A/N: A certain word in this chapter was attacked by a thesaurus. I'm referring to the synonym of a word 'exclaim'. :P
Also, if you're surprised about a certain familiar face missing from the Alliance smear job report... just remember, something needs to be saved for the inevitable sequel. ;)
Chapter 143 - The Real Truth Behind The Reaper War
Admiral Hackett at least has the decency not to arrive at some ungodly hour of the morning, the shuttle landing as the chrono shows barely past 10am with Liara and Shepard sitting in the kitchen and trying to pretend that they are enjoying chewing down the all too familiar ration bars. Shepard is drinking the foul smelling near-coffee, while Liara makes due with pure water, at least something they have an abundant supply of.
Hackett joins them in the kitchen for the time being, wisely deciding against Morgan's offer of coffee, remaining standing, pacing around a little nervously, while his two hosts finish their less than enjoyable meal. "Things are rapidly beginning to turn in a direction where I hoped that they would never end up going," he says eventually. "Admiral McIllis is reunited with his daughter, and now firmly on our side, but this has cut us off from any communications with Singh and the Third and First Fleets. That relationship has been deteriorating from day one, and now we have arrived at the point where we are no longer talking. I wonder how far we are from open hostilities. They must believe that yesterday's attack was a prelude of what is to come."
"Would you prefer that we had handled it differently?" Morgan asks.
"No, absolutely not, it was crucial to bring Admiral McIllis on our side," Hackett says. "And whoever was responsible for the attack did well to cover their tracks. They will try to pin the blame on the resistance, I'm sure, because that is what they always do when they have no proof. If they had the proof that you were somehow involved, Shepard... this could have gone wrong in a number of ways."
"Well, they say I'm pretty good at what I do, and so are the people I work with," Morgan shrugs.
"Yes, I meant to speak to you about that," Hackett continues. "I know that you have served with this Miranda Lawson aboard the Normandy while the ship was flying under Cerberus colors. She has done us many favors after cutting her ties with Cerberus, but how much do you really trust her? And can I trust her?"
"Well, I do trust her, actually," Shepard says, Liara nodding fervently in support. "I think that she is fighting for all the right reasons."
"You are aware that she is also working for Admiral Singh, correct?"
"I am aware that she maintains the illusion of working for Admiral Singh. She is playing so many sides in this conflict that I won't pretend of being able to keep track..."
"That's what worries me," Hackett admits. "Aside from our talk yesterday, when she informed me about Caitlyn McIllis, we have had a few more discussions with her. She appears... very reasonable, logical and practical, expresses great disdain for unnecessary time-wasting protocol, she is very shrewd and I gather, also ruthless."
"Yes, I would say Miranda is all that and more. Why?"
"Those qualities make her a highly dangerous woman to deal with, unless I can be fully certain that I can trust her. In my place, would you trust her, Shepard?"
"I think I would, yes. She brought me back from the dead without messing anything up too badly, even if she could have changed me in a number of ways," Morgan nods.
"I gave Shepard's body to her, because she claimed that she could bring Morgan back to life," Liara speaks quietly. "She did not let me down in that. Of course, I would trust her with almost anything."
"Understood. That helps to bring a great deal of perspective," Hackett speaks, looking a little relieved. "She does all the negotiating between the Alliance and the resistance, at least in the territories that we control. Which makes me believe that she is very close to the leadership of the resistance. We still don't know who are those people in charge, and that worries me a little bit. The Terra Firma associations are not comforting, considering the origins of Cerberus. I... know this is asking a lot, but... has she let it slip in a private conversations who these leaders of the resistance might be?"
"No, not once, and that's the truth," Morgan speaks solemnly. "I'm not sure where exactly she stands with the resistance. I only knew that she was playing the double agent role with Singh."
Hackett sighs. "Well, at least they do not make unreasonable demands. And the resistance intel about a secret supply storage facility in the Arizona desert proved very accurate. We have been able to increase the weekly food allotment by a large margin as a result, and the population has responded favorably, allowing us to gain a more stable foothold. I'm not sure I can believe that Singh and the others know locations of more such depots and would not disclose them, however."
Morgan sighs inwardly. "Because they have been so trustworthy about everything so far, right?"
