The Systems Alliance warship Normandy returned to her birthplace surrounded by a glittering escort of civilian and military ships. They were a swirling flicker of blue indicators on the ship's tactical plots as Shepard looked down at them, the fingers of her right hand curled around the cool metal railing. She was finally out of the sling, but her left forearm was still encased in a bulky black brace, a dull gnawing of pain never quite disappearing.

Chakwas told her that the tingling was her nerves regenerating, and the itching was her bone knitting back together. It was still driving her nuts.

"Quite the hero's welcome, ma'am," Pressly observed, as the Normandy slipped through the dark expanse, a corvette swirling off to her port.

"That it is." Not everyone would agree. Already a few talk show hosts had accused her of getting all those Alliance personnel killed to pander to the Council, her 'true masters.' Like she didn't have loved ones in the Fifth Fleet. Like she'd valued three lives over ten thousand.

You could never control the narrative around your own actions, not really. Not what people thought. She'd found that out with Akuze and Elysium.

"Normandy to Arcturus Control, requesting permission to dock."

"Clearance granted, Normandy. Proceed to Docking Bay A45. Welcome home."

"Pressly, once we dock, get the crew to start unloading. I'd like to hand the ship off to the dry-dock and dismiss them all as soon as possible."

"Copy that, ma'am. I'll set the Buffer on the job."

Shepard made her way down the stairs to Deck 2. The ship hummed with a low buzz of energy, the crew darting around with energy she hadn't seen in a while. It'd been a long, hard tour of duty, with stresses none of them had expected to face. Soon, the crew would be reunited with spouses, parents, children after months apart. Time away from home was always an inevitability in the military, but it felt sharper with so many Alliance servicemen and women coming home in boxes.

Shepard paused by the makeshift memorial wall, running her eyes over the holos. Jenkins, who she'd barely known before his life had been snuffed out. Mohamed, who had carried his best friend's death until the end like a boulder on his shoulders. Nick, who even in his portrait seemed to have a smirk curving his mouth. Kaidan, calm and dependable, his absence like someone had chopped off one of her hands.

All she could do - all she'd ever been able to do - was keep putting one foot in front of the other. Keep doing her job. That was your tribute to your dead friends - a world that was maybe a little bit better than it was before. She'd do right by them. Maybe there was nothing she could do to stop the Reapers, but she'd damn well put herself in their way anyway. Her brothers were watching.

Tali was sitting up and talking with Liara when the Commander entered the medbay.

"Hello, Tali, how're you feeling today?" She took a seat beside Liara, biting her lip as she barely resisted the urge to stick a finger under the brace to itch.

"Getting better," the quarian replied. "Slowly." There was a distinct tone of frustration in her voice that brought a flicker of a smile to Shepard's lips.

It'd been a close run thing. Chou had dragged Tali to the turians, barely conscious herself by the end, whose medic had somehow managed to keep her alive until a quarian doctor had taken over. They'd had to put several of her internal organs back together, then fight off a life-threatening infection.

"You gave me quite the scare," Shepard said softly.

"Ugh. I think I've been shot enough to last me the rest of my life."

Shepard squeezed her shoulder. "Here's hoping." She paused. "What are your plans, Tali?"

Tali would need to leave them at some point. She had the geth data and Saren was dead. But the ship already felt oddly empty without Garrus and Wrex, and it would only feel more so once the young quarian returned to her people.

Tali hesitated. "I probably shouldn't make the journey back until I'm fully healed. The Traverse can be dangerous."

"That it can," Shepard agreed pleasantly. "Perhaps we can give you a lift. It might be a bit...circuitous, though."

"I'm sure I can manage," Tali said dryly, and Shepard patted her on the arm.

"You are a very resourceful young woman after all."

"Thank you," Tali's voice hummed with amusement through her helmet.

The ship reverberated with the metallic sound of the docking apparatus clamping onto the hull. Shepard stood. "I should get up top."

