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Captain Jane Shepard, SSV Perugia, Sol System, Saturn Orbit

“Something is off,” Jane grumbled as she dropped her chin onto her left fist. The rest of the bridge crew tried to ignore the captain’s sloppy posture, as she sat sprawled, drumming the fingers of her right hand on the arm of her command chair. “It’s annoying the crap out of me, and I don’t know what it is.”

“Captain,” the ship’s XO, Commander Tyrone Totes, called as he swiveled his seat around. “Engineering reports the drive core fully discharged. We may proceed at your command.”

“About fucking time,” Jane muttered, sitting up in her seat and adjusting her uniform jacket. “Mr. Garcia, please get us the f-”

“Captain!” Ensign Maiara Eleanor, the comms officer, called out. “We are getting a priority call from Admiral Hackett.”

Jane blinked at the girl for a second before shaking her head with a disgusted look. “ Got to be kidding me…” Jane paused a moment and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Is it a direct call?”

“No, ma’am,” Eleanor shook her head. “Apparently he is on a shuttle and coming here. And…” the girl paused a moment before nodding. “Yes...yes….will do...yes….” Eleanor continued to nod as she spoke with the other end of her line. She’s going to nod her head right off her body, Jane thought to herself, pushing down her irritation.

With a final nod, Eleanor looked back up at her Captain. “Sorry, ma’am. We are being told to hold station. The Admiral wants to speak with you privately.”

Jane’s eyes widened slightly as she turned and looked out the forward view port. “Well, that is more than a bit ominous,” Jane sighed as she stood. “Bridge is yours Totes. Try to make sure we don’t fall into the planet, hmm?”

“I will see what I can do, Captain,” Totes nodded as he moved to the command dias.

With a dismissive wave of her hand, Jane moved to the lift, her face creased with a frown.

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Captain Hannah Shepard, SSV Orizaba, Citadel

“Taking up station four degrees off the Destiny Ascension,” the Orizaba’s flight commander, Edward Kikkoman, announced.

“Very good Commander,” Hannah Shepard nodded as she stood and smoothed out her uniform. “The bridge is yours.”

Kikkoman nodded as Hannah stepped onto the lift and sending it to the crew deck. Worry ate at her. What could be so important that Anderson was coming to speak with her directly? They had been friends for a long time, but he was the human Councilor now.

As the doors to the lift opened, Hannah was already striding purposefully through them and down the hall to her stateroom. It was one of the perks of commanding an Everest class dreadnought. Truth be told, Hannah always thought it was a waste of valuable space, but Anderson had pointed out that a command ship of the Orizaba’s stature had need of place to speak with VIPs. And now she was stalling. Trying to distract herself from her anxiety. It wasn’t working very well.

Then Hannah realized she had been standing outside the door for nearly a minute.

Taking a deep breath, Hannah hit the button that opened the door and stepped inside.

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Kelly Shepard, Mindior, Shepard Family Farm

“Dad!” Kelly called as she entered the house like she went everywhere. Like a small tornado. Her coat was thrown haphazardly, in the general direction of the coat hook. One of her shoes almost made it to the shoe rack. The other barely made it inside the house. As Kelly moved through hall into the living room, her backpack bounced off the couch to land on the floor, while the N7 hoodie her brother had given her was draped over the stair’s banister.

“Dad!” Kelly called out again with a frown. Her father, Hestalia Shepard, had messaged her to come home immediately, and that it was important. He never did that unless it really was. Kelly had seen an extra car in the dive, so somebody must be visiting. Is Johnny here? She thought excitedly. Normally he told her when he was coming to visit, but maybe, this time he was going to surprise her?

“Kelly,” her father stepped out of the kitchen. Kelly skidded to a halt as she looked into her father’s face. “Kelly, come, we have to talk to you.”

Swallowing, Kelly nodded and followed her father back into the kitchen area. It was a good sized kitchen, Hestalia, her asari father, had designed it. He loved to cook and had always dreamed of having a large kitchen for his family. But now, Kelly’s human mother, Hannah sat at the big dinner table, holding a mug of coffee in her hands. On the other side of the table, Kelly’s human sister, Jane stood straight, from where she had been leaning on the wall. Both the women were pale, and had dark circles under their bloodshot eyes. They had been crying….

They didn’t get to use it as a full family very often. Maybe once a year, but those were the best times in Kelly’s life. Until now.

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Zaeed Massani, Korbalick Station, Terminus

The comm beeped again, it's harsh trill splitting Zaeed’s head open with each ring. Groaning, the broad, scarred man sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He had been drinking a bit more than he probably should have….

The comm beeped again, making Zaeed wince, even as the body behind him began to twist under the blankets of the bed. “Zaeed?” the female batarian mumbled. “Are you going to get that?”

The comm beeped again, as Zaeed nodded, a hand running over his face before glancing at the incoming call identifier. “Shit….” he muttered as his eyes shot open. “Jullua, you need to go. Now.”

“What?” the female, Jullua turned, startled. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, you need to get the fuck out,” Zaeed growled. “This is important. Take the credit chit on the table.”

“O-okay…” Jullua mumbled as she quickly pulled on what little clothing a woman in her line of work wore. “Will...um...will you be calling for me later?”

The comm beeped again. “Doubt it. Now get out!” Zaeed threw the female a dark glare that made her recoil. He continued to stare at her as she fumbled for the credit chit and exited the small apartment Zaeed had rented.

“Alright now….” Taking a deep breath, Zaeed let it out in a rush as he reached over to take the call. But his hand froze over the button. Why the hell is she calling , he thought furiously. She couldn’t need anything I have to give her. Not now. Not anymore….

The comm beeped again. “Fuck it…” Zaeed muttered, accepting the call. “What do you want?” he spoke gruffly. He was trying to bluff. Trying to seem like he didn’t care. He knew he was making a bollocks of it.

“He’s dead, Zaeed,” Hannah spoke quietly. “They took our boy.”

