AN:- Here's where the fun begins.
Chapter Five: Red Tape
The Citadel Medical Staff met them at the door to the airlock, transferring Ashley from her ship's care to theirs in an instant. They ran through the docking bay, checking readouts as Shepard jogged behind, trying not to look down at Ashley's ruined face.
"Barely got a pulse here!"
"Move 'em out."
"Where are you taking her?" Shepard called after them.
"Huerta Memorial, best care in the Citadel." They disappeared behind the security screening and Shepard slowed to a stop. Vega and Liara were with her, and slowed as well.
"We're not going with?" Vega asked.
Liara understood at least, shaking her head. "We need to see the Council."
"Right. Looks like they might be coming to see you."
She smiled as she recognised the man walking towards them from the security station.
"Commander Shepard. Got word you were arriving."
She had helped Captain Bailey out a few times in her time with Cerberus. It was good to see him still alive and well. "Captain Bailey." She held out her hand and they shook. "Good to see you again."
"You too. Though it's Commander now."
Something in his tone told her he felt about as good as her about his promotion. "Congratulations?"
"Thanks. Now half my job is dealing with political bullshit and escorting dignitaries around. No offence."
That dragged a smile out of her. She had never considered herself a dignitary, although political bullshit seemed to be all she ever found. "None taken. So you're here to bring us to the Council?"
"I'm here to tell you the Council is expecting you but they are dealing with their own… problems. With this war and everything. They apologise for the inconvenience and blah, blah, blah." She grinned again as he brought up his omni-tool. "Meet them here, at Udina's office. They'll be ready soon enough."
"All right."
"You might have time to go by the Medical Centre if you want to check on progress over there."
She didn't ask how he knew about Ashley, doubtless he had been on station when their emergency broadcast came through. "Thanks. I might do that."
"You go on ahead," Liara said. "I'll head up to Udina's office."
"One of my men can show you the way," Bailey said, turning to Vega. "You?"
"I'm just a tourist today. I'll try not to get into any trouble."
Bailey nodded, putting a hand to his head as a message came through on his headset. After a moment he made a sound halfway between a sigh and growl. "I'll be right there." He frowned back at Shepard. "The other half of my job. I'll see you around Shepard."
He didn't wait for her goodbye, disappearing behind the security screen. "No doubt."
The rush suddenly stopped and she was left standing in the middle of the concourse with no idea what exactly she was meant to be doing next. The adrenaline of the last few days left her all at once and she swayed a little.
Some of her crew were leaving the Normandy as well, and she spotted that one of them had been snatched away by a reporter. She sighed and headed off to deal with that before it went too far, and wasn't that surprised when the woman turned around before she had even reached her.
"What's going on here?" She asked.
"Commander! Just who I was looking for. Diana Allers. Alliance News Network. I think we can help each other."
Shepard leaned back and folded her arms. "I suppose you want an interview."
"Even better. I'm a military reporter with a show called Battlespace. We're carried on just about all Council planets." Shepard was surprised to hear that. She had never heard of Battlespace before. "My producers want me embedded on a human ship, and I want that ship to be the Normandy."
"Why would I want that?" Surely her history with reporters was well known at this point. Sure she had never actually hit anyone but…
"Wars can be won or lost in the editing room, and this war needs to be won. I've got Alliance Security Clearance and operate without a crew. You get veto power over the segments I file. Can you handle an arrangement like that, or do I keep looking?"
Shepard considered it, giving Allers a quick look up and down. She was in a dress that redefined 'form-fitting,' and had an easy confidence to her that was alluring. Shepard could see how she had managed to become a star reporter. "Tell your producers yes for now. We'll see how it works out. Report to the ship as soon as possible. Any questions?"
"How much gear can I bring?"
Already regretting her decision, she held up a finger. "One footlocker."
"Aye aye Commander."
Allers walked away and Shepard was left to make her way to the security checkpoint, where she stepped through the barrier and immediately felt the faint electric tickle as the scanners washed over her. On the other side of the booth she could see a bored looking turian security officer. "What, no super invasive and annoying security scan this time?" She said to him. "And here I was looking forward to a good old fashioned cavity search."
He looked up and frowned at her. "One could be arranged."
