Road to nowhere, Arc 4 of "Gone with the Sun"

Chapter 37 Second Dog Watch

Baker's dozen

Almost the first thing Liara noticed was that Shepard's face was set and pensive at first.

Some of that was surely pain. Grafts and bones were still knitting. Chakwas and Michel had been careful to emphasize that he would be delicate for weeks, he would not be properly fit for duty for months, and no-one had a plan for implants.

But he was still strong enough for a quick embrace, growing more animated as the trauma recovery room filled (standing room only for a dozen, not counting the patient).

Coats shook hands. They spoke of the last moments with the catalyst and crucible. She and Hannah had picked up on the boy hallucination. They did extract a few extra minutes after Dr Michel clucked about tired patient and threatened to close the proceedings, the excuse being that Liara had promised Javik she'd relay the details ASAP.

At the very end she snatched a private second as all around were being bundled out, bent over, getting his undivided attention, and whispered: "Shepard. When you're feeling well, come and see me. We'll figure out the boy."

Then she turned away, and noticed in the far corner the nurse, fending off gentle probing from Williams, trying to be inconspicuous. Turned back again. "And you will tell me why, exactly, Kelly is so miserable."

Bellerophon

Clearly Vakarian was not in a good mood. There was multitasking on top of the usual stress of departure. Orders were being snapped, mostly regarding accommodation changes, while he was fencing with a stream of loading orders too.

"Sir? Can I help?"

"Ah. Bellerophon, just the man, handle these bunking issues would you? Apparently there's supercargo besides the Primarch…"

It turned out that on the return leg Sparatus would be travelling with Normandy, swapping with Tevos. There was also a turian female diplomat known to Vakarian.

"Those two might be comfortable in the XO's office, that means I'm not just turfed from my cabin in the loft, but even the comfortable XO berth. Also it complicates the bloody food stores. There are four more laevo personnel, organize something suitable for, say, five days from the Orizaba purser."

"Sir. I'll get on to the supplies. That's unfortunate about the berth."

Actually Bellerophon felt it was good for an illustrious general to recall how the hoi polloi live.

"So you will be with us in the crew quarters, sir?"

"Regrettably not, Bellerophon. I will set up a crash webbing bunk in the gunnery, next to the Thanix cannon. Just like old times, really."

So much for dreams of seeing a general bunking with the ensigns. A crash webbing bunk in that space would be a harsh, cramped existence. That was old times? Incredible.

"About those other laevo passengers. Since Councilor Tevos will be with us, so will Dr Liara T'Soni, her science adviser and a personal friend of mine; along for the trip also is Dr Karin Chakwas who will be in the med bay, and Dr Michel, another old friend."

"That's good news, surely, sir?"

"It is indeed the only good news I've had this trip. Unfortunately, Chakwas and Michel will be accompanied also by a nurse, and she was… well till she turned up with Michel, I suspected some sort of traitor. Cerberus-flavored poison. My idea of proper accommodation would have involved an airlock. Now I don't know, but I worry about something even more insidious. All these people who should be upset aren't."

"Have you told the Primarch about this, sir?"

"Of course. At length. He promised to look into it with Hackett, and since then he won't discuss it with me."

"Well damn. But it can't be important. Cerberus is dead and gone, and all the prisoners are, well, prisoners. Why isn't this person in Limbo, though?"

"That's a damn good question, pilot, but the fact is she got out before the Cerberus coup."

"That wouldn't stop her being detained, sir, though maybe not for long. Weren't you telling me the engineers in Normandy were in prison for a while?"

This visibly brought Vakarian up short. "Yes. They were. They got Spectre pardons. But she was never detained at all."

"Sir, my father was in the Imperial Intelligence Service–"

"–I'm aware of that, Pilot. It's not without bearing on your current post."

"All I'm saying, sir, is this stinks of double agent stuff. Also, did the engineers get Alliance pardons as well as Council ones? You should check the pardon lists."

"Well, they must have, I guess. They're on duty now."

"Did she? You might find out she wasn't just a Cerberus spy. Sir."

"Suppose she's not on the lists? We assume she's still a spy?"

"No, sir. With respect, I don't think you've thought this through. Have you actually checked? If she's on the lists, she's not a spy any more."

"So you're saying if she's not on the pardon lists, she may or may not be an agent of someone."

"Or some two."

"She'll have a primary allegiance, surely."