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Captain Hannah Shepard, Mindoir

Hannah sat straight up. Her hands rested lightly on the knees of her dress uniform. She carefully kept her face impassive, expressionless. She was placed on the center end of one of the two rows of chairs aligned along the back of the podium being used for the speeches. Her particular row was to the left of the podium itself.

Almost in contrast to Hannah’s suppressed nature, her human daughter sat tensely. Like a cornered animal. Hannah noted the flex of her daughter’s jaw. How Jane’s fingers dug into the fabric of the pants of her dress uniform. The anger radiated off Jane in waves.

And to be honest, Hannah also felt the pain and rage. She wanted to scream and beat on the nearest object. But she couldn’t. John would want her calm, if only for the family.

With that thought, Hannah’s eyes moved to the front row of seats that filled the central square of the Mindior township. Her eyes looked into her husband’s eyes. The asari’s golden eyes held their own pain as Hestalia clutched Kelly, to her side as the girl sobbed uncontrollably.

Hannah blinked hard, willing her own tears away before opening them again. In the back of the crowd, leaning against one of the stone archways that led into the square stood the massive form of a krogan.

Wrex had been a member of the Normandy’s ground crew. Hannah had heard that he and her son had gotten close. True battle brothers. And the fact that he was even here, at a human memorial, spoke volumes for the respect Wrex must have felt for John. Wrex’s reptilian eyes met her’s as he nodded slightly, a gesture Hannah returned before her eyes shifted again.

To one of the farther sides sat a turian. Garrus. From the way John had written about him, Garrus had quickly become his best friend. John described him as having almost as fast a comeback as Jane did, as well as being the best marksman he had ever seen. And John had never been one to exaggerate.

Garrus had his arm around a quarian girl, who must have been Tali’Zorah nar Rayya. The girl’s purple realk held the swirling patterns of the Zorah clan, just as Hannah remembered. John had spoken about the girl at exhaustive length. She was an amazing engineer, a good friend, funny and strong. Now, however, she shook in violent sobs, her helmet pressed against Garrus’s chest.

As her eyes scanned the crowd, Hannah noted the rest of the surviving members of the Normandy's crew. They all sat with various levels of mourning. Some cried, while some sat stoically.

Doctor Karin Chakwas had been a friend of Hannah’s from their first posting together. She had helped Hannah keep her shit together when she had gotten pregnant. Now she sat nearly as impassive as Hannah did, herself. Except for the red eyes that showed how she cried when she was alone.

But it was Jeff Moreau, the ship’s pilot, that she finally settled on. John had told her that his moniker had been ‘Joker’, and that he had really liked the man. Moreau was strong, even with his bone issues. And that Moreau was the best pilot in the fleet.

Now Moreau sat staring at the ground with vacant eyes. His face was slack, his eyes, red. He was unshaven and unkempt. His dress uniform was ill fitting and wrinkled.

He was a broken, hollow man.

But then it was her turn. Slowly, Hannah stood, smoothing out her uniform as she approached the podium. Once more her eyes met with those of John’s crew.

Just as Hannah prepared to make her speech, she noticed him. In the back, she saw the tall broad man. His once blonde hair, now silver, the left side of his face deeply scarred. His eyes held a pain she had not expected he could hold. Not after what had happened in the past.. She had hated him, once. Now, however, they shared a pain no parent should have to endure. No parent should outlive their children.

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Jane Shepard, Mindoir

Absently, Jane chewed at her thumbnail while she stared blankly out over the crowd. Her right arm crossed her chest, supporting her left arm, as she bit off pieces of her already rough nail.

John would yell at me, Jane thought to herself. He always yelled at me when I chewed my nails. Now I can chew them all I want…

The thought brought a fresh wave of anger. With a nearly silent snarl, Jane bit down again, but this time tasted blood. Pulling back her hand Jane glanced down at her thumb and sighed. Wonderful, Jane berated herself. John is gone just over a week and you can’t even keep yourself from devouring yourself.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Jane fought to center herself, the way Hestalia taught her. The way Hestalia had taught both of them… Stop. You’ll just get yourself worked up more, and right now you need to keep your shit together. Kelly needs you. Be a bitch later.

Thinking of her sister, Jane looked down to where Kelly sat with Hestalia, crying her eyes out. The girl always idolized John. She kept saying how she was going to be a marine like him. It had always kinda pissed Jane off, the way Kelly clung to John. She always had that little spark of jealousy.

Then her mother stepped in front of her. Startled, Jane looked up at the older woman, her eyes widening slightly. “It’s over?” Jane asked as she began to glance around, seeing the dignitaries on the stage all standing and moving toward the covered memorial that had been placed for John.

“Yes, Jane,” her mother smirked slightly, but Jane could see the exhaustion under it. The woman had to have been made of solid steel. She never cried in front of them, hell, she barely looked sad. “The speeches are over. All that is left it to unveil that goddess awful statue.”

With a grimace, Jane stood and slowly walked to where the small group stood near the base of the thing. She hadn’t seen it herself, but from what her father had told her, it would have been a hard time being worse.

“Ma,” Jane began as she nudged the older woman. “You know you don’t have to do it like this.”

“Yes, I think I do,” Hannah sighed as she watched the mayor say something about honor and sacrifice. “I am too old now to change how I am. I will grieve to myself.”

“You are human, mom,” Jane said. “We’re family. He would want us to- WHAT THE FUCK!?”

Before Jane could finish her sentence, the mayor had pulled a rope, loosening, then pulling down the canvas cover that was over the worst, most tasteless statue Jane had ever seen.

The horrifying monstrosity stood around twelve feet tall and seemed to be made of some overly shiny...chrome? If chrome was a gold color, anyway. But then it got worse. It looked...sort of like John. At least, if John had a cleft chin and some sort of shitty super hero grin.

The body was covered in the type of armor you would see on a children’s early morning cartoon show, all odd lines, overly large shoulder pads and some sort of utility belt looking thing around it’s waist.

