TiN Chapter 17: The Citadel Grand Finale

Anderson looked out upon the ruined Citadel Tower, and not for the first time in his eventful life, he felt sadness. Not the sadness that brought a tear to your eye, or pulled at the heart, but a deep dark burrow, within which lied a dark poisonous snake, making itself at home. He had many snakes within his soul, this he knew well.

But gazing upon the destruction, of the apparent loss of Humanities first Spectre, the Prototype Mjolnir armor, and most importantly - and painfully - Shepard. His Shepard, his guiding light. He knew he should never have developed this father-daughter relationship, but it was not by choice.

He was not ready to give up looking, he wouldn't be, not for many years, but a search party could only search for so long. Already they were pulling hard into the third day of search, and the Council - sounding so god-damned magnanimus the whole time - was pushing for the search to be concluded.

He could not see why she had saved the Council, their self-serving ways were never more evident.

He was broken out of his reflection, only now realising the dark path his thoughts had taken, by a marine shouting they had found them. He rushed over to the marine, stumbling over the wreckage many times in his haste. He saw them, some of them.

Liara, Kaidan, Tali, Keenah, Conner, Ashley, everyone. Except the Commander. They lied in a cavern, Nathan propping up a plate of metal many times his size. For the first time Anderson realised the strength of a Spartan.

He quickly got to work pulling them out, slowly and gently. "It's ok, it's over. You're safe. I don't know how you've held that plate for so long Spartan, but you're job is done. You've all earned a long break." He spared the space another look, now that a few had been led out, and still there was no Commander. He felt that snake again. "Where's Shepard? Where's the Commander?"

No-one spoke. He didn't blame them. Three days under rubble, with nothing but hunger, thirst and their thoughts. No, he didn't blame them one bit. But he envied them. To have been with her at the end. "I know that you've all been through a lot - everyone has - but you need to go see the medic. We can deal with everything else when we're ready."

No one spoke. Nathan and Conner looked out towards the flaming debris, waiting for the moment shepard would arise, and all would be right with the world.

No one spoke. The fire crackled and it burnt - uninterrupted.

Nearly everyone had been seen by the medics, most of the squad had only minor wounds, maybe a few fractured bones at worst. The Quarians took the longest, their integrated suit systems not allowing for a remote vital scans, meaning Tali, Conner and Keeneh check themselves over. A bit of scratching on the face plates all round but no structural damage.

Nathan and Conner were walking around what remained of the presidium. They were both silent, stunned at the amount of civilians that had been brutally cut down by the swarms of Geth, and how far the shrapnel of Sovereign had flown after its destruction.

"It's hard to imagine, back when we played it. How it would play out for others. Really hits home doesn't it?" Conner said, his voice the only noise in the street, since only bodies remained.

Nathan said nothing, his blank visor revealing nothing of what he was thinking. It took several moments for him to speak. "Do you think we could have saved some of them? If we separated from Shepard?" A quiet, thoughtful hum was all he got from Conner, so he continued. "Look at them, at least half of these people were human. We knew Shepard would win, and frankly the decision to save or destroy the council changes nothing. If we even tried to protect people, maybe some of these people would still be alive." There was no emotion in his voice. It was an odd combination of sorrowful lament in content, delivered with the same ferocity of an Elcor.

"I think you might need to speak to Chakwas when we get back to the ship. You know she's - "Conner was quickly interrupted by Nathan's exclamation.

"What do you think happened to Nihlus? You reckon he was on Sovereign when it exploded?"

Conner gave him a look of 'This ain't over' but it was wasted behind his faceplate. "Nah - when are we ever that lucky. If I were sovereign I would have Saren leading the attack on the tower, while having Nihlus run population control over the Citadel. He's too smart to get capped by some C-Sec, so maybe in the Terminus Systems." Silence yet again ruled, neither party wanting to talk anymore.

It was days before the celebration of the so-called Geth army's defeat, and Shepard had yet to be found. While the galaxy mourned her loss, the entire squad knew better. After surviving nuclear bombs, and a long military career, they all knew she wouldn't be felled by some falling debris. The Citadel Tower had yet to be fully cleared either. They swore to not lose hope before the cleanup had finished. Many of the squad had re-injured themselves helping the excavation.

