"Major Alenko incoming vid from Admiral Anderson. The Commander has requested your presence."
"Urh? Oh alright EDI thanks." Gazing bleary eyed at the terminal across the room he saw Normandy clock read 0400.
Well she DID warn you.
Despite all the ups and downs of the day Kaidan had fallen asleep in the Observation Deck going over mission reports sometime around midnight. Since being promoted in the Alliance and being made a Specter it seemed the vast majority of his work entailed getting "caught up to speed" on others peoples works.
Standing up and feeling every joint crack in protest.
I am getting too old for this.
Then he remembered who was on Vid Com. Anderson had at least twenty years on Kaidan all of it active duty and given the reports coming in from Earth Kaidan felt like a real jerk even complaining about having to do the paperwork aspect of the job. Anderson was spending every moment of every day fighting and here was the second human Specter griping about falling asleep in an uncomfortable position.
Straitening his blues as much as he was able, he heads to the elevator. The lights had been dimmed and was running at skeleton crew. The galaxy map and security were empty; the two marines that had been hoodwinked into joining the crew Campbell and Westermore had even retired from their position.
Shepard is waiting for him in the war room just outside the vid room. Cracking her neck side to side, rolling her shoulders. Kaidan thinks of earlier when he had seen her pop pills before heading back downstairs …to whatever she occupies herself with in the shuttle bay. He made a mental note to try to bring up that argument later as well.
Don't think about that now! He chides himself.
"Thanks for calling me." He says by way of greeting. She nods turning on her heels into the dark room.
"Don't know how long we can hold connection. Was afraid you would miss it." She walks to the monitor and activates it. The image is choppy at best. After a few seconds of loop and EDI working to clear it up the sound syncs. His former Captain, now the leader of the Earth resistance in blue rendition stands in front of them.
"David, are you safe?"
"As well as can be said for anyone. Shepard, Major" The image nods its head by way of greeting.
"We are on the move. Communication is spotty at best. We are relocating off the North American continent. Probably the second best decision I have ever made." He gives a wry smile.
"I have sent out the reports that we have Commander. The smaller cities seem to be our best holdouts. We have local contact with Atlanta, Chicago, Manitoba. There are reports of a large movement in Tijuana. We are using old technologies those seem to be working under the Reaper's radar for now. But if those go down we will need another alternative and fast."
"Understood. Let me know if I should start brushing up on my Morse Code."
The image wavers as Anderson chuckles, shaking his head.
"EDI has the info I passed on. I have downloaded your reports to boost moral here. Every little bit helps Shepard. I gotta get back to it. Anderson out."
The image fades as Shepard salutes. Doubtful that he would have seen it the Marine in her does it reflexively. Shepard is already getting fresh datapads for the new intel.
"Second best decision?" Stifling a yawn Kaidan is amazed at how efficient Shepard appears to be.
Stims can do wonders in the short term.
Shepard rolls her eyes slightly, shaking her head, her eyes never leaving the orange pad in her hand.
"Shepard." Pushing gently
"I assume he is referring to recruiting me."
"Wait what? Anderson was your recruiter? Why did you never mention this?"
It all made sense. The anger she showed when Udina had first removed Anderson from the Normandy. Anderson helping them steal the Normandy back before the trip to Illos. His unflagging belief that she was a soldier first not a Cerberus puppet when even Kaidan had not been sure.
"Ancient history. It never seemed to matter, Do you remember your recruiters name at Brain Camp?"
"That's different and you know it. I was just a kid."
"So was I, that's why it didn't matter." She gives that noncommittal shrug again her eyes scanning the read out before making an "AHA" noise with a triumphant grin. She hands it over to Kaidan with a mischievous grin.
A list of relocated civilians alphabetical and locations. Anderson had said that Vancouver was being abandoned since it had been hit in the first waves. Smaller camps had been set up outside cities along the former Canadian border and further south. About to ask what was so important about these reports she had had Anderson send but then he SAW it. Alphabetical listing of names. Survivors.
Alenko. V.A relocation-Winnipeg
"My mom."
His voice croaked sounding funny in his ears. His arms felt too long holding the datapad as shock set in, an almost out of body feeling. He hadn't been able to get word from earth. She had gotten it.