Shepard calls the crew together in relation to the situation regarding Tali. Thanks to his talk with Anderson, he is more determined than ever to end the Reaper threat. His crew, past and present, react and deal with the news.
A/N: I am only vaguely familiar with naval crew standards. To my understanding, ships can have multiple watches that only last for a few hours, but for simplicity, I'm just doing a simple night and day watch.
Part 1: One of Their Own
Chapter 6: A Crew Assembled (Not One More)
It was now approximately 16:00 hours GST aboard the Normandy, roughly the equivalent of 18:00 by Earth standards. Usually, at this time, the Normandy's crew deck was littered with two waves of people, it's first watch coming down to grab some dinner after a long and grueling shift, and it's second watch, who after catching a few winks are looking to grab a quick bite before starting theirs.
From there, they would often disperse across the deck. Those who were just getting off duty would take their food either back to their bunks or sleeping pods, or settle in at one of the Normandy's lounge areas. Enjoying a nice drink, partaking in a few rounds of lighthearted poker, or even just staring at the awe-inspiring depths of space. Those who were just about to start their day would usually end up taking their food to go and head right for their designated work stations. Only a handful would elect to stay in the main area of the deck and eat at the dining table, there were simply just better or more efficient areas to enjoy.
Today was different, however. Now, the two watches found themselves all squeezed in together in the oft ignored dining area. Crew bumping shoulders as one after another tried to squeeze their way through strangers to connect with their friends and co-workers, gathering in their small cliques and muttering between themselves as to the purpose of being called down.
Everyone who was not deemed as non-essential crew (which, thanks to EDI and her capabilities, were a fractional amount of those staffed aboard the Normandy) all stood cramped around the open atrium or had managed to find one of the few spots available on the benches at the dining table.
On one bench sat the two engineers, Ken and Gabby. While EDI's powers were significant, it was still not wise to leave her without a trained member of the engineering team, so Adams had elected to stay and monitor until their return. Even though they both knew what this meeting was about, the shock of the news had still yet to wear off. They wanted to attend and were willing to provide any sort of support Shepard might need. Whether it be some marginal form of emotional support, or, if push came to shove like it did before, defend Tali from accusations and harm. Gabby quietly trembled in her seat, the woman still coming to terms with the news that someone she had worked so closely to, had respected, and considered a good friend, had been indoctrinated. It was then she felt the hand of another take a hold of hers underneath the table, quelling her shaking. She turned to see Ken staring back at her. For once, the boisterous and walking HR case kept his tongue in his mouth, electing to look at her with a soft and comforting look. It did more than any words could to calm her down.
Next to Donnelly sat Traynor, and opposite of her sat Joker and EDI's mechanical body. All three just sat their in silence, which was especially strange for the quick-witted and sarcastic pilot. EDI, thanks to her new body, could still manage to fly and operate the Normandy, while also sitting next to Joker, waiting for Shepard to finally arrive. Joker had known for hours now that EDI was hiding something, nothing happened on this ship without her knowing. As minor as it was, her being an AI and all, he still saw a subtle shift in her behavior over the last few hours, something that had made her, and by extension himself, uncomfortable, but she would not divulge the information. Normally, Joker would have just skipped out on these meetings, not willing to break a bone (or several) to just go downstairs, and would settle for the abridged version once it was all done. Why waste an hour or more of his time when he can just get the one-minute rundown afterwards without all the unnecessary fluff. But after seeing Shepard, his state when he had just gotten off the elevator, he figured the there was a connection between that and EDI's behavior. He had gotten up before EDI could insist on his presence.
Traynor, much like the others at the table, was more reserved than the larger crowd. She sat there, focused on her interlocked fingers resting on the table's surface, her pointers constantly tapping against one another, a nervous tick. She was still bothered, confused, and most of all worried about her commander. The way he acted towards her, completely dismissive, and to the others. Raising his voice was so unbecoming of him. Maybe the stress had become too much and he snapped, but that in no way could explain his tattered appearance. Whatever it was, it was a far cry from the man she had read about, the one who had saved her parents from the Collectors, and the one who had boosted her confidence over the last few months. The same person who made her feel so valued, had reassured her of her importance to the mission, had just treated her like a bug on a windshield.
Away from the table, Garrus and Liara had taken up a spot near what could be called the Normandy's kitchen. Garrus leaned against the counter while Liara slowly paced in front of him, her hands resting firmly on her hips as the two talked. The two had long since worked out with Ashley how to watch over Tali and had moved on from that sore subject, and both were more focused on the man at the center of it all. Each had tried asking the other various different forms of the same question, all boiling down to how they thought Shepard was handling everything. Neither of them had the answers the other wanted, and that killed them more than anything, being so in the dark and helpless. Liara, who had become so much colder and more distant since the original Normandy's destruction, even amongst her own friends, felt as useless as she had when Thessia fell. She had originally thought that this behavior would eventually temper down in the aftermath of dealing with the Shadow Broker, that once her obsession was over she could be who she once was again, but to little avail. Spending years hyper-fixated on one thing has a way of changing people, and not always for the better. As for Garrus, emotional support had never been his strong suit, or that of any turian on account of their militaristic culture. Their idea of "support" was to bark orders, fall back in line, and to keep fighting until your last breath. Besides, it wasn't like anything he could do would help the situation, the only person who really could was the cause of Shepard's ailments.
Far removed from anyone else, secluding himself from the feebleminded blathering of the primitives who were supposed to be operating this vessel, Javik fumed. The crew had more important matters than to be summoned here, like going after Reaper strongholds and fortifications to cripple their movements. Instead, the commander was wasting all of their time with a pointless meeting over something that should have been dealt with in a matter of seconds with a well-placed bullet, or a functioning and quarian occupied airlock. He leaned against the railing in front of the windows of the medbay. Even from outside, he could sense from the room what had taken place hours before. The commander, within inches of his life, being operated on by the ship's doctor. Repairing the skin and tissue that had been cut or burned by an explosion in his fight with the quarian. For a moment, he contemplated how much he had potentially underestimated its skills in a fight, but also lamented that the end result was muddled by the commander's aversion to cause it harm. Had it been him, he would not have been so kind. The deaths of his former crew by his hand were enough evidence to the fact.
Dr. Chakwas' fingers tapped at the glass held in her hand, the small ripples created from the vibrations stirring its now meager contents. Countless injuries, numerous surgeries, tragic and senseless deaths. She had seen it all over her years in the Alliance, serving under numerous vessels and hospitals. In a vacuum, the injuries sustained by Shepard were violent, but treatable and easily remedied thanks to modern science. They were mild compared to some of the horrors she had been forced to operate on, and in those she did not have the luxury of a fully stocked med-bay, or even as much as a tourniquet. And yet, this scenario was already proving to be one that carried a long lasting impact, and would be forever plastered in her memories until her final days. Before it had been strangers, mercenaries, or the enemy inflicting harm onto her crew, her children. This was different, this was one child trying to kill one of their siblings. In haste, she downed the remaining contents of her drink, her mind swimming both from its effects and the day's events.
