh, berating myself internally as I run my hand down my face.
"I'm being stupid Liara. Of course, of course you should do this. She was your mother, this is important, I'll sort everything out as soon as we arrive." I chew on my bottom lip, wanting to say more but not sure want it is I want to say. Instead I give her a small kiss on the cheek. "I have a report waiting on my console that I really should see to."
I feel her eyes against me as I leave; as I storm out is more accurate. It takes every ounce of will I have not to look back at her; I can't face her now, I can't say good bye. Instead I ignore everything and everyone in my attempt to get to my quarters in the fewest number of steps. I reach the mess, where the crew is still celebrating and run head first into Patelli, knocking the cup of coffee she was holding against me.
"God sorry Command-"
"What the hell do you think your doing Servicemen?" I rage wiping the coffee away from my uniform. "Are you or are you not on duty?"
"I-"
"If you have time to waste hanging around in here you have time to finish the report that I still haven't received."
"Ma'am I was just-"
"I don't want to hear it Patelli!" I spin to the crew who has silenced around me. "And that goes for all of you. As far as I'm aware this is still an Alliance vessel and as such you are bound my Alliance regulations. I want every one of you at your stations for a full equipment check with in the next half an hour. Dismissed."
"Aye, aye, Commander."
With a wave of my hand I enter my cabin.