She gave him a wink. "Promises, promises…"
The scan ended and she was free to step through and head to the elevator, where she selected the Huerta Memorial Facility from the list of options. With the faintest of whirring noises the elevator sped away.
/|\
Some people said that they had always hated hospitals, but Shepard could chart very distinctly when her fear of them had first started. It was when she was sixteen years old, and had just watched most of her family and friends die in the attack on Mindoir. Waking up in the Alliance medical facility, the harsh and clinical smells of bleach that didn't ever fully conceal the blood. Whenever she smelled that antiseptic scent it brought her right back there again.
She wasn't prepared to go straight to Ashley's room, not entirely sure if she wanted her former squadmate to be awake or not. She wandered around the foyer, spotting a shopping kiosk and heading for it. It had a selection, including flowers, which would at least have been traditional, but then her eye was caught by the literature section, and scrolling through she spotted a collection of Alfred Tennyson works. Expensive, but worth it. She bought them at once and arranged to have them shipped to the Normandy. It would be easy enough to have them transferred to Ashley's room if… when she was better.
Just as she was finishing at the store a familiar voice came from behind her.
"Shepard, there you are."
She turned with a smile already spreading across her face. "Dr Chakwas, you're here."
"I'm working at an Alliance R&D lab down in Shalta Ward, coordinating closely with Admiral Hackett. I heard you escaped Earth in the Normandy, and that someone was critically injured, I came as fast as I could."
"We had a run in with a Cerberus synthetic on Mars, Ashley took the worst of it. How's she doing?"
"Very well, all things considered. I'm impressed with Lieutenant Commander Williams resilience, as well as Dr Michels'expertise." Shepard started a little at the familiar name. "I wish I could have been there to help on Mars."
Shepard waved that off. She wished many things like that. "It's been six months Doctor, how have you been?"
"Good. I've been fortunate. They might have impounded Normandy, but when I came back the Alliance didn't really know what to do with me. I was never officially part of Cerberus, and I'd gotten a proper leave of absence from my previous post."
Shepard had never known that. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought to ask. "So you hadn't technically done anything wrong by joining me to defeat the Collectors." Especially what with Alliance brass strongly hinting that her mission to destroy the Collectors had been under their orders.
"Yes. Though I suppose if you were judged to be a war criminal, I would have been tried as an accessory."
Cheery thought. "Your place is in Normandy's med bay, not some lab."
"I couldn't agree more, you say the word and I'm with you."
Her heart warmed, just a little, at the thought of getting some familiar faces back. "The Normandy wouldn't be the same without you Doc. Get your things, Docking Bay D24."
"Yes Commander, and thank you."
"Don't thank me so soon, remember, Joker's still aboard."
"And I'd be surprised if he's been remembering his medication." That with the long suffering sigh of many a military doctor.
Shepard watched her head out, then finally turned and headed for the ward where Ashley was being looked after.
Stepping through the door she froze when she saw Ashley in the bed. She looked tiny, out of her armour and stripped down to a hospital gown. All manner of tubes and monitors were connected up to her, and half a dozen machines were around the bed, beeping and humming as they monitored her vital signs.
She was a mess. Her exposed arms were a mess of bruises, her legs too. But the worst was still her face. Her left eye was swollen entirely shut, and her cheek, nose and jaw had clearly been broken in the attack. There was a long gash across her forehead and onto her temple that had barely scabbed over. Her right eye was surrounded by a mess of purple and yellow bruising.
Shepard forced herself to step into the room properly and walk to the bed, resting her hand gently next to Ashley's on the bed, afraid to even touch her, for fear that she might cause more damage to her already broken body.
"You got pretty banged up there Williams. Had me worried." She looked away, focusing on the machine right in front of her. As far as she could tell it was monitoring Ashley's breathing. If nothing else, she was breathing on her own. "I just wanted to check in on you, see how you're doing." She sighed and forced herself to look back. "Despite all this, it's good seeing you again Ash." She lifted her hand, the urge to pat her reassuringly almost overpowering. She settled for bumping the bed a few times. "Get some rest ok. I'll come by when you're feeling better. We'll talk." A doctor had walked in, to check the machines, and she didn't want to say anything more in front of him. "You need anything doc, let me know." She cast one last glance down to the still figure in the bed. "Ok Ash. You take care. See you soon."
