Chapter Text
Shepard took a deeper shuddering breath as if emerging from a dream. Someone was crying.
The cherry tree was alive, its branches glowing only because of the pink flowers, lit from underneath with the same mood lighting common through the rest of the council chambers. The blood and bodies receded from the corners of Shepard's vision, but the smell of rotting blood lingered.
Shepard turned toward the table, catching the edge as she wretched.
Nihlus moved into her space, leaning down to try to catch her gaze. “Commander?” he asked quietly.
Right. Nihlus was a good reminder that things were different now. She wasn't there. The slaughter hadn't happened... yet.
She lifted a hand to let him know that she'd be fine, that she just needed a second.
The sound of terribly grieved sobs picked at Shepard's attention like a nasty hangnail. It did serve to ground her and reality came rushing back in with all the gentleness of a slap to the face. At the same time, she relished it. This was real, and now she needed to deal with the consequences of her actions and hope that they listened this time.
Tali. Wonderful Tali, was on her knees before Tevos, attempting to help the Asari Councilor back from the nightmare world she'd just lived.
The sobs were dying down, and Tevos was starting to look around as reality slowly caught up to her as well. Sparatus stood off to the side, attempting to maintain his aloof dignity, but he kept throwing looks between Tevos and Shepard. Valern was actually completely unmoved by the display. He looked mildly annoyed, though the quick tapping of those long fingers gave away the fact that he was also a bit unnerved.
Tevos managed a deep breath and gently waived Tali off. The councilor stood, rebuilding her composure brick by brick. It was still a bit fractured when she met Shepard's gaze, and it was almost as if Tevos could see her home world in flames as she looked. “What you have lived...” she said, grasping for words. “I-. It all felt so real to you, didn't it? Then... you found the designs for the crucible. Events began repeating themselves. You saw Sovereign on Eden Prime...”
“Councilor?” Sparatus asked a bit hesitantly. “Can you explain what you saw?”
Tevos twitched a bit, startled, but she recovered quickly. “I saw... a year of a life lived,” she said. “I saw the Reapers darkening the skies of every single planet in this galaxy. I saw them butcher us, creating walking dead things that are a horrific mockery of everything we are. I saw their intent to... to... end us. I saw this very council deny what was right before us, up until our killers descended on us. Sparatus, Valern, if there is any wisdom between the three of us, we will make Shepard our main champion against this threat. We will turn, all our spectres onto this problem. We will send whatever resources Admiral Hackett may require for the construction of the crucible.”
“You can't just promise the riches of our planets and colonies to some unknown project on a whim!” Valern snapped, going from annoyed to angry.
“You don't understand,” Tevos said, tears still tracking down her cheeks. “Shepard was, is right about everything! If we are to survive this, we cannot cling to pride. Even the divides between our species must shatter. I am declaring a galaxy wide emergency, and to show you the urgency of this, I will take you to Thessia myself to meet Vendetta.”
“That's a good place to start,” Shepard said, nodding sharply. “Then we need to start evacuating the outer ring of the Milky Way. We can't force people, but that's where the Reapers will strike first.”
“Bahak,” Tevos said.
“I know,” Shepard said. “I know, I'm working on that one.”
Tevos lifted her head abruptly. “We have three years,” she said. “Three years to prepare. They must be in the galaxy when the crucible fires. Is there no other way?”
“No,” Shepard said flatly. “They have to be in range for it to be effective.”
“I truly understand now, why you kept Udina in the dark,” Tevos said. “Those indoctrinated fools.”
“Believe me, I know,” Shepard said. “But we're getting ahead of ourselves. First things first. We need to get Sparatus and Valern on board. Go see Vendetta.”
“There's so much...” Tevos said, but she suddenly looked up at Shepard and spoke with conviction. “You need Liara.”
“Yeah, I was going to send Nihlus after her while I kill the Thorian on Feros,” Shepard said.
Tevos shook her head at once. “No, you don't understand,” she said. “This... is possibly what convinced me that your memories are not just a delusion. Liara, the one you knew so well... I'm sorry Commander, it's impossible to explain. Let this Liara touch your mind. After... well. You'll understand.”
Huh.
That was a bit unexpected.
“Shepard,” Tevos said and there was a hint of a smile on her face. “I want regular reports from you. And please. Don't hang up on us.”
Shepard couldn't stop the unladylike snort. “I get the feeling I won't have cause for it this time,” she said.
“Go,” Tevos told her. “It seems we each have our own assignments.”
“Good luck then,” Shepard told her and turned to leave. Sparatus had been shifting, almost anxiously for some time now. The Commander had a feeling that Tevos was about to get quite the earful. She almost felt bad. Almost.
Nihlus' hand landing on her shoulder outside the conference room informed her that she might have her own earful to contend with.
“You just about gave me a heart attack back there, Shepard,” the turian said. “You didn't tell me even half of what you had planned back there.”
