The presiding magistrate rose from his seat, a silver dagger in his hand.
"By the Spirit of Justice and the Unbroken Sword, I summon Officer Cereus Vakarian, the complainant, to present the case against his son, Garrus Vakarian," the magistrate proclaimed. "The charges are dereliction of duty and neglect of filial obligation."
Cereus limped over to the magistrate's bench, reverently taking up the dagger.
Tali's whisper tickled against the hollow of Shepard's ear. "He's not going to cut Garrus with that thing, will he?"
"I hope not," Shepard replied.
Luckily, the weapon seemed to be purely symbolic. She couldn't picture Garrus submitting to any sort of impromptu blood-letting, not even for the sake of justice. Maybe he'd do it for the cause of vengeance, but in that case, the blood he'd be spilling would invariably belong to his enemies.
Holding the dagger aloft, Cereus invoked the Spirit of Justice and elaborated on the nature of Garrus' misdeeds.
"My son has allowed an inappropriate relationship with a female human, Commander Jillian Shepard, to interfere with his responsibilities as a C-Sec officer and as a citizen of the Hierarchy. Under the influence of Commander Shepard, my son quit his proper work on the Citadel, engaging in increasingly reckless and self-destructive behaviour, including vigilantism. When I pointed out that his attachment to this...person was unhealthy and anti-social, he informed me that he would not respect my authority as his father. Furthermore, he said he would refuse to comply with any order issued to return to either Citadel Security or his previous position in the Fleet."
When he'd finished this recitation, Cereus plunged the dagger into the surface of the magistrate's bench, an action that startled Shepard, although none of the turian onlookers seemed to find it the least bit extraordinary. So far, she thought the rituals of the Hierarchy's judiciary were oddly violent and had to wonder if it was a good idea to have knives lying around in a place where emotions could so high. Of course, human courts had gavels, which could make for decent murder weapons, but she figured it would take at least a couple of good, determined swings to polish somebody off with one of those.
"I call the defendant, Garrus Vakarian, to answer these charges, speaking only truth, in preservation of his honour and his rank of citizen, third-tier," the magistrate declared.
Taking a deep breath, Garrus strode up to the front of the courtroom. When he turned to confront his father, his eyes caught the light, glinting like shards of glass.
"I quit C-Sec because I wanted to make a difference. Working with Commander Shepard taught me a lot and I'm doing something now that'll save innocent lives. If that isn't my duty as a turian, then I don't know what is."
Garrus had to sit and watch from the defendant's table, while Cereus called up his first witness, none other than the retired Executor Pallin.
The old executor appeared via holo up-link, looking much altered from the last time Shepard had seen him. He wore a blue eye-patch over the socket of his left eye and his face had been badly burned during the Battle of the Citadel, melting and discolouring his distinctive tribal markings. The white paint that had formed a mask over his cheeks and forehead was now a scabby brown mottled with blue. Like Garrus, Pallin's features had been reconstructed with cybernetics, although the work he'd received appeared less sophisticated than what the Normandy staff had managed. His mouth was mangled, twisting back to reveal needle-like teeth.
Yet, despite his damaged face, Pallin was still the venerable icon of Citadel justice that he'd always been and it touched Shepard to see him again, a part of the Presidium's old glory salvaged from the devastation. When he spoke, it became obvious that there'd been damage to his larynx, enough to require the use of a computerized voice-box. His new virtual voice had been configured to sound similar to his old one, a resonant baritone, but it had a metallic edge to it and the words came out in a dull monotone which she found strangely affecting.
"I was Garrus' commanding officer at C-Sec for six years," Pallin said. "I recruited him to the unit to patrol the Presidium grounds, a standard placement for rookies. Once he'd learned the ropes, I assigned him to track and investigate gang activities in the Lower Wards."
"How would you describe Garrus' job performance prior to his first encounter with Commander Shepard?" Cereus asked.
