Chapter 28

Admiral Wilson's hologram jammed a finger at her. Shepard stood straight despite the heat radiating from her face.

"Commander Shepard! It's been a week. Over a week!" Wilson raged.

"I understand, but—"

"No!" Wilson cut the air with his palm. "I've talked to Alliance Parliament about this. We agree. It's been a week. By itself, an overreaction. Let him go."

Shepard clasped her hands behind her back. She watched her tone.

"Respectfully, Admiral. It's my ship."

"It's the Alliance's ship."

"I'm a Council Spectre and—"

"You're an Alliance soldier!" he snapped. "Lieutenant Commander Anchor is an Alliance soldier. This has nothing to do with the council."

"He acted questionably. A Spectre may detain someone under suspicion."

"Suspicion of what?"

Shepard swallowed and glanced away.

"Exactly." Wilson stabbed a finger at her again. "Let him go. Right now. Bring him here, and I'll talk to him."

"That won't be necessary."

"If he was insubordinate, which you would certainly know all about, he can receive a verbal warning."

"He was warned in the past," Shepard said.

"Any documentation of that conversation?"

"Sure." Shepard shrugged her shoulder. "I'll send you documentation."

Wilson narrowed his eyes. "After you walk over to a terminal and write it up, I suppose?"

Shepard just held his stare.

"Go get him, Commander, or when you dock on Earth again, you'll be the one in the brig for insubordination."

Shepard turned to the doorway. James stood out of sight of the comm, arms folded, and sour-faced.

"Go get him," Shepard said.

James rolled his eyes, uncrossed his arms, and stalked away.

"I want a written report on this matter ASAP, Commander. And I don't mean your post-dated warnings. If he did something justifying arrest for over a week, you better write one hell of a good story. Because what I'm hearing is that you locked up your XO for making a bad command decision that resulted in no injury or material harm and for sassing off to you. I hope you're ready to justify yourself when you step off that ship, Commander. You have three weeks to come up with a better tale than you're telling now."

"Understood, sir," Shepard said simply.

They stood, holographic images facing each other, and waited. Wilson crossed and re-crossed his arms. Shepard just stared forward. She wouldn't look away. Wilson was one of those that caught the whiff of blood and would hunt unceasingly for the kill. He held her eye, jaw clenched, and mouth taut.

Finally, James and Briggs walked in with Anchor ahead of them. James gave him a little shove forward onto the hologram's platform. Shepard didn't move, and Anchor stumbled up against her before turning to salute Wilson.

Anchor's uniform hung disheveled, eyes red and raw looking. Shepard tsked her tongue. It wasn't like he'd been treated like an animal. He had a cot, his own space away from the turiens. Granted, he was detained, but he still had his belonging. He had food brought to him. He had his stupid little datapad he clutched bringing everywhere like a child's teddy bear. He hadn't been mistreated in the slightest.

"Lieutenant Commander Anchor." Wilson returned the salute.

"Admiral Wilson, Sir."

"Is this true? Your CO has complained of insubordination."

He glared at Shepard and turned back with a more pleasant expression. "It was an emotional moment. I apologize and recognize my mistake."

"Well?" Wilson looked at Shepard. "He recognizes the error. I assume, Lieutenant Commander, you'll be vigilant in the future in the ways you interact with your CO?"

"Yes, sir."

"There," Wilson said. "Dismissed, Lieutenant Commander."

Anchor glanced at Shepard with slit eyes and walked slowly off the platform. He stood next to James, who slouched against the doorframe.

"I want the matter put behind us now," Wilson said. "I expect that report, and there will be more about this when you're back."

"I understand, sir."

"And … reinstate him to his duty. You released him from guard, but you need to let him back on duty too."

Shepard grimaced. Damn.

"Continue to foster your relationship with the turiens and the general. You'll be back in no time."

Shepard saluted. Wilson returned it, but his face was hard. He turned away before the connection even broke.

Anchor grinned lopsidedly. It melted as Shepard met his eyes.

"What now?" Briggs asked from behind Anchor.

"Release him," Shepard said, then to Anchor, "You can sleep at your bunk or stay where you've been."

"And?" Anchor prodded.

Shepard squared up with him and stared him in the eye. "You try one more thing, I don't care what, you're out of line by a centimeter, you're back in biotic cuffs sitting in engineering with Briggs for company again. The admiral won't need to know about it until we're pulling up to the dock."

Anchor looked at her levelly with a slight grin. "Aye, aye, Commander. Am I on duty now then?"

"Fine. Yes." She motioned him away. "Go."

"Shouldn't you let the crew know?"

Shepard glared. "Go."

Anchor marched away.

"Well, Lola, looks like troubles on the loose again."

She turned to Briggs. "Watch him. Go where he goes. I don't care if he knows you're following him."

Briggs grinned. "Aye, aye."

He left.

"You doing all right? That admiral …" James made a whistling sound. "Think he owes Anchor's dad money or something?"

Shepard folded her arms. "Maybe he and Anchor are friends in the same club."

"Hope we're talking about the Systems Alliance," James said.

"Me too."

They stood in silence. James clasped Shepard's arm.

"Seriously, Lola, you're all tight. You should do something fun."

"Like?"

"I dunno. You have some nice model ships I'd play you for. Something tells me you'd be a good bluffer."

"If I play you, James, you'd probably wind up captain of the ship or something."

"I think you should start with the model ships, but we can work up to the Normandy."

Shepard shook her head with a smirk and passed by him into the war room. "I think I better find my fun in a less dangerous way."

"Lola, Lola." James steps came up behind her. "Danger is fun. The only fun."

"James, with my ratio of danger to meetings, if there aren't exceptions to that statement, I'm in for trouble."

"Hey. You'll get to be dangerous again. Exploded an oily monster-thing with a grenade? Gotta tide you over for a while."

Shepard stepped into the CIC. Anchor stood expectantly waiting. Briggs milled around the galaxy map terminals watching him.

"An announcement?" Anchor prompted.

James raised an eyebrow and moved to the elevator. "See ya, Lola."

Shepard eyed Anchor. He grinned. The trip back suddenly seemed a lot longer.