The Normandy

Allers: You must have made an impression on the Commander there and then?

Ashley: Yeah I did. At the time I didn't know if she knew my family heritage though and she definitely learnt more about me that day than I did her. It was a bit frustrating. In the first few minutes of knowing her I had already told her something that even my own squad didn't know about me.

Allers: You mean your sexual orientation, did Crossly get full military honours like the Commander said she would?

Ashley: She did. I was able to present them to her family the first time we made port at the citadel.

Allers: Now Commander, tell the viewers about your first time on the Normandy.

Ashley: The Normandy was and still is a fine ship. Not a single ship in the fleet could top it. The first time was a bit nerve racking. I'd never been on an alliance military ship before, well not as a part of the alliance anyway. I still remember when the airlock closed on us that first time.

As the door shuts for that first time there was no time for the sight seeing. We had to rush straight to the med bay with the Commander. We had to take the elevator up one level, by the goddess was that elevator slow. It would have been quicker to drill a hole through the ship. As reached the crew deck the Lieutenant led the way towards the med bay a quick left out of the elevator and straight through the door in front.

"Doc, we've got a situation."

"Lieutenant, place her on the bed and wait outside."

We turned to leave and were met outside by who could only be the man in charge. With a crisp salute we were stood at ease.

"Lieutenant mission report."

"It was the Geth Captain. They were after the beacon. There was another Turian as well sir, he shot Nihlus point blank. A dock worker said his name was Saren"

"Saren are you sure?"

"Positive Captain."

"Dismissed Lieutenant. A word Chief. You were on the ground before hand, give me your status report."

"Sir, my unit the 212 engaged the enemy at the dig site but we were over run by Geth. It was a slaughter sir, I was the only one left. It's only thanks to the Commander and the Lieutenant that I'm still here."

"I know your service record Chief. Who your Grandfather is."

Shit. Another high ranking Alliance brass with a stick up his ass about my heritage. This was only going to go one way. Another speech about how I shouldn't be on his ship that I was only good for nothing important. How I should have gone down with my unit. I'd heard it all before and no doubt will do again.

"So I'm going to be honest with you Gunnery Chief. Every fibre in my bone is telling me to leave you on this rock, but I'm not going to. You have vital information which we need to deliver to the council and I have yet to receive a report from the Commander. Your fate Gunnery Chief lies in her hands. Dismissed."

What the hell was that? The Captain admitted that he wanted me of his boat. But he wasn't going to act on it. He was going to wait till the Commander was awake. This was just all too much. I had to think things over, but first I had to get out of my armour and hand in my weapon to the armourer, which meant going back down that elevator. After another agonisingly slow elevator ride I found my self back in the cargo hold face to face with Lieutenant Alenko.

"What the hell is that man's problem?"

"Who are you talking about Chief?"

"The Captain, he's just another typical alliance brass. He doesn't know who I am, but because of who my grandfather was he just automatically assumes that I'm a bad person."

"Your grandfather? That bad?"

"Yeah, my grandfather was the only General to surrender to the Turians during the First Contact War."

"Ah right. Well that doesn't mean your going to become your grandfather. The Captain will see that eventually."

"Cheers Lieutenant that's what I needed to hear."

"It's Kaiden Chief."

"Ash, never liked Ashley."

"Well Ash, welcome to the Normandy. You'll be needing the armoury follow me. I presume you'll want to see Crossly at some point."

"Yeah if that's okay. I never really said goodbye."

"That's fine Chief, we don't really have anywhere to hold her. But she's currently in the med bay. You'll have to ask Dr Chakwas to see her once she's finished seeing to the Commander."

"Thanks Kaiden."

Kaiden showed me the way to the armoury from the elevator and left me with the armoury officer. After he had inspected all of my equipment and armour and asked whether I needed any upgrades done to my weapons I was allowed to leave. I had nowhere to be at that moment in time so I decided to make my way back to the med bay. So one elevator ride later I was stood outside the doors to the med bay. A light above telling me not to disturb so I took a seat in the mess whilst I waited. Contemplating the position I had found myself in, I realised my entire career rested in the hands of someone I had only met several hours ago. But this was another officer in the Alliance Navy. No officer had ever done anything for me the past. Any promotion attempts were bypassed and given to people less deserving of it, did it make me a band person to want to further my career. No I don't think it did, but what I thought didn't matter to the brass. It seemed like I wasn't going to go anywhere. I held no hope that this Commander would be on my side once they knew who I was. Even the Lieutenant held some indifference to me, but he had been helpful and considerate so there was still hope for him yet, not yet corrupted by the higher ranked officers. Whilst I had been mellowing in myself defecation the light above the med bay had changed, it was safe to enter.