As for everyone else, they all talked amongst themselves about what they were doing here, and what had happened to the commander. Rumors of his appearance had now spread to the whole crew thanks to the eyewitnesses in the CIC, and those whispers had been picked up by Steve Cortez and James Vega. Since the two of them typically spent most of their day in the Normandy's shuttle bay, James maintaining the ship's armory and his workout routine, and Steve performing repairs on the Kodiak shuttles and managing acquisitions, they were none the wiser as to what was going on. Through the garbled noise of voices reverberating off the walls and passing through throngs of people all talking about one thing, they were beginning to put some pieces together.
"What do you suppose the commander wants with everyone?" Steve had asked James on their elevator ride up.
"Got no clue. Maybe Loco finally got the green light from Hackett and it's time to bring the fight to those Cerberus pendejos." Cheekily, he added "Or maybe he just wants to get everyone together and celebrate my N7 commendation."
Cortez had playfully rolled his eyes at his hopes. "Riiiight, I'm sure the commander is dragging everyone away from their work just to satisfy your massive ego Mr. Vega."
"Ah, come on Esteban, lighten up," Vega responded. "It's a huge moment. Tell you what, next time we're at the Citadel, you and I are going to go out and celebrate. Go to a club, get a few drinks, find some cute chicas, maybe they'll even be a guy desperate enough to check you out, and party like we did on the beaches back home."
As soon as the two stepped out of the elevator, the jovial nature of their ride had been replaced with dread. Over the noise, they could tell something serious had happened, and all plans for a celebration were quickly scratched.
Everything would be revealed in time, but they had to wait for their illustrious commander to arrive.
"So tell me what you want. What are you fighting for?"
Once again, Shepard found himself riding inside the Normandy's elevator, alone. He waited a few minutes to give his crew ample time to receive the announcement and settle in. For this, he did not want any stragglers coming in after him, so he elected to hang back.
There was a huge contrast in his mood however, as compared to what it had been earlier. Before, his thoughts were centered around what Javik had told him, and his fear over how the situation surrounding his beloved should be handled. He felt isolated, hopeless, anxious, and tense. He had thought of the deaths of his friends, the people under his command, the people who had trusted him.
But now, after his talk with Anderson, a new feeling had begun to wash away the old ones…hope. Hope that he had made the right call. Hope that there would be a chance to help her. Hope that there was still a future for them.
"A chance to give Miss Vas Normandy a homeworld?"
As small as it was, it was all that he had to hold onto, and for now, that would suffice.
"Tali is important to me."
That was putting it mildly. He lost count on how many times it felt like Tali had dragged him back from the edges of despair. He kept up appearances well, but in the aftermath of his death and resurrection two years ago, he had secretly been a mess. Learning that he did in fact die, brought back thanks to cybernetics and experimental tech by a terrorist organization. Knowing that all of the hard work that he and his crew had accomplished had merely been swept under the rug by politicians who did what they did best, ignored problems until they finally couldn't anymore. Abductions of human colonies by a strange and relatively unknown race for some benevolent purpose. Accusations of being a traitor, a lune, an obsessed maniac. It all began piling up, and even the great Commander Shepard had limits.
Tali was there to help him through the worst of it. Their late night talks in their cabin, each party talking about their struggles (Shepard and the pressure he was under, Tali about her guilt over the loss of her friends and father), then falling asleep in the comfort of the other. It made everything all the more bearable when she was around. The two of them had equally supported and saved the other from threats physical and mental. When they had gone their separate ways, Shepard felt the same anxieties fester again, only made worse when the Reapers had finally attacked.
Seeing the destruction the Reapers wrought upon Earth and the galaxy. Nightmares plaguing his mind, sleep too hard to come by most nights, food tasting bitter and stale. All until she came back into his life, and the two resumed right where they had left off, comfortably sliding back into the embrace of the other.
Maybe she was in the process of being indoctrinated, but Anderson was right, everything that the two of them had been through was real. His feelings for her, and hers for him, were real. And now, Shepard was as motivated as he had ever been.
In the tumult of the last several hours, ever since he had woken up in the med-bay, revenge had been his primary focus. Dreams of the future had changed into blistering hatred and thoughts of reprisal. He would stop at nothing, and fight to his very last breath, if it meant destroying every last one of them, and damned to those who might step in his way.
It was only after talking to Anderson that he realized that this was exactly what he had admonished James about. His actions on Mars were reckless, driven by his guilt over sacrificing people for valuable intel. His stunt had almost gotten him killed, and yet, he seemed to shrug it off as no big deal, like it didn't matter.
Shepard would have fallen prey to the same mistakes, and it could have costed him and others their lives. He needed to stay focused, and resolved to not let his desire for revenge cloud his judgment. He had lost all hope in ever having the future that he and Tali had so often talked about. He feared that their…his dream, was gone forever. Anderson was thankfully there to give him the hope that he needed to focus on the mission, and that their future was still possible.
At last, the elevator had reached its destination, and the doors opened. Immediately, Shepard picked up on the noises coming from around the corner, so loud that no one had heard the elevator arriving with the man who had called this meeting.
Shepard looked straight ahead, and was welcomed by the Normandy's Memorial Wall. He stepped out of the elevator and moved towards it, its presence looming over him. It contained the names of all those who had previously served on the Normandy SR-1 and SR-2 and had lost their lives. There was now a couple dozen, and while there were some names that Shepard had not known all too well, there were far more that he recognized. Some, however, stood out more than others.
Richard L. Jenkins
Charles Pressly
Kaidan Alenko
Mordin Solus
Thane Krios
Legion
Those last four in particular had gripped his heart tightly in a vice like grip. Four brave individuals who he had been honored and proud to have served with. Four who had given everything they had, sacrificed so much, all for a cause greater than themselves.
Kaidan to stop Saren's experiments and destroy his base of operations on Virmire, ensuring the success of the mission while he and the others escaped on the Normandy. He had also saved many salarian lives that day.
Mordin to finally cure the genophage, to remedy his biggest mistake and finally clear his conscience, giving hope to an entire people.
Thane, defending life rather than taking it, to protect the Council, stopping Cerberus' attempt to seize control of the Citadel, but tragically gone so soon after reconciling with his son.
Legion to guarantee the geth their future, one where they could live, and one in co-existence with their creators and other organics.
It was a wall to honor their sacrifices, sacrifices that would not be in vain. A wall to inspire hope in those that saw it, to remind them of what and who they were all fighting for. More importantly, it was a wall that Shepard would make sure would have no more names added to it. Not his, not his friends, and most certainly not Tali's.
Not…one…more.
He turned on his feet, a slight limp still present, and rounded the corner.