Pallin folded his hands together in his lap and leaned back in his easy chair. "He was an investigator of some promise, sharp and very decisive in action, although his paperwork could be sloppy and he was known to cut corners to nab suspects. He was a firebrand and I was wary of his impulsiveness, but I felt that, if he could be reined in, he would be an excellent member of the force. At the time, I was confident that his behaviour was a result of his youth and inexperience rather than any irresolvable failings in character."
"Would you please explain the circumstances of Garrus' first meeting with Commander Jillian Shepard and his subsequent conduct?" Cereus asked.
Here it comes, Shepard thought, bracing herself. She'd steeled her nerves for a day of denunciations, but she hadn't anticipated how terrible it would feel to sit silently and let virtual strangers speculate on her relationship with Garrus.
"Upon orders from the Council, I assigned Garrus to look into the treason accusations made against Saren Arterius," Pallin answered. "It was a politically -sensitive investigation and I was observing him to see how he'd handle the responsibility. When the trail he was following went cold, I told him to stop making inquiries. We disagreed, as we often did, but on this occasion, he'd found an ally in Commander Shepard, who was also interested in taking down Saren. Garrus became belligerent, informing me that he planned to go to Shepard and get her to recruit him to pursue the rogue Spectre. I suspected that he was fascinated with her and that his interest was not entirely wholesome."
Not entirely wholesome? Shepard wanted to laugh, but she knew cackling in the back of the courtroom wasn't going to help her case. Still, Pallin's choice of words was ridiculous. A piece of cake was 'not entirely wholesome'. Scarfing down bacon and eating butter as a side-dish was 'not entirely wholesome'. Having an illicit inter-species love affair that maddened parents, vexed diplomats and sent the entire Citadel press corps into a tizzy – that had to rate as 'indecent', 'scandalous' or 'deplorable' at the very least. If Pallin was going to call her an unscrupulous femme fatale or imply that she'd exerted some weird hypnotic power over Garrus from the very beginning, before leading him off to fight Saren in a lust-inspired trance, she wished he'd just say it outright. She'd always respected him for being a straight-shooter and it disappointed her that he couldn't speak plainly and skip the prim, euphemistic bullshit that seemed to pass for propriety around here.
Cereus took the bait. "Can you explain on what you mean when you refer to an unwholesome fascination?"
"Garrus treated this human Shepard with an exaggerated deference, even worshipfulness. To be frank, as a proud turian, I found his little infatuation embarrassing," Palin said. "He also seemed to admire the fact that as a newly appointed Spectre, she could set her own agendas and work outside the law. This disturbed me."
Cereus thanked Pallin for his testimony and then introduced his next witness, none other than the current head of C-Sec, Executor Chellick. Like Pallin, Chellick testified over a comm transmission. Based on the sizable desk he was resting his elbows on, Shepard could tell that the holo-feed came from his office at the Citadel. The connection was fuzzy, shimmering with static, and sometimes Chellick's mouth appeared to move more slowly than the words coming out of it, which prompted some sniffly giggles from Tali.
"How did you know my son at C-Sec?" Cereus inquired.
"I was his senior colleague for six years before being promoted to Executor," Chellick replied.
"When Garrus returned to C-Sec after the death of Saren did you notice a change in his conduct?"
Shepard hunched forward, resting her arms on her thighs, eagerly awaiting Chellick's answer. She'd never managed to extract a full explanation of why Garrus' return to C-Sec hadn't worked out for him, when he'd assured her that he was dedicated to going back and enforcing the peace. It was one of those mysterious histories that Garrus was so good at eliding, sweeping the inconvenient parts of his past out of sight.
"For a couple months, Garrus threw himself into work and showed real commitment," Chellick replied. "I was happy to have him back on the team. He was a hero and we'd lost a lot of our experienced officers in the geth attack. The first clue I got that something was wrong with him was the way he'd talk about that commander and her crew. He seemed a bit too attached and he was always carping on about how Commander Shepard did things and how when she was around, things were so different. I regret it now, but I wrote it off as just a quirk. After all, she was a hero, she'd saved the Council and for a while, lots of people were acting like she was the best thing since sliced Burgat."
