All of them were in the conference room and all their eyes were fixed upon the empty seat next to Ashley.

"I…" Ashley shook her head as she looked at the empty chair. "I can't believe Kaidan didn't make it. How could we just leave him down there?"

"Alenko knew the risks going in. He gave his life to say the rest of us."

"It should have been me, Commander." Ashley looked up at him. "You know that."

"I'm sorry, Ash. I'd never leave you behind, I couldn't. You know that."

"I know and I'm grateful, but Kaidan died because of me. Because of us."

"Ash, how far you going to go to drive yourself?" Hayden shook his head and looked at her. "Are you trying to be a martyr? To redeem your grandfather's honour?"

Ashley eyes fell upon him. "That's not fair."

"What the public and the military did him was unfair. But I don't lose a good soldier over it."

Ashley nodded. "Aye, aye, Commander."

"Commander?" Liara spoke up. "Excuse me for interrupting. But I have an idea. I think the beacon you found in Saren's base was similar to the one you found on Eden Prime. It may have filled in the missing pieces of your vision. I might be able to help you put all those pieces together."

"You want to join our minds again, don't you?" His head already hurt. He stood. "Okay. Go ahead."

It was different this time. The images were still riotous, but there was an order to them. A pattern. He just didn't know what it meant. Liara was staring at him. "Incredible. I…" She shook her head. "I never thought the images would be so…" She smiled. "Intense. I need a moment to collect myself."

"Did the vision make any sense to you?" There was no way that Shepard would let Kaidan die in vain.

"It's a distress call, a message sent out across the Prothean Empire. A warning against the Reapers, but the warning came too late."

"What about the Conduit?"

"There were other images. Locations. Places I recognized from my research…" Her eyes abruptly widened. "Illos! The Conduit is on Ilos!" She gestured. "That is why Saren needed to find the Mu Relay! It is the only way to get to Ilos."

"We need to get to Ilos!" Shepard nodded.

"Forget it." It was Tali who spoke. "The Mu Relay's inside the Terminus Systems. Alliance ships are not welcome there. Neither are Spectres."

As if they had any choice on the matter. "The Conduit's on Ilos. That's where Saren is heading. I'll be waiting for him when he gets there!"

"Saren will have his entire fleet orbiting Ilos. You will never make it down to the surface without reinforcements. You must alert the Council. We need a fleet to—" Liara started swaying. "I am sorry. The joining is…" She rubbed her forehead. "Exhausting. I should go to the medical bay and lie down for a moment."

"We're done here." He glanced at Ashley and flicked his eyes at Liara. Ashley nodded and began helping Liara to the medical bay. "Dismissed."

"Commander, there's a comm buoy nearby. I can link us in if you want to report back to the Citadel Council. You know, to warn them about Sovereign."

Shepard wasn't entirely optimistic considering they never take his word on anything. "Set the link up, Joker. They need to know."

"Patching it through."

The Asari Councillor smiled at him the moment her image appeared. "Commander Shepard. I'm pleased to see your mission on Virmire was a success."

The Turian Councillor nodded. "Saren is formidable enough without an army of krogan serving under him."

"The krogan would have served Sovereign. A Reaper."

"Yes, we saw mention of this in your report. Sovereign. A sentient machine. A true artificial intelligence. This news is quite alarming…" The Salarian Councillor shrugged. "If it turns out to be accurate."

Here they go again. "Sovereign's a Reapers. Saren even admitted it."

"He's playing you, Shepard. Saren still has contacts on the Citadel." The Turian Councillor waved a hand. "He probably saw your earlier reports. The ones talking about your vision. And the Reapers."

"It's highly possible Saren is using false information to throw you off balance. Our own intelligence has never turned up any corroborating information." The Salarian Councillor shook his head.

Shepard clenched his fist. "Sooner or later you're going out to take something I see on faith, Councillor."

Asari Councillor raised a hand calmly. "Try to see this from our perspective, Commander. Saren is a threat we can recognize. However, as far as we know, the Reapers only exist in your visions."

"Our decisions affect trillions of lives. We cannot act on the accusations of a single person. Even a Spectre. Not without solid evidence."