Ashley was waiting for her near the airlock. For a moment Shepard just let herself look at her. The way she held herself a bit gingerly from her still healing ribs, the fading bruises on her jaw and forehead from the rubble that had done its best to crack her helmet open. Those things, and also the way she smiled at the sight of her, full lips curving. Ashley was alive, and so was she.

Shepard had noticed her mouth the first time they'd met, framed by her helmet. The thought - and the flash of attraction - had been fleeting and easily dismissed. Perhaps she'd overestimated her self-control.

Or perhaps it was that Ashley was brave and forthright and not afraid of her - not when it came to teasing her or calling her out. Shepard was in deep.

And she still wasn't quite sure where they stood. There'd been no discussions of the future the night before Ilos.

"There's a lotta media on the docks, Skipper."

Shepard sighed heavily. "More?"

"Hey, look on the bright side. Soon you will have met every journalist in Citadel Space."

"Williams," she said very seriously, "please shoot me."

"Pretty sure it's against the UCMJ to shoot my commanding officer."

"UCMJ hasn't stopped you before," she murmured.

Ashley smiled, heat in her gaze, her voice low and warm enough that Shepard felt a prickle up her spine. "I don't remember you complaining."

God, Shepard wanted to kiss her. Instead, she said, "We should talk."

Ashley's smile froze for a moment and she rocked back a half-step, putting space between them.

Shepard resisted the urge to bang her forehead into the nearest bulkhead. Good damn job.

"That never means anything good."

"I didn't mean it like that. Damnit. Look, I'm terrible at this. I just want to talk about where we stand."

"Aren't you supposed to be good with people?"

Shepard just glared at her.

Ash raised her hands. "Alright, alright. I'll swing by your apartment or something."

Footsteps approached from behind them, boots clicking against metal deck. She half-turned to see Wulandri, Liara, and Pressly.

"Once more into the breach, my friends," she said dryly. The airlock cycled open to the clicking of camera drones like dozens of crickets.

The door slid open in front of Ash. She was dressed in civvies for the first time in what felt like years, her shirt and jeans bulging slightly with the dressings still laid over her healing wounds. In the vids, people were right to go pretty much straight away, but she felt battered all over even now.

"Come in!"

The apartment was small, the walls the same sleek lines that Alliance engineers liked so much on their ships and space stations, and very bare. Shepard's cabin on the Normandy said more about her than her Arcturus apartment did, and Ashley was disappointed despite herself. The only furniture in the lounge room was a white couch and a HV playing...Space Truckers?

"Really?" She turned to look at Shepard, who was leaning against the counter of the tiny kitchen, a glass in hand. "Space Truckers?"

Shepard smiled sheepishly. "I'm behind by like two seasons."

Behind her, a man with a very bushy beard was very dramatically performing what was really a routine EVA repair on a freighter. Complete with suspenseful music. Ash shook her head, amused. "You have a terrible taste in HV."

"So I've been told. You want a drink? I don't have any beer, but I've got...ginger beer, fernet and...water."

Ash stepped past her towards the fridge, then stopped as their elbows brushed, turning to face her. "I think I'm good."

Shepard set down her drink with a clink of glass and reached for her, good hand sliding to her waist. Ashley kissed her, like remembering something or discovering it all over again. When she pulled away, she tucked her face into the space between Shepard's neck and shoulder, listening to the rise and fall of her breath. After a moment, Shepard raised her hand and ran her fingers through Ashley's hair.

She didn't want to think about those long, awful moments in the Citadel Tower when she'd thought Shepard was dead. But she couldn't help it. She'd wanted - needed - to see her, touch her, know that they were both still alive. But duty had intervened, as it often did.

Shepard didn't seem inclined to move, but Ashley eventually pulled away, if reluctantly. It couldn't have been comfortable for Shepard, with her back pressed into the counter like that.

"We should talk," she said.