Cereus gave a disdainful snort, obviously unimpressed at the notion of celebrity, although Shepard had noticed that he seemed rather fond of his own reputation. In any case, if people thought Garrus was an avid admirer of her work, she would've loved to introduce them to Conrad Verner and his N7 replica armour.
"Can you describe the incident that led to my son leaving C-Sec for a second time?" Cereus asked.
Chellick blinked, looking momentarily at a loss, but his bright green eyes soon recovered their usual shrewdness. "Yes. Of course. I had Garrus working in his old stomping grounds, the Lower Wards, which had been hard hit during the attacks. He was there to keep the peace, to make sure the survivors had food and water and weren't killing each other. It was a hard gig, I'll admit that, but that was the recovery process. Anyway, one day, I guess he got some news about this ship – the Nermandy? The Norminday?"
"The Normandy," Garrus corrected. "It was destroyed during a mission against the geth."
Shepard cringed, wishing Garrus would've just let it Chellick mispronounce the name. Cereus was intent on making his son look fanatical and Garrus was playing right into his father's hands.
Chellick's eyes narrowed with annoyance. "Alright, sure, the Normandy. Anyway, Garrus heard that the ship was blown up and that Shepard got herself spaced. He was upset about it, but he stayed in the Wards, because there was nobody to cover for him. Well, as it turns out, it was a bad day down there. Some looters went for this apartment where they figured they'd find salvage, but really there was just this old salarian holing up inside. Garrus got wind of what was brewing and rushed down there without calling for back-up, which was against protocol."
He paused, taking a breath, as if overwhelmed by details. Shepard found the wait unbearable. She just wanted him to spit it out.
"By the time Garrus showed up," Chellick continued, "the looters had nearly beaten the old guy to death and were ransacking through his stuff. I don't know what happened after that - just that there was an altercation. Garrus took out one of the looters with a single shot to the head. He arrested the others. Two of them had been pistol-whipped and another one had four broken ribs. The official report says that Officer Vakarian used lethal force to defend himself from violent felons. I wouldn't presume to question that. But I do know that he wasn't in the right frame of mind to be out there. He wouldn't have taken the course of action he did if he'd been thinking clearly."
Shepard didn't realize how hard she was biting her lower lip until she tasted her own blood. It made her feel sick and panicky, almost nauseous, and she wondered if the heat was getting to her, if she might pass out right then and there. Why hadn't Garrus told her what he'd done? Did he believe she wanted him to mourn her by taking down every crime lord, gangster or two-bit hood that crossed his path, until one of them got smart or got lucky and killed him too?
If she'd arrived on Omega just a day later, he might have gotten his wish. It was all too easy to envision what she'd have found amidst the wreckage of that base. It would've shattered her to pry the helmet off Archangel's head and see Garrus' glazed eyes staring up at her, still ardent, still watchful, but blind to her face, never knowing that she'd returned for him. Shepard shielded her head in her hands, trying to keep ugly imaginings from swarming her.
A small hand stroked her back, a gentle rhythmic motion she remembered from when she was a child and her mother used to brush her hair. When she looked up, she found Tali watching her with evident concern.
"Thanks, Tali," Shepard murmured, patting her friend's shoulder.
"It'll work out," she said softly. "I know it will."
Cereus continued with his line of questioning. "So what happened after this incident with the looters?"
"I asked Garrus to account for his actions and told him that I thought it would be best if he took a leave of absence. It was obvious that the job was getting to him. He was getting morbid. Obsessive. He told me he didn't need time-off. He said he was quitting and that I wouldn't be seeing him again. He turned in his badge and walked out the door. That was the last I saw or heard of him until the news reports came out on the Citadel, saying that he was back with Commander Shepard, who'd mysteriously been resurrected, and that they'd been doing some top-secret Spectre mission."
"What else did the news reports say?"