However, the worst part was probably the pose. The body of the thing stood straight and tall, its chest slightly pushed out, while its  arms were cocked with its elbows out, its fists resting against its hips.

With a flourish, the mayor spun around, a huge self satisfied grin on his face as a small sporadic golf clap came from various parts of the crowd.

The fucker actually thinks it’s a good statue…. Jane shook her head as the thoughts ran through her mind. She was so stunned by the horror, that she barely felt anger at the man.

“Well…” Jane was finally able to mutter. “That right there. That’s a thing.”

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Jeff ‘Joker’ Moreau, Mindoir

Joker stood in front of Captains Hannah and Jane Shepard, John’s sister Kelly, and even his stepfather, the Asari, Hestalia. He looked at their feet. He could not bring himself to look at their faces. “I…” he didn’t even know how to start. He could hear Kelly sniffing still, trying to hold back her sobbing.

He closed his eyes as he swallowed. Man up, Jeff. You owe it to them, after what you did… “I wanted to say how much I regret...no...I..I am sorry. He died because of me…” Tears began to form in his own eyes.

A hand dropped on his shoulder. The grip was firm. He slowly looked up and met Hannah Shepard’s eyes. He could see the grief and pain, but she held it under an steel will. “It is not your fault Mr. Moreau. I read the reports. You did nothing wrong.”

Somehow that stabbed Joker harder than if she had screamed at him. He would rather she struck him. “It’s because I wouldn’t leave the cockpit, I was too stubborn...Maybe...maybe if I had normal bones, I could have done it on my own...I…”

A blue flash next to them caught them all by surprise, Hannah pulling back as they all looked at Kelly. Her blue energy field was powerful and bright. And the expression on her face was rage, sorrow and grief.

“IT’S YOUR FAULT! YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!” She screamed the words at him, the same ones he had told himself, every hour of every day. He watches she reared back her fist, an unstoppable strike that he deserved. He owed to the girl. He closed his eye, waiting for it.

But it didn’t come. Instead something hit him in the stomach, wrapped around his chest and sobbed.

Opening his eyes he looked down at the girl, holding him and crying against him. “I’m sorry..I’m sorry..I’m sorry…” she kept coughing and crying. Choking out the words.

Joker looked up at Hannah, and Jane, then finally Hestalia. They all had tears in their eyes, and wore their grief openly, but they just nodded at him. “None of it is your fault Joker,” Jane said, wiping a tear from her own eye. “It is just a thing that happened.”

“We will hold on to what he told us. We will make the galaxy ready, whether they want it or not,” Hestalia added. A look of determination on her face. Joker pitied anyone or anything that tried to stop her.

He looked back down at Kelly, crying against him and gently put his arms around her shoulder and hugged her back.

“I didn’t mean it...I didn’t...I’m sorry…” she kept saying.

“I know,” Joker said. His own tears finally falling. “I know.”

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Tali’Zorah Nar Rayya, Mindoir

It was when the cover fell. It was when she saw the statue. The horrible, disgusting statue. Tali could feel the bile rising in the back of her throat even as she turned away. Even as she pushed her way through the crowd. She barely heard the mutters and curses about her and her people, and she didn’t register them when she did. She had to leave. She had to. She couldn’t bring herself to talk to Jane, or the rest of Shepard’s family. It hurt too much. Keelah, why does it hurt so much!

It felt like Tali hadn’t stopped crying since the attack. Her only respite seemed to come when she cried herself unconscious. But even there, even in her dreams, she heard Shepard’s last breaths. They rang in her ears, always ripping her apart.

Finally, Tali managed to push her way out of the crowd, and through one of the archways that separated the town square from the rest of the small town. She stumbled a little further before collapsing on a patch of thick grass by the side of the road, near what looked like a small stream. And she cried. She cried harder than she had before.

She had loved him. She had loved him harder than anything she had ever felt, she used her entire soul to love him. But...she never told him. She was terrified of how he might react. He might have laughed at her. He might have yelled, or mocked her. Or worse. He might have been indifferent. But now….now she would never know.

Turning, Tali pushed herself onto her hands and knees as she gasped, trying to bring her breathing under control. Closing her eyes she began to focus on her heart. It was a something Shepard had taught her.

“ When you’re scared, or angry or distracted, that kind of stuff, just look at your heart,” Shepard had told her. He grinned at her sheepishly as his hand rubbed the back of his neck. “It sounds weird, I know, but trust me. When I was a kid, and trying to control my biotics, my stepfather tried to teach me asari techniques. But being human, they didn’t work as well as they could have.” John shrugged at her, still smiling. “ Asari have you focus on your lungs when you breathe. Like, when you take deep breaths and stuff. But it didn’t really work for me, so, instead I just focused on my heartbeat.”

“But...why didn’t she just have you do that to begin with?” Tali had asked.

“ That’s where it gets interesting!” Shepard’s grin had turned sly and childish, like he was letting her in on a great secret. The idea sent a shiver of joy down her spine at the time. “ Asari can’t feel their own heart beat. Not in their own chest without something like a stethoscope. Isn’t that weird?”

They had shared a laugh then. It was one of Tali’s most treasured memories. Now it helped her pull herself together, as she sat back on her heels and slowed her breath, listening to her heart as she tried to will it to calm itself.

“You alright?” a gravelly male voice asked from behind her, making her jump slightly. She had been so distracted she hadn’t heard the crunch of gravel under his feet as he had approached.

Tali’s helmeted head whipped around to stare at the human man. He was tall and broad, much like Shepard. His hair was mostly steel grey with hints of the lighter blonde it probably once was. It was cropped short and slicked back above his scarred face. Large deep scars ran down the left side of the man’s face, through what was now a white cybernetic eye implant. His clothes were a sort of suit, similar to the ones the other humans at the memorial service wore, except this one was old, wrinkled and ill fitted. The thrifty part of her quarian mind approved.