"Yeah."

They settled on the couch, Shepard idly rolling her glass between her palms, the water sloshing around inside. There was one window behind the HV, overlooking one of Arcturus' squares - a splash of green over all the metal, though nothing like the Presidium's honest to god lake.

"Not worried about the media trying to take footage of you watching Space Truckers?"

Shepard smiled slightly. "It's one of those fancy windows. You can see in, but not out."

"Huh." She turned to look at her. "So. Where do we go from here?"

Shepard frowned. "What we did crossed a lot of lines. I should regret that, but I don't."

"Neither do I." Something knotted in Ashley's chest unfurled.

"But"- Shepard took a sip of water- "I am still your commanding officer. I write your NCOERs. There's a power discrepancy there I can't ignore."

"You're not concerned about the chain of command?"

"I trust you to follow orders in the field," Shepard said that so resolutely. That faith was something Ash hadn't always known if she deserved, but Shepard had given it almost immediately, as soon as she'd proven herself to her as a competent NCO.

"And I trust you not to take advantage of me," she replied, crossing her arms. "I wouldn't have gone to you that night if I didn't."

"Even discounting the power issue, I'm…" Shepard swallowed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm difficult. I try to be in control of everything all of the time - I alphabetize and colour code everything. I practically need an OPORD to go shopping. I blew up my marriage - and I was an arsehole about it too."

Ashley's lips curved affectionately. "I know all that already. And I haven't run screaming yet, have I?"

Shepard glanced away. "No."

"Look, Shepard…Emilia. I wouldn't be offering to risk my career and yours if I didn't think you were worth it, flaws and all. The question is, do you? If you don't want a relationship, that's alright." Her heart would break if she were honest with herself. She'd fallen for Shepard hard and fast. But damned if she was gonna pressure Emilia into anything. "We'll just chalk it up to stress of the whole 'sailing a stolen warship into the Terminus after a genocidal madman' thing. We'll just be co-workers and friends." And Ash would buy herself a big bottle of whiskey.

Shepard stared steadily at her hands, lacing them together. "It wasn't just sex to me, Ash. I want to see where this goes, even if logic is telling me it's a terrible idea that could get us both court-martialled."

"Good. 'Cause I'm kinda attached to you now."

Shepard smiled slowly, softly, "Yeah. I'm attached to you too."

"We'll have to be careful," Ash said, even as Shepard wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she leant into her. "At least until I'm an officer and we're in different chains of command."

"I think I can handle that," Shepard murmured and then pulled on Ash's arm until she was settling above her, one hand sinking into her curls, the other on her shoulder. She leant down to kiss her, teeth catching on her bottom lip to make her hiss. Shepard's hands crept under her shirt, gentle on her back, avoiding her ribs.

Ash kinda couldn't wait until they didn't have to be so cautious with each other but until then…

This wasn't bad at all.

Commander Emilia Shepard looked down at her assembled crew, lined up in rows within the docking bay. Her crew. Hers. God help anyone who tried to fuck with them. Liara and Tali stood with them - she had hoped Vakarian and Wrex could have been here for this last goodbye, but she understood.

"I've been informed by BuShips that the repairs to the Normandy will take about a month. So enjoy your time off - you've earnt it. I know you're all eager to get off duty and see your families, so I'll keep this short. Staff Sergeant Williams, front and centre!"

She saw the flicker of surprise run across the other woman's face as she came forward, saluting sharply. Ash raised her eyebrows in a question. What are you up to?

Shepard just smiled slightly and cleared her throat. "Attention to orders! The Prime Minister of the Systems Alliance, acting upon the recommendation of the Minister of Defence and the Commandant of the Systems Alliance Marine Corps, has reposed special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valour, and integrity of Ashley Madeline Williams. In view of these special qualities and her dedicated service to the Systems Alliance Marine Corps, she is therefore appointed to the grade of First Lieutenant."