Garrus, who stood far taller than anyone else onboard, was the first to see him, and righted himself. Alerted by his reaction, Liara turned and was able to make out Shepard's form as well. They noticed the slight gimp in his walk, but what stood out more was that he was doing so unassisted, abandoning the cane that he was relying on so heavily before to stay upright.
Shepard did not need to work his way through the crowd. As more and more became aware of their captain's presence, and his appearance, their chatter immediately ceased, the whole room becoming silent in a matter of seconds. A path was cleared for him as Alliance members saluted their commanding officer as he passed them by. The only sound was a long whistle from Vega when he got a look at Shepard.
Eventually, Shepard found himself in the center of the room, all eyes trained on him once again, as he stared out at the crowd in front of him. A quick headcount in his head determined that most onboard had arrived. He could sense Liara and Garrus' presence as the two saddled up behind him, friends that had always managed to have his back nestled right where they were meant to be.
Shepard, like in most of his speeches, had not really prepared any formal remarks. There were no drafts, no rehearsing, no practice. He got up and spoke whatever was on his mind, whatever he thought appropriate to rally his men. It was as natural as breathing, he always seemed to know what to say, and how to say it.
'Well, here goes nothing,' he thought as he squared his shoulders and prepared to speak.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I want to start by apologizing for the way I acted earlier in the CIC. Traynor," he looked directly at her, "I was brash, dismissive, and unprofessional. I was taking out my stress and frustration on you, and everyone else. And for that, I'm sorry. None of you deserved to be treated that way."
Traynor offered a reassuring smile, letting him know that she bore no ill will, but still appreciated what was a genuine apology.
Meanwhile, Garrus and Liara offered side glances to each other, left in the dark in regards to Shepard's behavior. Their concern growing even more.
"I'm sure you've all got several questions. Why I called this meeting? What's been going on over the last few hours? Why it looks like I fought a krogan in a hand to hand fight?" The last line managed to get at least a good laugh from his audience, as he tried taking a page out of Anderson's book by easing the situation with a joke. "There will be time for questions once we're finished, and I will do my best to hear and answer all of them. But for now, I'll give you the rundown. You all deserve, and need, to know what happened.
"Approximately around 11:00 GST today, I was attacked. The perpetrator arrived at my cabin on Deck 1 with the intent of killing me."
There was the first part of the confession, the first domino to fall. As expected, there were some hushed whispers and gasps that circulated around the room. He spotted a few people, looking to get a gauge on the crowd's reaction, and how to proceed. Chakwas (who had given him a fierce scowl when she saw him walk in without the cane she had demanded he use), Ken, Gabby, and EDI offered little. Traynor's eyes had bulged, and her smile had quickly been replaced with a look of concern, a twinge of fear mixed in. Vega was the opposite, he looked incredulous, as expected from someone who's first instinct was to shoot first, ask questions never. Next to him, Steve's expression was mostly just of shock, knowing that somehow, someone had gotten close enough to mane him. Both wondering just who the hell would do this, and why. Javik, meanwhile, remained stoic as ever. For the rest of the room, from what he could filter out, there was mostly trepidation.
"Everyone, settle down!" the commander requested, looking to regain control of the room. Thankfully, the audience heeded his command, and the voices began to dim. "Firstly, let me start by assuring you the threat is contained, and that none of us are in any danger or risk."
The derisive grunt that came from Javik's direction did not go unheard by Shepard, but he did ignore it, refusing to let him get under his skin. "Secondly, I want to thank Garrus, Liara, EDI, and Ashley Williams for their assistance, as well as Dr. Chakwas for patching me up. Had it not been for them, I would be dead right now. You all have my thanks.
"As for the attacker's motivation, the reason was simple. The Reapers have finally managed to strike us where we sleep. They have indoctrinated one of our own people, and turned them against us."
This drew an even bigger, and more audible, reaction from the crowd. Not much could be made out through the noise, but Shepard could definitely hear a few curses (directed at both the situation and towards the Reapers), as well as a few accusations and assumptions as to who it could be. He saw multiple heads scanning the room, trying to get a headcount of who was and was not present, to weed out the culprit. This time, all Shepard had to do was raise his hand, palm out, to bring the crowd to a heel.
"I get it. A lot of you are scared. We've never had a situation like this before, and for some, you've never dealt with someone who's been indoctrinated. I have. Indoctrination does not discriminate, and it's the deadliest, and most effective, weapon in the Reapers' arsenal. Its effects are subtle, no one knows it's happening until it's too late. It frays and tears apart the mind of the victim, it makes them more susceptible and willing servants. It compels the victim to actions that are not their own, thoughts they do not support, and breaks them down until they serve the Reapers without question. It is nothing short of mental torture.
"I stress this because I do not want anyone here to blame the perpetrator for this. Your anger should not be directed at them for something they cannot control, but towards the Reapers for having done this. And I need you to understand why I was not willing to kill this person, and why I have chosen to keep them alive. They are not responsible for their actions, their will has been stripped from them, and they were forced to do something that they did not want to do. For that reason, I order that no one on this ship is to retaliate or bring harm to them. They are currently being guarded and monitored by Lt. Commander Williams down in the holding cells. Your safety is paramount, and the necessary steps are being taken to ensure that, but we are not about to abandon, or kill, one of our own because of this."
While the revelation that this individual was still alive and on the same ship as them drew a response, Shepard's words and assurances did succeed in calming the crowd. He expected a harsh rebuke, a call to action against his decision, a demand that Tali be killed or handed over. Surprisingly, however, nothing had come about. Concern remained, but most seemed willing to follow him in regards to his actions. Even Javik still remained silent, but that was more because he already had his say and was here mainly to observe.
But the fact that the room had not turned hostile was a good sign, it made him less concerned with his next announcement. He had purposely kept Tali's identity vague in order to assess the people's reactions. He was more likely to get an honest response if they did not have a face to put to the offender yet. However, if he drew this out longer, it would not take long for one of the more curious crew members to put the pieces together.
"The identity of the individual who attacked me…was Tali'Zorah," Shepard somberly confessed.
There it was, the whole truth now out there for everyone to see. Those who were with Shepard back against the Collectors had long since known about him and Tali, but it's not like their relationship was a secret to anyone else. And if they had tried to keep it one, they did a piss poor job of doing so. If there was ever a time when Shepard wasn't at his usual command post in the CIC, the crew figured there was likely one of two places he could be. The first was down in engineering, in which case one was recommended not to interrupt the two of them. The second was on Deck 1, his personal cabin, where one was required not to interrupt them. There was even a running joke on the ship that because he spent so much time with Tali, Shepard should be given an honorary engineering degree.
