Preparations

Pre-Reaper Invasion: 14.3 billion; Earth: 11.4 billion.
Post-Reaper Invasion: 6.9 billion; Earth: 6 billion.
Colonies Are Reporting Lists of Missing and Dead.
See An Alliance Representative For Access To Databases.

This was the sign that greeted Shepard and Kaidan as they entered the Vancouver Alliance HQ, the only functioning Alliance base currently operational.

It had taken a year for most areas to calculate their death toll from the Reaper invasion - some places, like Beckenstein, had been so glassed by the Reapers that estimating survivors wasn't necessary. Initial estimates of survival on Earth had been low but still considered optimistic - no more than two to four million must have survived - as search parties of Alliance personnel began to investigate undercities, sewers, subway lines, forests, mountains, and other natural areas where people had been known to retreat to, and shuttles and ships flew around the planet broadcasting that the Alliance had been victorious.

Then, they began to run the survivors through the SSV Montreal for medical exams.

The Alliance was quickly reminded that, if humankind had one thing that was the envy of many other species in the galaxy, it was creativity. If humans were to have one motto, it would be the old statement that necessity is the mother of invention; and as humans were often wont to do they seized onto that during the Reaper War and internalized it to a point where a surviving six year old be handed a ceramic barrel and a fractured rubber band and create a weapon capable of taking down a charging husk.

Only one and a half billion had died the first day, mostly in the cities when they were trapped in collapsing skyscrapers. In a normal war that number would have been far too high, but in a world where squidlike omnicidal AI death machines were raining from the sky that number seemed blessedly low. That number had only increased by five million within seven days.

Because humanity, for all its flaws, had decided that the Reapers had no business killing them on their homeworld when they were perfectly good at killing themselves there, thank you very much.

And although they were thrown back into an age more reminiscent of a century earlier, they had survived. And coupled with the baby boom that had occurred primarily due to the "glad to be alive sex" a number of humans had immediately engaged in, some probably before the Reapers had even hit the ground, humanity could be described as recovering surprisingly well.

It was this reason - the release of the database of missing and dead civilians - that Alliance HQ was packed, several lines queued with hundreds of people, each waiting for the next Alliance representative to tell them if a loved one or friend in the Alliance or on a colony world had survived. Kaidan and Shepard weaved their way through the crowd, Kaidan staying close to make sure Shepard wouldn't be jostled if someone hurried by. It was easy, as she hung nearly on top of him, mouth drawn into a grim line as one hand held onto her arm and the other clutched her cane. A few people recognized them, staring as they passed. Shepard initially tried to draw back from him, but realized that she wasn't quite stable enough to make it through a crowd just yet. Kaidan shook his head.

"They all know," he said. "May as well act like it."

Shepard grinned. "There's always professionalism, Major Alenko."

"We're Spectres," Kaidan replied. "And I'm always professional."

"You aren't Blasto."

Kaidan grinned. "No. I've, uh, only got one lover in one port."

Shepard shook her head and leaned on her cane, but he caught the smallest flush lighting up her cheek as they finally made it through the crowd. Hackett's office wasn't too far inside the personnel-only area of the base, and Kaidan tapped on the door. "Come in, Majors."

To their surprise, EDI was casually settled in one of the two chairs, wearing her previously "usual" attire of Alliance BDUs that she'd borrowed from Shepard (by "borrowed," Shepard had gotten tired of EDI's typically nonexistent fashion choices and thrust them at her sometime before Rannoch, telling her that if she was going to serve on an Alliance vessel she better damn well look like a crewmember). Shepard sank down into the other chair with a sigh, extending her leg. "Hey, EDI."

"Shepard. I take it you have recovered from yesterday?"

"I suppose you know, then?" Kaidan asked, looking up at the Admiral.

"Know? Your mother invited me, Shepard." Hackett set aside his datapad. "I thought it may produce a conflict of interests, however, considering that people are demanding to see the two human Spectres' wedding as some sort of morale-boosting event." He shook his head. "I can see why they would, but we have far more important things to worry about."

"We are beginning the final stages of preparing to relocate the Citadel back to the Widow Nebula," EDI interjected.

"Sounds good," Shepard replied. "Why did you need us?"

"The Normandy will be needed for the operation."

"Admiral . . ." Kaidan started, glancing at EDI. "A frigate isn't going to be able to even help pull that station."