In the C-Sec academy, the council stood in front of a large crowd, of all species, upon a raised platform, they stood apart from the crowd, seated upon three high backed chairs. To the crowds Confusion there sat a fourth - unoccupied - seat.

As one the Council stood, and the crowd silenced. The Asari Councilor began the speech.

"Today we have faced a foe unlike any before, one which plotted for three hundred years behind the Perseus Veil, and building their fleets. Today we have seen off this force, breaking the back of our adversaries."

The Turian Council continued. "With the might of the Citadel Protection fleet - headed by the flag ship Destiny Ascension - and aided by the System's Alliance Fifth Fleet, the Geth forces now lies broken, but at a terrible cost."

The Salarian next. "Many of the Citadel ships fell before the swarm in the first wave, and without the System Alliance, many more would have perished. It is the decision of this Council that the System Alliance has proven it's desire to protect the civilised galaxy, and this body would welcome the Human's New and First Councilor. We have deliberated and decided that the Human known as Nathan Caine, of the Systems Alliance Navy, be put forth as an option."

At this the crowd sat stunned. Not only were the Humans - who had been on the Citadel's radar less than a century - getting a Council Seat, but it was an unheard of human. None were more shocked than Shepard's Squad. Their name's had not been passed to the public, but everyone knew they existed, and thus the name Shepard's Squad was born into the popular media. Nathan Immediately rose and spoke.

"I refuse!" The audience began to mutter. "My position in the Navy requires that I forfeit this honour, however I would recommend Captain David Anderson in my stead, his knowledge of military and diplomatic matters far exceeds my own, and would best be used in such a position."

The sound of the crowd's chatter was reaching a crescendo, echoing all around the enclosed C-Sec academy, reverberating all around the now stunned Council. Nathan knew why they put him forth as a representative choice - His Mjolnir Armour. By becoming a Council race he could be easily led into believing the need to disclose all he knew - which was not all that much.

"Here Here!" Shouted a voice from the back of the room.

The room's volume hardly changed, but to the entire squad the room had gained a watery quality, as if all the people were miles away under the lake. The noise could be heard but no words were legigable.

Shepard have returned, half her head wrapped in gauze, her once caramel skin now blotched with angry red burns and soot. Her left arm was wrapped in a sling. She certainly looked the part. Both Nathan and Conner felt a weight they never realised was their lift form their shoulders, as they both took their first deep breath since the battle of the citadel.

All nine of the squads rushed towards her, though none went as far to clasp her in a hug, but they all felt like they needed to stand next to her. With his path quickly being cleared before him, and his longer stride, Wrex got to her first, and slapped Shepard on her back.

"Shepard! Knew you weren't dead. Would have been too boring for you. Ha!" He bellowed, the assembled crowd hearing his declaration.

None of her squad were surprised when she quickly recovered form the harsh pat, and gave one of her own - using her good arm. "Of course it would be! I'd kill Death before he took me!" With a warm feeling filling their chests the whole squad laughed, their small and unusual family was back together.

After a not so emotional parting of Wrex - who left shortly after the ceremony - the squad sat in Flux discussing their plans now that Saren had been murdered. "There's always a space for any of you on my ship, you don't have to feel forced off or anything." Shepard had welcomed the crew wholeheartedly, after surviving what they did with each other, how could she not?

"Sorry Shep, but I've got to make a report to Alliance RnD. But next time I need to test out in the real world, I'll give you a call." Nathan knew that he would have to leave Shepard's crew, just like he knew Conner would have to, his pilgrimage was officially nearing its end. "But if you ever hit up Arcturus, then maybe we can try out the sparring mats." As many of the squad made up their minds, Nathan turned to Liara, curious as to her plans. But he didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. So he turned back to the conversation, and listened to the words, soaking in the atmosphere.

"Honestly I'm excited to get back to the Fleet, not that it's been great, conquering evil, saving the known universe, but I'm ready for a bit of quiet now." Keenah claimed. Neither Conner or Nathan knew how he would change things, perhaps his leaving would force Tali and Conner out before they were ready, or perhaps he was just a negligible influence?