“Ah, sorry lass, didn’t mean to scare ya,” the man rubbed at the back of his neck as he gave her an embarrassed look. “I saw you run out, thought I would make sure you were okay.”

Tali’s eyes lowered for a moment before she nodded and pushed herself to her feet. “I’m...not...okay. Not at all…”

The man didn’t mock her, nor did he give her any hollow words of sympathy. “Yeah. These things are always the shits. Especially when some dumb fuck gets the idea of a statue in his head. Always goes badly.”

With a short laugh, Tali shook her head as she dusted off her knees. “Totally. That looked nothing like him.”

“Heh, yeah. That thing looks like a pile of cold shit,” the man nodded as he pulled a flask from his pocket and took a swig. “I’d offer you a go, but it ain’t dextro.”

Tali waved a hand as she nodded. “I appreciate the gesture,” she said as she looked at the man. “I am surprised you cared enough to follow me out here.”

“Bah,” the man shook his head. “Nah, never gave a fuck about that species bull shit. I’ve seen too much of the dark arse end of every species to think any of ‘em are better than any other.”

“Yeah….He said something similar…” Tali trailed off as memories rolled through her mind.

Suddenly, Tali’s eyes snapped wide as she looked up at the man. “I-I mean...that he didn’t care! Er, you know..about the species thing. Not that he had looked at them in the anus or any...oh...Keelah…” Tali dropped her helmet into her hands, glad that he couldn’t see how embarrassed she was.

After a moment the man chuckled softly, luring Tali to look up at him as he grinned, a surprisingly boyish look on his old, grizzled face. “He got that from his mother. He and Jane both. She taught both of ‘em right and wrong. The asari...what’s ‘er name…” he paused thinking a moment, taking another drink from his flask. “Ah! Right! Hestalia! Yeah, they did right by the kids. Johnny more than his sister though.”

“More than his sister?” Tali asked curiously. Even now, with the pain in her heart, she desperately wanted to know more about Shepard.

“He cared about people. Didn’t matter to ‘im what they were. Asari, turian, quarian,” the man said, gesturing to Tali with his flask. “That’s what made him better than everybody else. It was the kind of thing you hold onto, makes you want to keep trying to be better.”

“I…” Tali hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yes. I know what you mean. Even if he is gone now. I can still try to do what he would want. I’ll be better. I’ll try to be like him.”

With a nod of his head the man smiled and slowly walked away from her, down the road that led into town. “You do that miss, you do just that. Me, though? I’m gonna get myself drunk enough that I won’t be able to find my own dick when I have to piss.”

Tali’s hands slapped over her helmet’s indicator light as her eyes widened as far as they could go in shock. She had never heard anybody talk like that. Ever. And she had been a friend with a krogan.

But then...then Tali realized she wasn’t crying. The pain was still there, in the back of her mind, ready to leap out if she let her guard down. She knew there would be more tears, more crying. But right now, in this moment, she thought about how she could live up to the example he had set. It was all she had left of her love. And it would never be enough.

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Quarian Lexicon

Realk: Cloth covering used by the quarians. It is used to describe not just the hood seen on most but any material adornment.

Chapter Text

Tali’Zorah, nar Rayya, Shuttle Bargrumff, Ulfair System, Mirgant Fleet

Tali was still staring at Wrex as he brought the shuttle out of FTL. She watched his hands deftly skimmed over the controls with a speed and grace that belied his bulk. But then, honestly, she had been working with him long enough that she shouldn’t be so surprised.

As he brought the shuttle around and brought them on a sublight course to join up with the Quarian Migrant Fleet, a single crimson eye rotated and fixed on her, its slit pupil dilating slightly. “What?” he grunted.

“I...Nothing,” Talli shook her head as she turned to look out the forward view port. “I was just wondering if there was anything you didn’t know how to do.”

“Ha!” Wrex barked a laugh. “Wouldn’t exactly have been able to get along in the galaxy as long as I have without learning how to fly.”

“Yeah, that’s true enough I suppose,” Tali admitted, before going silent. Her eyes drifted to the stars around her. She took in the view, looked at the planets and wondered what Shepard would have said about them. He always was interested in the planets they passed. Every new system they went to, he would read the little paragraphs that came up when he looked at them in the navigation holotank.

“Thought about him again, huh,” Wrex grumbled quietly, startling Tali out of her reverie. She hadn’t even noticed she had begun to cry again.

“Ah...yes, sorry…” Tali almost whispered as she closed her eyes and focused on her heart.

“Ah, don’t you worry about it,” Wrex waved a hand at her, as if brushing away her embarrassment. “I’ve seen quarians reacting to the loss of someone when they are in Pemla’tiyl. It’s pretty rough.”

Tali’s head snapped around as she stared at the krogan, her eyes giant glowing discs inside her helmet. “What? How do you know about...I mean...I can’t be….He was human, so…” Tali babbled incoherently before snapping her jaw shut and staring at the floor of the shuttle. “Your Khelish is very good. You have almost no accent.”

Wrex nodded back at Tali, grinning. “Of course it is. I’ve been speaking it longer than you have.” Pausing for a moment Wrex’s eye darted over to Tali as he noted how her hands had clasped themselves in front of her, wringing quickly. “As for your other question, it’s like the first. I’ve known a lot of quarians in my time. When you guys fall for somebody, you don’t do it subtle. You are an all if kind of people. Never knew it could happen with another species though.”

“It can’t!” Tali exclaimed, as she turned to face Wrex again. “That’s the problem! Quarians can't bond with another species! Not even asari!”

“Huh,” Wrex grunted as he corrected the shuttles course. “Well, humans are pretty new to the galaxy, maybe nobody told them that.”

“Maybe…” Tali trailed off as she turned to the engineering panel, trying to lose herself. “But Wrex...You can’t tell anybody….”

“I won’t,” Wrex nodded, assuring her. “Your grief is yours.”

“Thank you Wrex. I-” Tali began before being cut off by the shuttle’s comm coming to life.

“ Incoming shuttle, your are on course for the Migrant Fleet. State your name and business,” an aggressive male quarian voice demanded.