"A fair point," Admiral Steven Hackett admits. "I wish I had more time to look into every lead and concern, but simply keeping control of the North American theater takes so much effort that I can barely follow what is happening elsewhere. At least the heavy presence of our alien allies here in the British Isles keeps Singh's people under control. He doesn't want to antagonize the Council on top of being at war with almost every other faction already."
"At least you have some parts of the planet secured and slowly rebuilding, right?" Morgan asks.
"Yes, while the Blood Pack controls most of the West Coast and the resistance still holds on to key cities like Chicago and Detroit, we are actually now working together on several projects, instead of battling each other. The mercenaries in particular are interested in swift mass relay repairs, having realized that there is not much trade to ply here on Earth, itching to get back to Terminus."
At this moment, as if on cue, Aria T'Loak chooses to appear, stumbling into the kitchen a little underdressed, wearing a tight black tank top and matching black panties, looking very disheveled from those two downed bottles of whiskey. "Gah... my head..." she groans, not noticing Hackett and the stunned expression on his face.
"Sit down, Aria, I'll pour you some of this tasty near-coffee," Morgan quickly pulls the asari down into the free chair at the table and passes her the foul tasting mug which Aria regards with understandable distrust. "I know it smells god-awful, but it'll cure your hangover."
As Aria finally dares to accept the cup and take a sip, wincing from the bitter taste, Liara speaks up. "Aria, dear, we have a guest, in case you didn't notice," she points at Hackett, staring at the Pirate Queen with clear suspicion.
"Madame T'Loak, what a surprise," he finally says.
"And who the fuck are y-..." Aria begins with her customary charm and grace, before cutting herself short, her foggy brain finally comprehending who stands in front of her. "Oh yes, you're that damned nosy admiral who had the audacity to insist that I'm having something to do with those idiot mercs shooting people on Earth."
"Are you still denying that, Aria?" Hackett asks, glaring a little.
"Of course I am, you old fool," Aria groans. "I couldn't give a shit what they do with this dump or the people living in this squalor. As soon as you fix those damnable relays, I'll be out of here and out of your hair. Also... stop shouting, my head... still hurts. Why didn't you warn me about this whiskey stuff, T'Soni?" she hisses angrily at Liara.
"Would you have believed me if I had warned you?" Liara asks.
"Of course not, I would have finished off that last bottle as well, just to impress you," Aria replies frankly. "Anyway... did I interrupt something important?"
"I think we had managed to cover the most sensitive topics before you announced your presence, Madame T'Loak," Hackett says, then turning back to Morgan. "Do I even want to hear what a known criminal like Aria T'Loak is doing in your home, Shepard?"
"We invited her to come visit us," Shepard shrugs. And if you have a problem with that, you can go tell it to someone who cares, she thinks, deciding against voicing those thoughts aloud. "You can trust Aria when she says that the conflicts on Earth hold no interest whatsoever to her."
"Yes, well, I'll keep that in mind, Shepard," Hackett says, a little uneasily, looking as if he wants to suddenly make a run for it, fearing that mere moments spent in Aria's company would irreversibly ruin his reputation. "There's just one thing I wanted to warn you about, Commander. We are working on setting up an alternative Alliance news channel in Washington, but for now, Singh intends to use the Geneva facilities for a massive PR campaign. Or, I should say, massive smear job. I believe that we both will be targeted."
"I heard about something being planned, yes," Morgan nods. "But there's little we can do to stop it. I don't think you made a mention of this as a subtle hint that I should head over to Geneva and shoot some paparazzi or something."
"Don't see anything wrong about that plan," Aria mutters, sipping her coffee and gently rubbing her temples. "Used to have some special contests at hunting down journalists who tried to sneak onto Omega to get some insider scoop on me, bastards, the lot of them."
"No, good grief, we don't need you doing anything like that, Commander," Hackett looks a little worried now. "I am simply mentioning it because if this PR campaign proves effective, you might find your safety here compromised. We have placed many of our agents here in the surrounding districts to watch out for any trouble that might be stirring, but... well, just be careful, Shepard, you and Liara both."
"Thank you, Admiral Hackett," Liara nods her head.