"The Council cannot take any official action here. That is why we created the Spectres. You have the authority to act as you see fit."

"If you truly believe Sovereign is the real threat, you must take whatever steps are necessary to stop it. And Saren."

"Good luck, Commander. From all of us."

Their images winked out of existence. He stood there a moment longer, leaning on one of the railings. Then he sighed, and straightened. There was a letter he needed to write.

He checked on their salarian stowaways. Kirrahe nodded to him. "It was an honour working with you, Commander Shepard. Despite our losses, our mission was a success. Lieutenant Alenko's actions will not go unnoticed. His sacrifice has earned humanity a great deal of respect from my people."

"Kaidan was a fine officer. He knew what the risks were, but he did what he had to."

"Of course. A grim reality that every soldier must accept." Kirrahe nodded. "Rest assured, Commander, my men and I will not forget what you have accomplished here. We'll leave your ship as soon as you reach your next destination. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to work together someday."

"I hope so too, Captain," said Shepard shaking his hand.

"Commander." Wrex nodded to him. "Things got heated back on Virmire…" He shrugged. "You did what you had to do. I respect your choice."

"I appreciate what you did, Wrex." If anything, the krogan had lost the most down there. "I won't forget it."

"Just make sure it was worth it. Saren has to pay for what he's done."

"I was originally going to bring him in," he said looking at Kaidan's locker. "But now I'm gonna kill on sight."

"I like the sound of that."

He sat down on the staircase, and looked at the quarian sitting on the next step down. "Tali?"

"The new armour worked." She didn't look at him. "I didn't get as much as a scratch."

"You did good down there."

"Was there anything I could have…" She leaned forward, and wrapped her arms around herself. "Could I have done something to…"

"I've asked myself that question a thousand times over the years." Shepard looked down at his hands. "You can run the scenario through your head, analyse every piece, every motion. If I'd made a different call, Kaidan would be alive, and Ashley wouldn't. Or Garrus. Liara. Wrex. You." He put a hand on her shoulder. "You did your best, Tali. But there is a hard truth, one we have to learn to accept."

"That on every mission is always casualties not everyone makes it."

Slowly, Tali nodded. "I'm going to miss him."

"We all are."

"Commander. I know it couldn't have been easy for you down there." Joker touched some of the controls. "Making the call between Alenko and Williams must have been…" He glanced back at Shepard. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't know if I could have done it."

"There is no right choice for something like that. I just hope I never have to go through it again."

"I'm not blaming you, Commander. I'm just…" Joker sighed. "It's hard, you know."

"Saren's still out there, Joker. Hold it together. We need you."

"Don't worry." Joker nodded fiercely. "I won't let you down. I want to be there when you make that son of a bitch pay."

"Sir, about…" Ashely sighed. "About Alenko…"

"How are you dealing with that?" Shepard raised an eyebrow, and then gestured for Ashley to enter the room.

"Dealing, sir." She hung her head. "Can't sound better. Sorry for anything I said back there. I just—I don't want any deaths on my hands. And it's my fault."

"Williams, listen to me." Shepard looked down at his hands, rubbing the thumb of one into the palm of the other. "I'm in command of this mission. I made the call. Not you. He's dead because of me."

"It's funny. I don't have any fear of dying for the Alliance. But when I think of someone dying for me—" She then looked at him. "If you don't my asking, how did you deal with the losses on Elysium?"

For a moment, Shepard was silent. "It was my job to get everyone out safe." He looked up. "I failed. I vowed not to let that happen again." He looked down again. "Same here. I'll remember him, and I'll do better for him."

"Yeah, I guess it's all we can do." Ashley nodded. "Thank you for the advice, skipper."

"So what your opinion on the last mission?"

"We've got a hard fight ahead. Fleets of AI dreadnoughts? Who've exterminated all life dozen of times over? I think the odds are against us."

"We have an advantage," Shepard reminded. "We know they're coming, and we know about their indoctrination."