Everyone on the Normandy knew about the connection between Shepard and Tali, and for that, they could understand his reservations. Many onboard also knew Tali personally, ever since she had rejoined the crew full time after hostilities ended back on Rannoch. Most were aware of what she had been through, they heard the stories of the illustrious Commander Shepard saving a young quarian from assassins and thugs, the role she played in saving the Citadel, and how she rose to become a leader amongst her very people because of it. They also knew just how kindhearted she was, someone who was steadfast in her loyalty. One who rarely ever showed malice or hatred, but the few times it came out it had been deserved. One who always looked out for others, was authentically nice to those around her, even if it might have come at her own expense. So the news that her, of all people, had just tried to kill Shepard and was indoctrinated by the Reapers, had a visibly shaking effect on the crew.
"As I said, Reaper indoctrination is merciless. It's malevolance is only matched by its permanence. Despite our best efforts, we have only ever seen indoctrinated thralls temporarily take back control, but the Reapers influence always wins out. There is no known cure for it, and to be honest, I don't even know if there's something we can do to bring Tali back.
"But that doesn't mean that we aren't going to try."
Both Garrus and Liara had heard it, they were quick to recognize it before anyone else. It was subtle, but clear to them, and anyone else who had ever listened to Shepard speak. The sudden change in tone, a shift from the saturnine behavior that had characterized Shepard over the last several hours, to one far more befitting of the man who had spearheaded this entire campaign. They could hear the drive, the zeal, the passion. The unstoppable force that had barreled his way through every obstacle in his path. They each could not hold back their smiles; their Shepard was back.
"This team has made a habit out of defying the impossible time and time again throughout this war. Once or twice, maybe it's just dumb luck, but it's been more than just once or twice. Our combined efforts have brought down Reapers on Tuchanka and Rannoch. Our efforts have cured the genophage and given hope to the krogan people. Our efforts helped settle a peace between the quarians and geth, proving that synthetics and organics do not need to kill each other. And it's because of our efforts that we have a chance to end this, once and for all. And the only way to do that, and possibly help Tali, is through the Crucible. That is the key here, and we are one step away from doing so. All we need…is the Catalyst."
Shepard paused for a moment before he continued. "Not…one…more." There was an undeniable grit in the way he spoke those words.
"Look around you. We all come from different backgrounds, hold different views, and hell, some of us are from different species. And it's been this way ever since I first took command of the Normandy. Krogans, turians, and salarians. A quarian and a geth. Cerberus and aliens. Organics and synthetics. On paper, this mishmash of cultures and conflicts should have resulted in failure, we should have spent more time at each other's throats then going after our common enemy. But itt never has, and the reason being is because we are all united. The ties that bind us are stronger than the ones that work to tear us apart. All of us, in some way, have been hit by this war. We have taken the brunt of it, and suffered because of it. The Reapers have taken enough, and I am sick and tired of it, they will not take one more.
"Because of them, we have lost friends…"
A few short feet away, Vega recalls the efforts that he and Delta Squad went through on Fehl Prime. He lost too many good people when he tried to stop the Collectors, and not all of them were soldiers.
"Our loved ones…"
"I love you, but I know you. Don't make me an anchor. Promise me, Steve." A lone tear trickled down Cortez's face as he remembered the last transmission, the last words, of his beloved Robert.
"Our family…"
"You've always made me proud, Liara…Good night, Little Wing. I will see you again with the dawn." Liara had to watch as her own mother was killed. She never blamed Shepard, it was because of Sovereign and the Reapers that either of them were in that position.
For Traynor, she remembered how she had almost lost her own parents on Horizon at the hands of the Collectors. Had it not been for Shepard, they would have been killed. While he had saved them, it did not erase the fear, she still worried about what could have been.
Joker, for once, sat quiet. No sarcastic remarks, no ill-timed jokes. How could he when his own mind was drawn to his parents, and his sister Hilary. He didn't want to believe it, but he long suspected that his family was likely dead, the Reapers had arrived at Tiptree in force.
"And for one of us, our entire people."
Javik betrayed no emotions at the commander's obvious reference to him and the protheans. The loss of his people was an infinite weight around his unbreakable shoulders. Crushing to bear, but a choice he did not have, he would continue to carry it until his last breath.
"The Reapers have done this to others for countless millennia. Too many cycles before us have fallen victim, trillions of lives forever erased and forgotten, lost to the void of time.
"Not…one…more!
"We stand on the precipice of stopping it, once and for all. Thanks to the work of the protheans, and the cycles that came before them, we have come the closest the galaxy has ever been to destroying the Reapers. And we will see this through. We will be the ones that break the cycle. We will be the ones that tell the Reapers before they die: Not…one…more!
"We do this not just in the name of survival, for that's not enough. We don't do it for revenge alone, for if we do, we let that revenge consume us. It turns to blind hatred, we lose ourselves to that anger, we become reckless, make mistakes. Those mistakes can be costly, for you, or the person next to you, or someone else. It's how I felt when I first understood what happened to Tali. I know it's how some of us felt when we saw Earth, Palaven, Thessia, and other planets burn and fall to the Reapers. But we cannot let that happen, revenge is not why we fight.
"Instead, I want you to remember, however painful it might be, what we have lost. These memories do not have to hold us back, or cause us pain, they can make us stronger. Whether we like it or not, these memories, these people, are a part of us, they always will be. These are not weaknesses, they make us stronger. This is what we all share, it's what has united us all together, and it's what we are all fighting for. We fight to honor their memories, their sacrifices. We fight so that their deaths will not be in vain, so that it all meant something. We fight, so that no one else will ever have to feel the stinging loss from the Reapers again.
"That's what I want you to fight for. We all have that someone, that group of people, that we are doing this for. No matter who they are, small or large, significant or insignificant, it's what keeps us going. Fight for what we have lost. Fight for what we have now. Fight for what will come after, because there sure as hell will be an after once we're done. It will be a future that some may not get to see, but many more will because of you. Our children, the children of billions of others, and generations after them will not survive, but live. They will live in a future free from the tyranny of the Reapers, because we were the team that united an entire galaxy's worth of people, who will all cry out in unison: Not…One…More!"
In that moment, the room became electrified, a far cry from the dourness that had engulfed it before. The crowd hollered and cheered as fists were raised up to the sky, shouts of "Hell yeah!" thundered around the room. However, what struck Shepard was the chants of who everyone was fighting for, started by Vega of all people.
"For Delta Squad, and April!"
"For Robert!"
"For my parents!"
"For Hilary!"
"For the empire!" Shepard was surprised to hear that one, considering how he and Javik had ended things when they last spoke.
However, it was two voices in particular, that of Ken and Gabby, which had particularly resonated with Shepard.
"For Tali!"
And suddenly, Tali's name became a rallying cry for almost everyone in the room, as others joined the two engineers. This was no longer just a fight for survival. The Reapers now made this personal by going after one of their own, and no one would stand for that. They Reapers had messed with their family.
Shepard turned from the crowd for a moment to face Garrus and Liara, their grins still plastered on their faces, beaming with pride at the return of their friend. He offered one back to them, before he turned back to the crowd assembled. "Let's give 'em hell. Dismissed!"