"Yeah, appreciate the warning, sir," Morgan agrees. Even if I already knew all about those plans. Damn, maybe we should leave while we can? Hate to be seen running, though, it would just make those accusers think that it proves them right...
"That's all I had to say, Commander. Ladies," he bows to Liara and Aria, turning back to Morgan. "Remain seated, Shepard, I'll show myself out. We'll talk again soon, I'm sure."
"See, it's like I told you already, Shepard. You should move to the Citadel, and afterwards when those scientists finally get around to fixing the damned relays, just make straight for Thessia," Aria nods sagely. "I hear that most of the particularly irritating matriarchs have perished in the fighting, thank the Reapers for that, so maybe it'll be a less stuck up and more pleasant place to hang out."
"It might just come to that, Aria," Shepard agrees with a heavy heart. "It might just come to that. I'd just hate to leave Earth in the state it is in now... political turmoil, with complete morons close to seizing control and ruining everything we have fought for."
"Well... I've heard those relay repairs will take at least four to five more months," Aria shrugs. "Plenty of time to get rid of all the idiots and sort things out, I say..."
In the dark of the night, the only sounds she can hear is the slightly labored breath of her bondmate, Liara twisting and turning in her sleep, the ever expanding belly making it harder for her to find a comfortable position, the baby also beginning to treat her to a rare kick or two. Morgan has spent the past few hours turning from one side to another, readjusting her pillow, feeling herself starting to sweat from anxiety, tossing the bedsheets aside, then immediately starting to freeze and pulling them back on again, eventually finding that her heart is beating at too elevated pace for her to even stand any chance of falling asleep.
All the fault of that stupid Alliance news report, she thinks. That 'Real Truth Behind The Reaper War' stupidity had been scheduled to be broadcasted several hours ago, and Liara had forbidden her to watch it, obviously fearing it would make her too upset, but not seeing it has somehow made it all worse. She simply cannot stop thinking about what might have been said about her, the actions she has taken during the war, and other things that could cast her in unfavorable light. And there's actually a lot to criticize, god knows, I have certainly found plenty of fault with my own decisions. Well... at least I don't hear a crowd armed with pitchforks gathering outside of our house, so maybe it wasn't so bad after all...
Trying to calm herself down with that thought, she tries to settle into the pillows again, willing herself to finally fall asleep, but fifteen minutes later she rises back up in a sitting position, throwing the sheets off, finding herself disgustingly sweaty and anxious again. Damn, I can't do it, I need to see it, and I need to see it now, she decides, quietly slipping out of the bed without waking Liara, gathering her clothes and bringing the heap along with her as she leaves the bedroom and descends downstairs to the living room.
She switches on the news channel and turns the volume down so as not to alert Liara, then quickly finishing to dress herself, beginning to freeze again. Before settling down on the sofa, she walks over to the drinks cabinet and takes out the last bottle of Lagavulin, lamenting how little is left, silently cursing Aria again. I'll certainly need this to get through that hour of propaganda, she thinks, pouring herself the drink. Having settled in, she quickly browses through the news archives, selecting the broadcast she is looking for.
After the presenter, some dark haired busty tramp called Diana, has dramatically announced the purpose behind this illuminating and otherwise stimulating show, the reporter proceeds to introduce the audience with the panel of experts gathered to analyze the events of the Reaper War. There are six humans, four of them hiding behind the self-important plaque of 'war analyst' meaning that they know shit of what they are talking about, Shepard certainly doesn't know them and has never heard about any of these 'experts'. Then there is some young woman, former secretary of the humanity's councilor Donnell Udina, obviously a very trusted source. And finally, there is one of Singh's pocket admirals, Alexei Mayorov. Shepard remembers him just vaguely as someone who had been dragged quickly through the ranks by being a personal yes-man of that old bastard Mikhailovich.
Having mysteriously mentioned some surprise guests who will for now remain unannounced, this Diana Allers proceeds with getting the show on the road. "The woman spearheading this war effort, Alliance Commander Morgan Shepard, obviously deserves the deepest respect and recognition for her heroic efforts. But even as we honor the brave Commander Shepard, we cannot stop but to look at our devastated, almost uninhabitable planet and ask ourselves... perhaps, this all could have been handled differently, without over 60% of the galactic population wiped out, the losses of the humanity by far the most severe?"