"I don't plan to lie down and die, skipper. Don't worry about that." He was then that he noticed that Ashley actually looked nervous. "But I'm infantry. Against Reapers, my rifle may as well fire spitballs. I don't have a place in this war. That's what pisses me off. Not able to shoot back."

"I've been thinking about Saren. I actually feel a little sorry for him now." Liara sat on the edge of the desk.

Shepard nodded. "He's become a slave to the Reapers and he can't even see it."

Liara nodded. "He is trapped inside his own mind. Part of him senses his identity slowly being swallowed up by Sovereign, but he is powerless to stop it." Liara looked down at the floor. "I wonder how he first fell into Sovereign's trap? Did he think he could somehow stop the Reapers from returning? Or was he simply driven by a lust for power and glory?"

Shepard shrugged. "Whatever Saren's reasons may have been, they're long gone now. He has to be stopped."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Liara sighed. "He may be Sovereign's victim, but he is also a threat to all life as we know it." She then looked at him slightly troubled. "Let's not waste everything free minute talking about Saren. It is bad enough we are chasing him across the galaxy."

Shepard then made his way over to Garrus, who for once wasn't calibrating but simply just stood there. He saw Shepard approaching him.

"I know it could've been easy choosing between Williams and Alenko," he said.

"Thanks, Garrus," Shepard sighed. "Still doesn't seem real."

"Anyway, I wanted to thank you, Commander."

"What for, Garrus?" Shepard frowned.

"For everything. Taking me with you. Letting me be part of your team. I've learnt a lot."

"Like what?"

"I've thought a lot about what you've told me. About sacrificing innocence to achieve the goal. About finding the best way through, not just the fastest. And I've been thinking about Dr. Saleon too. I'd convinced myself that he deserved to die, but then I started thinking about why I wanted him dead. I realise it wasn't because of what he did to those people. That was part of it. But I think most of it was because he got away from me. He escaped under my watch, and I didn't like that. I let it become personal."

"Words mean nothing and we put them into action, Garrus. What are you going to do about it?"

"Well, I'm going back to C-Sec. I think I can make a difference there. I'll also reapply for Spectre training. But I'll do it right. I won't compromise myself to get there. The people I'm sworn to protect can't trust me… well, then I don't deserve to be the one protecting them."

Shepard smiled. "I'm glad you see it that way. Do that in mind when we meet Saren."

"I forwarded the mission update to the Citadel, Commander. We've got confirmation on those reinforcements." Joker's voice came over the comm. "Ambassador Udina wants us to report back to the Citadel. The Council is massing a joint-species fleet to deal with Saren and his geth."

Shepard smiled. "I knew they'd come around. Back to the Citadel, Joker. I want the Normandy at the head of that fleet."

"Yes, sir."

Udina was waiting for them in the council chambers. "Good job, Shepard. Thanks to you, the Council's finally taking real action against Saren!"

The Asari Councillor nodded. "The ambassador is correct. If Saren is foolish enough to attack the Citadel—as you believe—we will be ready for him."

"Patrols are stationed at every mass relay linking Citadel space to the Terminus Systems." The Turian Councillor clasped his hands behind his back.

Shepard can believe his ears. "You think a blockade's going to stop him? He's on Ilos looking for the Conduit right now! What are you doing about that?"

"Ilos is only accessible through the Mu Relay, deep inside the Terminus Systems, Commander." The Salarian Councillor shook his head. "If we send a fleet in there, the only possible outcome is full-scale war."

"Now is the time for discretion, Commander. Saren's greatest weapon was secrecy. Exposed, he is no longer a threat. This is over." Udina turned towards him.

"One ship going into the Terminus Systems won't start a war." Shepard narrowed his eyes. "I can be discreet."

"You detonated a nuclear device on Virmire." The Turian Councillor pointed at him. "I wouldn't call that discreet!"

"Your style served you well in the Traverse, Commander." The Asari Councillor spoke up, her voice soothing. "We recognise that. But Ilos requires a deft touch. We have the situation under control."

"Secrecy isn't his greatest weapon. The Conduit is!"

"Saren is a master manipulator. The Conduit is just a distraction from his real plan to attack the Citadel."