One deck below, a human soldier sat alone on a suspended bench that ran along the length of the wall inside the Normandy's dimly lit holding cells. A gun laid next to her as her omni-tool was open. She had been patched into an internal comm channel established by EDI so she could listen in on what Shepard had to say. She had figured that her skipper could never be counted out of a fight for too long, and she had been right. She proudly closed her omni-tool, cutting the feed, as she didn't need it to hear the cheers and cries of the crew coming from the floor above her.
With a smile of her own, she closed her eyes, and in a low whisper, Ashley offered up her own reason for fighting. "For my sisters."
She opened them up again, and looked straight ahead. "Sounded like quite a speech, wouldn't you say so?"
Her question was directed towards Tali, who had not so much as moved from her spot on her cell's cot since her and Shepard's talk earlier that day. She had also not spoken a single word to Ashley, or anyone for that matter, since then. She simply just laid there, staring blankly at the metal wall. Her legs curled slightly so she could fit her whole body on the cot, her back towards Ashley. Had it not been for the shallow, but rhythmic breathing from her otherwise idle form, one might assume that she was in fact dead.
Ashley had at least hoped to get something out of her, some sort of response or comment, anything to break the silence. But all she got was a cantankerous scoff.
Ashley scowled at how she had just blew her off. "Really, that's all you've got? Shepard's rallying the whole crew to try and help you, and that's your response? You've got nothing to say about that?" It was harsh, even Ashley had to admit that, but her temper had once again gotten the best of her, and she had grown agitated with Tali spurning her.
Her berate did seem to have an effect. While she did not turn to look at her, for the first time since this whole endeavor started, Tali addressed her directly. "I'm glad that pompous, arrogant bosh'tet finally stopped talking for a minute, even if it was just to hear the roar of his adoring fans as he lies to them about me," she sneered. She had no choice but to listen to the broadcast, to hear him pontificate nonsense and untruths about her, that she was somehow indoctrinated. 'Wanting what is best for my people, serving them as I have always done, is not the actions of the indoctrinated,' is what she thought to herself. "There, satisfied with that?" she asked rhetorically.
Ashley held herself back this time before answering, she had to remind herself of what Shepard had said, Tali wasn't in control of her actions. Her words, her thoughts, this wasn't who Tali is, and to respond in anger would be detrimental. With calm and bated breath, Ashley tried to talk to her friend. "He and everyone up there are doing this because they want to help you."
"I don't need their help," she said bitterly. "And it's not like they would anyway, now that Shepard turned them all against me, made me persona non grata. Besides, you're all just like him. You don't see what I see, the potential that the Reapers' tech holds, the power it possesses, the useful and necessary applications it would provide for us. Or how useful we could be to them, what our efforts could offer the rest of the galaxy."
All Ashley could do was shake her head distraughtly, but at least she was talking to her, that was progress at least. "Tali, don't you see how ass-backwards that sounds? Helping the Reapers-"
"ALLYING with them-"
"SERVING, TALI! For God's sake, you'd be serving them-"
"That's not true!"
"-and all you'd be doing is hastening the Reapers' plans to kill us, not preventing it. You'd be throwing away the future that Shepard is fighting to create!"
"Don't you dare talk about Shepard!" Tali growled in contempt. That was not figurative, Ashley would swear that she had heard Tali quite literally growl. "Because of him, and the rest of you, there won't be a future, at least not for my people! Beholden to the whims of others, flailing around, dependent on the other races for support, what kind of future is that? And that's if we're lucky to not be wiped out by the geth if they don't turn against us again. Those are our futures, either overly relying on others and in constant fear, or completely nonexistent."
Ashley hated how this conversation had panned out, but was surprised to see the limp form of Tali begin to move, getting up and turning towards her, approaching her. "You want to know what my future is?" she asks as she starts walking towards the kinetic barrier, the only thing blocking her escape. "Mine guarantees us our freedom, our independence. Combining Reaper and organic tech, studying it to forge new technological advancements in every realm of science you can think of. Cures for diseases, cybernetic enhancements to drive organic and synthetic advancement across the galaxy, stronger and more effective weapons for defense. But more importantly, we can be the ones that bring order to the chaos. We can provide for the Reapers what they have been searching for, the answers they need, thus ending the cycles. Our studies could achieve this harmony, bring balance by incorporating their technology and advancements into ourselves, without sacrificing our autonomy. We can then apply this to all races, saving your lives as well. We could still find co-existence with the geth because we could better understand them, and put ourselves in a position of dominance, one where they would not dare turn against us.
"We could be completely self-sustaining, free from not only the prisons of these environmental suits, but from the influence of the other races. I honestly thought you of all people would understand that Ash, better than anyone. You had always preached about how the other races would look after themselves first, prioritize their own needs and people if it came down to a choice. That humanity needed to focus inward, to learn how to rely on themselves. You should be helping me, not him?"
Ashley had to take a moment to think about her next words. She had never been an eloquent speaker, not like Shepard. And yeah, there had been truth to what Tali said, and still was to an extent. A part of her was still hesitant to fully trust aliens. But not to the extent that Tali was hinting at, and if that was how she had come off all those years ago, then she cringed at who she was, because that did not reflect who she had become. Shepard's influence and actions had a longer lasting impact on her than she had realized. She wouldn't be kissing turians anytime soon, but perhaps cooperation was possible.
"Well, maybe I was wrong. If there's one thing I've learned from Shepard, it's that we're stronger together, this war has only reinforced that. You're right that we all need to find ways to carve our own path, but we do need to work together, and learn to live with one another. And we can't keep letting what happened years ago dictate our lives now. Eventually, we have to move out of the shadows of those who came before us. So what you're saying Tali, it's completely crazy."
Tali shook her own head in response. Even behind her suit and mask, Ashley could tell she was growing more and more frustrated the longer this went on. "Then you are as blind as that man upstairs is. If this was the lives, the future, of your sisters, you wouldn't be saying that. If they needed your help, you'd jump at the chance, and barrel over any alien in your way."
"That's where you're wrong Tali. I'm helping one of my sisters right now, I'm looking right at her."
At that, Tali let out an almost perverted laugh. "You and me, we are not sisters. As I told Shepard, my family is long dead. My mother died because of our initial sin, relying too much on the geth, forcing us into exile and onto a ship with a broken air filter. And then, my father, who died trying to do what I did: securing my people, my true family, their future."
Tali took one more step further, right up to the barrier. In doing so, she stepped into the light dimly provided by the overhead fixture of the room. And despite her view being obscured by the barrier and Tali's mask, Ashley could see the ferocious contortion of her face.
"The world doesn't owe us anything. I had believed that if we wanted something in life, that we had to earn it. Now, I see that when that doesn't work, we have to take it, by any means necessary. That is why I did what I did, to help my people and give them their future. It is why I tried to kill Shepard. It is why I will kill him, and after that, I will kill the rest of you."
