Chapter 5

"We finally got some of our ships back up and running," Admiral Hackett announced the next day, dusting his hands against his torn uniform. "Preliminary reports confirm it; the Sol relay has been destroyed. It is safe to assume the same can be said of the other relays."

"How is this possible?" said a Salarian, shaking his head. "I thought it was impossible to destroy mass relays?"

"Nah, Shepard did it once, remember?" Pvt. Cantor piped up, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"Yes, and destroyed an entire system in the process," grumbled Councilor Sparatus, the council representative for the Turians. "We are still here, the system is still here, so what is different?"

"It is very likely that the mass relays dissipated the energy that was fired by the Crucible," a young Asari replied, her white and blue armor stained with blood and coated in mud. "Shepard crashed an asteroid into a relay before, causing the energy to explode with destructive force. If in fact this time it merely transmitted the energy from the Crucible, that is why the systems have been left untouched."

"What Dr. T'Soni says seems accurate," Admiral Hackett replied, leaning his hands against a table. "All we know for certain is that most technology has been rendered inoperable without repair, and nobody here is leaving the Sol system for the foreseeable future."

"We can't stay here!" cried Sparatus, rising to his feet. "In case you have forgotten Admiral, we can't eat human food. Neither can the Quarians. Being trapped in this system may as well be a death sentence."

"Calm yourself, Councilor," Primarch Victus said softly from a nearby corner, changing the bandages on his wounds. "We have a generous supply of food between the Flotilla ships and our cruisers."

"We also have stockpiles of dextro-amino foods here on Earth, for tourists, dignitaries, what have you," Cantor said, glancing between the Councilor and the Primarch. "I mean, I'm sure some of it has been destroyed or gone bad, but we can make locating reserves a priority."

"I appreciate your enthusiasm," the Turian Councilor said honestly, shaking his head slowly. "But these are only short-term solutions, at best. In the long run, if we cannot return to our world, our people will die."

"I understand, Councilor. I promise that we will figure it all out. But not today. Today, we will focus on remembering our fallen and getting this area livable for the present. Try and get some rest, we are all going to need it." Admiral Hackett finished with a nod, excusing himself from the tent.

"The first order of business should be to reinstate the council," the Salarian councilor said, arms folded. "Structure and order are more important now than ever before."

"You can't possibly be serious," Pvt. Cantor replied, his expression growing stern. "Millions are dead, and all you are thinking about is your precious little claim to power?"

"I don't know who you are, human, but I am willing to overlook your indiscretion this time," the Salarian councilor replied coldly, "but I am not concerned with my 'precious little claim to power', as you put it. The people of the galaxy need a symbol of stability now that the Reapers have fallen. What better symbol of familiarity and stability than the council?"

"Familiarity and stability?" Cantor fumed, his fists clenched. "Where was that 'stability' three years ago when Shepard came before you about the Reapers? How many lives could have been spared if you had listened and prepared instead of dismissing her claims?"

"Can't blame us for that," the Salarian replied defensively. "No one would have taken such claims seriously."

"How dare you justify—after everything that has happened you dare try to justify this?!"

"Private, that's enough!" an Alliance Captain roared, backing Cantor toward the exit. "You need to cool off, son!"

Cantor sighed, looking past the Captain at the Councilor. Finally, he saluted, excusing himself from the tent.

"The earth-clan has a point," the Volus ambassador stated, his fingers knotted. "Perhaps a new council should be considered."

"Oh, no one is going to listen to you!" Councilor Sparatus snarled, his mandibles twitching. "You just want to Volus to finally have a seat on the council! What's next, a seat for the Krogan?"

"You better watch yourself," Wrex said softly, which was more frightening than if he had shouted. "You are walking a dangerous line, Councilor."

"Stop it!" Liara T'Soni cried, stepping between them. "I know that old prejudices aren't going to die in a day, but to let this come down to old disputes is a disservice to Shepard's memory and I won't stand for it."

This seemed to calm the tension considerably, a fact which made Tadius very happy. "You speak the truth, Dr. T'Soni," Councilor Sparatus said, backing down. "I was out of line. She sacrificed too much for us to learn nothing from it. I believe the Admiral's suggestion was a good one. We should adjourn until things are more settled and tempers are cooled, and make plans for the future then."