He turned to Udina. "If Saren find the Conduit, we're all screwed! We have to go to Ilos!"

"Ambassador Udina, I get the sense Commander Shepard isn't willing to let this go," said Turian Councillor.

"There are serious political implications here, Shepard. Humanity's made great gains thanks to you. But now you're becoming more trouble than you're worth." Udina glared at him.

"You bastard!" Ashley roared. "You're selling us out!"

"It's just politics, Commander. You've done your job, now let me do mine. We've locked out all the Normandy's primary systems. Until further notice, you're grounded."

Shepard clenched his fist. "Are you insane? After everything I've done, you still don't believe me?"

"I think it's time for you and your team to leave, Commander. This no longer concerns you. The Council can handle this. With my help, of course."

He brushed past Udina as he stormed out of the council chambers, Ashley and the rest of his team a pace behind him.

Shepard was back in the Normandy and true to Udina's word the ship was in lockdown they weren't going anywhere. He leaned against his locker wondering how this could have happened.

Ashley approached him and can see his depression. "How you holding up, skipper?"

"This isn't over yet," said Shepard firmly.

"You're an optimist Shepard. I guess we have to consider this humanity learning experience."

"We'll figure it out, we have to." He then looked up at her. "Can I count on you to be there?"

"I know I'm not the easiest person to get to know. So I'll do you a favour, just this once. I… I want you to be happy. Whatever you need, I'll help." She smiled. "There, you made me say it. Boom goes my feminine mystique."

"I've had hell of a time figuring you out, but I think I have." He looked at her awkwardly. "I… I want you to be happy too."

"You better."

She outstretched a hand and he gladly took it and she pulled him up. They looked at one another's eyes and found themselves being pulled towards one another and their lips were about to touch, but then Joker's voice was heard over the icomm.

"Sorry to interrupt, Commander… Got a message from Captain Anderson."

Ashley shook her head and the two of them separated. They looked at each other awkwardly.

"What did he want?" Shepard asked.

"Only said for you to meet him at that club in the wards. Flux."

"Sounds important, you'd better go."

Shepard was on his way to Flux and he was intercepted by Conrad again.

"I've got an idea, and I want to run it by you," he said looking nervously.

"I've got a lot going on right now, but I can spell a moment," said Shepard.

"Great!" he said excitedly. "This will just take a minute. With so many human colonies been attacked, I'm not sure one Spectre is enough. What if you sign me on as another Spectre?"

Shepard could see many flaws without plan. "Conrad, I don't think that's a good idea."

"But I'd make a great Spectre! I'd be right there with you, showing the Council what humanity is capable of! I want to be with you, fighting the good fight, like you did on Elysium during the Skyllian Blitz!"

Shepard decided to let him down gently and hope that he would take his words to heart. "I believe you, Conrad. But there's another fight the need you."

Conrad blinked. "What? I don't understand."

"You know what keeps me going out here? Knowing that people back home are keeping humanity strong."

"You—" Conrad stopped himself and look slightly disappointed. "You're right. I just got so caught up in all of it. I want to help. I'll go home. Thanks for setting me straight."

They then ran to a group of members of Terra Firmer, a political group that believed in are standing strong against alien influence. It appeared there in the midst of a protest of Armistice Day, the end of the First Contact War. Ashley took this as a great insight and nearly killed the man if Shepard and stopped.

Unfortunately Shepard believe that they had to coexist with other alien species and said that while they have the right to vote he didn't agree with it. He took it well, knowing that he at least respected the democratic process.

"I'm glad you came, Shepard. I heard what happened." Anderson nodded when Shepard, Garrus, and Ashley joined him at the table.

"They pulled me off the mission," said Shepard signalling the bartender for a round of drinks. "Just like when they forced you to give up the Normandy."

"I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to warn you, but there was no way to get a message to you before you docked." Anderson leaned forward. "I know you're pissed off right now, but you can't give up. They all think this is over, but we both know it's not. You have to go to Ilos. You have to stop Saren from using the Conduit."

"There's only one ship that can get me into the Terminus Systems undetected, and she's grounded."

