Citadel
Cameron Shepard stood in his space suit on one of the main panels which made the Citadel what it was, the arms of the wards, and into the central meeting place for millions of people throughout the Galaxy. Unless Abigail has her way, the Spectre smirked to himself.
Even though he admired Abby's plan he did not know whether or not he approved of it. The Council had existed for thousands of years, far longer than humanity had been out here exploring the stars themselves. They couldn't have been blamed for the Reapers and how they steam rolled over the Galaxy, not entirely, a voice countered in his head. He frowned. On the other hand they did not have the best track record…but Abigail Shepard, his sister in everything but biology just did the equivalent of throwing a thermal nuclear bomb into the Galactic geo political establishment. It might've worked out, or it could start yet another war.
Still not something I am going to worry about right now Cameron thought gazing forward into deep space, the Normandy was hovering over the Ward, every once in a while it fired a maneuvering engine keeping its position stationary relative to the Citadel's spin.
"Uh don't mean to rush you Cameron but we can't sit out here all the time, eventually we are going to have to go somewhere to get supplies or, you know, relax." Joker's voice came over his com net.
He smirked, "why so touchy Joker? The Normandy has enough food and air to last for months, not to mention there is this rather large space station a couple hundred kilometers from you."
"Guess I'm just itchy is all." Joker replied.
Cameron's smirk widened behind his face mask into a rather smug grin, "Is Abby there?" He asked.
He heard shuffling around and what sounded like a couple of clicks on the other end of the network, he arched a curious eyebrow at the noise.
"I'm here Cameron." Finally her voice graveled over the open coms.
Cameron smiled and nodded, "Any final words for me?"
"What? Haven't we already said our long goodbyes and our final words?" She said teasingly.
"I suppose," Cameron admitted, "just it's not every day that you get to meet your sister from another universe, and find out she is an utter bad ass."
Chuckling met his pronouncement, "I suppose. But if this little experiment of ours is successful then you can visit any time, just blow a hole out of the Citadel, step on through, come and enjoy a nice Christmas dinner…don't worry James is cooking."
Cameron barked laughed and it rolled on for a few moments. Finally his humor echoed into silence, leaving an empty black void in its wake.
"Cameron?" Abigail asked.
"Yeah?"
"Take care out there….say hi to Miranda for me."
He snorted but this time kept himself from laughing, "I'll do that, and Abby?"
"Uh huh?"
"Good luck…enjoy the rest of your life." He said.
"Yeah, shall we?"
Cameron nodded and smiled once more behind his face mask, "Commence operation."
For an answer the weapons points on the Normandy began glowing, the Thanix canon deployed, jutting out awkwardly from the Normandy's hull, or at least it would if Cameron could see it, but he knew what the process was and what it did to the ship. The Normandy adjusted its position again getting a precise lock, the canon tip now glowing a vibrant blue, distorting the bow and blinding him. It could not be long.
And it wasn't as a line of white blue flame exploded one second out of the Normandy and just as quickly slammed into the Citadel.
Instead of an explosion the same arc of blue electric light washed over towards him, growing from a small distorted wave to a blinding tsunami in under a second he felt himself tense up the very instant it hit him.
In a blink of an eye he was traveling through space, and in another flash he flew out of the portal and rolled along a carpeted floor, slamming into the wall causing odd nick knacks to fall on his head.
He tried pushing it off of him and gaining an awareness of his surroundings, the items still went flying along the floor, as he nearly got his feet back under him, when he heard a beep and was met with the cool metal of a Shuriken pressed against his helmet's face pad. His eyes swiveled up towards the holder of the weapon, and it was the angry and shocked black haired visage of the love of his life, Miranda Lawson.
"Miri." He yipped happily.
Her eyes widened and her hands dropped to her sides, "Cameron?" She asked with wonder.
"It's me," he said beginning to get up, right palm on the ground trying to help lift him up, left outwards towards Miranda herself, letting her know he meant no harm and wasn't going to try anything, trying to keep the machine pistol held in her right hand from coming up to spite him.
Instead, it fell to the ground with a dull thud; Cameron winced but had little time to react as the woman flattened him against the wall her arms flying around him.
"Cameron!" She yipped happily. "I was beginning to worry."
"Oof," he said teasingly, "Beginning to? How long was I gone?"
"Only a couple of days." She replied evenly.
"Wow," He sighed.
"Yeah? You seem surprised?" She said letting go and holding him literally at arm's length.
He started searching for the proper words to express him, but none seem proper, he moved from her and sighed.
"And just where did you go anyways?" She asked.
"Far Away," He replied, "I went…far away."
She frowned.
"But I'm home now." He said.
"Good," She smiled coming over to him.
They went over to the couch and Cameron enjoyed the rest of the night, stroking her and enjoying the feel off her taut flesh under his hands and ministrations. He was back, and now everything was OK with the universe. His Universe.
Normandy-Observation Deck
Abigail Shepard was in a dark mood. Not only was she in a dark mood but the victory she had just a few short days ago turned to ash. Of course the Council is going along with my idea, they just think that it is better or me to be responsible for it. After all it was my idea in the first place that ruined their evil plans of Galactic Domination.
She heard the door behind her whir open and felt the large presence stalk in behind her, her shoulders tensed and her stomach clenched into a ball.
"Didn't expect to find you here, usually when you want to think you do so in your office." James's voice pointed out greeting, instantly causing the stress to dissolve from her body.
"No, I just felt like…looking out at the stars," She started, then lowered her voice to a mumble, "probably the last opportunity for a while."
