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Espacole and Spork

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Shepard sat on a stool she'd hauled into the briefing room, leaning on one elbow against the head of the conference table and pinching the bridge of her nose with her other hand. Tali stood behind her, one hand gently massaging the back of her neck, while Jacob paced up and down the length of the room to one side. And, on the other, Aria leaned against the wall with a deep frown. Finally, Shepard leaned back and picked up the datapad on the table in front of her, holding it up and giving it a gentle little shake.

"Nothing." She said, throat hoarse as she tossed it onto the table. "Not a single fucking data-store left on the whole damn ship. How can they even be that thorough?!"

"They had the Geth's help-"

"And who knows how many years to perfect their systems." Jacob added, shaking his head tiredly as he continued up and down the room. "Damn it, Commander, I should have expected this. Why wouldn't they have countermeasures? Targeting engines to board is textbook - they'd know this game from any random pirates."

"So it was all a waste…"

"The hell it was." Aria snorted, shaking her scaled head and pushing off the wall, turning to Shepard with a toothy smirk. "We won Rannoch, Commander. The Heretics? Running with their tails between their legs. And the Collectors? Weaker than ever."

"But we can't get to them."

"EDI, was it?"

"Yes, your Highness."

"You actually call her that?" Tali scoffed, shrugging when Shepard gave her a look, one brow raised "Why would you do that?"

"Diplomacy." The AI answered simply, almost tiredly, even. Like it was an obvious answer to a stupid question - and Shepard's brows rose for the unexpected tone. "Self-proclaimed or not, Aria T'Loak rules Omega. If she chooses the heraldry of 'Queen' that is her business. Mine is diplomacy, and avoiding any action which might compromise this ship or its mission."

"Fair enough…" Tali chuckled, "Fair enough."

"I knew I liked your little e-girl, Shepard." Aria snorted, shaking her head, "Regardless- I wanted to ask, are you and your pilot certain this was the same ship that you've been dealing with?"

"If you mean the same one which destroyed the original Normandy, and was at Horizon, then yes." EDI answered simply, a note of curiosity entering her voice. "It is likely due in no small part to lingering damage from Horizon's heavy emplacements that the engines fell so swiftly. We targeted them, in a small hope of disabling it and rescuing the colonists then and there."

"Then this is a much bigger win than you seem to think, Shepard." Aria argued, "If they've been deploying that big bastard alone, and you've only seen it, then odds are it's their only proper warship. Which means you've bought us all a lot of time."

"You're right." Shepard sighed, shaking her head, "EDI, forward the report to the Illusive Man - and that we still need to find a way through the Omega-4 Relay. But that, otherwise, we've crippled the Reapers' efforts for the time being."

"Aye, Commander." EDI answered, "Will that be all?"

"...No." She muttered after a long moment, "Send Miss Nikos and Legion up to the briefing room. Tali?"

"Yes, my ret'kan?" She answered, letting her hand drift down to the small of Shepard's back to settle comfortingly.

"Get on the line with the Admirals, and see about getting them over here, too. Or on vid-line." Shepard instructed shortly, straightening and turning to her, taking both of her hands in her own and smiling. "It's time we finally get Quarians back on Rannoch. Don't you think?"

"I-I…" The Quarian hesitated, voice quivering for a moment, then nodded and let out a long breath. "I never thought to see the day, Commander. I'll drag them here myself if I damn well have to, rest assured of that."

Shepard smiled and nodded, "I'm sure you will, Tali."

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Armor shined to a sparkle and combat suit cleaned and, thanks to Zaeed's help, repainted to a dark matte black with crimson to match her hair highlighting the outer seams and down between her breasts along her sternum, Pyrrha tied her hair back and took a breath. Turning, she asked, "How do I look?"

"Spectacular!" Penny clapped, bouncing on her heels excitedly, "Absolutely spectacular, best friend!"

"Yeah, kid." Zaeed chuckled, lounging back against the hull behind his spot on a little crate at the foot of Pyrrha's cot. "A regular goddamn dignitary."

"Thank you." She smiled, flicking a hand and calling her spear to her, leaning its base on the ground like a stave and smiling thinly. When Zaeed's smile thinned, she raised a brow and asked, "I need to look my best for what's to come, don't I? Or is something else the matter?"

"Nothin's wrong, Nikos, just…" He sighed and turned, looking out the observation window at the distant shape of Rannoch. "I grew up hearin' stories o' the 'Morning War'. Mostly horror stories, Council spread 'em to try and scare people off AI crap."

"And…?" Penny asked, "You feel odd being here now because of it?"

"Mhm." Zaeed hummed, "Lost way 'fore my time, and now we get it back for the suits, and it's with AI's help? Just… Feels off, ya know?"