"Yes, but double agents don't appear on pardon lists till they're well and truly burned or retired, and not always even then, because someone might work out what side they were really on, or who their handler was. They try very hard not to appear on any list at all. People with grudges might come after them. Do you have a grudge, sir?"

Now Vakarian actually looked a bit shaken, but recovered quickly.

"That is all by the by. Of immediate importance, Pilot, I have transfer instructions for you. By direction of the Primarch and for the good of the service, you will be detached from duty with this vessel on arrival at the Citadel, and seconded to the asari diplomatic corps."

"Sir!"

"Can the outrage, Flying Officer Bellerophon, trust me, this is a good career move and a really truly juicy assignment, and it comes with a promotion… Flight Lieutenant. Clear?

"Aye aye Sir." It seemed safe to say that.

"The only downside is that you will be training a number of asari commandos, and Dr T'Soni, in piloting a frigate – the same way you've been training the watch officers and me for the last four months. The asari don't have trained personnel in-system, except for the Destiny Ascension and Cybaen, which were with Hackett's fleet. Nearly all the rest of the asari fleet got through the relay network to Thessia before it imploded behind them."

"That's a lot of training and I feel barely competent myself. What class frigate sir? There will be differences in handling."

"No, there won't. There's been a backroom deal brokered by the Primarch. The asari are getting one of the three Normandy-class frigates intended for humans. Which means by the way that there will be diplomatic liaison in the form of a certain retired Colonel called back to service. 'Name of Tactus, you've met him, a good man, not a career diplomat, but very experienced with non-turians, Councilor'."

"Ah. I think I see. Well, sir, I guess he's my first point of contact."

"Not quite. The Primarch called a confidential briefing with asari and human staff after we're under way. I've been kept out of the loop so far; I wish to hell I could tell you what's going on, but I don't know myself. I'm supposed to be there. So we'll see."

"I'll try to navigate my way through that loop, sir."

"Good man."

Victus

As Garrus entered the access way to the small conference room , the Primarch stirred. A soft chime told off 21:00.

"Right on time, Vakarian."

"The ship VI reminded me. It's an odd feeling being spoken to by a machine in turian, again."

"We've had to move the briefing into the war room, the Colonel's assembling the others there. So there's you, me, and the asari councilor, as well as T'Soni. Tactus, and the three humans. Chakwas, and her team."

" I see Colonel Tactus isn't here yet. The humans… why did you invite the medics?"

"I think you're under a misapprehension, General. They've called the meeting, at Hackett's behest. I imagine Michel and Hannigan, along with Tactus, are present as witnesses. Hackett gave a description of the events surrounding Councilor Anderson's death and the firing of the Crucible some months ago, if you recall."

"Yes, sir. I was there. Chloe Michel filled in a few of the blanks rather vividly, to the extent she could. There was a tiff between Lawson and Hannigan, Chambers, take your pick. You know all this, sir. Oh, and Williams won't post Shepard's name in memoriam. Not a lot Tactus hadn't already told us, except for the postscript about Shepard badly off but still breathing, sort of."

"That may be about to change. A short time ago the Alliance war graves commission quietly removed his name from the list of MIA but did not list him as KIA, and the media are bound to notice soon."

"Spirits. That's twice now."

"Not really General, by all accounts he was never clinically dead this time."

"Where is he?"

"We still don't know. But twenty minutes ago I received a hand-delivered paper note from Hackett's operations officer. Here."

Garrus by now had an effective reading knowledge of formal English, some spoken tuition, and an increasing familiarity with Alliance military culture. Paper was actually still used for some legal purposes, art, and things like this standard italic-script handwritten note. No way this had ever touched any digital archive, except possibly as an image.

From: Fleet HQ, Admiral Hackett commanding.

Three copies only. To: Councilors Sparatus, Tevos. cc: Primarch Victus

Definitive information has come to light regarding the firing of the Crucible, of which the Council should formally be apprised.

For security purposes we propose a formal diplomatic delegation present this information in-flight on board Peacemaker, and by QEC to Councilors Valern and Sparatus.

Delegation comprises: Ensign Chambers, RN. Captain Chakwas, MD, and Commander Michel, MD…"

The note continued with boring attendance and venue details. It was to be destroyed on completion of the meeting.

"Good. All we've had is dusty answers. I see Chambers is now formally enlisted. Interesting."