"Doc, how is she?"

"She's fine, she'll be out cold for a couple more minutes."

"That's good. Is Crossly up here?"

"Private Emily Crossly is in the back."

"Is it alright if I say my last goodbyes."

"Of course, follow me. She's through here. Once you've seen her I'll need to give you a once over."

With a nod of my head I agreed. At this moment I just needed to see Crossly

"I'll be outside when you're ready."

It was just me and Crossly now. I'd lost friends before and I'd even lost lovers but never this way. We had everything planned it was going to be long until we left the Alliance and settled down. But that dream was over. It was at that moment that the flood gates opened. I wept like I'd never done before. How I managed to stay standing I have no idea but I did, it was hard to look at her she was just the empty shell of the woman she used to be. But it was still her regardless of how many times I told myself it wasn't. As much as I wanted to stay with Crossly I had to leave, there was no use just sitting there. Time for my physical.

"Doc I'm ready for my physical."

"Good, just sit on the bed. Now your name."

"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams formerly of the 212."

"Formerly of?"

"Yeah, they were wiped out not that long ago."

"I'm truly sorry Chief, we don't have anyone you can talk to on a professional basis on board, but if you ever need anything your more than welcome to come here.

"Thanks Doc."

She had such a calming manor about her, it was easy to understand why she was a Doctor. If she had to amputate a leg she could probably make it sound like a sore cough. Easing the patient. It didn't take long for her to complete my physical, which she was very happy with. She was going through the results, but I honestly wasn't listening. I was too busy looking around the med bay, I had so many questions about everything but the only person who could tell me what I needed to know was currently out cold on the bed next to me. Looking down at her I could see why she was XO, even out of the uniform she looked every bit like a warrior and she was coming round.

"Doc I think she's coming around."

"Commander, how are you feeling."

"Like the morning after shore leave, what happened?"

"The beacon sir it had some kind of hold on you. When it was finished it threw you away. We brought you back to the Normandy."

"No local hospital?"

"Under the circumstances Commander, I'm glad they didn't."

"As am I."

"Anderson I didn't see you there."

"I need to talk the Commander in private, dismissed."

Twice in several hours the Captain had dismissed me, at least this time he had a decent reason to. It still felt like he was looking down on me because of my heritage, but that could have just been me making stuff up.

"Ash."

"Kaiden, what you doing?"

"Waiting to see the Commander. How is she?"

"Groggy to say the least and ungrateful."

"How so?"

"She asked why we didn't take her to a local hospital. She's already made up her mind about me, she must have known all along."

"Not really, that's just the way the Commander is. Practical to the core. Don't count her out yet; she won't take who your grandfather is when it comes to your merit."

"Okay thanks Kaiden. I won't."

I left him at that point to go stand in a corner and gather my thoughts. Everything I'd seen about the Commander down on Eden Prime suggested that she was a good leader, she thought thinks through and did the best she could with what she had. But the few minutes we'd shared on the ship was completely different. She was a different person. Ungrateful for what we had done, but it was more than that, what she had said was directed at me personally. She knew.

"Chief."

Ah shit. Standing right before me was the Commander. At least I wasn't talking to myself.

"Commander."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Commander just figuring things out."

"What happened down there wasn't your fault Chief. You're not to blame for what happened to your unit. Blame the Geth or blame Saren, but don't blame yourself. Hell blame me if it'll help for not being there sooner."

"I don't blame you for what happened down there, it wasn't you that attacked my unit. You helped."

"That's good Williams. Now to the bridge, Joker is bringing us into the Citadel."

We made our way to the bridge, luckily this time it was a flight of stairs that took us there instead of that damn elevator. I'd only been on the ship for two hours and I was already starting to hate that lift. As we walked the Commander introduced me to two people who were having a conversation via the comm system. Navigator Pressly and Engineer Adams two of the best officers in the Alliance according to the Commander. As we moved on I was like a kid in a sweet shop gawking at all the goodies on show. I'd never been on the bridge of an Alliance ship before and it was all interesting. But there was no time to learn anything new now.

"Just bringing us into the Citadel now Commander."

"Wow, look at the size of that thing."

"The Destiny Ascension the crown ship of the citadel."

"Size isn't everything." Joker muttered.

"Touchy Joker."

"I'm just saying you need guns, speed and a damn good pilot."

Over the radio we heard the alliance controller telling us to dock at docking bay 24 and to head straight to the Presidium, apparently Udina was waiting for us. The Commander decided that it would be for the best if me and the Lieutenant came with her and fully armoured. It didn't take us long to get suited up and as we reached the airlock Captain Anderson was waiting for us. Apparently he was coming as well. Great.

Once again any comments or views are much appreciated. Thanks for reading.