"Actually Conner, I need to have a word with you, privately." Nathan had to say this out loud because he no longer had his Helmet on, he wanted to see if he could get drunk. He could not it seemed. They both stood and walked out of the bar, to the somewhat quieter outside. "Listen, we both know what happens to the fleet soon, so as soon as I can, I'll be sending you the new shielding, but I want you to take Cindr as well."

Conner nodded slowly, taking in the words, processing them, following through on different scenarios, before speaking. "You know the Quarians have a phobia of AI, she could be discovered, and then I would be killed or exiled. I'm uncomfortable with her as it is, I really don't want to have her inside my suit."

"I know, but the Quarians don't have any scanners that detect AI, at least none that she can't outsmart, I don't know the full details of the new shield system, I would much prefer it if she was there to help you if you need it, plus we know Cerberus is developing AI - she could help in case proto-EDI makes it onto the ship. But I'm not going to force the issue, just making you aware of the offer."

"Even if I did accept, and if the fleet never found out, you still have to report to the Alliance, and they certainly will notice her missing."

"There's a plan for that. I mean there's nothing wrong with leaving her on an extended intel gathering mission, the Alliance would likely be ok assuming that she can get the data from wherever I say she is, as well as the thoroughness of my testing."

Both stood silent, letting the atmosphere wash over them, their thoughts jumbled as the planned their next move. "Give me till the day before I leave, then I'll have an answer." With that they both returned to the party to see a drunken Garrus, a slightly tipsy Ashley, a completely sober Liara and Tali, and a thoroughly smashed Commander.

As soon as they entered the club, Liara excused herself from the group, and slowly made her way over to Nathan, who motioned for Conner to keep going. "Nathan, you and Conner have been good friends to me, and I felt I owed it to you, to tell you myself. I won't be leaving the crew. I can finally start doing some good for the Galaxy with the Commander. I understand that you have commitments that I don't, and I'm not expecting you to stay."

Nathan hoped that would not be the case. He did not like the idea of this 'Mass Effect 2 Liara' being on the ship during the collector attack. He didn't know how she would act. "But what about Ilos? Didn't you want to go back? Finally find out everything you wanted about the Protheans?"

"I will in the future, don't worry about that, but this is where I feel I need to be right now. I don;t know if it's the Goddess guiding me, or just a sense of familiarity but I need to do this." Neither knew what to say next, the conversation had not reached its natural end, yet both decided it was a finished conversation.

They went back to drinking, "You sure you want to go to the Migrant Fleet with all this chaos that us two are?" Nathan pointed out, while he was busy fiddling with his Omni-Tool.

"Yeah, I'm nervous myself, but it has to be done, if I don't go back with Tali with the Geth data we recovered, it's going to look very iffy. Lesser of two evils in the end of the day, plus I get to integrate to the racial norms," Conner looked down at his hands and arms, seeing the envirosuit covering him again, signaling his entrapment as a Quarian in this world. "I'm going to have to before I go insane, learn their customs and how to live."

"I'm not making it out as a bad thing Conner, you do you after all, I'll be on Earth or around it, so you are free to drop in if you want, I'll move some papers around to see you or Tali."

"Appreciated it, now, you ready to get this life fully underway?" Conner said as he stood up from his chair and pulled Cindr off of Nathan's Onmi-Tool and made his own pop up yellow

Nathan stood up and holstered his Sniper on his back via his magnetic plates, "Oh, you know I am ready for anything that involves adventure." He grinned behind his helmet and started walking beside Conner out of the bar.

"Guys! Wait for me! I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to!" Yelled a sober Tali as she speed walks along and latches onto Conner's arm. "Can we go somewhere quieter?"

"Sure thing Tali, we can get out of here."

And with that, the three of them left the bar, heading back to the docking station for the last time as a trio. The Mass Effect universe was large and they didn't know when they would see each other again, they just knew that it would be a long time.

The two brothers realised then that they had accepted their fate and their lives in this world and that now is the time to take action when the then past is gone for good.

The Caineson's would never have expected their lives would get so different in a matter of weeks...

A/N: Bet you guys didn't expect a chapter this soon did ya? Don't worry we have another six chapters planned, and are already writing so there won't be another year long Hiatus. Thanks for sticking around this long, don't forget to comment!