"Oh, scandal sheet nonsense about how he and Shepard were getting intimate behind the scenes. That didn't surprise me too much. I had a sense that those two were a little too friendly, if you get my meaning," Chellick said. "There were also some hints that Shepard was involved with a human terrorist organization called Cerberus and that Garrus had gotten himself tangled up in it too. I found that a lot harder to believe. Whatever else he is, Garrus isn't stupid and a turian joining up with Cerberus is a hundred different kinds of dumb."
Cereus gave a low growl, one that sounded more pensive than threatening. "Do you think it's possible that Shepard encouraged Garrus to align himself with Cerberus to further her own agenda?"
"When I worked with Shepard, she seemed like a reasonable person. Not a bad sort. But looking at the circumstances, I'd say that it's more than likely that she talked Garrus into it. The only reason I can see him getting onboard with a bunch of crazies like those is if Shepard told him to. He'd go along with pretty much anything she said."
The old turian pushed a little further. "In light of this, do you think it's reasonable for a father to want to remove his son from her corruptive influence?"
"Look, I have kids and I'll say it straight out: if one of them got mixed up with somebody like Shepard, I wouldn't be happy about it," Chellick said. "I don't think she's evil. That's not the impression I had when I met her and my instincts are good. She's just a Spectre and that's a lot of power for one person to be carrying around. Too much power and not enough restrictions - well, that's a recipe for disaster, if you ask me. It would bring out the worst in the best of people."
Cereus nodded, appearing to be satisfied with this answer. "Could you explain to the court who Lantar Sidonis is and what caused him to turn himself into C-Sec headquarters earlier this year?"
"Okay, I'm just going on what I've gleaned from the file here," Chellick said.
"In citizenship trials, hearsay is admissible," the magistrate assured him.
Chellick shrugged. "Well, according to the investigating officers, Lantar Sidonis was a former mercenary who came to them and insisted that he should be prosecuted for the murders of 10 people on Omega. He claimed to be involved in a vigilante organization and said that he'd betrayed his squad to the Blue Suns, who were out for blood. The guy kept begging our people to toss him in jail, but he was out of luck. We can't prosecute crimes outside our jurisdiction. My officers told him that if he wanted punishment for something he did in a lawless backwater, well, he was going to have to work that one out for himself."
"How did the investigating officers link Lantar Sidonis to my son?"
"We arrested this human named Roscoe Harkin, alias 'Fade', for forgery, data theft, human smuggling, aiding and abetting – you name it, this guy was involved in it somehow. Basically just a real grade-A scumbag. He used to be C-Sec, I'm sorry to say, but he'd gone dirty and I made good and sure that he was kicked off the force. Anyway, somebody did us the favour of beating him senseless and leaving him pretty much gift-wrapped for my guys to pick up. Just as soon as we got Harkin, he started trying to bargain with us, looking to strike up a deal in exchange for info. He told one of my officers that Garrus Vakarian was back on the Citadel and trying to murder Sidonis for a betrayal on Omega, something to do with the deaths of a vigilante squad. After that, we put two and two together."
"Would you inform the court of the fate of Lantar Sidonis?"
"Two of my officers in Zakera Ward were sent down to check out an apartment that, uh, was causing complaints from the neighbours. Loud music, bad smell, the standard stuff. They recovered the Sidonis' body from inside the premises, hanged from a door beam. The coroner ruled suicide. There were no signs of foul play."
"Thank you for your testimony, Executor Chellick."
"Pleased to be of assistance." Chellick gave a final nod and Cereus severed the comm.. transmission.
"I'd like to call a final witness," Cereus proclaimed. "Will Commander Jillian Shepard please rise to the stand?"
A tremor of excitement surged through the courtroom. Shepard felt strangers' eyes searing into her, as she walked to the wooden box beside the magistrate's bench.
"Commander Shepard, as you are not a citizen of the Turian Hierarchy, we will require you to swear an oath of honour," the magistrate informed her. "Any falsehoods spoken as a witness in this court will be a violation of your oath. Breaking this oath is a serious criminal offense that will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Will you vow to respect the sanctity of this civil court and the spirit of its work, which is to enforce social order and maintain the high standards of citizenship?"