Approximately one hour had passed since Shepard had dismissed the crew and sent them back to their assignments. Most of that time was spent addressing the few members of the crew who came up with questions and concerns regarding Tali. They had not taken the news comfortably well, but he had managed to pacify the worst of their concerns. What time not spent dealing with that, he spent receiving various offers of sympathy from the crew.
However, now that that was taken care of, Shepard headed down to the cargo bay. Upon arriving, he slowly walked past Cortez and approached Vega, who was in the middle of a set of pull ups. Judging from the sweat racing down his face and the physical grunts of exhaustion, Vega had been at it for a while. Upon hearing the sound of boots stomping across the metal floor growing progressively louder, Vega looked and saw Shepard approaching him. He finished his last rep and let go of the bar, landing gracefully on his feet.
"Hey commander."
"James. You got a minute; I hope I'm not interrupting."
"Nah, was just finishing up anyway, need to cool down a bit. Can't give Cortez over there too much of a show," Vega said, laughing at his own joke.
"A show would imply there's something worth watching, Mr. Vega." That comment left both men chuckling, it was an easy repertoire for both men to fall into after spending so much time together.
Vega had returned his attention back to their commanding officer. "I find working out relaxing, strange as that sounds. Helps get my thoughts in order, clear my head and all that, if that makes any sense."
"Yeah, I get that," Shepard agreed.
An awkward tension hung in the air. Vega wasn't always the best in these types of situations, but not saying anything was only making the tension worse. "Sooooooo, um…about Spark…mhmm, sorry. I mean Tali. I'm sure you've already heard it a million times by now, but I wanted to say, sorry, you know. That shit's got to be tough to deal with."
He was right, Shepard had heard a lot of "sorry's" today. However, the difference now, compared to before, was that he was in a better headspace to deal with it. "It is James, but thank you, it means a lot."
"Shit's loco jefe. I can't imagine what that's like, seeing someone you love, you care about, suddenly just start attacking you, right out of the blue. How do you deal with something like that?"
"It's not easy, not by a long shot. But like I said, it wasn't her. Tali didn't do any of that of her own accord, the Reapers made her do it. It's the only way you can look at it, and you use that as an extra club to wield against them," Shepard reassured him, emphasizing that his words from before were not just meant for show, but his genuine belief.
James folded his arms across his chest, contemplating what Shepard had just told him. "Yeah, makes sense when you look at it like that I suppose. A car makes a turn, but you aren't the one driving the vehicle. It's someone else behind the wheel, and you're just along for the ride. Still though, seeing that, it would make me want blood. You showed some pretty good restraint up there Shepard. Not sure I would have been able to do the same."
"Believe me, I wanted to do that at first. I was out for blood when I woke up in the med-bay, wanted to blow up every single Reaper right there. And find out if those machines could actually feel pain."
Vega raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "So what stopped you?"
Shepard smiled at the question, remembering his last talk with Anderson. "I had a good mentor, his lessons helped me through it. He reminded me of what's truly important, and who I am. It doesn't behoove us to attack in anger, as difficult as it may be to hold those feelings at bay, we have to focus on the big picture, and use this to keep us going."
"Kind of like us leaving Earth behind, huh?" James asked.
"Yeah, exactly," Shepard replied dryly.
A wicked smile started to creep onto James's face, getting an idea. "If you want, we can head on over and dance again, help work out some of that lingering anger."
Shepard laughed at the offer. "As tempting as that sounds James, I think I'll pass. Besides, I wouldn't want to stifle your ego when you lose to a guy who can barely stand on his own two feet," he said.
"Oh-ho-ho-ho, okay, I see how it is. Mr. Big Shot here sounds pretty confident, is that what I'm hearing? Esteban, you getting this?"
"Oh I'm getting this Mr. Vega, and honestly, my money would still be on the commander wiping the floor with you," Steve yelled from his terminal.
"Múerdeme!" Vega shouted, which got another hearty laugh from Shepard and Cortez. Shepard relished in this feeling, having a good, genuine laugh amongst friends. It was a nice break from thinking about the person locked up only a floor above them. But it was at that thought that made his eyes drift, and they landed on the windows above him. The ones that could look directly into the brig. From this angle, he could faintly see the kinetic barrier's of the room's furthest cell, reminding him of its occupant. His laugh, long since reaching its crescendo, had began to die, replacing his newfound joy with guilt.
"Hey, commander? You okay there?" James voice eventually made its way through the fog that had rolled in for a moment. Shepard blinked a few times, regaining his bearings, and looked away from the window and back towards James.
"Sorry, got lost there for a moment. Were you saying something?"
"I was. Forgive me if this is a bit too personal, but I was just curious. How did it happen? Tali being indoctrinated, I mean. And how do we know others aren't? If it happened to her, what if…"
Shepard interrupted, stopping him before he could continue. "Tali is the only one. And I'm not about to start a paranoid, McCarthy-esque witch hunt against the crew."
"But how can you be so sure?" This time, there was a trace amount of ire that was starting to boil over.
"Because it was my fault that she got indoctrinated." Vega raised his brow again, piqued at the confession. Even Shepard found himself surprised by how blunt and honest he had been with him. Being so with Garrus and Liara was one thing, he trusted those two with his life. However, he remembered how Vega had come to him earlier and had told him about the events on Fehl Prime and what happened to his squad. Shepard figured that it was okay to come clean with his own conscience.
"I'm sure there were some moments here and there that helped influence it. Meeting Sovereign, that Reaper on Rannoch, her own overzealous drive to help her people, it was easy for the Reapers to exploit it. But at the end of the day, I was the one who put her in those positions. I failed to see the signs, they had been there from the start. Migraines, ringing in the ears, outburst of anger, paranoid thoughts. But the major impetus, a derelict Reaper. We had to go and retrieve its IFF to get through the Omega-4 relay. Being on that Reaper, it allowed them to sink their claws into her. I didn't even want to bring her originally, but she insisted on accompanying me. I should have told her no. While onboard, she had uncovered and snuck off with zetabytes of data. It was an entire cache of information about the Reapers, and it had already indoctrinated the Cerberus scientists that were originally investigating it. Ever since, she had been constantly researching and studying the data, and I was none the wiser. From the records Liara pulled, she had become obsessed with it. It was data she wouldn't have gotten her hands on, if it wasn't for me."
Vega listened as the commander grew more and more sullen as he continued. However, he didn't buy it. "No offense loco, but I don't see how you can blame yourself for that. Sometimes, bad shit just happens, and there's nothing we can do to stop it. I know that sounds rough, but we all knew the risks when we signed up, and you can't put every bad thing that happens on your shoulders."
"For once, my colleague here is using that thing tucked between his ears," Steve said as he walked over to where the two were talking. "You can't be too hard on yourself commander. I know what it's like, carrying the weight around with you, thinking about how you could have done more. It starts to feel like a noose growing tighter. But we can't change the past, and you can't blame yourself."
