Old Wounds - 8

Old Wounds - 8  

features - Shepard, Kaidan Alenko, James Vega, David Anderson

spoiler alert - contains content featured in the leaked beta demo of Mass Effect 3

all characters were created and are owned by Bioware


"Commander?"

Shepard's eyes tore away from Kaidan's to see James Vega standing in the doorway, gripping a datapad in his left hand, text streaming down the screen.  James straightened himself as she had turned to face him, and saluting firmly.

"You aren't supposed to call me that anymore, James."

Shepard sounded crestfallen as she acknowledged the lieutenant.  Kaidan frowned at her response, as the fact that she had been stripped of her position in the Alliance was still bothering him greatly, seeing that she had saved the entire galaxy, and this was how they had repaid her.

"Not supposed to salute you either,"  James sighed as he dropped his arm.  "We gotta go.  The defense committee wants to see you."

"Sounds important."  Shepard replied as she shifted her weight onto her right leg.

"Sounds unnecessary if you ask me."  Kaidan shot back coldly.  "Why put you on trial?  You've done nothing but protect this galaxy, and yet all they've done is toss you into a cell.  What proof do they need?"

"For one,"  Shepard calmly responded, "they didn't see what we saw on Ilos.  That and me working for Cerberus doesn't make this any easier."

An uneasy silence followed Shepard's remark, broken only by the sound of footsteps as she turned and began to follow James out of the brig, Kaidan close behind.  The hallway outside was bustling with privates and officers, each charging up and down with determination burning in their eyes.  As the three pressed down the corridor, Shepard took the opportunity to ask James about the upcoming meeting, while Kaidan followed solemnly behind.  

"What's going on?"

"Couldn't say.  Just told me they needed you. Now."

James' reply sounded like what she expected the committee to tell her as well, blunt and firm - not that she had a problem with that.

Turning the corner, none other than David Anderson marched toward them, a grim smile on his face as he approached Shepard.

"Admiral."  James addressed Anderson with a quick salute.  

Anderson nodded at James then turned and gave Shepard a firm handshake, turning as he did and once again took off down the hall, Shepard now falling in step beside him, leaving James and Kaidan to follow behind.

"You look good, Shepard.  Well, maybe a little soft around the edges."  

Only Anderson could lighten the dark mood of the past few days, though there was little time to really catch up with him.

"How are you holding up, Shepard?  Well, after being relieved from duty."

Shepard shrugged.  "It's not so bad once you get used to the hot food and soft beds."  Sarcasm dripped from her words as she smiled grimly.

"We'll get it sorted out."  Anderson sighed.

"What's going on? Why is everyone in such a hurry?"  Shepard asked, as the number of Alliance officers and privates blasting down the hall had increased as they pressed on, a frantic mood following them.

"Admiral Hackett is mobilizing the fleets.  I guess word's gotten to Alliance command, something big's heading our way."

Shepard felt her chest numb at Anderson's words.  She had thought she had more time, that surely the Reapers weren't due for another few weeks.  At the very least, it would be impossible for the Council to turn their back on an entire fleet of Reapers knocking down their door.  She just wished that she had more time to figure things out with Kaidan, as the fight looming ahead of her was one she wasn't confident that she would survive.  

"The Reapers?"

Kaidan's voice broke the temporary silence behind them, his concern reflecting Shepard's.  Anderson turned to respond.

"We don't know, not for certain."

"What else could it be?"  Shepard frowned at Anderson's evasive response.  Surely Anderson wasn't denying the Reapers too.

"Tell that to the defense committee."

Kaidan shook his head in disgust at the events unfolding in front of them.

"Unless we're planning to talk the Reapers to death, the committee," spat Kaidan, "is a waste of time."

"They're probably just scared."  Shepard sighed, and as they passed a large window she gazed at the glittering city laying beyond the harbour stretching between the base and the rest of Earth.  How long before Reapers darkened the sky?

"None of them have seen what you've seen."  Anderson agreed, "You've faced down a Reaper.  Hell, you spoke to one, then blew the damn thing up."  Anderson stopped suddenly and turned to face Shepard, who halted beside him.  "You've seen how they harvest us, what they plan to do to us.  You know more about this than anyone."

"That why they grounded me?  Took away my ship?"  Shepard snapped, frustration clouding her reason.

"You know that's not true!"  Anderson answered sternly.  "When you blew up the Batarian relay, hundreds of thousands of Batarians died!"

"It was either that or let the Reapers walk through our back door!  It was the only choice I had.  If I could have saved them, you know I would have."

"I know that Shepard."  Anderson sighed, then turned and continued his way down the hall, Shepard following closely behind.  "The committee knows that, too.  If it wasn't for that, you'd be left to rot in the brig."

"That, and your good word?"  Shepard assumed that Anderson had some say in her fate, and their history would surely lead him to come to her defense.

"Yeah, I trust you, Shepard.  The committee does too."

"I'm just a soldier, Anderson.  I'm no politician."

"I don't need you to be, either.  I just need you to do whatever the hell it takes to stop the Reapers."

The crew came to a large door, that slid open to reveal a large command center.  Giant screens had text streaming down them, and officers sat at desks staring intently at their terminals.  A young officer with short, deep red hair walked toward them holding a datapad in her hand.  

"They're expecting you, too."  she said to Anderson, who nodded, and she lead them past rows of desks and screens into what looked like a large waiting room, with the words 'Courtroom Access' painted on the eastern wall.  Knowing that this was the last opportunity he had before the hearing, Kaidan approached Shepard, who now had halted as Anderson had signaled her to wait as he conferred with another officer.  

"Good luck in there, Shepard."  James raised his hand to salute, though Shepard shook her head and instead shook his hand firmly, smiling grimly at the awkward look on his face.

"Shepard,"  Kaidan started to speak, thought the look in her eyes told him not to ask.

"They won't let you in, not that you'll miss much."  Shepard sighed.  Kaidan reached out and grasped her hand firmly as she turned to leave.

"Be careful, Shepard.  If the Reapers are really coming, there won't be much time.  Look, I'll be right out here.  If something happens..."

Shepard shook her head.

"I won't let it come to that."

"You may not have a choice."

Shepard knew he was right, though admitting the truth wasn't the easiest thing to do at the moment, which made convincing a room full of scared and confused officers that their destruction was on its way seem impossible.  

"I'll find a way, Kaidan."

He smiled knowingly as she turned away, and followed Anderson through another set of doors, promptly sealing behind them.

"I know, Shepard."  He whispered to himself, "you always do."