Finding a Way: Mass Effect 1

Chapter 21

It was thirty-six hours later that he blearily opened his eyes. It took him a moment to realize he was laying on a bed in the med bay. Ash was sitting on the next bed over to his right.

"Hey, sleeping beauty," she teased, "bout time you woke up."

He gave her a tired smile as Dr. Chakwas came over and ran some scans. "How are you feeling, Lieutenant?" she asked.

"Not half bad, all things considered."

Ashley stood and limped closer to help him sit up. At his raised eyebrow at the limp she explained that shrapnel had taken her in the right leg when a Geth rocket had blown up the crate she was using for cover. He also noted the bandages on her arm covering the burns from the blast.

They swapped stories of what had happened on Virmire. She was telling him about Garrus and Wrex busting into the AA tower to save her ass when Shepard walked into the room.

A bright and genuine smile lit up her face when she saw him awake and he couldn't help but return it.

"Good to see you awake," she said. "How are my two favorite invalids?"

"Alive, thanks to you, ma'am," Ashley said. "I don't know how the hell you pulled that off."

"I had help, Ash...I'm not in this alone," she said, giving him a sideways glance. "Plus, I'm stubborn as fuck."

Ashley was still laughing at that comment when Liara ran into the room. "Commander! Ilos...the Conduit is on Ilos!" she cried out with a triumphant grin.

"Nice work, Liara! Joker, get the Council on the comm for me?"

"Right away, ma'am."

"Williams, you're not cleared for duty even if you're up and about – take it easy! And Kaidan you're not even cleared to be out of bed, so stay put!" she ordered them as she jogged from the room to update the Council.

They both said 'yes, ma'am,' but he wasn't sure she had heard them before the door closed behind her.

He did as he was told and stayed in the med bay until Dr. Chakwas officially released him two days later. They were on their way back to the Citadel. The Council had finally started listening to Shepard and was mobilizing a multi-species fleet to deal with Saren. She was busy coordinating between Admiral Hackett, Ambassador Udina and the Council, so he didn't see much of her until she stood behind him and Joker on the bridge as they brought them in to dock at the Citadel.

She had ordered him and Ashley to grab their Class A's and meet her in the Citadel Tower, wanting the Council to see the same three faces they had at the start of this.

He stood proudly beside her just as he had several months ago. And just as they had several months ago, the Council dismissed their concerns about the Reapers.

"If Saren is foolish enough to attack the Citadel, we will be ready for him," Tevos said. "We have patrols at every mass relay linking to the Terminus Systems."

"And what about the Conduit on Ilos," Shepard asked. "How many ships are you sending there?"

"None," Sparatus said, "The only outcome of sending a fleet that deep into the Traverse is all out war."

"So, you'll sit here and wait for the war to come to you, rather than going out and trying to prevent it?" she shot back.

"This is not the time, Commander," Udina hissed at her. "Saren's plot has been exposed, he is no longer a threat. This is over."

"Saren is a pawn," she replied, "Sovereign and the Reapers are the real threat."

"Why do you still maintain these delusions, Commander?" Valern dismissed her. "There is no evidence."