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Their Finest Hour	By : draygon Category: +M through R > Mass Effect Views: 8648 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or EA, and I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Shepard lifted her head from the pillow. Her sleep had been disturbed by a blue flashing light coming from her laptop. Slowly, she extricated herself from the sheets, making sure not to disturb the sleeping turian at her side. Garrus rolled over to his back and put his hand over the empty space Shepard had occupied moments before. His eyes slowly opened as he sensed that side of the bed was now empty.
He watched as Shepard slowly made her way to her laptop and brought up her personal messages. The look on her face was enough to get him out of bed and by her side in moments. Shepard took a deep breath before she activated the display that served as the case for her model ship collection. Typing in the pass-codes that identified her as Commander Shepard, she stood straight and saluted the man staring back at her.
Anderson stood in the frame. Gone were the formal clothes he wore as Councilor Anderson. Instead, he was dressed in Alliance Dress Blues, his medals and pins glinting in the bright light. Shepard waited as Anderson matched her salute before quickly assuming parade rest. "Admiral." The greeting was as crisp and clipped as her salute. Garrus felt a cold stab of dread. This was it.
"Commander Shepard," the cold professionalism in Anderson's voice nearly did Shepard in as she swallowed hard. "In three standard Earth hours, you will be intercepted by two Alliance frigates. Once there, you will relinquish your command to the XO and will be flown to Arcturus Station." Shepard kept her face as impassive as possible. She had known this day would come, but it still felt like a bad dream.
"Once you have docked, you will be escorted to the Alliance Council where you will be formally stripped of your command." Anderson's jaw clenched as the last words left his mouth.
"And my crew?"
"All will be escorted off the Normandy and debriefed. The non-human crew will then be turned over to their respective governments for further questioning." Admiral Anderson took a deep breath. Garrus watched Shepard's face as her jaw clenched painfully.
"Understood." The word was barely a hair above a whisper as Shepard swallowed hard.
Anderson nodded once. "I'm sorry, Shepard. If it were up to me I would tell the Hegemony to shove their case up their exhaust ports." Shepard merely nodded in response. "Brief your crew, Shepard. I made sure your escort took the scenic route."
Only when the screen had gone transparent again had she allowed herself to sink into her chair, her head in her hands. Garrus' fists were still clenched. There was no way he was going to leave her side while the Batarians railroaded her.
"Don't," Shepard's voice brought him out of his anger as she looked up at him. "This isn't a battle you can win, Garrus."
"What the hell am I supposed to do, Shepard? Just let them treat you like some petty criminal?"
Shepard laughed bitterly at that. "I'm not going to be treated as anything petty. I am going to be tried on Genocide and War Crimes charges."
Garrus had taken to pacing the lower part of her loft. "But there's no way they have enough evidence to convict you!"
"It doesn't matter, Garrus. The charges have been filed. The Alliance wouldn't risk an all out war with the Hegemony." Her smile seemed to carry as much mirth as a charging Krogan.
"So that's it?" Garrus clenched his fists as he turned toward Shepard. "It's all over. Everything's undone with a court-marshal?
Shepard shook her head, her eyes staring through the laptop on her desk. "No, it's not over yet." She brought up her messages and began furiously typing.
Garrus slowly came to her side, watching as she sent the first of several messages off. "You have a plan?" Garrus knew the question was moot. When did Shepard not have a plan?
"EDI?" Shepard didn't stop to answer Garrus as she walked over to the holographic display that flickered to life as EDI's avatar appeared.
"Yes, Commander Shepard?"
"Get everyone into the Conference Room in five minutes. Make it urgent."
"Of course, Commander." EDI's holo faded immediately.
Garrus followed Shepard as he slipped into his armor with practiced ease, noting with some relief that it fit better after having been repaired. Both were out into the elevator and in the Conference Room before half the crew had filed in. The room was crowded, but she needed everyone close. There was no time to repeat herself.
"I want to say first off, that it was an honor serving with all of you." Shepard began, noting some of the blank looks she was getting. "But I need one last thing from all of you." She took a deep breath. "I have been called back to Arcturus to stand trial for Genocide."