"The Normandy is only going to be used for guiding purposes. We are relying on Lieutenant Moreau's piloting and EDI's calculations to ensure we make it there safely." He checked his datapad. "Major Alenko, you will be in charge of the Normandy. Major Shepard -"

"Admiral-" Shepard started, leaning forward.

"You're being reassigned to the Normandy as support staff, effective immediately and until being cleared by a doctor. Doctor Chakwas has been briefed on your therapy routine and -" He pointed at her. "If I hear one report that places you either groundside or slacking on that routine, you will be back in the medical center here. Do you understand me?"

Shepard nodded meekly. "Yes, sir."

"Good." He made a note.

"Preliminary projections show us beginning the move around nine-hundred hours this Friday," EDI explained. "We will begin placing the ships and tow lines tomorrow."

"I will want you on the Normandy ensuring everything goes as planned. The Council and I will be overseeing everything from the Orizaba the day of."

"So you're pulling us back on duty effective immediately," Kaidan asked.

"Exactly. I trust there isn't a problem?" Hackett eyed them. Shepard and Kaidan both shook their heads, though Shepard was sure that neither she nor Kaidan were quite happy with the arrangement. "Good. I will arrange to have the Normandy restocked, and I will expect you out in the morning. Your crew is already being recalled. Any questions?"

"No sir," Kaidan replied.

"No," Shepard murmured.

"Dismissed." He went back to his datapad, and the trio stood.

"It will be good to have you back aboard the ship, Shepard," EDI said. "It has been strange without you."

"I bet it has." Shepard glanced back at Kaidan. "Well, at least I'm not trapped here, huh?"

He nodded. "It's been too quiet without you. That's for sure."

#

A good number of the crew was new. Shepard had ended up sleeping in, rather than getting up in time to put her foot down with the new crew, which left the job to Kaidan. Apparently the Normandy was the most sought-after posting in the fleet, and soldiers had ended up requesting to be placed there. Original crew had top priority, of course, but a number of soldiers had decided to opt for a likely quiet posting after the chaos of the Reaper War. Especially those that had been accidentally kidnapped when EDI had overridden the locks and allowed Joker to take control of the ship.

Chakwas and Adams were, to no great surprise, returning, as were Cortez, Daniels and Donnelly, and Traynor gave Kaidan a small smile when he greeted her. The two marines who had guarded the war room we also present, with the other marines that had been assigned to the ground complement. Neither Joker nor EDI had bothered to leave the cockpit for inspection, which seemed to make a number of the newer crewmen confused. At the end of the line was an older, balding man who seemed very out of place in an Alliance uniform, and Kaidan stopped in front of him.

"Rupert Gardner," he said, fumbling through a salute. Kaidan frowned - the name sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. "I was one o'Shepard's wh- before."

"Right." Kaidan nodded. That was where he'd heard the name, then. "Mess officer."

"And janitor," he replied, voice carrying an edge of amusement. "Know this ship like the back o' my hand,"

"Welcome aboard then, everyone," Kaidan said, nodding to Gardner as he stepped back. "We'll be organizing the Citadel move for the next several days, then setting out to look for damage and any remaining hostiles. Until we've checked routes between Palavan, Tuchanka, Thessia, Sur'Kesh, and Rannoch, we'll be at battle stations. There's no indication what we may run into out there, and as one of two Alliance vessels with a functioning stealth drive, we need to investigate the travel routes to ensure safety for the other vessels." There was a general nod. "Major Shepard is also aboard. She isn't cleared for active duty, and as such is mostly managing intel. Cleared or not, if she gives you an order, you damn well follow it. I don't want anyone complaining because they didn't jump when she said to, and she slammed their ass into the ceiling." There was another general nod and a few "yes sir"s. "Go continue to familiarize yourself with your stations. We'll be pulling out of the dock in thirty minutes."

The crew hurried off, Chakwas introducing Gardner to Adams as the trio headed to the crew deck. Kaidan made his way to the cockpit in time to hear Joker giving his newest copilot a stern lecture on how to run the ship without stepping on his toes.

"-and that interface is the stealth panel, and it's best you let me handle that. She's finicky and you-"

"Jeff, I am not finicky," EDI replied from the other seat.

"Oh, yes you are. You know what, just shut up and watch for this first week. You break a screw on this girl and you've cost the Alliance a million credits, you got that?"