"I will," she said, reluctantly.
"Permission to treat the human witness as hostile?" Cereus asked the magistrate.
"Granted."
Shepard had trouble suppressing a smirk at that piece of Hierarchy judicial procedure. Cereus had treated her as 'hostile' from the minute they'd met – she'd just been stupid enough to think that a bottle of expensive wine, a few ingratiating smiles and her evident affection for his son would be enough to win him over. She'd been wrong on all counts. Now, she had a funny feeling she was about to get a taste of the Vakarian interrogation technique, which she'd already seen up-close during her investigations with Garrus. Of course, while Cereus might fix her with a penetrating stare and try to rattle her cage a bit, she doubted that he'd lunge across the stand and throttle her or pretend he was going to snap her neck under his boot, as Garrus had done to a few of their mutual acquaintances.
"Commander Shepard, when you met my son, were you aware that he was under orders to stop his investigation into Saren Arterius?"
"I knew that his supervising officer didn't approve, but I also knew that Saren posed a bigger threat than Executor Pallin or the Council realized."
Cereus' mandibles twitched, his pupils contracting into dark slits. "So you were aware then that encouraging Garrus to continue in his investigation was against the orders of the ranking C-Sec officer and you were sanctioning insubordination?"
"Yes, but it was important to -"
"A simple yes or no will suffice, Commander," Cereus said. He tapped his cane on the floor, as if to emphasize his point. "Tell me, when you were working with Garrus on your first mission against Saren, did he show signs of impulsiveness or recklessness?"
"Garrus cares about seeing justice done," she said, giving him a defiant look. "He was eager to stop Saren and to prevent the Reapers from taking over the galaxy. That's courage and heroism, two things the Hierarchy should reward in its citizens."
Cereus shook his head. "Yes or no, Commander, did Garrus express a disregard for standard procedures?"
She sighed. "Yes."
"As a commanding officer, did you reprimand him? Suspend him?"
"I tried to show him that it's preferable to work within the system. The rules are usually there for a good reason and breaking them can wind up causing you trouble in the end."
Cereus paused, considering this. "Tell me, Commander Shepard, would you break a rule if it would make your job easier and you knew that it wouldn't come back to haunt you in the future?"
"That question is way too abstract and hypothetical for a soldier like me," she said, trying to mask an impudent answer behind a chuckle. "I'm no moral philosopher. I'm a Spectre. I do my best to resolve conflicts in a responsible way and to find solutions that will be good for the galactic community. Sometimes I have hard choices to make. As a veteran of C-Sec and the turian military, I'm sure you get that."
"So, if I understand you, Commander, you kept Garrus in active field duty despite his personal issues and did nothing to rectify his behaviour beyond exerting your questionable 'influence'. Did it occur to you that this might compromise the mission?"
"Garrus followed my orders. I've never had any cause to question his loyalty to the mission."
"Perhaps I should be more specific. Has it occurred to you that using Garrus for missions when he betrayed signs of emotional instability might pose a danger, either to my son or to others?"
She hesitated, wondering how she could talk her way around the question without actually having to lie. "I have faith in Garrus as a soldier, as an ally and as one of my closest friends. He's done a lot of good work for the benefit of others and he's never let me down. I rely on him and he stands up under pressure. I think that's more than any commanding officer could ask for."
"Are you a member of Cerberus, Commander?"
"No."
"Yet you own a ship with registry data tracing back to a known Cerberus front and a week ago, Westerlund News reported that you were affiliated with the Illusive Man himself."
"Westerlund News is a tabloid," she said. "In that same issue, they speculated that Councillor Velarn takes bribes and accused the Consort Shaiira of getting biotic breast implants. I wouldn't call them a reputable source."