"Commissioned, General, not enlisted. Didn't you notice? Medical staff in the Alliance navy above the rank of paramedic are commissioned officers, so that they can tell stroppy sergeants to bend over for a needle and make it stick, literally. You will notice that Chakwas would have formally outranked Shepard, during his command on Normandy SR1."

"Ah. I stand corrected, Primarch. I was thinking this must mean Chambers has been pardoned."

"Well spotted, General."

Evidently the Primarch had checked the lists, or had someone do it.

"Curious. But mine is not to reason why."

"As you say, General. Now, since Colonel Tactus was closely involved with the events in question, his name is at the top of the list of those whose presence is requested. Sparatus by QEC. Then myself. Next, Tevos and T'Soni. The medical detail including Tactus will be, formally, testifying before the Council."

"Oh. At last. Michel's avoided me for months. I think she's under orders."

"Entirely possible. Speak of the devil… she's bearing chocolates."

Osoba

"Councilor, there is an urgent priority QEC message from Hackett."

"I'll take it in the secure bubble."

Tevos

The QECs in the adjoining chamber flickered into life. The shades of Valern and Sparatus appeared. Tevos looked back.

"Councilors. Primarch. General. Councilor Osoba has messaged me to say that he has been briefed already. We may proceed."

The comm centre chairs were now fully occupied and turned, like a little amphitheatre.

"Very well. Doctor Chakwas, would you begin?"

"Councilor, I am simply here to ensure the well-being of the delegation head."

A stir, even among the turians. Except for Victus. Well, well.

"I beg your pardon. I had gathered you were here to introduce the witnesses. Who, may I ask, speaks for the Alliance Fleet?"

"If you consult the paper notification, Councilor, you will find the first delegate listed is Ensign Chambers. Kelly, would you please stand forth."

The nurse who had accompanied them to N-5 stood and made her way to the central ring. Tevos had been very favorably impressed by this person, but was that the name? She considered the ensign a little more closely.

What was Hackett's intent, for such a junior officer to represent him before the highest authority in the galaxy? Was she a sacrificial lamb, to divert criticism of bad judgment? That would be out of character for Hackett. Furthermore, she had accompanied Admiral Shepard. Status was subtly different from rank… as Matriarch Aethyta showed.

So junior a representative might almost be designed to alienate the proud, in which case it would behove her to be cautious. Sparatus had clearly picked up on this too, standing more formally with hands behind his back. Tevos would not put that past Hackett, but turning the matter over in her mind, decided that Chambers' lack of status was exactly the point.

Too exalted a representative might distract from the message. If so, her message was not to be colored by her own minimal authority. It was to be interpreted in the light of the power she served.

Last time, when Tevos was throwing up on the plane, Chambers had worn the uniform of a civilian registered nurse. Now she met the council wearing the much closer-fitting uniform of an Alliance military nurse, a grey-white tunic with blue cloak. It revealed that she was heavily pregnant.

There had been a lot of that going round, lately, including two of her commandos. It was as though life were re-asserting itself. Tevos wondered idly who the father was. She'd ask T'Soni later. Regardless, Hackett's delegate was… almost a juvenile, and of the lowest possible officer rank. Tevos caught T'Soni's eye. Liara almost imperceptibly nodded.

All right then; we accept this.

Chakwas continued:

"Before I yield to the ensign, Councilor, as the ranking officer on Peacemaker Hackett has asked me to communicate a personal apology. While in our first briefing the facts given were as the Turian fleet staff and Alliance HQ knew them, it was quite quickly determined that the body of Commander Shepard was picked up by a mercenary group and rendered to an Alliance medical centre."

"Why was the council not informed at once!" Valern, as usual. Tevos glared at him; that interruption was a breach of protocol.

"Beyond that, Councilors…"
– but at this point Sparatus' QEC image harrumphed:

"Stand down, Doctor. In fact Councilors, I was officially informed shortly thereafter, though not in writing. In view of the recent incident with the unlicensed clone, turian and human staff felt – and I agreed – that this was Spectre business and should not be made public at the time for security reasons; only those with a need to know were told."

Valern looked far from happy, but that was his normal state. And indeed it was Spectre business. Tevos herself was a little put out, but some carefully qualified hints from T'Soni had kept her from saying things she might have come to regret.

Time to pay that debt, carefully now:

"So, formally, the turians and humans appear to be on a sound footing."