Ashley just stared at her. Gung Ho Draven stepped forward, carrying a small box and wearing a grin. Shepard gently removed the staff sergeant chevrons from her collar, fingertips brushing the skin of Ash's collarbone, and replaced them with the silver bars from the box.

"You deserve this," she said softly, so only Ash could hear her. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Then Shepard took a step back and raised her hand. After a moment - the shock still thick in her expression - Ashley followed suit. "I will now administer the Oath of Office."

"I, Ashley Madeline Williams"- her voice was a low, fierce, proud hum- "do solemnly swear that I will defend humanity and the Systems Alliance against all enemies, that I will bear true allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

"Congratulations, Lieutenant," Shepard said warmly.

"Thank you, Skipper." They shook hands, Ash still looking at bit dazed, and then the other woman walked back towards the Marine Detachment. As one they drew themselves up and saluted. Ashley slowly returned it, and then took her place among them again.

Shepard turned back to the crew. "I'm so proud of all of you. For those of you that are leaving us - it's been an honour to be your Commander, and I wish you all the luck for the future. The rest of you - enjoy your month off and get back here ready to kick some more arse. Buffer."

Negulesco stepped forward. "Ship's Company! Dis-MISSED!"

Shepard clasped her hands behind her back as best she could with the brace, watching as the neat lines of personnel broke up and scattered towards their families with shouts and backslaps of farewell to shipmates. Ashley immediately turned to her fellow Marines and slugged Draven hard in the shoulder in the midst of laughter.

"You motherfuckers all knew, didn't?"

Draven slung an arm around her shoulder. "Hell yeah! Skipper got us in on the surprise. Congratulations, ma'am."

"Another one lost to the dark side." Dubyansky clutched his chest.

"Fuck," Ash realised, "I'm gonna have to find all of you fuckers a silver coin."

That set all of the Marines off again, Jaz looking like he was in danger of toppling over from laughter.

"Here I was thinking you were happy for me, but really you just wanted my goddamn money."

Shepard smiled and turned away, flexing her left hand. There was a great deal of work to be done - Sovereign was only the vanguard after all - but she had a good ship and crew behind her, and that made all the difference.

The SSV Normandy nestled into drydock, her sleek hull embraced by supports. Workers covered her like ants, attached by safety lines. The ship had suffered two hull breaches in the battle - far less than some ships currently languishing in the Citadel and Arcturus drydocks but enough to keep her out of the fight for a bit.

The man carefully walked up her portside, keeping his line taut, his mag boots clanking against the hull. The biggest mistake rookies could make was not keeping the line tight. It was a static safety rope, not a rock climbing one. Not much give. He'd seen workers badly hurt by a three metre drop. He wasn't planning on being a statistic.

The second would be easy enough to fix. It had scored the armoured hull, but failed to pierce the true hull. They'd cut off the damaged armour plates and send it for scrap metal, then weld on the new one. Good as new. A repair the man had helped do a few dozen times over in the twenty years he'd worked in the shipbuilding industry. Already sections had been taken off, baring the ship's skeleton like scaffolding that the armoured hull was welded onto.

A ship's baffles usually contained interesting artifacts of sailors' proclivities. For all her heroism, he'd been amused to find the Normandy was no different. They'd already found the still and a very large stash of porn.

The other hull breach was more serious, with damage to the armoured and true hulls and two compartments. The enlisted berthing was pretty much twisted metal, and the forward gunnery control room had been damaged. They would have to repair her from the inside out, stress and pressure testing all the way. No one wanted a repeat of the Geneva Incident. Shitty patch job on an old ship blew out, vented a berthing into space. Navy had been less than happy.

They'd be even unhappier if their shiny new hero got killed by a bad repair.

He'd have to be careful, he decided, climbing around the bump of a kinetic barrier emitter. The Navy had posted guards in the CIC and engineering - they were very protective of this ship and its secrets. Still, he didn't need to go near the drive core or the strange, oversized heatsinks for what he needed to do.

