The next day, Christina Shepard was sitting up in the bed, and she was furious. Her mother sat to her left, trying to maintain her composure, with Liara, visibly nervous, and Javik to her right. Admiral Shepard had reviewed what they had learned from SAI about the time at the Beach House.

"I want to see him now, mother," Tina said.

"What you want and what you are going to get are different things. Did you not listen to what I told you? The Lt. Commander is toxic and his career is about to go down in flames. Admiral Hackett acted like the only issue with Edwards using the SAM code was not turning it in. The board will not see it that way. He was toying with the technology that made a much better officer a pariah in the Alliance. He will not fare any better. Besides, you might think you have feelings for him, but how do you know they are real? How do you know that AI didn't simply manipulate your feelings? It admitted that manipulating you was the Catalyst's plan. It may have just used that plan for its own ends," Hannah Shepard argued.

"Your mother is right, Commander. You cannot trust this AI and the Lt. Commander is either a fool for messing with it or its puppet," Javik said.

"I know what I know, mother. You weren't there. Bobby worked to try to find a way out. For a time, he was frustrated because he thought I wasn't trying. And this horrible error you all claim he made saved my life."

Dr. Michel walked up to the foot of the bed, "Commander, please calm down. You shouldn't be getting excited in your current condition. Admiral, please consider her request or at least let her rest."

"I don't want to rest. I want to know where he is," Tina said.

Admiral Shepard stood. "He's in the brig," she said and started to walk away.

"I want to see him, mother, and I want to talk to Admiral Hackett," Tina called after her.

"Commander Shepard, your mother just wants what's best for you. As any mother should be, she's concerned about what happened to you and she's attempting to defend you until she's sure you're okay," Dr. Michel said.

Tina took a deep breath and said, "I know, but that doesn't mean she's right."

Lt. Commander Edwards was stretched out on his cot when Hannah Shepard walked up to the door. She came armed with knowledge. Admiral Hackett had told her that he was sure Edwards would not have messed with the SAM code had Claudia still been on the team. Edwards, he said, wouldn't have risked damaging Claudia's career. Admiral Shepard knew this was supposed to make her feel sympathy for the Lt. Commander. Instead, she saw a means to keep him away from Christina. He stood and saluted, no longer unsteady on his feet.

"Do you love my daughter, Lt. Commander?" she asked.

"I do, ma'am," Edwards replied.

"Then if you love her, at your hearing today you'll gladly take whatever punishment they hand down and you will make sure she doesn't go down with you."

"Ma'am?"

"That's not my daughter back there. I don't know what you or that AI did but all my daughter ever wanted was to command her own ship. That woman in there is willing to throw all of that away for you, Lt. Commander. I don't know if it's indoctrination or something else that AI did to her, but if you love her, you'll leave her alone until she's herself again. Otherwise, she's going to suffer for your mistake," Hannah Shepard said.

If Admiral Shepard had made those statements as an order, Bobby would have ignored them. But Bobby saw what Admiral Shepard wanted him to see. He saw Hannah Shepard, Tina's mother, pleading with him almost at the point of tears. "I'll make it clear she had no part in what I did and I'll plead guilty on whatever charges are raised," Bobby said.

"Thank you, Lt. Commander. I know this will not be easy for you or for her but it really is for the best. I'll send someone down to expedite the hearing," Admiral Shepard said and walked away.

Edwards sat on the edge of the bunk and buried his face in hands. "I think you misjudged, Bobby. That was more like a twentieth-floor window you jumped out of."

At his hearing, Bobby was charged with multiple violations of military code, including working on AI technology. He plead guilty on all counts testifying that he and he alone had committed the acts and no other person prior to or after the fact knew where he had gotten the code for SAI.

"Robert Anthony Edwards, based on your own testimony and admission of guilt, you are hereby stripped of your rank and dishonorably discharged. You will surrender any Alliance equipment you possess, including your omni-tool, and take your personal items and go. A shuttle will transport you to a location you desire. Do you understand?" the boards chairman asked.

"Yes, sir," Bobby replied.

Admiral Hackett left the room with Admiral Shepard heading for the med-bay. "I'm surprised Edwards didn't put up more of a fight," Hackett said. "That's not like him. He's never been confrontational but he seemed defeated in there." Admiral Shepard remained silent.

When they got to the Tina's bed, Liara and Javik were gone replaced by EDI and Traynor. Tina raised the head so that she was sitting again and Hannah saw that her eyes were red. "Thank you for coming, Admiral," Commander Shepard said to Hackett.

"I stopped by a couple of days ago but you were sleeping. How are feeling, Commander?" Hackett asked.

"I'm getting better. Most of the pain is gone with me just lying here but I'm told I'll feel it when they get me out of this bed tomorrow. How's Lt. Commander Edwards, sir?"

Hackett looked at Admiral Shepard who did not return the look. "You haven't been told? His hearing was this afternoon. He plead guilty to all counts and has been dishonorably discharged." Hackett could see the rage in her eyes.

Tina looked at her mother, who refused to meet her eyes. "What did you do, mother. If you used his feelings for me to make this happen," and she saw a light dawn in Admiral Hackett's expression. "You did, didn't you. He didn't fight this because you convinced him it would hurt me."

Hannah Shepard did not respond to her daughter's questions. "Thank you for stopping by, Admirals, but I'm tired and need some rest." Tina lowered the head of the bed and turned on her side away from her mother. Admiral Hackett motioned to Specialist Traynor and led her away from the bed.

"Keep me posted on how she's doing and if she needs anything, let me know."

"Aye, aye, Admiral."

When the Admirals were gone, EDI said, "Shepard, are you all right?" but Tina refused to answer.

Later, Tina woke up on the beach and quickly sat up looking across the water, but neither Bobby nor the kids were there. She could feel heat on her back and turned to see that the Beach House was ablaze.