"Several control locked out all the Normandy's systems. But if we override the ambassador's orders we can get them to bring the Normandy back on-line. You can be in the Terminus System before anyone even knows you're gone."

"If we still the Normandy, you're left holding the bag," Shepard pointed out.

"And if Saren finds the conduit, life as we know it is over. The Reapers will destroyers. Humans, asari, everybody! You're the only one who can stop him, Shepard. So I'll do whatever it takes to get you on the Normandy and off this station."

Shepard nodded. "I want to get this, Captain. I promise."

"I can unlock the Normandy from one of the consoles in the Citadel control centre. You'll have a few minutes before anyone realises what's happened."

"That's a restricted area patrolled by armed guards. How are you going to get in?" Garrus asked.

"Leave that to me. Just make sure you're in the Normandy when the systems came back on-line."

Shepard didn't like the idea of him going to highly protected area with armed guards. "You're going to get yourself killed. There has to be another way."

Anderson pondered for a moment. "Ambassador Udina issued the lockdown order. If I can hack into the computer in his office, maybe I can override it."

"He's not going to let you waltz into his office and uses computer," Ashley pointed out.

"Hopefully he won't be there. If he is, I'll just have to think of something."

"Udina won't let this slide, Captain. You'll be charged with treason, a capital offence."

"We don't have a lot of options," said Anderson. "I break into the ambassador's computer, or I take my chances with the patrol in Citadel control."

Shepard really didn't want to see him get killed not after what happened with Kaidan. "You'll have a better chance if you go after the ambassador's computer."

Anderson smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. The ambassador has made this personal. You ready get the hell this station, Commander?"

"Let's do it," said Shepard getting up.

"I'll take care of the lockdown," said Anderson rising. "You get down to the Normandy and tell joker to stand by."

Anderson waited for half an hour to give Shepard and his companions enough time to get to the Normandy and then made his way to Udina's office. He soon discover that the ambassador was indeed inside and some part of him was glad.

Udina looked up and frowned. "Anderson? What are you doing here? I didn't send for—"

Anderson and puncheon right across the face knocking him out cold. He then reached over to the ambassador's computer and began to override the lockdown to the Normandy.

On the Normandy Shepard was standing next to joker waiting for the signal. The light on the console turned green. Shepard glanced down at his pilot. "Let's go. Get us out of here, Joker. Now!"

He let out the breath he was holding as soon as they got through the first mass relay. "Well, we are now officially fugitives."

"Aw, damn it." Joker sighed. "No sign of pursuit? I was hoping the Council would send some ships after us. I was looking forward to putting the Normandy through its paces. Figured I'd get to see what this ship can really do."

"Saren's still out there. Maybe we'll play hide-and-seek with Sovereign."

Joker blinked. "You know, it doesn't seem like much fun when you say it, Commander."

Pressly grinned at him as he walked by, heading to the CIC. "I can't believe we stole the Normandy. I know we'll all be court-martialed if this doesn't work out. But part of me loves this."

"I can't believe we stole the Normandy." Garrus adjusted the sight on his rifle. After everything you told me… It seems a bit extreme, don't you think?"

"Stealing the Normandy is a trivial risk compared to the threat of Saren," Shepard pointed out.

Garrus nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. If you're wrong, we'll pay for it. But if you're right, and we did nothing, I think we'd regret it a whole lot more. I just hope we can catch Saren before they realize we're missing."

"We'll catch him," Shepard assured. "Just be ready when we do."

"Son, what the hell are you doing?" Hackett stared at him.

"I believe the term is mutiny, Admiral." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry."

"You better…" Hackett sighed. "I'll keep a channel open. But if you're wrong, I won't be able to help."

"If I'm wrong then…" Shepard nodded. "Then my crew was following my orders, both as their commanding officer and as a Council Spectre, sir. Liara, Wrex, Garrus, and Tali are technically civilians, sir."

"Understood." Hackett nodded. "I just hope you're right about this Commander above your sake and Captain Anderson."

"I hope so too, sir," said Shepard.

"Shepard?" Hackett folded his arms. "Win. That's an order. Hackett out."