I guess she couldn't be bothered to remember the batarians. They're just like dust in the wind by now. And yeah, I'm sure it could have been handled differently. The first time that the ancient cycle has been broken... and you want to criticize those who were responsible for ending it? Yeah... makes sense, Morgan chuckles inwardly, taking a swig from her glass, then noticing that she has several unread notifications on her omni-tool. As Allers continues her intro, she quickly switches her omni on and checks the messages. There's a few dozen of them, all very similar. 'Don't watch that nonsense, really, don't bother,' from Garrus. 'Shepard, do yourself a favor and ignore that broadcast, trust me on this,' Tali is sending. There are many messages like these, from Samantha, Cortez, Kasumi and the others, and their support makes her feel warmer, even as she knows that she will keep watching the show now that she has come this far.
At Diana's invitation, the panel of experts now all one by one answer the question of whether they believe that this war could have been won more efficiently. The so called 'war analysts' all answer affirmatively, while at the same time maintaining a level of respect for Shepard's actions, appearing unwilling to be too critical, perhaps fearing that too much immediate slandering of the famous Shepard would put them in a bad light. Mayorov is the only one who allows himself a slightly more different way of expressing his obviously well prepared replies. "When Commander Shepard abandoned the battle for Earth, she did so with the intent of finding allies amongst the galactic races that would help humanity retake Earth. In that respect, I suppose, it would be hard to criticize Shepard and her achievements."
"But...? I have a feeling that there is something you are not telling us, Admiral," Allers asks.
"It seems to me that some of the decisions were taken too hastily, without considering long term consequences. Especially in light of conveniently discovering this Prothean super-weapon that was able to reduce the Reapers to nothing but memories... one would ask, given the knowledge of having such powerful means to eradicate the Reapers at our disposal, did we really need to give up so much to ensure alliances with untrustworthy allies like krogan, the Terminus mercenaries or the geth?"
"You believe that the victory could have been achieved without giving these factions large concessions?" the presenter asks.
"Of course. We simply needed to focus more on deploying this super-weapon sooner before the Reapers had moved the Citadel to the Sol System," Mayorov replies confidently.
"Considering your rank within the Alliance military, some might ask whether you were not privy to this information and could not have influenced the decisions that were made?"
"I'm afraid it was not so simple, Diana," Mayorov shakes his head. "Rear Admiral Steven Hackett kept most of this information well hidden even from his fellow admirals, citing indoctrination threat as a reason to share it with as few as possible. Shepard was one of the very few who had all the intel, along with Hackett. If I had known, I would have committed more Alliance resources into securing those final missing components of this super-weapon."
"Maybe then we wouldn't have those horrible mercenaries threatening people down on Earth, they would have stayed in Terminus Systems where they belong. Just on my way here I was caught up in a Blue Suns shakedown... it was horrible!" the vapid looking former secretary of Udina's whines tearfully.
"And the krogan and the geth have already been given embassies on the Citadel, with both species campaigning heavily for a spot on the Council," one of the war analysts wakes up, ejaculating passionately. "It threatens the very galactic security!" Yeah, they're even worse than the Reapers, boo-hoo, cry me a river.
"And at the same time, the Council refuses to accept our honorable nomination for the empty councilor's seat," one of the other analysts echoes. "It's shameful to see the prejudice against humanity still persisting after everything we have done, after we have suffered for them!"
"Do you believe that the Council has some hidden agenda against the humanity?" Allers jumps on this line of questioning, turning towards Mayorov.
"Well, Diana, I have only my suspicions for now, but it certainly appears that way, does it not?" the admiral asks in return. "The salarians kept most of their fleets back to protect Sur'Kesh, only contributing with perhaps a fourth of what they had available. Such cowardice and reluctance to cooperate should be punished by the Council, and yet, they have decided against taking any action! The turians... well, that doesn't need any explaining, does it? They have never stopped hating us after the Relay 314 incident. And as for the asari..."
