Tann's office was quiet. Kesh, Kandros and Addison were standing around a table, looking at an Asari in front of them. They were the only one in the room. Pathfinders were not allowed to be part of this meeting. Tann's orders. Lexi was looking at them with a calm expression on her face.
"What happened it's completely unacceptable, Dr T'Perro. Your relationship with the Pathfinder already affected your judgment after her death. This was far over the line!" Said Addison, looking more tired than ever.
"However, we are willing to listen to your explanation. You must understand that all our lives depend on the Pathfinders and their well-being. Which means that any breakdown a Pathfinder experiences, endangers every life on this station." Tann crossed his arms on his chest and was watching Lexi with a strict look.
"Dr T'Perro. For once I must agree with Tann. What happened could have had catastrophic impact on every one of us." Said Kesh nearly apologetically. Kandros stayed quiet.
The blue woman was facing them all. Her posture was confident and straight and her eyes cold. None of these people really cared about Sara.
"With all due respect, but you forgot that the Pathfinder is still a young woman who needs more for a survival then an armour and resources." Said Lexi slowly, carefully pronouncing every word.
"One more reason for you to have more consciousness!" Addison was nearly shouting. She looked stressed out more than others. Maybe because of her previous friendship with Alec. Lexi could see through it and fought back.
"I did join the Tempest crew to look after their well-being. Not to mother them!" Said she with stricter voice than she formerly planned. Her tone shocked all fourth judges.
"That means, so you understand what my job really means - To support them. Protect their psychological and physical well-being. And to be their friend." She looked very terrifying right now, her plan was getting bit out of her hand, but she was just so tired of this bureaucracy when the Tempest crew risked their lives every day. This was no longer about her and Sara. This was about them all. Tann opened his mouth but Lexi did not give him any chance.
"You all forgot how is to sew a gunshot wound on their body, to treat frostbites, burns and see them being in so much pain when the fight gets ugly. The Pathfinder is the youngest of all and needs to bear responsibility for so many ungrateful aliens on board of this ship that it makes me so angry every time I see her depressed about another and then another death, another life she needed to take in order to protect you!" She was now shouting, it was hard to control herself.
"Dr T'Perro…." Tann started, his lips were shaking in anger, but Lexi was done.
"I'm not finished, director." Said she in a freezing voice. This was such an insult to his position that Lexi could see he hated her within his whole Salarian logic and heart.
"I reported this because of a simple respect I do have towards your positions. I know how it feels to be responsible for so many, to coordinate, to run thousands. I grew up on Omega, one of the most dangerous places of the Milky way and I know how bad things can go without a good directive… But it has grown over you. You fucked up when you kicked those people away, started to divide them, dispose them. The Pathfinder managed and proved that diplomacy was in place and could work the relationships again. Build but not burn bridges, familiar?" She looked at Addison as referring to some of the human history.
"You've gone too far…" Said Tann with hardly managed anger. "You are the one who seduced the Pathfinder and endangered everyone. How dare you accuse us… You don't have a clue… You weren't here… You… Krogan lover, you … you'll be exiled, expelled..." He looked like he was about to attack her, when Kandros stood in front of Lexi protecting her with his tall figure.
"Over my dead body, Tann." Said Kandros who was until now so silent.
"My word is the last, Kandros. That is the purpose of my position! Be reasonable. This woman,… this disrespectful woman… she" Said Tann, surprised, but still angry.
"She… what? Slipped? That doesn't matter." Kandros was watching him nearly bored still standing between him and Lexi.
"How can you say that, Kandros?" Said Addison but with calmer tone. She was also bothered by the whole event, but her reasons were different from Tann's.
"Simple. They delivered. Who cares who fucked with whom. They delivered. Before and after. The situation was managed, the crew is strong and I can guarantee you that they all have a strong bound. That is important. That and only. And we don't have a right to separate any of them until it comes from within." Said Kandros. This was too much. Tann was never there in open, Addison was long far from any experience in the field as well. The rebellion was ugly, but only Kandros and Kesh were in a direct contact with the mess down there. His APEX team was risking lives every day, and he heard only the best reports about Sara or the Tempest crew. When they worked together, a mutual respect was the key word of their cooperation. He, as a security team chief, in a position given to him by good timing and pure luck, he knew how important was a team bound for survival.
"You're just saying it because you have an affair with that Turian woman, Vetra." Said Tann. Now his body was visibly shaking. This took Kandros by surprise and even Lexi and Addison. No one even noticed that Kesh disappeared. The emotions were too intense.
"Oh, you think I don't know? About the date, the rented apartment…." Said Tann, feeling like he was gaining control over the situation again.
"Shut up, Tann." Said Kandros feeling an urge to start a new rebellion against this asshole.