/|\
The short ride to the Embassies gave her time to get her game face back on the stolid blank mask that the world knew as Commander Shepard, Spectre and hero. She hated the face, couldn't stand watching it on news broadcasts, but at least she was secure in the knowledge that it was only her in the loosest of terms.
She made her way directly for Udina's office, but on the way she heard raised voices coming from a nearby room, and noting that the sign read 'Captain Bailey' she diverted again.
Inside Bailey was arguing with a familiar woman.
"There is no anti-humanity conspiracy here Ms Al Jilani, the Council is simply not granting interviews at this time."
Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani, late of Westerlund news, stood in front of Bailey's desk, clearly in high dudgeon about something. "My viewers are going to know that C-Sec and the Council are denying them access."
"Listen lady, you think I like playing gatekeeper between the paparazzi and the politicians? I don't have time to babysit them and I'm not here to hold your hand."
"Well I'm camping out until I'm granted an audience."
"Fine. I hope you brought a sleeping bag."
Khalisah huffed and turned on her heel, marching for the door. She came up short when she saw Shepard. "Commander Shepard." Her eyes lit up. "Commander, humanity has questions."
"That's funny, I have questions as well." Shepard managed to avoid smirking as al-Jilani's eyebrows rose. "How's Shiase?"
And she had a perfect view of the utter shock on Khalisah's face as the door abruptly closed on her, giving her no small amount of pleasure.
"Damn press," Bailey echoed her unspoken sentiments.
"See you're keeping the peace," she drawled.
"Yeah. I feel like a glorified doorman."
She walked over to sit in front of his desk. "Most people would see it as a move up," she pointed out.
"Wedged in here with all the stuffed shirts? I'd rather be back down on the streets. I appreciate the higher pay grade but I'm not a political creature."
She was actually glad to hear it. She had had too much experience of politicians and political creatures. "If you didn't wanna be upped, why'd you accept?"
"You don't say no to Councillor Udina, well maybe you would," Shepard's mouth quirked up. "But I gotta live here. I know, I know, squeaky wheel gets the oil but I didn't lobby for a promotion like some other officers. I'm not even sure why he picked me. Never know with politicians. I hate political BS." That last part he said almost sotto voice.
"Don't lose your edge," Shepard advised. "You might need it."
He chuckled. "Wouldn't mind an excuse to get my fingers dirty." His expression sobered. "It's killing me about Earth."
"You and me both."
"I haven't been back in years, now I may never. If this ain't the end of days, it's pretty damn close."
There wasn't really much more she could say to that, so she settled on a slow nod and stood, heading back for the door. He didn't watch her leave, and when the door had closed again she headed right for Udina's office.
Inside she was greeted by a smiling asari, who quickly hustled her back out the way she had come. "Commander, Councillor Udina said you'd be coming. If you'll follow me, the Councillor's already in session."
And with that she was hurried all the way back to the elevators.
/|\
The Council Chambers had been rebuilt exactly as they were before, for which Shepard was not appreciative. It reminded her too much of everything that had happened the last time she had been there. She hadn't even considered that she hadn't been back since the fight against Sovereign, but as soon as she stepped off the elevator she froze for a moment in place, the memories assaulting her.
Fire, bodies, the wretched stink of death and destruction. She shook her head vigorously and followed after Udina's assistant, who hadn't noticed her moment's pause. They marched past the ornate gardens she remembered well, and then they were out onto the main Council meeting area. Liara was already there, obviously giving evidence, but of course the councillors were doing most of the talking.
"We've got our own problems Councillor," the Turian said to Udina. "Earth is not in this alone."
"But Earth was the first Council world hit. By our reports it faces the brunt of the attack." Udina was holding his own at least.
"By your reports." The Salarian sounded sceptical, of course.
She decided to intervene early, for once. "The reports are accurate, Earth was attacked, by the Reapers. And it's just the beginning. We need your help, everything you can spare."
"Each of us faces a similar situation." She had always thought of the asari councillor as being the reasonable one. "But even now the Reapers are pressing on our borders. If we lend you our strength to help Earth, our own worlds will fall."