Witness

At this point the nurse – Chambers? Spoke for the first time, gripping the handrail:

"That is the position, yes, Councilor Tevos. But there is more. You will be aware that Dr Michel and Colonel Tactus were present when the bodies were discovered. Tactus, Chloe, would you please stand and be recognized?"

The old turian warrior and the trim Alliance doctor were both familiar figures.

"Yes, I think I recall that. Doctor, Colonel, please be seated."

"You may not be aware, though, that I was present also. Should you require it, we can provide corroboration of each other's testimony to some extent."

"Thank you." That explains her presence on the delegation, at least. Ensign Chambers took a deep breath and consulted a datapad:

"The first item of business is that Commander John Shepard was, at 1620 hours this day, brought out of coma."

Sensation! Not so much among the Turians. Both Liara and Samara had prepared her for the possibility. But Valern was beside himself.

"What? And this was done without notification?"

"We are notifying you now, Councilor."

"But after the event!"

"Quite right, Councilor. As, I must point out, the Alliance is absolutely entitled to do."

Valern, about to say something, checked himself. Then: "But Shepard is a Council Spectre."

"Your point being, Councilor?"

"We should have been told!"

"Regrettably, Councilor, you will have to take that up with Commander Shepard when he is sufficiently well. Though I note that the commander was not in a position to say anything to anyone till after the fact. More importantly, your Spectre is also a senior officer in the Alliance military. I must point out that by long custom and practice, the Alliance is not obliged to notify you at all of the details of medical treatment of its officers and men. We do so now from courtesy. I ask you now, and I have been told to ask you, is that perfectly clear? "

It must have been. Valern was sputtering in fury. Tevos was enthralled – was that wise in the circumstances? She stole a look at the Primarch, wearing a turian grin, and Sparatus, with difficulty keeping a straight face.

And T'Soni was silently clapping. Very well. Valern was not impressed:

"It is utterly unacceptable!"

"Then we will have an altogether different sort of conversation. How do you propose to reject it, Councilor?"

The Ensign folded her arms, and waited!

"To begin with, we will revoke Shepard's spectre st–!"

Valern's QEC image was interrupted by a salarian hand offering a datapad. He glanced at it, and looked, clearly shocked, off-camera.

Sparatus filled the silence: "We will do no such damn fool thing. Valern, if you must persist in this, call a vote." Valern handed the datapad back off, and in a much subdued voice, declared:

"That will not be necessary. Would you proceed, Ensign."

…

"In conclusion, Councilors, I note that by the time we reach the Citadel there will be something of a media circus. It is not for the Alliance admiralty to determine how this is addressed. We would ask that you formulate some suitable declaration, with the information provided, along the lines that Commander Shepard will be recovering his health and may at some point resume diplomatic or spectre duties. The search for Reaper remnants continues unabated. Not quite anodyne platitudes, but calming."

"Indeed. Ensign, Doctor, Colonel; may I say to you all: you have cast much light in dark corners. I thank you for the opportunity to reflect it. Dismissed."

Hairspray

Liara, leaning against the med bay door, looked off to one side a little, and said:

"Here he comes."

"Oh my. Do I look presentable yet?"

"You look very pregnant, and quite gorgeous. I'm positive that pushes a lot of his buttons."

"What buttons– " Garrus asked as he slipped past Liara.

"The big red ones, my dear. Did you try the chocolates?"

"Dammit, Michel, you're enjoying this. And yes, they were delicious, had turian rum in them, I'm a little drunk already. Can I please be allowed to have a word in private?"

"NO!" chorused from two human and two asari voices. Chambers just looked a little bemused.

"Confound it, Chambers, how…"

Everyone waited.

"I mean you've even got a Councilor brushing your hair, dammit."

"Please state your business, General. I'm told you might have something to say to the Ensign here."

Garrus sighed. "All right. The Primarch is a fanatical student of your old Roman Empire, did you know that Chloe? Even reads Latin."

"Worth remembering. Get to the point, Garrus."

"He's not hot on slavery, so he studies how the powerless took power. Institutions like public confession of sins, which even Emperors had to do. He told me a phrase I should use here."

"I think I might know it. We won't ask you to get on your knees, given the anatomical issues. But say it anyway, so we can give you a hug and get on with the party."

"Fine. 'Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.'"

– Next chapter will be #38, "On our way home…"–

Thursday, July 23, 2015