The poor new copilot nodded wordlessly. Kaidan cleared his throat. "How about you go get some coffee?" He suggested. The copilot took the invitation with a quick but thankful-sounding "yes sir" and scurried off. "Joker, you're an ass."

"Like you didn't already know. I just don't like people flying my baby, you know? Shepard slept through inspection?"

"She's tired."

"I bet she is," Joker replied with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Shut up. She's only been out of the hospital two days. And both have been busy."

"I'm sure they have."

Kaidan glared at the back of Joker's head and turned, heading back towards the elevator. Joker chuckled and rubbed under his hat.

Shepard was still curled up in bed when Kaidan entered the cabin, chest rising and falling just as slowly as it'd been when he left. She'd already usurped his blankets, cocooning herself in them. Kaidan leaned on the case by the desk for a moment, just watching. She looked more peaceful than he may ever have seen her, and as he took a couple steps forward he preemptively regretted needing to wake her.

Not for the first time he imagined her curled around a sleeping toddler, maybe with her hair and his eyes.

Kaidan shook himself, settled on the edge of the bed, and trailed his hand down what appeared to be a arm beneath the mass of blankets. "Hey," he said quietly, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "You missed inspection, major."

She stirred, then nestled back into her blankets and pillow. "Mm. Did I?"

"Yes you did, sleepyhead." God, he loved watching her wake up slowly. Too often she was awake first, up and dressed before he even knew the alarm had gone off.

"Maybe I was just hoping I'd get my blanket back if I stayed up here long enough," she murmured, extracting her arm from the blankets to trail her fingers down his chest. He caught them before they could inch dangerously close to his crotch, pressing a kiss to her fingertips.

"Maybe," he replied, not falling for it. "We've got twenty minutes before takeoff. And I believe Chakwas wants to see you."

"We can do that in the air," she murmured, finally sitting up. It was only to rest her hands on Kaidan's shoulders, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. "Twenty minutes is plenty of time."

"Shepard, I need to manage the ship."

"Ten minutes then," she said, sticking her lip out slightly. Butterflies churned in Kaidan's stomach again. "Come on, Kaidan, we should be on our honeymoon. Just ten minutes for your new wife?"

"I hate it when you pout like that," he murmured. Shepard grinned.

"Did I hear a yes there, major?"

Kaidan cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. "You did," he replied.

#

Chakwas gave Shepard a pointed look when she finally wandered into the medbay after watching the ship burn through the atmosphere and slide into the dark blackness of space with the Citadel looming, closed once again, in orbit.

"You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago," she chided.

"I got . . . distracted."

"Of course you did. Have a seat." Chakwas motioned to one of the cots, and Shepard managed to pull herself up on it. "I just need to perform a cursory examination of my own, considering the identity of your emergency care doctor."

"You don't like him?"

"I merely have doubts about his medical competency, especially when it concerns my favorite N7." Chakwas set a tray of implements on the cot next to Shepard's leg. "Hold still. This should only take a moment."

Shepard sat still, completely used to Chakwas' mother-hen routines, answering her questions yes-no as applicable.

"And I assume you're sexually active again?"

"Y- what? Do-"

"I need to keep it in my personal file," Chakwas replied. "Otherwise, there are some things I would greatly prefer not to know." She flashed a light into Shepard's eye, making her jump. "Still taking the suppressants?"

"Yes. We both are." Shepard blinked as the light moved to her other eye. "And yes, I'm still taking the shit the shrink prescribed."

"Good." Chakwas folded the light and tucked it in a pocket, then opened her omni-tool and made a few notes. "Dreams any better?"

"Not since last week. You should have the doc's file."

"I was asking yo-"

::Shepard, there is a call waiting for you in the war room.::

"Of course there is." Shepard shook her head. "We done?"

"Go on," Chakwas said, though it sounded slightly exasperated.

Shepard carefully jumped off the table, steadying herself with her cane, and limped towards the elevator. She waved to Gardner, already set up at his old station - thank God, she'd missed him - and got into the elevator.

They'd replaced the war room scanner, notoriously slow, with a card-scanner. Shepard waved her omni-tool in front of it, and it opened. The war room itself was empty except for one or two intelligence analysts, who both nodded to her as she limped by. "Who is it, EDI?"

::It appears to be the Council, Shepard. A joint call with Alliance High Command.::

She had a feeling she knew what this was about. It was solidified when she spotted Kaidan tapping his foot and staring at the comm. The Council already hovered over one pad, and Hackett was over the other. "Well?" she said.