The room had gone silent for a full three seconds. Which on the Normandy, was practically an eternity.
"Bullshit!" Shepard had expected Joker to be the first to speak up. "That's- You saved their God-damned asses from a Reaper butt-fucking!"
Shepard smirked despite herself. That was certainly one way to see it. She held up her hand as the rest of the room exploded in disbelief. "We don't have much time before the escort arrives and I am relieved." The room quieted around her, everyone kept their eyes on their commander.
"You have orders, Commander?" Miranda, her face impassive, regarded Shepard with expectation.
"Joker. I need you to keep quiet about EDI. That goes for everyone. I need you to find anyway you can think of to stay close to the Normandy. I don't think the trial will be over before the Reapers get here and things are going to go tits-up pretty fast."
Joker saluted and both he and EDI disappeared from the Conference Room and back to the cockpit to put their plans together.
"Miranda. Get a hold of every contact you have in Cerberus. I want to know what the Illusive Man's up to. I need to know if he'll be a help or hindrance to us. You've got two hours."
Miranda nodded and sped from the conference room.
"Jacob. Get the Collector rifles ready. I need plans for those rifles in the hands of every weapons manufacturer in the galaxy. Every soldier and merc needs to be able to take down anything the Reapers throw at us."
Jacob nodded, saluted and left the Conference Room.
"Donnelly, Daniels. Get the specs for this ship's drive core to the Alliance when they board. Make sure you get enough copies. I need them sent to every species in Citadel space. I need the specs and materials for every upgrade and tweak we've done to this ship since it was built. Everything."
The two popped off simultaneous Aye, Aye's before rushing out.
"Tali, when we get to Arcturus, they're going to take all of the non-human crew and get them back to their respective governments. When you get to the flotilla, I need you to find any means necessary short of shooting the Admiralty to get their heads out of their asses. Show them everything we have on the Reapers. Show them everything that will happen if they split themselves when they get here. Make them care."
Tali nodded, taking a deep breath. "Sure, Shepard. No problem."
"Tali. I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't think you could do it. I need them ready."
"I will, Shepard."
Tali slowly turned and left the room.
"Thane. Do you still have your old contacts?"
"Of course, Shepard."
"Good. I want them looking out for infiltrators. Anyone that even acts like they've been indoctrinated. Everyone from bus boy to Councilor. You've seen the symptoms, you know it like nobody's business. I want them to know the signs and be ready to take out anyone who has been compromised."
"Of course." Thane bowed, and turned to leave.
Shepard sighed and leaned against the table, the room empty except for herself and Garrus.
"Garrus." Shepard sighed and looked up into his eyes, knowing that he had to be hurting like hell right now. "When you get base-side, look up Chorban. That Salarian that was studying the Keepers." Garrus nodded, he remembered. "Get everything he's learned. I need to know if there's a way to keep the Reapers from controlling them. We need to keep the Citadel out of their hands for as long as possible."
"I will." His voice was soft as he leaned his forehead against hers, sharing one last embrace before she was ripped away from him, again.
"Make sure the Hierarchy is ready. Do anything to make them pay attention to you." Shepard sighed as she gripped the collar of his armor tightly. Even now, Garrus had to marvel at Shepard's resolve. Threatened with possible execution, her first instinct was to do her level-headed best to make sure the galaxy was ready.
"Garrus."
"Yea."
"Just in case. If I even smell like I've been Indoctrinated."
Garrus shook his head, not wanting to hear what he knew she would ask him.
"Garrus," She brought his face to her's with her hands, holding him there. "Promise me. Promise me you won't let them use me to destroy everything we've worked so hard to save."
"Why not Thane?"
Shepard smiled, her eyes glistening with unshead tears. "Because, I trust you. You won't miss. Promise me."
"I- I promise." Garrus chuckled. "I don't think anyone else would have the skill."
"That's my bad turian." Shepard smiled as she touched his face for the last time before turning to stride out of the Conference Room and into the CIC, Garrus a step behind her.
- 10
- 11
- 12
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Their Finest Hour