Shepard wanted to believe them, but the truth was, he just wasn't there yet. "Maybe one day, I'll see it that way. But right now, my focus is on making this right, ending this war, and bringing Tali back."
"And I'm sure you will, Loco. And when that time comes, I'll do whatever I can to help."
Shepard smiled. "Glad to hear that, because that's what I had come down to talk to you about. Keep it confidential for now, but I'll need your help, when the time is right."
Once Shepard was finished discussing his plans with James, he hopped back onto the elevator and rode it up one floor to engineering. He exited, but before continuing, he glanced to his right. He spotted the locked door that would lead into the holding cells, Ashley was not there so she must have been inside. As tempted as he was, to just be close to her for a short while, that was not his reasoning for coming here. He forced his body to turn the other way, and entered into Javik's quarters. As expected, he found the prothean hunched over his desk, washing his hands.
"Commander, I was not expecting you to come by. I had presumed that our last conversation, and the proximity to it, would keep you away."
He let Javik's continued use of the word "it" in reference to Tali slide, he would not let him provoke him so easily again. "I came down to talk. We don't have the luxury of holding grudges Javik, not when we are so close to what we both want. I understand where you're coming from, but I am not going to let you harm Tali. I need to know that we are not going to have any problems going forward," Shepard stated forcefully.
There was a brief silence at the end of his words as Javik contemplated. Shepard felt uneasy, he could feel the air growing stiff the longer it went on, but he would not yield. Instead of answering, Javik turned around, and marched straight up to Shepard's face. His four eyes began to bore into his two, and Shepard still refused to blink first. He was not going to let Javik have his way.
Realizing his attempt at intimidation was not effective, Javik spoke. "Your hope is well intentioned, but meaningless. It does not win you wars, nor will foolish optimism and delusions of a better tomorrow. They all crumble when faced with the horrors of reality. The only certainty is what we can see and feel at this moment. Conjuring fantasies and yearning for something greater dilutes the truth, it shields us from our responsibilities in the name of altruistic longing."
Shepard did not like where this was heading, but this was not going to be something that Javik would win. As much as he did not want to, being as crucial as he was to their mission, Shepard would not let the motivations of one man stand in his way. If he needed to go, then he would gladly leave Javik at the next port with his belongings and point him to the nearest Reaper.
"However, these primitives, loathe as I may be to admit it, have managed to exceed my expectations. You humans, especially, have surprised me. You were right before, we stand on the edge of greatness, that cannot be denied. My purpose, my mission, my entire reason for existing, is nearly fulfilled. The Reapers death bed calls to them, and I still believe you will be the one to make that happen. I do not question your actions commander, I outright resent them. I doubt your vision will come to pass. But after what you said up there, I do not doubt your conviction, your will is strong, perhaps more than at any point in time."
Shepard began to relax his muscles. He was glad to see, in his own way, Javik coming around. "Well then, I'm glad we can at least agree to disagree."
"Yes, perhaps that is the best path forward. The Reapers will intend to use these divisions to weaken us, we cannot let them. But commander, remember my words that I spoke to your asari. 'Despair is the enemy's greatest weapon. Do not let them wield it.' I am thankful to see that you are not. Instead, you use it as a rallying cry, not a crutch. It is a foolish notion, but one that serves to unite us. For now, my weapon is still yours to wield."
"Good, because I'm going to need it, when the times comes."
Shepard,
Here I was, about to tell you the good news about Bakara's pregnancy, and you have to go ahead and drop this bombshell on me? That those damned pyjaks tried to kill you, and indoctrinated Tali in the process.
I won't lie, I didn't think the girl had it in her, always thought she was a bit too jumpy. Guess she found her quad over the last few years. I can't blame you for taking it easy on her, but I am glad that both of you are still kicking. And rest assured that, when the time comes, I'll make sure to leave a couple of Reapers for you to take out. You know, as payback and all. Can't expect me to do all the work for you, even though I'm pretty much use to it.
I don't know if this plan of yours will work, but it's not like we got anything else to use. I've learned to trust your extinct on this. You don't need me telling you the risks, just don't go and get yourself killed.
-Wrex
Shep,
If this is your idea of a joke, then it's a very, very bad one.
Of all the people in this galaxy, why did it have to be her? I'm so sorry Shep, I can't imagine what you're feeling. But I'm relieved to hear that Tali is still alive, that you managed to find a way to stop her without killing her. The galaxy would have been a much darker place without her in it.
She was always so cute when we worked together. She never shut up about you, even before you helped her out with that trial. I'm glad to see that, just like then, you're not giving up her. This plan of yours sounds risky, no idea if its going to work, but you've defied the impossible before, keep riding that winning streak until your luck runs out.
If it helps, this really helped me after I lost Keiji:
Despair, my heart weeps.
Crying for what is now gone.
It's missing partner.
Without the darkness,
There will be no shining light.
A new tomorrow.
Take care Shep, and win this thing. For Tali.
-Kasumi
Shepard,
Just got your email about what happened. Glad to know that you're okay. But still, hard to believe about Tali. Between the shit with the Collectors, Cerberus, and everything with the Reapers, seems like we can't ever get a moment worth of peace. For what it's worth, I think you made the right call, if that means anything. Hopefully this ends the way you and I want this too. That way, when this is all over, you, me, Tali, and Brynn are going to meet up for drinks. There's this great bar in Rio where we can all get together, hope it's still standing once this is all over.
Keep kicking ass Shepard, you've got someone to come home to when this is all done. Don't ever take it for granted.
-Jacob
Shepard,
It is good to hear from you once again, but I am troubled by the circumstances surrounding it. To hear of the young quarian's indoctrination and subsequent actions, it is disconcerting, tragic, and crushing. I admire your restraint, and your resilience in the face of such adversity. It is a trait I have not seen in your oft impetuous species, but you always manage to be that, as you say, diamond in the rough.
I must be forthright with you Shepard. Because of the Code, should I have been present, I would have been compelled to kill Tali. The Code is unyielding, it cares not for circumstance, context, or the motivation of the perpetrator. Only that they have done wrong and brought harm to the innocent. However, as per my oath to you, in which I am still bound, I will follow your orders, and not hurt Tali shall our paths cross once again. Instead, my actions against our common foe will be doubled. The Reapers are the ones who have tainted her, as they have done to countless others, my daughter included.
Look to the Goddess for counsel Shepard, accept her embrace and let her wisdom act as a guide. Be well, and stay strong.
-Samara
YOU'VE GOT TO BE GODDAMN SHITTING ME?!
Those bastards actually got one of us, eh? And it was the goddamn quarian? On the one hand, it could be worse. It could have been the giant arse krogan, or that shifty drell assassin. God knows I wouldn't want one of them coming after me.