“It worked didn't it?” Shepard said, continuing down the walkway toward the stairs. “Besides, if I'd told you what I was going to do, you'd have said no and I couldn't have you trying to circumvent me back there.”
“Another thing,” Nihlus said. “You're sending me on an errand while you go somewhere else? I thought I was going to be acting as your mentor.”
Shepard stopped and turned to look at him. “Nihlus,” she said. “We have three years before the Reapers arrive. You can spend that time babysitting me while I prove that I don't need your supervision, or we can divide and conquer. The faster we can get to Ilos the better, but I can't just abandon the people of Zhu's hope. We also need to react in certain ways that won't tip off the Reapers that we have anything of a comprehensible plan. I will talk much of this over with you, but I'd prefer to do this on the Normandy and away from listening ears and prying eyes.” She started walking again, and Nihlus faltered a bit but quickly caught up.
“You're making me feel like a fresh recruit,” Nihlus muttered.
“Does this mean we get to find out how you keep predicting things?” Tali put in quietly.
Shepard smiled. “Don't worry,” she said. “I'll have that talk with the entire ground team, you included, Tali.”
“Oh good,” Tali said. “Wrex has money down that you're some kind of prophet.”
Shepard let out a startled chuckle and shook her head. “Damn,” she said. “I hate to disappoint him so early...” She stopped so abruptly that Tali actually ran into her from behind.
“Oh! Sorry! Shepard?”
“Admiral Kahoku...”
There he was, standing at a terminal likely attempting to get answers about his missing squad. He wasn't the tallest man, only having Shepard by a couple of inches, but he made up for it in his broad shoulders. He had a wide face with prominent features, and Shepard winced as the image of his corpse superimposed itself over the living man. She could stop it from happening.
Shepard approached him and he turned.
“Commander Shepard, isn't it,” he said. “My name is Admiral Kahoku. Is there something I can do for you?”
Shepard had always thought that if the admiral hadn't been so concerned about his missing men, he'd have come across as downright friendly. His reputation also preceded him as one of the 'nice' admirals and positions under his command were highly sought after. “You sent a recon team into the...” she started to say but hesitated. Which cluster had it been again?
“The Artemis Tau cluster?” he provided. “Yes, that's right. They went missing a few days ago. I've been trying to find out what happened to them, but I keep getting the run around from Alliance brass. Do you know something about this, Commander?”
“Sorry, admiral,” she said. “But could I invite you onto the Normandy for a tour? I'd like you to see how well the crew is operating... Sir.” Shepard cut him a look, hoping he would understand her request.
Kahoku hesitated just long enough that she thought he might have understood. “Hell, I'm not making any progress here,” he said casually. “Isn't the Normandy due for an inspection? You're a busy lady, commander. The least I can do is keep Mikhailovich from rattling your crew.”
Oh right. The inspection. The surprise inspection. Mikhailovich had bullied his way onto the ship and wasted hours of her life, rubbing his gloved hands over the railings and sneering at her ground crew, but if the inspection had already been run...
“I would truly appreciate that Admiral,” Shepard said. It also gave him a legitimate reason to board her ship.
“I'll meet you at the docking bay in an hour,” he promised.
Shepard nodded. That would give her time to go shopping!
Nihlus shook his head. “Since we're parting ways, I have my own ship to prepare,” he said, shooting Shepard a somewhat sullen look.
Tali stared after him, fidgeting a bit nervously.
“He'll get over it,” Shepard said. “Come on, let's go see what the markets have for us.”
“Um!” Tali said abruptly seeming even more nervous. “The last time I went through there, they started throwing things. Could... could I...”
“Right, I forgot,” Shepard said, changing directions for the embassies instead. “You don't have a reputation yet. Maybe next time.”
“.... I get a reputation...?”
They were just arriving when a man called out to them.
“Excuse me, Commander Shepard. Could you spare a moment of your time?”
Samesh Bhatia. Oh no...
“I have a moment,” Shepard said somewhat reluctantly.
“Commander, Shepard,” he said again. “My name is Samesh Bhatia. Forgive the intrusion, but I heard I could find you here.”
“It's no trouble,” she assured him. “What can I do for you?”
“Pardon me, I must apologize again,” he said and seemed genuinely contrite. “I seem to have given you the wrong impression. I came here to thank you in person for your swift action on Eden Prime. My wife, Nirali Bhatia, was part of the two-twelve but has been honorably discharged due to her injuries. She will never walk again, and that grieves me, but if search and rescue had been held back any longer... This may have been a very different conversation.”
“She... she lived,” Shepard said, feeling as if the artificial gravity had fluctuated a moment. “I made a difference.”
Samesh smiled, tears touching the corners of his eyes. “You did indeed, Commander,” he said. “And I cannot possibly repay you for the service you have done for us.”
