Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Winston Churchill 20 August 1940
With the battle over and the remaining geth forces driven off or destroyed, the Alliance Fifth Fleet turned its focus to securing the Citadel and an assessment of losses. The cruisers Cairo, Cape Town, Emden, Jakarta, Madrid, Seoul, Shenyang, and Warsaw and the frigates Stalingrad, Thermopylae and Leyte Gulf were lost with all hands - either destroyed outright by Nazara's powerful main gun, or reduced to smoking wrecks during the knife-fight range slugging match with the geth before that. The heavy cruisers Saratoga and Belgrade each suffered heavy damage and fifteen fighters were lost. In all, Alliance losses stood at three thousand six hundred souls. The single most costly space battle in Alliance military history. Of significant note, Admiral Hackett had personally recommended the crew of SSV Shenyang for a posthumous unit citation and her Captain for the medal of honor after Captain Pike had interjected the Shenyang between Everest and Nazara's main gun.
There were enough escape pods scattered in the nebula for one to get out and walk on them and it would take months to collect all of the flashing Alliance tags, but the Fifth Fleet would not leave the Widow System until each and every tag was found and recovered. During which time they would take up station as the primary Citadel defense force until the Council Races could rebuild the Citadel Fleet.
But for the Destiny Ascension and the Asari cruiser Nefrane – each of which had suffered heavy damage and would be spending the next two years in dry-dock on Thessia - both the Citadel fleet and the Turian Third Fleets were utterly destroyed with losses in the thousands, civilian casualties on the Presidium and the Wards were estimated at nearly fifteen thousand.
The Third fleet arrived later that morning, along with the hospital ships Solace, Clara Barton, and Florence Nightingale to tend to the wounded and provide humanitarian aid to the Citadel as work began to clear the space lanes. The hulks of Alliance vessels still intact enough to be rebuilt were pulled into a more stable orbit of the station as to not be a hazard to navigation until a salvage vessel could be dispatched. The rest were searched thoroughly for remains then destroyed in place with full martial fanfare.
As rescue and recovery operations began in earnest, a shuttle docked with the Everest, carryingg Systems Alliance Ambassador William Bracken, who was met in the docking bay Admiral Hackett. Bracken wasted little time.
"I want Captains Montgomery and Beckett placed under arrest, for assault, treason and insubordination." Bracken growled dangerously.
"Excuse me?" Hackett replied, leveling a glare at the Ambassador. "Arrest them? I plan to pin commendations on their chests tomorrow."
"They defied orders," Bracken snapped. "stole an Alliance warship and could have damn near started a war with the Terminus Systems!"
"Whose orders were broken?" Hackett replied, unimpressed. "I don't recall you ever holding a commission in the Alliance Navy. As for theft, the last time I checked, Captain Beckett is SSV Normandy's commanding officer of record. The way I see it, a civilian ambassador requested an Alliance warship be illegally detained by a foreign government. Captains Beckett and Montgomery were not only within their rights to prevent an Alliance Frigate from being seized by a foreign power they were obligated to do so."
"But..." Bracken began, but Hackett cut him off with another glare.
"Captain Beckett took a hot crew of human and alien fire-pissers, exercised her personal initiative as a Spectre and kicked ass, Ambassador. Now if you're done throwing baseless accusations around I suggest you get the hell off my ship."
Bracken opened his mouth and closed it again without saying another word. He'd overplayed his hand and jumped too quickly to curry favor with the Council and he'd been in politics long enough to know he was not in a position of power here. A tactical retreat was in order, but he'd bide his time.
The Next Day
Captain Beckett, Captain Montgomery and the newly promoted First Lieutenant Castle were standing at attention in their dress blues, flanked by a silently fuming William Bracken in one of the few relatively undamaged sections of the Presidium as the Citadel Council entered and brought the proceedings to order.
"Ambassador, Captain Montgomery, Captain Beckett, Lieutenant Castle," Asari Councilor Tevos stated regally, "we have gathered here to recognize the enormous contribution of Alliance Forces in the battle with Nazara and the Geth."
"Many humans gave their lives in the battle to save the Citadel," Salarian Councilor Valern added. "Brave and courageous soldiers who willingly sacrificed their lives so that we – The Council – might live."
"There is no greater sacrifice," Councilor Sparatus added, genuinely moved, his respect for humanity had grown in the last twenty-four hours. "We share your grief at the tragic loss of so many noble men and women. A monument shall be erected on this spot in the Presidium dedicated to their sacrifice."
After the applause had died down, Councilor Tevos raised a hand to signal that she had something more to add.
"The Council also owes you a great personal debt, Captain Beckett," She began, "one we can never repay. You saved not just our lives, but the but the lives of billions from the Reapers. Your heroic and selfless actions serve as a symbol of everything humanity and the Alliance stand for. To paraphrase one of Earth's historic leaders, never was so much owed by so many to so few."
"Humanity has shown that it is ready to stand as a protector and defender of the galaxy," Sparatus stated, not knowing he was parroting the words used when the Turians gained a council seat nearly a thousand years before. "You have proven you are worthy to join our ranks and serve beside us on the Citadel Council."
"On behalf of humanity and the Terran Systems Alliance," Bracken replied, his mind spinning with possibilities, his ambitions unabated, "we thank you for this prestigious offer and humbly accept."
"We will need a list of potential candidates to fill humanity's seat," Valern added, "given your contribution to recent events, I am sure your recommendation will carry a great deal of weight. Do you have a particular candidate in mind?"
Kate thought about it for a minute. She could practically feel Bracken's breathing on her neck. It was clear he wanted the job... a little too much. He'd proven himself a little too political, a little too ambitious to be trusted with the job. She only had one name in her head that she thought was right for the job.
"We need someone with the courage to stand up for what he believes in, not just what's expedient. Who taught me that we are bound by our choices, but we are more than our mistakes. I nominate Captain Roy Montgomery."
"Him?" Bracken choked out. "You must be joking! Montgomery prefers to let his fists do the talking, not diplomacy!"
"Only with you, Ambassador," Montgomery quipped, though his eyes held a dangerous edge, "only with you."
"Are you sure about this Beckett?" Bracken hedged. "Montgomery's a soldier, not a politician."
"We have too many politicians on the citadel," Kate replied as her eyes swept over the Council who had used politics and expediency to hide from the true threat posed by Saren and Nazara. "Captain Montgomery would be perfect for the job."
"An inspired choice," Tevos replied, ignoring Kate's mild jab at them, one which she realized they richly deserved. "The Council will welcome him with open arms should he accept."
"I would be honored," Montgomery replied. "As humanity's representative, I'll do everything in my power to help rebuild."
"Nazara was only the vanguard," Kate stated flatly, "There are hundreds, maybe thousands of Reapers still out there in dark space. Castle, my crew and I are going to find some way to stop them."
"Captain Beckett is right," Montgomery asserted, "When the reapers come back we must stand side by side and fight them as one. Together we will drive them back into dark space!"
The small ceremony broke up shortly afterward. There were several more both on the Citadel and back in Alliance space, though nobody noticed after much of the fanfare that Castle and Beckett had quietly made themselves scarce.
The Normandy was due for several months of repairs and upgrades before they could take her out again and though the press clamored for their appearance they had disappeared. Had they known of Castle's other life as an author, they might have gone looking in a small house in an upper class neighborhood on Elysium for some shore leave of their own.
End of Act One.
Coming soon! Act II: Captain Beckett, Cerberus Spectre