With a quiet grunt, Wrex shook his head as the shuttle’s warning sensors sprang to life as nearly a dozen ships locked onto the small shuttle. “This is the krogan shuttle Bargruff . I am dropping off one of your pilgrims.”

“ Right, ” the voice mocked. “ Like a krogan could fly a ship, let alone transport a quarian. You probably had no idea about the pass phrases. I’ll tell you what, turn around now and I will give you a five minute head start before I come after you, pirate scum.”

Slowly, Wrex turned his head to look at Tali. “I’m going to kill this one,” he stated. He said it in the way a person would normally remark on the weather, or a passing cloud.

“Um...This is Tali’Zorah nar Rayya. ‘ A fter time adrift among open stars . Along tides of light and through shoals of dust. I will return to where I began.’ ” she quoted quickly, glancing nervously at Wrex. “Who is this anyway?”

There was a long pause before the voice came back. “ Your pass phrase clears,” the male said, sounding almost disappointed. “ This is Captain Dola’Gast Vas Tarchum. Welcome home.”

“Wait,” Wrex rumbled. “I have a pass phrase too.” The krogan grinned at Tali.

“ Look, krogan,” Dola’Gast growled back. “I don’t have time for your shit. Drop off your passenger and get the hell out of here before you stink up the place.”

“Ha!” Wrex laughed shortly. “Seriously, I have a pass phrase. Check ‘ Han’Gerrel, you are a pyjack, and I hate you for making me do this. ’ “

Tali gasped even as Dola’Gast began to scream into the comm, “ How dare you! The only thing keeping me from erasing your existence right now is that fact you have one of my people hostage! You better prey to your ancestors that you will be on an opposite course after you drop off...WHAT?!”

Wrex laughed quietly to himself as muttering was heard on the other side of the comm. It was clear that Dola’Gast unaware that the comm was still on as he was arguing with somebody for a moment before the line went quiet.

“ Shuttle Bargruff,” Dola’Gast returned to the line, his voice was quiet, but strained. “ Your phrase passes. I am forwarding you the coordinates for the Rayya. Get out of my space.”

Still grinning, wrex plotted in the course corrections before sitting back in his seat with a deep, satisfied breath. “Sometimes I love my life,” he said wistfully, as he looked over at Tali. “It’s the little things. You have to remember to savor the little things.”

“I…” Tali began, her mouth moving, but no words were coming out.

“Let me guess,” Wrex snickered. “You want to know about the pass phrase?”

Unable to speak, Tali simply nodded, eliciting another laugh from Wrex.

“Heh, I think I will wait until we get to the Rayya. Then I can make Han’Gerrel tell you himself.”

“But,” Tali said shaking her head as if loosening her tongue. “Admiral Han’Gerrel is on the Neema.”

“Oh, don’t you worry,” Wrex waved a hand at the Fleet before them. “He’ll be there before us. Rael too, probably.”

“My...my father?” Tali sputtered. “You knew my father but never said anything?”

Frowning now Wrex stared straight ahead. “Didn’t know he was your father at first. You could've been anybody in the Zorah clan. By the time I realized you were his kid, I figured he had a reason. Now though, now I think he was just an idiot.”

Tali, shook her head again and dropped back into her seat. Things couldn’t get weirder.

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Urdnot Wrex, Live Ship Rayya, Quarian Migrant Fleet

“How did things get weirder?!” Tali demanded, as Wrex slapped both Admiral Han’Gerrel, and her father, Admiral Rael’Zorah on each of their arms, staggering them.

“What are you doing here Wrex,” Rael demanded, ignoring both his daughter and her question.

Wrex eyed the man for a moment before shaking his head. “I’m invading. You’re all my captives now.”

“Ha!” Han barked. “You’d probably do it too. It is good to see you again Wrex, but like Rael asked, why did you come?”

“Seriously?” Wrex huffed as he shook his head. “Don’t your people communicate anymore? Like I told your overzealous pyjack when I can in, I am dropping off yours.” Wrex looked at Rael as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Tali.

Rael stood for a moment as he stared at Wrex, still not acknowledging his daughter's presence. “Wrex,” when he finally did speak, his voice was cold, nearly emotionless. “Of all aliens, I didn’t expect you to interfere with the Pilgrimage of my daughter.”

At Rael’s accusation, the entire hanger went deathly silent as Wrex slowly turned to fully face the admiral. “Of all the brainless idiots, I wouldn’t have expected you to have the quad to say that to me of all people,” the krogan said, his voice was as cold as Rael’s but filled with far more potential violence.

From the corner of his eye, Wrex could see Tali, her head whipping back and forth between him and her father, her hands clenched together at her waist. He also noted Han’Gerrel doing much the same thing, but with more confusion than fear.

As Wrex opened his mouth to speak again, the door leading into the main part of the ship opened, revealing a slender woman, tall for a quarian female. Her realk was dark grey, the lines of her clan pattern arced in smooth broad lines. It was the pattern of Raan.

“Tali!” the woman called excitedly as she walked quickly toward the younger quarian. Behind her, followed a younger quarian female, noticeably shorter than the rest, also wearing the Raan pattern, but in a marine’s red.

“Auntie Shala!” Upon seeing the woman, Tali bounced up on her toes, as she nearly ran to the woman, Shala’Raan, apparently. Also an Admiral, if Wrex remembered correctly. ”Xera!” Tali exclaimed again as she reached the two, hugging the two of them tightly in turn.

“It’s good to see you child,” Shala said, her voice was deep and had a gravelly tone to it, but that could not hide the joy Shala seemed to have at their reunion. “When I heard about the Normandy, I was worried.”

“Auntie...I…” Tali stepped back and hung her head. Her eyes squeezed shut as she took a deep breath. “I’m alright,” she said after a moment. Wrex noted only a slight hitch in her voice. “My...my captain saved almost the whole crew. Wrex...Wrex brought me here after the memorial.”

