Finding a way: Mass effect 3

The Quarians

He entered the war room a step behind her, taking up a position to her right at the center console. Liara was to her left with James next to her and Garrus on the other side of him. EDI stood across from Aubrey.

"New orders came in from Admiral Hackett," she opened the meeting. "The Quarians want to help fight the Reapers."

"Why am I sensing a 'but' coming up?" James interjected.

Aubrey grinned at him. "But like all the other races, they want our help with something first."

"And what's that?" Garrus asked.

"Don't know. We rendezvous with their envoy ship in the far rim in six hours. Garrus and EDI, I need you both to make sure that the Normandy's air filtration systems are functioning at peak performance for the admiral's visit. Kaidan, keep working with Adams on the modifications to the heat sink systems., something tells me we're going to need them. Liara, tap your contacts and see if there's any info on what the Quarians might be up to. James, coordinate with Cortez on supplies and munitions."

Everyone nodded and headed out of the room to complete their assigned duties. He worked with Adams until it was time to meet Shepard back in the war room as they docked with the Quarian ship.

Four Quarians entered the room; two women and two men.

"Admiral Raan, nice to see you again," Aubrey opened, addressing one of the women that entered.

"And you, as well, Commander. Though I wish it were under better circumstances," she replied.

"Agreed. Want to tell me what's going on?"

"Gerrel?" Raan said to one of the male Quarians.

"A little over two weeks ago we made coordinated strikes against four Geth controlled systems and initiated the war to take back our home world," he said without preamble.

"A clear violation of our agreement with the Council not to provoke the Geth!" the other male Quarian interjected.

"Please, Koris, a treaty violation is nothing compared to recovering our home world," the other female jumped in.

"With respect, Admirals," Aubrey said, uttering their titles with barely restrained contempt, "you seriously thought this was the best time to throw yourselves at the Geth? Again?"

"This time we may have destroyed our people for good," Admiral Koris said, sounding ashamed.

Sounds like at least he didn't want this fight, Kaidan thought.

"We were winning," Admiral Gerrel chimed back in. "We had pushed the Geth back to the home system, but then a signal started broadcasting to every Geth ship." He brought up a holographic map of the Quarian home world, Rannoch, along with the approximate positions of their fleet and the Geth fleet.

"Where's it coming from?" he asked.

Gerrel zoomed in on a Geth dreadnought. "Here. It can outgun anything we've got and is heavily guarded. And... we think the signal is being sent by the Reapers."

"They tried to use the Geth once before with the heretics that joined Saren, so I wouldn't be surprised," Aubrey commented.

"Under Reaper control they are far more effective," Gerrel continued. "They've pinned our fleet in the home system. If we're going to win..."

"Win!?" Koris cut him off incredulously. "You involved the Civilian fleet, Gerrel! We need to retreat or we'll lose the live ships!"

"You involved civilians?!" Aubrey ground out through clenched teeth, balling her hands into fists at her sides.