"Come on we have a date to keep." Kaidan informed the Asari who managed to blush slightly as they headed down to the CIC.
"So this promotional vid is from Shepard correct? Do you know if there will be any ...recent video." Plava asked carefully. Again Kadian felt like a jerk totally forgetting that Omega had been the woman's home for who knows how long, maybe she wouldn't want to see what had become of it after the initial slaughter and occupation that she had never spoken of.
"Probably. If you don't feel up to it you can always take a miss. I will understand."
"That is unnecessary. I was on Omega during the plague and the initial attacks I doubt there will be anything I have not seen. Besides I could not miss our "date"" She gave a sly smile as they entered the room filled with most of the crew of the Normandy. EDI and Joker were sitting off to the side and the two joined them.
Diana was practically buzzing. Kaidan had not seen the reporter since Shepard had gotten in touch with them a few nights ago. Since communications had been so spotty he assumed the reporter must have been tearing her hair out trying to piece this thing together. Some sort of inside look at Cerebrus.
The past two weeks there has been reports of a schism within the ranks of Cerberus. What was once a haven for disenfranched Alliance soliders has become a much more radical and deadly group since its attacks on the Citadel. Many have begun to defect in droves from the once popular human first group in the wake of the Reapers attacks.
The screen cuts to a laboratory and Kaidan's blood runs cold. It was the archives on Mars. He realized. Shepard must have given Diana access to her helmet vid and even knowing what was coming he felt chilled. His own glove removing the downed soldier's helmet to reveal the husk-like markings. The Asari in the room look shocked. Apparently the methods Cerberus had gone to was not well known. Thankfully the argument that followed was not part of the vid but Kaidan can still remember the look of hurt and anger that had flashed in Shepard's face when he compared her to that thing.
He had been so angry at the time, so confused. God he had been an ass. He had seen her almost crumble when Anderson had ordered her off Earth. He had seen her push down her rage at Vega barely in the armory and he had thanked her by giving her shit. As they said hindsight was 20/20 and that was eactly where his point of view had been at the time.
"You are doing it again." Plava whispers. Her eyes still glued to the screen. Nothing in the vid had mentioned Shepard directly but the Asari much have noticed a change in Kaidan. No word from her for several days and it was enough to make Kaidan more than a little anxious.
"You of all people should know what I'm about Kaidan. Please trust me." That is what she had asked. All she had asked at the time and it had been the end of it until he had woken in a hospital on the Citadel and Dr. Mitchell bringing him up to speed.
He snaps out of his memory when he noticed Plava stiffen out of the corner of his eye. The footage on the screen is new to him but judging by her reaction he guesses it is Omega. That place was really even worse than he had imagined. How much of it was a result of the occupation and unrest against Cerebrus and how much of it was Aria's own doing he had no way of knowing.
Plava touches his arm lightly and he follows her gaze to the back of the room where he sees a doe-eyed Shar staring transfixed at the screen. Even at this distance he could tell the young Asari was shocked by what she had seen. Shaking her head in disbelief and turning to go Kaidan whispers to Plava.
"Should I have someone go after her?"
"No. She will go back to a hidden hole somewhere and determine how much of the vid is authentic. Then she will mourn her lost cause. And maybe in time she will come to see in a small way I was right." Her voice soft and sad.
The vid played on more images of Cerberus attacking civilians human and alien alike on the station. But now there were others defending groups of people against their brethren. One particularly violent individual lashes out with a biotic attack sending several troopers over an edge with a high pitched laugh. Another phantom grabs the first by the shoulder and shakes her head no. Something about this exchange grabs Kaidan's attention and he noticed Plava mouthing a name to him. She must have seen something or someone in vid that she knew.
"Aria." Was the name she was silently saying to him. Kaidan's eyes were back on the rebel Cerberus when he saw the smaller one pull out a sniper rifle and take a clean kill shot into the crowd below. That confirmed his suspicions. He knew how the Phantom moved, how it took the lead, giving silent commands ordering the others to minimalize causalities while still using strike and go guerrilla tactics.
Shepard you crazy bitch.
Allers voice cuts in again over the vid telling about defectors from the group making their way back to earth and calling themselves phoenix. Images of Earth flash on the screen and Kaidan see the Asari in the room look shocked. As recent and painful as the fall of Thessia was, Earth was much worse. Kaidan noticed Vega clenching his fists over the images and wondered if the Lt was thinking back to his argument with Shepard too.
The images of Omega return and now the so called "Rebel group" was standing over what Kaidan could only assume was the reactor core of Omega. The camera panned back and the viewer can see Asari and Salarian strapping on fallen Cerebrus armor. The small group overlooking the reactor pull off their helmets one by one and sure enough the one shown throwing men around like rag dolls was the Pirate Queen herself.