"Commander Shepard is bonded with an asari maiden. I have heard they are expecting a child, even," the damnable blabbermouth of a secretary pipes up, still appearing tearful, fragile and vulnerable.
"While we do not wish to intrude upon the privacy of our respected war hero, in light of this revelation, I would like to extend my congratulations to Commander Shepard and her mate, and wish their child the best of health," Allers speaks, smiling all too sweetly for Morgan's liking. "And perhaps this is not an insignificant detail when explaining some of the Commander's decisions, along with the fact that she has spent most of her life amongst the stars, only visiting Earth a few times."
"Perhaps you are correct, Diana," Mayorov takes over again. "I simply wanted to remark that it was very curious how the last of the key Crucible intel pieces appeared after Commander Shepard had made a swift visit to the asari space, hours before Thessia was abandoned to the mercy of Reapers."
"Are you saying that the asari were knowingly keeping the Crucible intel on Thessia, without sharing it with the others, even when they knew how important it was for the galactic survival?" Allers asks, Morgan realizing that she is suddenly squeezing her whiskey glass with so much force that it nearly shatters.
"That is our belief, yes," the admiral nods. "We have addressed the asari councilor with this question several times, and she has always avoided a direct answer. If the asari did not disclose crucial intel that would have allowed us to win this war several months earlier, saving the lives of billions... then they owe us a debt they can never repay."
"If that is true, then they don't deserve a spot on the Council either!" another war analyst pipes up. "That whole institution is corrupt, covering for each other, sweeping their crimes under the rug!"
"Please, gentlemen... I am sure that after these accusations have been made public, the asari representatives will be only too happy to offer their explanations about these events," Diana Allers appears placating. "I find this assertion that Commander Shepard would cover for the asari transgressions deeply troubling."
"It makes sense if you consider what was said before. I do not wish to appear insulting, but she is an asari-lover, and I mean it literally. Would she lie to protect the people of her partner? I think that would be, as they say, a human reaction," Mayorov speaks.
"A human reaction, indeed," Allers nods patronizingly, turning back towards the audience. "There are several other interesting decisions taken, which we believe merit further investigation. One of these decisions concern this mythical weapon, the Crucible, of which sadly nothing remains for further study, after it had fired to destroy everything touched by the Reapers in the entire galaxy. Only a very limited circle of individuals truly knew about the capabilities of the device and took decisions concerning its deployment. Many in our audience likely believe that this weapon was built with the sole purpose to destroy the Reapers. However... an interview with one of the members of the science team working on the Crucible development, suggests that it is not so."
The camera turns, revealing a gangly salarian that Morgan is certain of having never met in her life. "Dr. Murkhai Aru of the Salarian STG, assigned to work with the Crucible development," Diana Allers introduces the scientist, Morgan wondering what sort of trick they are up to now. "Dr. Aru, as we understand, the weapon we refer to as the Crucible, possessed potential to achieve more than simply destroying the Reapers."
"Correct. Testing impossible, obviously, hypothesis sound, theory proven," the salarian replies, blinking rapidly into the camera, looking a little nervous and unused to the crowd of humans. "Crucible provides opportunity to seize control of Reaper vessels. Not destroy. Control. Use Reapers to rebuild swiftly. No suffering, not starved for resources. Elegant solution. Denied by superiors."
"Was any reason for denial given? Also, who would have retained the control over the Reaper vessels in such a scenario?" Allers asks.
"No reason for denial. Control likely maintained by Crucible operator."
"So, in this case it would have been Shepard," Diana Allers summarizes. "It would have given her and thus the humanity ultimate power in the galaxy, and also the greatest opportunity to restore order, repair relays and ensure and protect the peace, perhaps from the same geth and krogan that Commander Shepard unleashed upon the galaxy. Why did she refuse to consider this option?"
I should track you down, bitch, and stick you on the Dragon's Teeth and listen to you scream as you slide down the spike, impaling through your body, Morgan rages quietly, deep thrumming in her temples as she pours herself the last drops of the drink. "Unknown," the salarian scientist shrugs. "Held preference for third option, myself."
"Oh? And what was that, Dr. Aru?" Allers asks, looking curious.