"I have a report even about your bill for that Turian chocolate you smuggled in the Nexus…." His voice was cold and somehow dark. He could see he hit Kandros vulnerable spot.
"You don't have a clue; how many aliens work directly for me and support my work. They understand. They know what leading this station means, that you need to make harsh decisions. Why it is necessary to expel those who take it for granted, who disobey the direct orders…. So, please. Don't follow that example and kindly show Dr T'Perro one of the cells until we unite our judgments on the right punishment." The humiliation was perfect. And could be perfect if three Pathfinders did not enter the room followed by a female Krogan.
"No one will arrest anyone." Said Sara, fighting with her anger. They all heard Tann's dramatic and humiliating act. Kesh was the one who let them in the room, who quickly updated them on the issue when Sara showed up with her two other colleagues. This was really not only about her and Lexi. This was an attack of their position as Pathfinders.
"How… how you three got in?" Said Tann surprised by this unexpected interruption.
"I invited them." Said Kesh enjoying full satisfaction.
"Director Tann. I must say, I'm highly disappointed by your actions." Said Raeka, the only original pathfinder still alive from the former mission. The highly respected female Salarian walked towards the table. There was an aura of some ancient authority surrounding her, similar to the one Moshae carried and spread around the Angaran people. Tann was shaking, he was one of those who respected Raeka and her words had a terrible effect on his courage. His ego slacked deeply into some black hole and could not utter a word.
"By the authority given to me by the Salarian ark followed by the strict protocols, I must insist you slowly transfer your duties and responsibilities to one of your colleagues or they would appoint a new director. Your attitude creates an unpleasant image about Salarian population and might conflict with the interests of the Ark." This was a blow which no one really expected. The silence following was choking the air from Tann's lungs.
"This is Nexus... you can't …. You don't have an authority…" His voice was shaking.
"No. But, if you don't follow this request willingly, I'll understand it as you don't have your heart truly engaged to the cause of your own people. As the Pathfinder of the Salarian Ark, I am responsible for clearing the way for the best and finest start of our settlers. If you don't give me another option, I'll through you personally out of this station. And I'm sure, no one, including the aliens present in this room, would stop me from doing it." It was true. The two Pathfinders standing next to Raeka nodded. In shock, but determined. Tann had no authority to endanger anyone of their crews, this was deeply personal, and the power really seemed to growth over his head.
Kandros made a disgusted voice and cleared the way showing support for Raeka. He had enough. Picking up his personal life. He was done with Tann and he was going to make sure no one from the APEX would protect Tann's ass anymore. Addison was in deep shock, but she was not really Tann's fan needed to admit that he was more and more directing the power to his hands only. Kesh just laughed.
"I support Raeka's request. It's reasonable and me, Addison and Kandros can manage without you until we decide who to pick for a team from the Salarian community." She was so enjoying it, getting rid of this hateful and undiplomatic individual.
"I recommend the Cpt. Hayjer. He is responsible, has a diplomatic talent and is a good war tactician. He would be great asset to the Initiative team." Said Raeka.
"Then we should elect someone to represent Asari after their Ark is successfully relocated." Said Addison. She followed the all three Pathfinders with her eyes. Everyone seemed calm and committed. They welcomed the development. Even Avitus who were silent just following the situation. He did not know Raeka much, but he was loyal to Sara for her help and support. No one here would back Tann again. He lost his respect.
"Miss Harper informed me, that her intel localised the Ark. It's a matter of days." Said Kandros. They were ignoring Tann, not waiting for his opinion, nor for his decision, they had seen this as an opportunity to create finally an equal team with representative from every race of the Milky way now present on Andromeda. Something resembling the Citadel council but more equal in its representation.
"I'm on to it. We'll depart early in the morning." Said Sara, smiling. She also ignored Tann and gently put a hand on Lexi's arm who still looked shocked from the recent development of the events.
"Including you, Dr T'Perro." Said Addison and both Kesh and Kandros nodded. "We apologise for our unfair treatment of your person. You were right. We don't have an authority over the Pathfinders' crews and will trust with its management to the Pathfinders themselves. As all of them had formally come here to support a one member of the other team, it is enough proof for me. Your status will be reinstated and cleared from any accusation or record." Said Addison politely and honestly. She meant what she said. She could feel what Kandros meant by his former defence of the doctor. The strength of the individual teams fuelled their commitment to the cause on which all their lives depended.
"Thank you, directors." She used the plural tense now, showing Tann her back.
"You all…. You all will regret this." Said Tann, with anger, but a following stream of thousands of words was stopped by a hand of a krogan arriving on his arm.
"I'm going to take out the trash. Please, continue without me." Said Kesh and Tann's posture froze in the same second he felt a krogan fingers touching his skin. The excitement hidden behind Kesh's words filled him with deep and for a Salarian irrational fear.