"We got them on the run. Let's beat these bastards back into the black hole they crawled out of." The last phantom clipped her rifle on, looking into the abyss. With cinematic slowness she pulls her helmet off and flips her hair (something Kaidan was sure was added in for effect) Shepard looks back at the camera, violet eyes blazing before swinging over onto the ladder and the others follow.
The screen fades and for a few moments there is a stunned silence. Many of the Asari present had never been to Omega, surely had no connection to the pit but knew the necessity of taking Cereburs out of the war. Some might even have heard about the organizations impact on their home world's downfall. He hated to do it but Kaidan had to admit Aller's had done the Alliance and moral a major favor by releasing this.
As if all reaching the same conclusion all at once the room began to come alive. The Normandy crew and Asari all speaking at once. Shar had apparently voted not to return. A female voice clearing her throat drew his attention to the woman of the hour who had made her way to the various soldiers to gage their reactions. Thankfully the stupid hover cam was not at her side as she took down notes with various people.
"You know Major when this war is all wrapped up the Commander might have a future in movies."
"Oh sure but you tell her that. Selling war bonds and shaking hands. Maybe we can all take up tap dancing too." Kaidan agreed good-naturedly and gets an equally confused look from both Allers and Plava.
"Well in any case we have tons of intel coming in from all over now. I thought you would want to know and not listen to me gush over Shepard's good timing and flair for the dramatic which I'm sure you know all about."
" How old is the last video Miss Allers?" Plava cuts in.
"The last scene Shepard sent to me two days ago. We have almost everything else wrapped up."
Kaidan and Plava exchanged looks and the Asari excused herself to go talk to some of the others, pausing to talk to Falare and Samara before getting lost in the clusters of Commandos.
"…..Major…? Major Alenko? " Diana must have asked him a question as he zoned out watching the Commandos and crew slowly exit into the mountain tunnels. He looks at her surprised because he honestly had no idea what she had asked him or how long she had been waiting for an answer. That buzzer really must have had more of an impact on him than he had thought.
"I'm sorry Allers what was that?"
"I said Admiral Hackett will have the promo replaying for the next several days and we will gage the responses. Also Shepard asked me to give some of the edited footage from Earth to you." She hands him a vid card before bidding him goodnight and returning to the other groups.
"Great Shepard what are you up to now?" He mumbled to himself before pocketing the small drive. No sooner than he had done so than Garrus and Tali were besides him. The turrian looked at his friend and gestured for Tali to start. She was nervous, the telltale wringing of her hands making Kaidan smile.
"Come on Tal. Whatever it is say it we can't risk you putting a hole in your suit."
"Kaidan it's just that you know Garrus lived in Omega after the SR-1 and he met up with Shepard there. So while we were watching he knew some of the places shown and I ran some schematics that we got from Shar and we still have some Quarrians out there that never came home after their pilgrimage.
"Tali its okay just take a breath." Garrus put a protective arm around her waist. The Quarrian took a deep breath and continued.
"It's just that we got reports of the reactor overloading two days ago. The whole asteroid went dark and all we managed to get out was the infighting before we lost communications again."
Kaidan nods, understanding his friends concern. It was not like communications would come back all at once and the lack of current information had been wearing on him for days. Each one had become an ambassador of their races in the war and they could not help but worry both for the mission as well as for Shepard.
"I heard from Shepard a few nights ago." He tells the two in a low voice. " Allers said the vids were two days old. If I hear anything else tonight I'll let you know as soon as I get it alright?"
"Thanks Kaidan. I know this has to be hard on you too." Tali gives his arm an affectionate rub before the two leave.
Back in the loft Kaidan's eyes go to the soft glow of the fish tank. Settling down at the desk he puts in the drive Allers had handed him and begins rummanaging through the images. Most of it was hard to believe. Vids from helmet cams or the few geostationary satellites Earth had managed to keep aloft. Images of soldiers and milita all fighting back for their planet.
The images had begun to blur together when the familiar thrum of a biotic detonation caught his attention. He knew there were units specialized in biotic attacks and several groups of Cerebrus renegads as the promo Allers had just shown were indicative of that. But a few kids too young to be hardened soldiers caught his eye and he froze.
His students. The ones who he had not yet been able to tack down were fighting in Chicago. Allers didn't even know but Alenko was a Specter and now had acess to Alliance records and knew where to look. He had never mentioned it to the reporter and he knew Shepard wouldn't have either, her distaste for the brunette well known but she had traded a favor for a favor and now Kaidan knew that his students were still alive, still fighting.
And deep down he knew Shepard was too.
A/N Annddd I'm back. Time to get this story rolling again! As always all feedback is loved-Raven