Still though, shit's gotta be tough, she's a good kid given a shit hand and was constantly kicked in the arse. Never told anyone this, but I always had a soft spot for the poor girl. Couldn't understand a lick of that techno-jargon, but she had a good heart. Knew a guy like that once, chose the wrong line of work unfortunately, ended up dead in some brothel on Illium. Don't even know what he was doing there, guy was always a pansy when it came to hookers.
Anyway, I always liked how that girl didn't take shit from anyone, gotta respect the tenacity of someone like that. Nice and kind exterior, but not a pushover, willing to get in your face if you crossed her.
Need you to pull yourself together Shepard, can't afford to have you going soft as the galaxy edges closer and closer to midnight. Get your armor, grab your biggest gun, and aim it straight for one of those goddamn space squids, show them why you're Commander Fucking Shepard!
-Zaeed
Battlemaster,
A strong mate is befitting a strong warrior, it is clear that you have chosen your mate well. The Reapers are going to regret this, you don't send someone else to do a job you can't finish yourself. Still, I find myself enraged, they've gone after our own krannt. They drew our blood, now its time to spill theirs. You survived because you are the strongest, you live to fight another day, and we are going to crush our enemies beneath our feet, like a bug, heh heh. Now go Shepard, and let's finish this.
-Grunt
You know, I've always complained about you being the king of the fucking boy scouts Shepard. Always so nice, wanting to help everyone with a sob story, but in this instance, yeah, I get it.
Didn't think it would be dog legs of all people to be the one to almost kill you, shit's gotta be rough. I always suspected the cheerleader would stab you in the back and run on back to her Cerberus caretakers once we were all done taking out the Collectors.
I knew you had the hots for bucket head the moment she came aboard. Honestly don't blame you, I walked around topless and I thought her suit left very little to the imagination. Down in my hidey hole, I heard a few things from her that she probably didn't want others to hear. Tried sending her some, let's call 'em, romance tips. If she ever did that thing with her two fingers, or used that weird little toe thing on her foot, you have me to thank for that, you're welcome.
This may surprise you, but of all the people onboard that ship, Tali was the one I liked the most. Don't know why, she and I were practically opposites. Hardened criminal who always saw the worst, and a pure of heart goody two shoes who saw things through, well I guess I can't say rose tinted goggles, but more like a purple tinted mask. But I guess opposites attract and all that bullshit. Maybe if I had her upbringing, I would have turned out more like her, maybe she was what I wanted to be. Don't know, I'm not a fucking therapist. But I don't need to be one to know why I'm ready to tear apart the next Reaper I see with my biotics.
You're the one that got me to care, so screw you for that, but also thank you. Kick ass Shepard, you got a hot piece of one waiting for you.
-Jack
Shepard,
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you, but the Crucible has been far more demanding than I could have ever imagined, it's required my full attention. And judging from what you just told me, it looks like I'll need to give it more.
I'm so sorry to hear about Tali, she deserves better than to be used as just some pawn for someone else's twisted purposes. It sounds like you're handling the situation well, or at least as well as you can be.
I always got the feeling that she didn't like me, and to be fair, I understand why. Me being Cerberus and all, plus my, let's say, hard to like personality. But I always did respect her, whether it was because of her talents, or maybe I found a kindred spirit, someone else who was shackled by her father and was trying to escape their shadow. But mostly, it was what she did for you. I may have been the one to bring you back to life, but she was the one who truly saved you. She made you, you again.
The galaxy owes her a great debt, whether they know it or not. And for that, I'll make sure me and my team do everything we can to get this damn device working. If you're right, and this thing can save her, then we can't accept anything less than perfection. We'll get it done Shepard, I promise you and her that. Take care, and the both of you be safe.
-Miranda
Over the course of the last week, Shepard had been receiving messages from his former companions and friends. The outpouring of support, as well as the dual efforts of both Chakwas and James' physical training regimen, have gotten him back into fighting shape. Modern medical technology had allowed for rapid muscle and tissue repair, and his burns were now largely clearing up. He was back to walking normally, and was fully cleared for active duty once again, and not a moment too soon.
However, there was one email he had yet to send, and he didn't even know how to start it. In theory, it shouldn't have been difficult. As Anderson's XO, he helped write numerous letters back home and communicated to Alliance family members and loved ones whenever they had lost a soldier in action.
But how do you tell the closest thing to a living family member, and one of the most powerful people in the quarian government and military, that her practical niece and fellow Admiral were indoctrinated?
Shepard had been sitting on this email to Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay (vas Rannoch now, he had to remind himself) for a week now, and still had nothing to show for it. Tell her that one of their own leaders was possibly working against them could set off a huge political firestorm and cause disruptions in the quarian government. It was one that he, the war effort, and Tali did not need and could not afford. Tali had effectively already been made a pariah when she voted against the war with the geth thanks to the followers of Admirals Xen and Gerrel. If it got out that she's been a servant of the Reapers while serving as an admiral, she would be stripped of her title and she'd be alienated more.
Shepard also remembered the last email he had received from Raan, just after the war ended and Tali had rejoined his crew. "Take care of Tali'Zorah for me." He had failed to do so, and he was not ready to face that. He also did not know if Tali had ever revealed to her the extent of their relationship, which added another layer of complexity to it.
"Shepard," his thoughts were interrupted by the voice of EDI patching through his cabin's now repaired speaker system. His cabin was still in disarray from the fighting that had taken place. His fish tank was still broken, all of his fish dead (that wasn't new however). There was still a large Shepard shaped indent above his bed, and the picture of Tali still remained face down on the ground. He should have picked it up, put it back and had it fixed. He guessed that there were still some scars that had not healed yet. "Specialist Traynor wanted me to alert you to an impending call from Admiral Hackett. He is requesting an immediate audience."
Spared once again, he closed his laptop, the email still not even addressed, and got up from his desk. "Copy that, reporting to the QEC, alert the Admiral I'll be there in 5 minutes."
He took the elevator down one floor, and passed through the bustling CIC and into the war room. Once again, he saw a call waiting for him in the QEC. He answered, and immediately, the grizzled holographic form of Admiral Steven Hackett materialized in front of him. Shepard saluted to his superior. "Admiral."
"At ease, Commander." Shepard lowered his salute at the order. "I need you and your ship to fly to these coordinates I'm sending over. Get there as quick as you can."
Shepard studied the coordinates that Hackett had just sent him, he recognized them immediately. "Sir, is this what I think it is?"
"The fleets are mobilized and ready, Commander. It's time."
A/N: Alright, the plot can now finally start moving forward. Had to deal with the immediate aftermath of Tali's actions and the fallout from them, but now that that's out of the way, we can really start moving forward. Don't worry, the moment we're all waiting for is coming, we just need a bit more time. We're approaching the endgame of the events of ME3, they are about to attack Cronos Station.
Let me know if you have any suggestions, criticisms, feedback, etc. I strive for some semblance of perfection.