"I suppose it is a bit ironic, in a way." Penny chuckled quietly, toying with her hair with a finger while she watched Rannoch in the distance. "Artificial Intelligence related concerns drove the Quarians out. And now, they help bring them back. All while fighting other Artificial Intelligences."

"It's a mess." Zaeed snorted, "A complicated goddamn mess."

"True enough," Pyrrha mused, "but that's… People."

"Heh." The old mercenary snorted, "Guess that proves more 'n anything that the Geth are what they say. Eh? Livin', not quite breathin', people. Just like us."

"I am also artificial, friend Zaeed." Penny pointed out quietly, shaking her head. "But I understand your point. You're talking about the Geth, not artificial beings as a whole. Right?"

"Mhm." He nodded, "You're a whole 'nother beast, Polendina. EDI is, too, to an extent. But you? You eat, ya sleep, ya breathe… Whole nine, 'cept maybe for havin' babies."

"Z-Zaeed!"

"What, Nikos?" He chortled, waving her scandalised look off. "It's a joke, relax. I'm just teasin'. And you got a meetin' to get to, anyways."

"I suppose…" She sighed ruefully, shaking her head at the old man and flicking Penny a look. When she didn't look bothered, smiling as ever, Pyrrha shrugged and turned to leave. "I'm off, then. Wish me luck?"

"Break a leg." Zaeed laughed, "An' preferably a few of 'em."

"Have a good day, best friend." Penny called back to her as Pyrrha stepped through the door. "I believe in you!"

That made Pyrrha smile a bit more warmly as the door shut and she turned, heading through the oddly quiet halls. There were a few crewmembers coming and going, working at consoles and repairing minor systems damaged during the battle, but other than that everyone was resting. Recovering from the stressful ordeal, now that they all had the time to do so. A few in the cantina were eating and paused to pay her nods as she passed by the opening of the hall, but the others ignored her, too tired or focused to pay her any mind at all.

Which she didn't begrudge at all, as busy as they all were.

The CIC, unlike the lower decks, was swamped by activity. The terminals leading to the cockpit were thronged by officers working at whatever tasks they faced, relaying communications across the ship and to the fleet around them. Others worked around the CIC to the same ends, aside from a few who were working to repair some damage to part of it. And even the Yeoman was busy at her terminal, though she turned as Pyrrha passed her by.

"Good luck." She said, smiling brightly, "Hope it goes well!"

"As do I." Pyrrha returned the smile, "I'm hopeful, though."

"Same!" The Yeoman chirped, turning back to her work and humming a quiet tune as she slipped into, and through, the armory.

"Nikos." Jacob grunted when he saw her, smiling thinly and waving her over. When she hesitated and flicked a look at the door he caught her concern and chuckled, "Don't worry, won't take a minute. Commander just wanted me to run you through something real quick."

"Right." She nodded, pacing over to the table he used to work on weapons, in the middle of the back section of the armory itself. An array of metal plates had been laid out on it, now, and she gave them a curious look as before she looked up and asked, "What do you need?"

"These are some armor alloy samples." Jacob explained, gesturing at the assembly of pieces and then crossing his arms. "Commander Shepard had me gather them up, in case you wanted to commission a new shield."

"Ah, I see…" As loath as she was to do so, it would likely be a wise choice… Humming, she said, "By tradition, I should forge it myself."

"Do we really have time for all that, though?"

"Time is immateriel." She answered simply, paying him a hard look. "Tradition matters to me, Jacob. Even when it's… Less than convenient. Especially then, in fact."

"Just seems like a bad time." He shrugged, "That's all. Isn't staying alive more important? You're a bright, talented young woman. Hate to see it wasted 'cus something went wrong, and you needed your shield there when it did."

"Without my traditions, I have nothing left of home." She smiled, shaking her head and sighing. "I appreciate the thought, but… Now is not the time, Jacob. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He shrugged, "It was always your choice. I'll keep the samples around, just in case. Maybe after all is said and done, you'll find one and we can source it so you can forge a new shield?"

"Maybe." She smiled, "That would… Be a nice return to my roots, I suppose. A comfort."

"I hope so." Jacob nodded, paying her a loose salute as he turned to pick up a decently sized box and set it beside the metal samples, dropping them in and humming. "Gotta say, Nikos, if they make 'em like you wherever you're from, we could damn well use a few more. Absolutely terrifying."

"I… Shall take that as a compliment."

"Should do, since it was." He laughed, waving her off, "Go on, then. You've got work to get to, and since you aren't sampling metal, Shepard won't take any excuses for you stalling in here."

"I'm not-" The man shot her a smirk and she scoffed, rolled her eyes and turned, striding away with a quiet little chuckle.