Shala regarded Tali for a moment before approaching Wrex. “I thank you for returning one our own to us,” she said, tipping her head. “Your reputation among our people proceeds you.”

“Heh,” Wrex smirked, now completely ignoring Rael’s cold stare. “You must be Garu’s mate. You must have a decent quad yourself to put up with him.” Shala chuckled quietly as Tali gasped in surprise.

“Wrex!” Tali admonished him. “These are Admirals of the Migrant Fleet! Even you should show some respect!”

“Yeah, right!” the marine, Xera laughed. “You’ve been with him for more than ten minutes. You should know better than that!”

“Ah, Xera’Raan,” Wrex slowly looked the quarian up and down. “The adult suit looks good. Can’t believe they let a runt like you be a marine though.”

“Good to see you Wrex!” Xera said, her voice was bubbly and loud. With a bounding hop, the quarian girl leaped on Wrex’s back and hung from the armor over his hump. “Ha, ha! I missed the view!”

With a groan, Wrex turned to the small gathering of admirals. “Anyway,” he started, ignoring the giggling Xera on his back. “Han, I thought you and Rael said you would message me when you were sending out family. Garu did with Xera here,” Wrex gestured at his back as one of Xera’s hands appeared over his head and waved.

“Wrex..I…” Han shifted uncomfortably. “When I sent Tali out, I had assumed Rael would have done it himself.”

At that, Rael became the center of attention in the bay, as he crossed his arms. “I don’t have to explain my actions to you,” he gestured to Wrex with a shift of his head. “Nor do I have to for any of you.”

Wrex frowned and shared a look with Han and Shala before turning to Tali. “Hey, kid, can you peel this Parpani off me and check in with your chosen ship?”

Tali stood and regarded her father for a moment before turning back to Wrex and nodding., “Sure, Wrex,” she said as she grabbed Xera around her waist and began to pull. “Come on, Bosh’tet, you can tell me about what the fleet has been doing.”

Xera groaned before releasing Wrex’s armored back, allowing herself to be drug away. “Spoilsport,” she said, her voice despondent for all of two seconds. “Hey! You can tell me about saving the Galaxy! You’re a celebrity now! GAH!” Xera cried as Tali let her fall to the floor, landing on her rear.

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Xera’Raan vas Neema, Rayya, Migrant Fleet

“You’re a celebrity now!” Xera exclaimed as she  looked over her shoulder at Tali. Before she could say anything more, however, Xera found herself dropping to the hard deck, landing soundly on her si’ratte.

“Hey! What was that-” Xera started to complain as she glared up at Tali, but her words caught in her throat. Her friend, her, for as far as Xera was concerned, her family, had frozen stock still. Tali’s eyes had opened as far as they could, standing as giant glowing discs under her purple visor. ”Tali?”

Slowly, Xera stood, watching Tali closely. Her concern only grew as Tali entire body began to shiver, ever so slightly. She’s trying not to cry! Xera realized, and glanced back over her shoulder at the collection of admirals standing around Wrex.

Satisfied that nobody was paying attention, Xera grabbed Tali’s limp hand in hers and turned, pulling Tali with her.

Xera’s worry only grew at how Tali followed meekly behind her, passive, unresisting, and worse of all, utterly quiet. Ancestors Xera, you bosh’tet! She admonished herself. Her ship just got destroyed and crew she had served with died!

But...it was more than that. Tali’s reaction was far too extreme. With a concerned glance back, Xera grew even more worried. Tali’s eyes had squeezed shut, and the quaking of her body was growing worse.

“Keelah…” Xera muttered to herself, desperately looking around. Then, with audible sigh of relief, Xera saw what she was looking for.

“In here!” Xera said, as she grabbed Tali by the upper arm and half shoved the taller quarian into the small room she had found.

To be honest, though, it was more of an alcove than a room. Being only one meter deep, and two meters wide. A low shelf ran the around the three walls, just wide enough to perch on. Over the opening, a cloth could be dropped to better give the occupants some privacy.

After dropping the cloth, Xera used her omnitool and brought up a program that added a white noise field. This was a conversation that Xera knew was too important to let anybody listen in on.

“Okay, Tali, now tell me what-” Again Xera was caught by surprise as she turned. Tali had seemingly given up trying to hold her emotions in any longer. Xera could see the heaving of her friend’s shoulders, how Tali’s body shuddered as she struggled to draw breath. Tali had begun to rock back and forth, her hands clutched together at her chest, just under her throat. It was clear that Tali had disabled her helmet’s speakers, but Xera could still hear Tali’s muffled sobbing.

“Keelah!” Xera exclaimed, as she nearly threw her smaller body over Tali, wrapping her arms around her sobbing friend as she could, squeezing and rocking with Tali. “I’m here Tali, I’m here…” Xera new that there was no saying that things would be alright, not for Tali, not right now.

“He...he’s-he’s gone Xera!” Tali choked out, her own arms wrapping around Xera. “Keelah, Shepard’s gone...they took him! And...and now...KEELAH! WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH!”

Xera had no words as Tali cried all the harder, clutching at her so desperately. The pain in Tali’s voice cut through Xera, cutting right into her soul, as she began to cry, cursing her inability to help.

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Quarian Lexicon

Pemla'tiyl: Term for courtship. Literal translation: Pathway to the mind, the first of the three phases that lead to bonding. The period of time where the couple learns of one another through a deep sharing of thoughts. May lead to bonding or just a very deep friendship.

Realk: Cloth covering used by the quarians. It is used to describe not just the hood seen on most but any material adornment.

Si’ratte: Slang term for a quarian’s rear. Used the like humans use butt.

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Krogan Lexicon

Parpani : A small,but very aggressive rodent-like creature on Tuchanka. The animal is known bite and chew on a krogans plates until it’s teeth give out, or the krogan kills it. They are sometimes dropped in sleeping rolls as practical jokes.