Of course, she had enjoyed reading the Councillor Velarn story. And the plastic surgeon had made a convincing case about Shaiira's renovated chest – those things were way too perky to have hit the matron stage.
"In the article, they also stated that you and my son have been exchanging in sexual conduct that many sentients would consider deviant and morally abhorrent," Cereus said. "Did they make a mistake on that as well?"
She looked to Garrus for some indication of how he wanted her to answer. He gave her a slight nod, although she could tell from the way that he was clenching his jaw and raking his talons against the edge of his seat that he was getting agitated.
"When the Westerlund News doesn't tell outright lies, they sensationalize their stories," she said. "It's true that Garrus and I are involved. I care about him a lot. That may seem unconventional to some people, but it isn't illegal."
"But it is damaging to both of you and your standing in the community, is not?"
"I can't speak for Garrus, but I know that I'd be a lot more damaged without him in my life. My relationship with him has not impeded my mission to stop the Reapers."
Cereus gave a snide chuckle. "And so we come to the 'Reapers'. What are they, Shepard?"
"Why don't you ask the Protheans?" she shot back.
"I don't appreciate evasions."
"I'm not being evasive. The Reapers are an advanced machine race who killed the Protheans. They also masterminded the attack on the Citadel and would like nothing better than to massacre every sentient in the galaxy. Is that enough of an explanation for you?"
"Indeed. And have you informed the Council of this threat?"
"I have."
"Did they heed this wild conspiracy theory?"
"Councillor Velarn and the Primacy Council have authorized me and my crew to conduct an investigation."
"Yes or no, please," Cereus chided her. "Did the Citadel Council believe you and offer their support?"
"No," she said. "But that doesn't mean that I'm wrong."
"It doesn't mean you're right either. And it doesn't justify using my son to further your delusions of glory."
"I didn't hear a question in there," she retorted. "If you're accusing me of manipulating Garrus, then you're sadly mistaken. He's with me because he wants to stop the Reapers before they destroy the Council, the Hierarchy and everyone sitting in this courtroom."
"But you would say that, Commander. You want to keep my son on your ship and what better way to do that than to lure him in with a fictional crusade. Now he can play vigilante all over the galaxy and you can exploit him for your own unsavoury ends."
Garrus cut in. "I make my own choices. If you don't like them, lay the blame on me. But you leave her out of it."
"You will control yourself or you will be removed from this courtroom," the magistrate warned him.
Cereus shook his head sorrowfully. "I apologize for my son. As you can see, he lacks discipline."
"Well, he doesn't lack responsibility. Or the ability to make his own decisions," Shepard said.
The old turian cast a weary glance at her and turned away, limping towards the magistrate's bench. "I'm finished with this witness."
Shepard retreated to her seat on the court bench beside Tali. When she sat down, the smelly salarian whose b.o. she'd been trying to ignore for the past hour dealt her a look of disgust, revolted at the presence of a confirmed xenophile. In other circumstances, she might have found the irony amusing. Under current conditions, she would've liked to give the scrawny jerk to Grunt and let the krogan use him as a chew toy.
"I feel I've proven my case before this court," Cereus stated. "I leave the final judgement to the honourable officials of the Hierarchy."
"Very well," the magistrate answered. "Does the defendant wish to say anything?"
Tali made a nervous little sound, part squeak and part sigh. Shepard reached over and grasped her friend's hand, surprised at the strength of the quarian's grip.
Garrus stood up, touching the back of his seat to steady himself. His voice was raw, strangled by nerves, sometimes threatening to crack in the middle of a sentence. "If my actions have hurt people I respect and who I owe certain obligations to, I'm...sorry for that. I tried to be a good son and to do my duties as an officer of C-Sec. If I messed that up, then I'm sorry for that too. But I won't apologize for leaving C-Sec to join the crew of the Normandy. Taking a chance on Commander Shepard was the best decision I ever made. If I had to go back, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. That's all there is to it. I'm prepared for whatever judgement you think fit."
"Very well. The matter is simple enough," the magistrate said. "Does complainant have anything to add before I render the verdict?"