"Projected merging of synthetic and organic life. Creation of a new framework. New DNA!" the salarian scientist's eyes bulge in a way that makes Morgan laugh and Diana Allers cringe, as the conversation takes a turn for the unwelcome and unexpected. "Excitement! Unpredictable consequences! Appealed to superiors! Plans rudely rejected..."
"Err... thank you, Dr. Aru," Allers quickly cuts the salarian off, but as far as Morgan is concerned, the damage has already been done. I have no idea who that guy was, but I should send him a gift or something, all he actually did in the end was to make mine and Hackett's decision appear as the only sane one. "And there you have it... more questions raised about the motivations behind the decisions taken... and with that we turn to the next guest," the cameras turn again to this time reveal a quarian male, the mask obviously hiding his identity, not that Morgan would recognize him if he had been unmasked.
"Our next guest has asked that we keep his identity secret," Diana Allers speaks to the quarian. "This quarian officer used to be one of the aides of the now late member of the quarian Admiralty Board, Han'Gerrel vas Neema. His insights into the events that occurred during the quarian-geth conflict beyond the Veil are troubling to say the least. Your people best of all understand the dangers posed by the geth... please, tell the audience, why do you think Commander Shepard decided in favor of peace with these dangerous synthetics?"
"All I know is that when Commander Shepard vas Normandy arrived to, according to her own words, 'aid the quarian people', she already had decided to make peace with the geth above everything. I do not know what were her motivations. As I understood, she had suffered deeply personal loss in her own earlier conflicts with the geth, so her sympathy for the synthetics was surprising and troubling," the quarian explains, Morgan failing to recognize the voice, deciding that it is once again some nobody seeking their fifteen minutes of fame or merely looking to vent a misplaced grudge.
"I think the answer to that is obvious!" one of the 'war analysts' jerks back to life. "Look at who's working with the geth right now, the asari, the turians and the salarians, the Council races! Shepard has delivered them new slaves and possibly a new army to use against those who would dare to stand against the policies of this corrupt Council!" Whoa, laying it on a bit too thick there, fella, Shepard shakes her head, watching Allers also wince a little bit, finding the exclamation slightly too farfetched to believe, but then quickly seeking to salvage the situation.
"Regardless of Shepard's intentions towards the geth, our quarian guest has more troubling information about Shepard's interactions with the quarian Admiralty Board," Allers rallies, turning back to the quarian.
"Contrary to popular belief, Admiral Gerrel did not die during the conflict with the geth. He was savagely beaten to death by Commander Shepard when he dared to disagree regarding the treatment of the synthetics," the quarian says, making Morgan wince as she lays her now empty glass on the table and gets up from the sofa, starting to feel the urge to find someone and beat them senseless. Preferably this Allers wench.
"A damning accusation," Diana assumes her most severe expression. "Do you have any proof for your words?"
"Yes, vid surveillance feeds from the Neema, after Admiral Gerrel had been brought back in critical condition, following a meeting on the Normandy... or should I say, a beating on the Normandy," the quarian replies, Morgan starting to pace restlessly, finding her patience finally beginning to wear very thin. Should have known there would be some geth hating Gerrel sympathizers left for them to latch on, really. I can probably get Raan and Tali to issue statements to clarify this, but... damn, the damage is being done.
"If this is indeed true, then we must admit that Commander Shepard has hardly acted the part of the humanity's greatest hero," Allers shakes her head sadly, before turning back to the quarian. "Tell me, do you believe that if peace with the geth would have appeared impossible to reach, would Commander Shepard have considered sacrificing your people, just to make sure that the geth remained at her disposal?" Diana Allers asks, Shepard instinctively reaching to tap a button on her omni-tool, quickly switching the screen off, feeling as if she has seen enough.
Well, that went pretty much as I imagined it would go, Morgan thinks, standing at the window in the dark, looking outside where the snow is falling again with thick, heavy flakes, enveloping everything in a heavy shroud. It's getting so hard to remember that there are many decent, humble and hard working people on Earth that are worth saving. If they all were like this... I really should not have hurried back to Earth to save them. We could have just rammed some asteroid into the Charon Relay and wiped out the entire system of idiots trapped here together with the Reapers... because so far, way too many of them are proving unworthy of all the sacrifices we've made...