::We need to discuss your ... unorthodox situation, Spectres.:: Tevos began. Shepard frowned. ::We have never, in our long history, had this type of relationship develop between two of our operatives. This is unknown territory for us.::

::Normally, we decided we would admonish you and order you to have no further contact. Emotional connections are a weakness,:: Velarn continued. Shepard glanced at Hackett, who was standing silently with his arms crossed.

::However, it appears that your relationship has become the . . . what was that . . . the Romiette and Julio story of the current day?:: Shepard and Kaidan glanced at each other, and Shepard replied with a snort.

"I hope not. They both died."

::Either way,:: Sparatus continued. ::Many individuals in the galaxy have come to see your relationship as a high point of the war, and we are inclined to agree. You are both symbols, and that is not surprising.::

::That is why we will agree to look the other way, provided one concession on your part,:: Tevos continued. Shepard nodded, unconsciously stepping closer to Kaidan. They knew what this was about - why they'd needed the lead-time, she wasn't sure. ::We are in agreement that publicly acknowledging your relationship in a traditional marriage ceremony would be a boost to morale and be an excellent way to mark the transport of the Citadel. We've already taken the liberties of setting some things up.::

Shepard glanced at Hackett, who shrugged unhelpfully. She sighed. "We could always just retire, you know," she said, more to Kaidan than the holograms ahead of them. He shook his head.

"You? Retire?"

::This isn't particularly a request, Shepard. The Alliance has also agreed to look the other way if this event takes place. It is in everyone's best interests,:: Hackett said pointedly, though he still sounded particularly irritated about it. Granted, he usually sounded particularly irritated.

"Shepard," Kaidan warned. She hadn't been realizing that she'd been tensing until he'd said something, and slowly relaxed. Even though she'd known this was coming, it hadn't made her any more ready for it. Or willing. She flashed a quick, tense smile at him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just don't see how it's any of your business. I'm sure you understand."

::It is our 'business' when two of our operatives become emotionally compromised,:: Velarn barked. ::I was against this entirely.::

"Well, good for you," Shepard replied.

::This is the only way we can foresee this compromise,:: Tevos explained. ::It is either this, or we separate your posting.::

"I'm not even an acting Spectre at the moment. It doesn't matter."

::Then we will remove you and place you on Earth or the Citadel. It is that simple, Shepard.::

Shepard glared at both of the sets of recordings and turned on her heel, leaving the small alcove about as fast as her cane and her feet could carry her. Kaidan sighed, and looked after her.

"I'll talk to her, Councilors, Admiral," he said diplomatically, turning on his heel and following before they could speak. He didn't even need to jog to catch up with her, even though she was moving surprisingly quickly. "Shepard-"

"I just need a moment," she snapped. "It's hard going from the queen of the board to a fucking pawn."

"You need to stop hanging around Traynor."

"It's true. A year and a half ago I was the person everyone listened to, including those flapjawed jackasses. Now I'm just another person they can push around."

"You're right though. We could always just retire."

"No. They're right, Kaidan, neither of us are ready. Hell, I may never be able to go groundside again, but I can't not hope for it. That's all I've known and I don't . . . I don't want to give up on that yet."

Kaidan sighed and nodded. "I know," he said. "I know, and I'm not happy either. But we don't have much of a choice." She turned to face him, and he held up his hands. "Sweetheart. You know that I would. I would give up my career if you asked me. But neither of us want that."

She sighed and turned again, steadily limping for the elevator. "It isn't fair," she murmured. "I saved the galaxy, I stopped the Reapers. I figure it's time the universe hands me a few of the things it's been owing me. And it's not doing that, is it?"

As the elevators closed behind him, Kaidan sighed. "I know. Look, I'm not -"

"I know," she replied quietly. "I'm just frustrated. I just want everyone to stop thinking they have control over my life. I want to do something for myself for a change."

"Well," Kaidan said. Shepard looked over when he didn't say anything else. "Just because they say they have some things planned doesn't mean they have everything planned. I'm sure I can enlist someone for help, if you wanted to do your own thing."

Shepard paused for a moment, then let a small grin cross her face. "You know, I think I have seen a dress I don't mind."

Kaidan grinned. "There's no reason for us to do everything the way they want, is there?"

"I don't think so." She grinned again. "Sounds like I have to put a call in to Kasumi, doesn't it?"

Bree: Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it!