"Yes," Cereus said. "I wish to ask for leniency for my son. Any mistakes Garrus has made are my own failures as a father. His dishonour is my shame. He was dutiful once and I believe that if I had ensured his personal relationships were suitable, he wouldn't have neglected his responsibilities. If the court rules against him today, I request that it only impose upon him a return to active military service and a court order restricting him from leaving Palaven or pursuing any further contact with Commander Shepard. I believe this will be sufficient for his rehabilitation."
He paused, turning his gaze towards Garrus, before he made his final stipulation. "However, if the court deems revocation of his citizenship or a term of hard labour necessary and just, then I wish to undergo the same punishment. It is fitting for the father to bear the same consequences as the son he failed."
Shepard gaped at Cereus, utterly perplexed, wondering if he was being sincere or if this was just a cunning ploy to gain public sympathy.
It was hard to know how Garrus was taking this new development. All she could see was the back of his bowed head, his shoulders hunching forward slightly as if to protect himself from a punch.
The magistrate cleared his throat, a gesture Shepard found pompous. High-ranking turians seemed to take pleasure in vain little flourishes of officialdom.
"I find the defendant guilty in the first count of the indictment, dereliction of duty," he intoned. "However, I have not seen sufficient evidence to prove the lesser charge, neglect of filial obligation. Although I find the defendant's actions and apparent lack of remorse troubling, I am inclined to favour Cereus Vakarian's request for leniency in recognition of his own exemplary record of service to the state. Garrus Vakarian must rejoin the turian military at the rank of legionnaire and agree to remain on Palaven, severing all contact with Commander Jillian Shepard. He has 72 hours to demonstrate to this court that he has complied with all conditions. Failure to do so will result in the permanent revocation of his citizenship and that of his father. Dismissed!"
After the magistrate pronounced the verdict, there was a ten-minute recess. When Garrus rose from the defendant's seat and walked back towards Tali and Shepard, his tall frame appeared stooped and his steps were slow, grudging, as if he had acquired his father's limp.
"Garrus, I'm sorry," Shepard said.
He thrust his shoulders back, raising himself to his full imposing height. "Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong."
"We'll figure something out, Garrus," Tali murmured. "I know we can fix it."
"It's not me that I'm worried about," Garrus said. "If it were only me, I'd just get back on the Normandy and we could get out of here, no problem. But now he's taking the heat too."
He glanced at his father, who was shuffling his way towards the court doors. They didn't speak, just regarded each other warily, with the grudging respect that comes with shared suffering.
Shepard noticed that Cereus was prone to stumbling, relying heavily on his cane to carry his weight. The trial must have tired him out. She wanted to hate the old turian for his prudery and his intolerance, for the accusations he'd levelled at her and the ones that had just simmered behind his eyes, taunting her. He'd shackled Garrus to his impossible expectations and she wasn't sure she could ever forgive him for that. She wanted to ball up her anger and hurl it at him, but she couldn't do it. There was much to dislike in Cereus Vakarian, but there was something in him that demanded respect as well, even admiration. In the end, he was pitiable, although he refused pity, a sick, lonely veteran clutching at his faded ideals.
"I don't know how he'll manage if he loses his citizenship," Garrus said. "The Hierarchy is his whole life. I - I'm not sure that I can take that away from him."
"It was his choice," Tali said.
Garrus shook his head. "Maybe, but when your father did the wrong thing for the right reasons, you didn't sell him out, Tali. You stuck by him."
"That's different. They were going to do terrible things to my father's memory. It wasn't just about bureaucracy."
"It isn't just bureaucracy," he insisted. "Loss of citizenship is a big deal in our culture. For us, it's like exile. I can't let my father go through that. It'd kill him."
Shepard experienced a sudden pang, the dreadful realization that circumstances had changed and that her world might shift irrevocably if she didn't act, if they couldn't find a solution. "What do you want to do?"
"I don't know," Garrus murmured. "I just don't know."