She was made to stop outside the briefing room by a pair of guards, one Quarian and one, of all things, Volus who took a moment to scan her before nodding and allowing her in.

Inside she found one of the Quarian Admirals standing with Tali and talking quietly in a corner at the back of the room, while Legion stood stock still in the opposite and Commander Shepard stood calmly at the head of the table. Aria was beside her, and turned to flash Pyrrha a toothy, almost feral, smile as she often did. And, as Pyrrha usually did, she simply smiled and tried her best to ignore it - although that seemed to amuse the woman even more.

It was all just… Rather exhausting, really, to try and figure out what the crime lord was thinking.

So she ignored it, smiled, and asked, "You called for me, Commander?"

"I did." Commander Shepard nodded, paying a nod to the two Quarians as they came to the table, while Legion took the center of the long length on her right. "This is Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay, acting as a representative of the Quarian Migrant Fleet. Acting as an intermediary, I am negotiating the signing of a formalized peace treaty between the Quarians and the Geth Consensus."

"That's…" She laughed, relief and a touch of almost surreal… Giddiness, at the news. But then her brows furrowed as a bit of confusion pushed to the fore. "Why… Why am I here, though?"

"Citadel Legal Code 678-9876-A." Legion reported quietly and simply, flanges flicking quickly and then dipping lower before they turned to her and finished almost morosely. "Only a living being, possessing of living will and intellect, and without coercion, may undertake the signing of official peace accords to be recognized by Citadel law."

"Meaning…?"

"The Council defines 'living being' very specifically." Aria offered with a dark chuckle, "Enshrined it into law right after the Morning War. Guess who it leaves out?"

"Synthetics." She sighed, shaking her head wearily and muttering under her breath, "Why is it everywhere I go, I find so much hate…?"

"This is an old wound." The Admiral answered just as quietly, "But we are not bound by Citadel law, even as we would like our decisions to be respected by them."

"What does that mean…?"

"It means we found a… Loophole." Tali answered with a quiet chuckle, crossing her arms and rubbing her biceps self-soothingly as she went on, "Technically, an ambassador is required for treaty investigations like these. And since the Geth both don't fit the legal requirements-"

"Stupid as they are." Aria added, smirking as Tali sighed.

"-but the requirements, legally, don't mention a need for a 'living being' to choose the ambassador…" Tali nodded at Legion and finished, "The Consensus were asked to choose someone, an organic, they would trust to represent them fairly for the final negotiations, and signing, of the peace treaty."

"And you…" Pyrrha blinked as she put all the pieces together in her mind and her heart very nearly skipped a beat, "You picked me? To represent an entire species?! I-I can't- That's not- that's too much!"

"Nikos, we don't have a-"

"When we met, you acted without thought to protect our platform. Our programs." Legion cut in, voice cool but firm as they turned to face Pyrrha fully. "You did not think, you did not hesitate - you saw our need, and you stepped in to fill it. You were the first organic being since the end of the Morning War to show us… Kindness. Why?"

"I'm… A Huntress." She answered with a shrug, confusion drawing her brows together. "How could I leave a wounded person to die just like that? They weren't exactly offering you a chance to surrender."

"Indeed." Legion nodded, flanges flicking quickly before smoothing out around its head as it gestured at her and went on, "You are… Good. Without concern for gain, you helped us, without us ever asking for any of continued to do so, even when it was… Less than comfortable for you, travelling with us in a ship with no facilities for your needs. You persisted, because you wanted to help us. And in so doing, earned our trust. Now, we are asking you to help us once more. To give us a peace that we have long concluded unattainable."

"So," it said, "will you help us, Friend?"

"I…" She hated it, the idea of being put up on a pedestal again. But… This wouldn't be like her time in the rings. Here, she would be helping people - and be on that pedestal not only to allow that, but because they had asked her to step onto it.

They'd given her a choice. A real one.

Not an offer to a child about 'fame' and 'fortune' and 'seeing the world'.

Not an offer of 'duty' and 'destiny', wrapped up in as many vagaries as the Normandy was wrapped up in armor.

A genuine choice - and she knew for a fact that if she refused, and explained why, Legion would never begrudge her the decision. Never argue, or question it. The Geth would accept her decision and simply… Move on. Work to find a new solution, with complete acceptance and respect to what she'd decided. Even if it prolonged the conflict, or caused worse problems. And she hated that, for a moment, she was tempted - if only to keep one more complication out of her life.

But, finally, she sighed, smiled, and asked, "What do I have to do?"

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Quarian Words :

Ret'Kan = Loosely, 'dear' or 'dear one' or 'dearest one' depending on context.

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