"Sorry?" Vega asked.
Abby sighed and shoved the pad over at him, slowly turning to face him when he took it. The Special Forces Commando read through it, stopped at about three quarters of the way through, started over, and this time finished it.
"Are they serious?" James asked after a second mulling it over.
"Given the wording of the note," Abby said ironically, "I imagine they are."
"But you have other responsibilities, to Admiral Jameson, and the Alliance…they can't just hold you responsible now that their power base has been dissolved." James gestured grandly.
"I'm afraid given Prime Minister Hudson's approval, which he did, they can." Abigail remarked darkly.
"Yeah?" James asked. "I saw that, but why would he…agree to this?"
Abby sighed, and worked on the wording, trying not to sound too mean to her friend, "because he may not be the most loved and appreciated politician ever, but he understands politics. And he understands what I just did. The Council has been at the fore front of Galactic Politics for untold generations. The Galaxy, at least those united under Council Control, feels confident and safe, sure they might be a bunch of self-appointed egotists but they are the only game in town. And now that I have thrown the monkey wrench into it and questioned their authority so successfully they need answers, they need something else to find comfort in, why they reestablished the Council so quickly after the Reaper invasion. So they need a transition, someone to assure them that everything will be alright and help form the future."
"But why you?"
She smirked, "because ultimately it was my idea, and they think I have some idea of what to do next, some plan to back up my initial proposal. And secondly," she held up a finger, "I am an icon, and people respect me, so when it comes time to make the tough decisions among humanity, I am the one who is ultimately called."
"But it shouldn't be your responsibility."
Abigail instead of replying raised the pad right up into his face, "check out the names, I am not ultimately responsible."
"Yeah ok," James said after a second, "the human delegation is composed of six people, and the Asari, Salarians, and Turians are sending almost the same number. Generals, politicians, ambassadors…" he paused and whistled, "and the current human councilor."
"Exactly," Abby nodded and smiled sweetly, "So I really will not be alone, I'm just a figure head James. They know I won't like this assignment so it's their way of getting back at me for my arrogance, but to the outside Galaxy it will look like they are having the best and brightest…but when I get there the elder statesmen, military leaders, and politicians will have their debates, I will be asked for my opinion and I will give it, but I'm just window dressing."
"I should hope so Lola," He chuckled, "damn that's cold."
"Better than the alternative," She smiled wryly, coming up to him to where their chests were brushing lightly against one another, "besides I thought you were getting used to all these political maneuverings." She reached up and gently stroked the side of his neck and across the neck line of his uniform.
He hissed and shifted, "Well, yeah, but there are still a few things that I need to get used to."
She nodded and smirked, but frowned as a thought occurred to her. "I'm afraid this will probably mess up our dreams of the perfect planetary home, at least for the time being. I will be living on the Citadel full time until this conference can come to an end and they can put the new order in place."
James's shoulders crumped and he looked down, uttering a single "damn."
"I'm sorry." She said.
He nodded, "Well I can go to Earth, go house shopping, not like this non sense can continue forever, see what is there for us. And then I am sure they will either give you maternity leave, or it will be over by the time your due."
"Sounds good," The Valkyrie smiled rocking with him, "and besides a bunch of politicians aren't going to know what hit them. I'll make sure they stay on point and get this over with."
He laughed, "You do that Lola."
She relaxed and collapsed against him laying her head on his chest, his arms went around her as they both turned to see the distant stars and whirls of nebula gasses representing the heart of the Citadel, where the relay led, protecting and anchoring the Galactic Community.
"I wonder what's out there." Abby murmured.
"Hmm?" He asked.
"The future, how many new worlds are out there? What potential threats? What wonders? We defeated the Reapers, a menace which built the Mass Relays and the Citadel and have plagued the Galaxy for untold cycles. Then we defeated the Leviathans, the creatures that created the Reapers, surviving the first cycle for over a billion years. We stopped them, the Geth, the Quarians…all of us, this is our destiny now to choose our own path, make our own decisions, not letting councils or machines or ancient beings control our destiny, but us."
Abigail felt him rub her shoulders appreciatively, "it certainly feels a lot emptier out there doesn't it? Like there is more room for us, now that we aren't being judged and watched."
"Yeah," Abby admitted, "I know. There is a lot more Galaxy for us. We'll make our mistakes but they will be our mistakes, and hopefully we will find a way."
"To the future." James toasted by nudging her to his head.
"The future." Abigail agreed nuzzling him back, kissing him tenderly, then looking once more out to the stars and the nebulae.
As the Normandy drifted out by the Citadel, the Citadel hanging in the middle of a nebula, the nebula the heart of Council Space, and Council Space the center of a Galaxy, a Galaxy now at peace.
AN: So here comes to an end one more of my stories. Probably my lat one like this for Mass Effect, but who knows right?
Whereas Shards theme was 'power through friendship' Galaxy Fall attempted to explore what I think is the real theme of the ME universe even up to the ending. The idea of Control versus Liberty and Freedom. Asking the question: what is better for you to live your life at the control of others, or for you to make your own decisions…no matter the conseuqences?
Because the Mass Effect universe represents a battle between several powerful forces, Cerberus, the Reapers, the Leviathans, and the Council, all of them wanting to control and achieve their sense of importance, To force their ideology and their opinions on the entire Galaxy. What people could and could not do, be and not be. This, to me, was the question presented in some way through ME since you had a very individual character in Shepard, trying to make their way through these corridors of power.
Galaxy Fall attempted to answer these questions.