"Shepard!" Kaidan shouted, quickly throwing the pistol at him, before turning and grabbing the barrel of the sniper rifle, messing up the batarian's aim and struggling with him for control of it.
Shepard quickly raised the pistol, but the batarian kneed Kaidan, and fired a shot as the barrel passed over Kaidan's arm. Kaidan fell to the ground with a loud cry of pain, and Shepard fired several shots into the batarian's chest, slinging blood all over the walls and not stopping until the clip was entirely empty, seeking what little redemption he could for Miranda's death.
Breathing heavily, Shepard tossed the pistol aside, and knelt by Kaidan.
"Alenko, you alright?" Shepard asked.
Kaidan sighed in pain, "Yeah, the shot just grazed me, but they beat me up pretty bad, I think I may have a cracked rib, and some broken fingers." He replied.
"We lost a good soldier, and a good person rescuing you." Shepard said, shaking his head. "But Alenko, we need you. The reapers are coming." He said, offering a hand to help Alenko up. Kaidan accepted without a second thought, getting to his feet.
"Can I count on you to help me against the reapers?" questioned Shepard.
"Without a doubt, Commander. Frontlines or recon, Alliance or Cerberus, I trust you, and I stand with you." He replied, saluting Shepard.
"Let's get back to the Citadel. The council, and Anderson, need to hear what happened here, and need to see you alive."
After returning to the Citadel, Shepard presented Commander Kaidan Alenko alive, and was awarded with a medal. Anderson was thrilled to see Shepard succeeded, but the council was disappointed to say the least, to hear that the Batarians were going to war with humanity.
As they exited the Citadel Tower, and traveled through C-Sec Academies, Alenko and Shepard shook their heads.
"Well, you're good-to-go with a new medal, and I get an icepack and some bandages for my ribs. Is there something ironic that I'm missing here, or have I just spent too much time being held prisoner by batarians?" Alenko asked in a joking manner.
"Ha," Shepard replied. "Alright Alenko, let me ask you this." He said as they stopped to admire the view of the Citadel from a large window, much like the first time Shepard, Ashley, and Kaidan had, the first time they ever came to the Citadel.
"Why didn't you kill me? That batarian probably would've called off the war." Shepard asked in a serious tone.
"I was going to. But I knew Garrus would've kicked my ass." Alenko replied, smirking.
"No, seriously?" Shepard asked, shaking Alenko's sarcastic reply off.
"Can't change the past, Shepard. I did what I did because I trusted you, and you know the bigger threat. The batarian may have stood with me against the reapers, but he doesn't know even close to as much as you do about them. You stopped Sovereign. You stopped the collectors. In the end, he would've just been fodder for them. You're worth more, to humanity and the galaxy. You've been a great commander, and a good friend as well." Alenko said.
Shepard turned, and nodded. "Thanks, Kaidan. So have you."
"What did I miss about the reapers? When are they arriving?" Alenko asked, switching his position.
"Nobody knows. Soon." Shepard said. "I delayed them, but probably only by a week or so."
"There room on the new Normandy for an Alliance soldier, commander?" Kaidan asked.
"Of course, Alenko. You'll need to meet the new crew...and Joker's worse than ever."
Kaidan and Shepard laughed, before heading toward the docking bay.