Chapter Text

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Captain Jane Shepard, Alliance Command, Vancouver, Earth

“..And in short, Captain, it has been understood by the Citadel Council, and collaborated by own Alliance science staff, that your brother, Commander John Shepard, Deceased, was under the influence of a damaged Prothean Beacon,” Colonel Andrew Xi said mechanically, reading from a dataslate. The man was small and weasley looking, the epitome of greasy brown nosing sycophants. “Do you understand, Captain?”

Standing before the Alliance Command staff, Jane stood with her feet shoulder width apart, and her hands clasped behind her back. Her back and neck were ramrod straight as she stared straight ahead, staring at nothing.

“Understood, Colonel. Saren convinced the geth that Sovereign was a machine god that had wiped out the Protheans. The geth then built Sovereign for Saren to use to attack the Citadel in a bid to stage a coup,” Jane responded, her voice was emotionless as she repeated back the party line.

Inwardly, Jane seethed. In fact it was nearly all she could do to keep herself from screaming at the close minded fools. She wanted slap intelligence into each member of the Alliance Command. Then move on the Citadel Councilors.

But she couldn’t. Both she, and her mother, needed to toe the party line. They needed to denounce John and make a show of it. Otherwise there would be nobody who knew the truth in any position to do anything about it. They had already ‘medically’ discharged Joker, John’s pilot, because he wouldn’t support their crap. In fact, they had already pulled two of her engineers, Kenneth Donnelly, and Gabriela Daniels, due to their rather...vocal, support of John.

“Yes,” Colonel Xi confirmed. “That would be correct. Commander John Shepard, successful in his mission to uncover Saren’s plots and foil his plans, however, the Prothean beacon, being damaged, slowly affected his mind and giving him a mild paranoia.”

“Resulting in his belief that the geth created dreadnought, Sovereign, was actually a Reaper, a race of sentient machines the wiped out intelligent life every fifty thousand years. Which was a combination of Seren’s propaganda and the information from the damaged Prothean beacon,” Jane confirmed with a nod, even as her hand, behind her back, clenched into a fist so tightly her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood.

“Very good, Captain. You will certainly go far in the Alliance, with that attitude,” Rear Admiral Mikhailovich smirked. “You are dismissed.”

Jane hesitated a moment before saluting. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” Jane said before turning on her heel and striding out of the room.

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Garrus Vakarian, C-Sec Command, Citadel.

“Damn it Vakarian!” Executor Venari Pallin yelled, slamming his fist on his desk, hard enough to rattle the various pens and dataslates scattered over his desk. “There are procedures, rules and laws!   Beating a confession out a suspect is not admissible! ”

Garrus frowned hard at Pallin, his mandibles pulling tight to his face, angrily. “How else was I supposed to get the location of the red sand drop? Take him out to dinner? Maybe say ‘please’ between the entree and dessert?”

Pallin stood quietly for a moment, his own mandibles flexing in and out with his harsh breathing. “Beating it out of the man also made the whole operation inadmissible !” Pallin placed a hand over his eyes and dropped back into his chair. “Honestly, Vakarian, I would love to kick the crap out every piece of scum, load of shit, and chunk of sterkre that comes on this station. But the law is bigger than you or I. Otherwise, it’s just anarchy.”

With a scoff, Garrus crossed his arms. “Yeah, but people with money can just buy their way out of trouble. Or the lawyers just lie or slime their way around rules or through loopholes. Even when we know they are guilty. What does that say about the rule of law?”

Drumming his talons, Pallin shook his head. “It’s not perfect Garrus. Nothing is. There are shades of grey everywhere. Sometimes we let drug smugglers like Fidorus go free, and in exchange he gives us dirt on his bosses. It’s criminal triage.”

“Or,” Garrus snarled, as he leaned over Pallin’s desk. ”We could make Fidorus talk. Then we get them both.”

Pallin stared at Garrus for a moment before leaning back closing his eyes. “Vakarian, I can see that this conversation is going nowhere. Commander Shepard’s recommendation for you to enter Spectre training has been denied, due to his...mental capacity being under question.”

“WHAT?!” Garrus nearly screamed. “They’re questioning Shepard, even after everything he has done? After we saved the Council’s ass, personally ?!”

Raising a hand, Pallin flinched back slightly. “Yes, well, the idea of sentient machines that routinely wipe out sentient life, does seem a bit of a stretch.”

Pausing, Garrus looked back down t Pallin, with eyes as hard as ice. “Yes. Maybe,” Garrus admitted. “Except how one of them, literally, sat it’s ass on the Council’s tower!”

Pallin stared hard at Garrus, who, unperturbed, glared right back. Pallin turned away first. “Alright. I can see how this is going to go down,” Pallin said, tiredly. “If I let you continue as you are, you are going to end up going too far. And I cannot have that happen on my station.”

“So…” Garrus snorted. “You are letting me go.”

“Yes,” Pallin nodded. “You are being released from C-Sec service. Your clearance to the armory and access to C-Sec shuttles will be revoked in…” Pallin leaned over and looked at a display on his desk. “They will be revoked in six hours.”

Garrus felt his mandibles drop open in surprise as he just stared at his former superior. “I..what?” he asked, eloquently.

“Yes, well,” Pallin continued. “I expect you to return any gear or shuttles that may be in your possession by 0900 tomorrow morning. If they are not, we will have to come get them ourselves, and I would rather avoid that.”

Finally getting his brain working again, Garrus nodded. “Yes, I can see how that would be...inconvenient. I will have to get moving, it I want to get everything where it needs to be.”

“Ah yes!” Pallin nodded as he transferred a data file from the archives to Garrus’s omnitool. “Fidorus should be in his apartment in the Wards about now. Maybe you should say goodbye, I know you were close,” Pallin smirked now. “Also, I heard his family might have a job for you on Omega station.”

With another nod, Garrus looked over the file Pallin had given him before turning and walking out the door. “Nice working with you!” Garrus called over his shoulder, giving the Executor a final wave.