"We must fight this enemy together," Udina snapped.
"And so we should just follow you to Earth?"
The turian councillor turned to her. "Even if we were to unite our fleets, do you really believe we could defeat the Reapers?"
"I don't expect you to follow me without a plan." She turned and nodded to Liara.
"Councillors… we have that plan." Liara brought up the file they had found. "A blueprint, created by the Protheans during their war with the Reapers."
"A blueprint for what?"
"We're still piecing it together. But it appears to be a weapon of some sort."
The salarian finally looked interested. "Capable of destroying the Reapers?"
"So it would seem."
"The scale is… it would be a colossal undertaking."
"No." She was thankfully she had done her research before talking to them. "I forwarded the plans to Admiral Hackett. The remnants of the human fleet are already gathering resources to begin construction."
"Our initial calculations suggest it is very feasible to build," Liara added.
"If we work together."
The asari was frowning. "Have you considered that the Reapers destroyed the Protheans. What good did this weapon do?"
Liara shifted uncomfortably, but held her ground. "It was incomplete." She highlighted a section of the plans. "Here, something referred to only as the Catalyst. But they ran out of time before they could finish building it."
"Do you really believe this can stop the Reapers?"
"Liara believes it can work and so do I. And while I haven't always agreed with Udina, he's right about this…" She took a breath and chose her words carefully. "We need to stand together, now more than ever. The Reapers won't stop at Earth, they'll destroy every organic being in the galaxy if we don't find a way to stop them."
For a moment she thought she had them, but then the asari councillor sighed and shook her head. "The cruel and unfortunate truth is that while the Reapers focus on Earth, we can prepare and regroup."
She couldn't believe she was hearing it. The callousness of it actually shocked her. After everything she had done, after how far they had all come, and now the asari councillor was willing to toss Earth aside in order to save her own species. And surely the turian and salarian councillor had to know that she would do the same to them. But then again, maybe they would do the same to the asari if it came to it.
"We are convening a summit amongst our species," the Salarian said. "If we can manage to secure our own borders, we may once again consider aiding you."
"I'm sorry Commander," the asari said. "That is the best we can do."
The Councillors turned to leave as one, leaving only Udina standing at his podium, looking suddenly defeated. "Shepard, meet me in my office," he said, and left as well.
Liara stepped up behind her and touched her shoulder lightly. "I hope that's an offer of support. I'll be digging up what I can on this Prothean device, Shepard."
Shepard nodded her thanks. "I shouldn't leave Udina too long."
"Of course. We'll meet up later."
AN:- Diana Allers is an interesting character to me. I'm intending to use her, and make use of her in a ense that connects to the rest of the war. Like her broadcasts might help Shepard or come back to haunt her in some ways. Couldn't resist a little dig at the fact that Battlespace has literally never been mentioned before ME3, despite apparently being this big famous thing.
It's one of my least favourite lazy writing things to have a character always have been scared of hospitals. I don't think I've ever seen a hospital mentioned in fiction without someone immediately tacking on 'The Hero had always been scared of hospitals.' Maybe the hero isn't afraid of hospitals. Maybe their fear started later in life and they weren't always afraid. Just a personal pet peeve.
I caught myself in a few small plot holes due to having written most of my ME1 and ME2 fics before ME3 came out. Stuff like I assumed Chakwas would be considered a member of the Cerberus crew and tried as such, but then ME3 is like 'Oh no, she was actually totally fine all along.'
The capitalisation of Spectre continues to annoy me. It's either an acronym or Initialism, yet it's treated as a proper noun in itself. I kind of flip back and forth between spectre, Spectre and SPECTRE throughout the series. No consistency ftw!
If you look at the Shadow Broker's files in LotSB then you can see video images of Khalisah al-Jilani. Mostly she's getting beaten up by various races, except for an asari, who she's making out with. Obviously given her very pro-human stance this is probably just supposed to be a funny aside or an example of her hypocrisy, but I choose to believe that she's actually really trying hard to be in a relationship. So I gave the asari a name, Shiase. It is quite mean of Shepard to t'out' her like that, but Khalisah has always been a bit of a thorn in her side.
See you at the next one.