The man found what he was looking for on the hull - one of the ship's FTL comms arrays, jutting up near the stern.

He carefully negotiated his way into the trench-like maintenance access. There, at the base of the comms array, with his body concealed from his fellow workers, he pulled something out of his pocket. It was the size of his palm, and it was like no other device he'd ever seen in his life. It kinda reminded him of a wasp's nest, yellow-orange and oddly organic looking.

He hid it deep within the array, then stood to make his way back up.

If his conscience troubled him, the large amount of credits that would soon be transferred to his account would soothe it.

CODEX

Alliance News Network Aggregator October 2183:

AMBASSADOR DONNEL UDINA CONFIRMED AS NEW COUNCILLOR

Alliance News Network - The Alliance Parliament has today confirmed the appointment of former Ambassador to the Citadel Donnel Udina as the new human representative on the Citadel Council. Udina thanked Parliament for their faith in him and promised to fight for humanity on a galactic stage.

Rumours of a row between Udina and the first human Spectre Emilia Shepard were denied by Alliance officials, as was the rumour that he was involved in the short-lived arrest order for the SSV Normandy during the forty-eight hours leading up to the Battle of the Citadel. Shepard herself said only that she wishes Udina the best in his new role.

ARAH T'HASS, COLOMBIA RIOS AMONG STARS TO HEADLINE BENEFIT GALA FOR THE CITADEL

Citadel NewsNet - Queen of asari pop Arah T'Hass and Earth actress Colombia Rios will be among the stars invited to an exclusive benefit gala for the Citadel Relief Fund, to be held in Serrice. Tickets are expected to be similar in price to the Serrice Museum of Art History Gala, in excess of 40 000 credits. Current estimates are that the Relief Gala will raise around 12 million credits for the Fund.

SYSTEMS ALLIANCE FEDERAL ELECTION CALLED FOR LATE NOVEMBER

Future Content Corporation - Prime Minister Anita Goyle of the Systems Alliance has called a federal election in six weeks, in which the entire lower house of the Parliament and half of the Senate will contest their positions or 'seats'. Riding a high from their handling of the Eden Prime War, Galactic Labor is considered the favourites to secure a majority, in close contest with the Conservatives.

The Prime Minister has announced she will not stand for the next election, kicking off a three horse race for Labor leadership between Minister for Defence Amul Shastri, Minister for Foreign Affairs Jae-Eun Park (widely regarded as Prime Minister Goyle's protege) and Minister of Colonial Affairs Idir Tabaamrant.

A/N: So...that's a bloody wrap, ain't it? Thanks so much to everyone who has reviews/followed/favourited, it means a lot.

Udina isn't a popular councillor choice, I know, but it's a bit of a video-gamey thing to have a mid ranked naval officer choose a diplomatic appointee. And I have plans for Anderson, so don't worry he'll be about.

My plans after this is for a couple of shorter stories set after ME1 to wrap up things like Cerberus and Admiral Kahoku. That fic will be 'What Lives In The Dark' and I hope to be onto ME2 shortly in 'Fianchetto'.

Jotun: thanks for the lovely review! Yeah, that was an error I'll be taking out. Originally I was planning for Shepard to break her right wrist, but I realised when doing my plot outlines that that wouldn't work for what I have planned. An servicemember with an injured right arm in some militaries may sometimes salute with their left hand. I forgot to take the line out. Thanks for pointing it out! I appreciate it. I don't think Ash was in the wrong on Horizon, but the stuff in ME3 felt a bit manufactured to get that armed stand off, so I'll be changing some things to hopefully make everyone seem like they use logic. I have some issues with Ash's writing in 2 & 3, so I hope you like the changes.

Guest: thanks for the review! Yeah, I had a moment of 'but there's other people in the Citadel, why wouldn't they use them' so That happened. I do intend to go through to ME3.