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Doctor Liara T’Soni, Omega

“Tell me what I need to know, Elcor, or I swear to the Goddess…” Liara snarled, as a blue shimmer ran down her arm, shattering the glass she held in her hand. The, supposedly, unbreakable glass. But then, in her time with Shepard, they routinely did impossible things.

“In nearly pants wetting terror: Please do not hurt me, I will talk,” The elcor, Braum, a small time information broker whimpered.

Seeing the elcor shiver slightly, a thing Liara didn’t actually know was possible, shocked her back to her senses.

Sighing deeply, Liara placed her hand over her eyes and rubbed at her temples slightly. “Alright, let’s just start from the beginning, shall we?”

“Eagerly: Yes, let us do that,” Braum said quickly. Well, quickly for an elcor. “Informative: I had heard rumors that the Shadow Broker has an agent looking for the…. Hesitant: Body….”

Liara’s eyes snapped open as she scowled. “The Shadow Broker? You’re sure?”

Nodding, Braum turned slightly to regard Liara more directly. “Earnestly: I am sure. Explanatory: I make it a business to keep out of the Shadow Broker’s way. With mild terror: It’s safer that way.”

Sighing again, Liara crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the bar. “Wonderful. Continue, if you please.”

“Resigned: The operative on Omega is a Drell. Clarifying: He is named Feron, but he is not the one to retrieve the… Hesitant: merchandise. Continuing: His job is to make contact with the buyer,” Braum shifted again, facing Liara straight on. “Defiantly: But you will not have the chance to find out who that will be!”

Liara ground her teeth together in frustration. This work wasn’t the kind of thing she was used to. Shepard of Garrus usually did all the questioning. Wrex was the heavy, lurking back, ready and willing to...what was the term Shepard used? Break some elbows? Something like that anyway.

Snarling, Liara was now out of patience. Without turning, she slammed her fist down on the bar, her biotics flashing out as the metal bar top crumpled like an empty aluminum can. The shockwave was powerful enough to smash the entire liquor collection opposite of Liara, and make a deep crater in the wall. Braum, while small for his people, was still an elcor, but his body was slapped away like a ragdoll, smashing through several tables to land in a bloody heap.

Liara didn’t even bother to look behind herself to see who had been sneaking up on her. She didn’t care. Instead she stalked over to the elcor and stood above him, her aura glowing around her.

“I gave you a chance you miserable ano comedanti…. ” Liara’s voice was frigidly quiet. “Now, now I’m going to have to be sure you tell me everything you know. One way or another.”

“Pain Filled Terror: Please! My arms are broken! Desperate Pleading: Don’t hurt me anymore! It’s the salarian that has the body! Pained Horror: The bones are sticking out!”

“Look at me you useless lump of nothing!” Liara growled as she grabbed the weighted ring that held the elcor’s chord and yanked upward. Backed by her biotic energy, Liara hefted the front half of Braum’s body off the ground, eliciting a pained squeal. “Tell me who has it!”

“Tazzik!” Braum said loudly, forgetting to add the descriptive statement in his pain and fear. “Tazzik has Shepard!”

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Captain Hannah Shepard, SSV Orizaba, Captain’s Private Quarters

“....I’m sorry it has come to this, Hannah,” Counciler Anderson said, unable to meet Hannah’s eyes. “The Council is throwing Shepard under the bus so that they can push their version of events. I’m outvoted and Alliance Command is already toeing the party line.”

Leaning back in her chair, Hannah Shepard pushed a stray lock of her dark red hair behind her ear. Her hair was long, hanging down past her waist, and shot through with only a few streaks of steel grey. Normally, it would be up in a tight bun, or at least in a ponytail, but her personal grooming habits had been a bit lax since her son’s death.

“I understand Counciler,” Hannah said flatly, her face expressionless. “My son. The man that literally saved the Council’s lives, stopped Saren, and prevented the death of every sentient being in the galaxy. That man, was a simple crazy person.”

Shocked, Anderson’s mouth opened to speak, but Hannah cut him off, slamming her fist down on her desk. “Goddamit David!” she yelled. “My boy! My little boy died doing what was right, and all you people can do is piss on his grave?! This isn’t why I gave him to you! I let you convince me he could be a good marine! I let him go to war! He was a hero, David! He saved his sisters on Midior, he saved Elysium! He survived fucking Akuze! And now…!” Hannah’s voice trailed off as she slowly sat back in her chair, her eyes closed tightly. A single tear managed to leak out.

“Hannah, I’m sorry. I did everything I could,” Anderson said quietly. “But we both know what is coming. We have to play along if we want to stand any chance of getting our people ready for the Reapers. It’s all we can do to honor John. It’s what he would want.”

Hannah’s eyes snapped back open as she glared up at Anderson. “Don’t you dare tell me what my boy would want,” she snarled. “I am quite aware of what I have to do. What Jane has to do. But tell me this. How am I going to explain to Kelly, why I have to say to the galaxy that John was a paranoid fool?”

“...I...I don’t know Hannah,” Anderson whispered as he looked at the floor. “I wish...well...I wish a great many things, but none of them can help now.”

Inhaling deeply, Hannah held her breath for a moment before letting it out in a slow sigh. “I’m sorry David,” she said softly. “I really am. I know this isn’t your fault. Tell Alliance Command, and the Council, that I’ll play ball.”

“Thank you, Hannah, I’ll…” Anderson started before being cut off again, as Hannah raised her hand again.

“I don’t care, David,” Hannah spoke quietly, but her voice was solid steel. “I really don’t, not right now. Right now, I want you to leave. I have to call my daughters. Jane’s birthday is going to be soon.” Hannah paused for a moment as she closed her eyes. When she spoke again, for the first time, there was a slight hiccup in her voice. “And Johnny’s.”

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Turian Lexicon

Sterkre- Turian for a piece of shit.

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Asari Lexicon

Ano Comedanti: Anus Licker. Derogatory, clearly.

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Elcor Lexicon

Chord: the leather back cover of an elcor