“This is my job, Mr. Bhatia,” Shepard said. “You don't owe me a thing, actually hearing that she lived is it's own reward. Thank you for coming to tell me!”
“Please,” Samesh said, his smile growing a touch. “To you, I am Samesh. My wife is in care at the Huerta Memorial Hospital here on the Citadel. We will be here a while because she volunteered to allow Alliance Scientists to study her wounds. She said, if it helped save lives in the future than it will have been worth it. I am so very proud of her, but I digress. You are welcome to visit us any time.”
Shepard felt her throat tightening. “I may take you up on that,” she said. “My gunnery chief, Ashley Williams was part of the two-twelve. She'll be thrilled to hear that Nirali made it.”
“Chief Williams?” Samesh said, brightening with recognition. “Nirali speaks of her with great respect. I think they may even have been friends.”
“I'm sure I can find some time,” Shepard said then remembered that Zhu's Hope was being overrun by the Geth as they spoke. “Well, I can try.”
“I can see you are a very busy woman,” Samesh said. “Duty calls as they say. If you cannot visit us here on the Citadel, when she is well enough, I will be taking her home to earth where we will fulfill our long time dream of opening a restaurant. Alliance servicemen will always eat there for free.”
“Thanks again for the good news, Samesh,” Shepard said, reaching out to shake his hand. “Please give my regards to Nirali.”
“I will,” Samesh said. “Goodbye, Commander, and thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”
Shepard and Tali watched him walk away. There was life and purpose in his stride.
“You... really do care,” Tali said slowly. “Don't you, Commander.”
Shepard desperately wanted to hug Tali in that moment but, she settled for putting a hand on her upper arm. “You know you can call me Shepard,” she said.
“Shepard then,” Tali said, her eyes narrowing happily in what was clearly a smile.
Garrus was pleased to get out of the office even though it had felt like a shelter from Pallin's inevitable scorn. He likely would have stayed there if Shepard hadn't come by. They started by packing up anything he wanted to bring aboard the Normandy, then Shepard turned for the markets, though they wouldn't have much time to look around.
The moment they got there, Shepard knew she'd lost her opportunity. There was a ring forming around two beings who seemed intent on beating the crap out of each other. One raised his voice in an angry shout and, to Shepard's chagrin, she recognized it. She began bodily shoving her way through the amused onlookers and raised her voice in her best drill sargent shout. “Officer on deck! Ten-hut!”
The brawl stopped abruptly as Corporal Jenkins disentangled himself from... Conrad Verner? Oh, dear lord just put her out of her misery now...
“What, gentlemen, is the meaning of this?!” she demanded in a low dangerous hiss.
Jenkins flinched.
Verner took one look at her and brightened like a puppy reunited with its master. Shepard could almost see his tail wagging.
“You're Commander Shepard!” he said, though sporting a fat lip. “The hero of Eden Prime! I'm so honored to meet you!”
Jenkins sneered at him, though its effectiveness was severely undercut by his black eye.
“And that is sooooo not what I asked,” Shepard said, crossing her arms and staring him down.
Conrad's enthusiasm faltered. “I'm sorry Commander, I couldn't help myself,” he said. “This guy was saying mean things about you! He insulted your honor! Before I knew it I just-!”
“Jenkins?” Shepard said. “Were you mouthing off about me?”
Jenkins actually had the grace to look embarrassed. “He was going off about how great you were, and after you pulled me from the mission on Eden Prime...” he fumbled. “I just, lost it.
“Verner,” she said. “I want you gone. Get your injuries treated and go home.”
“But-!” Conrad started to protest.
Shepard whirled on him. “I could have you up on charges for assaulting a serviceman,” she roared. “Don't push it! Go! Now!”
Verner looked like a kicked puppy as he left, big sad blue eyes down on the floor, spirit crushed.
Shepard winced internally. She told herself it was for the best.
“As for you,” she said, rounding on Jenkins. “Did it ever occur to you that I pulled you from that mission to save your life? Jenkins, we are about to embark on one of the most important missions humanity has ever seen or ever will see. I don't have time to baby sit you. I'm- I'll be recommending an immediate transfer for you.”
Jenkins' expression soured, but he wisely stayed quiet. He knew she had the ability to back it up now.
“What are you doing out here anyway?” Shepard asked him.
“Captain Anderson cut me loose,” he said. “When the LT and the Chief arrived, Cap said I might as well get a chance for some sight seeing.”
Ah. So that's how this happened. Jenkins proved himself to be a nuisance. Anderson sent him away and the corporal also proved he couldn't even be left without supervision. She looked down the steps toward Morlan's Famous Shop and sighed. Some other time then.
“Come on,” she told the corporal. “We're going straight to the Normandy.” She cast an apologetic look at Garrus who shook his head. He was already loaded down with a duffel bag of his things so it might be easier on him to go right to ship, anyway.