**This is a tribute song done by Malukah (who is amazing!) and I love it so much that I wanted to sing a version for my story**
They exited the elevator and entered the CIC side by side. Admiral Hackett came striding toward them from the bridge with his Marine detail trailing him.
"Commander. Major," he said, sharply saluting them.
"Admiral," they both responded, returning the salute.
"Are you ready to bring the full might of the galaxy to bear against the Reapers, Shepard?" he asked.
"Hell yes, sir," she replied.
"Open a channel to the fleets," he ordered Traynor.
"Aye, sir," she replied, moving to her terminal and pushing several buttons. "All fleets reporting in, Admiral."
Hackett stepped forward with Aubrey on his right and addressed the gathered fleets. "Never before has the entire galaxy come together like this. But never before have we faced an enemy such as the Reapers. They will show us no mercy, but we will give them no quarter. They will terrorize our populations, but we will stand fast in the face of that terror. They will advance, but we will not fall."
Aubrey's head lifted higher and her shoulders straightened, eyes bright with determination at Hackett's words.
"We will prevail," he finished, turning and looking to her to add her own words to bolster the fleet.
"Stand strong. Stand together. Because together is the only way through," she said.
They ended the transmission and retreated to the war room amidst whoops and cheers from the crew gathered in the CIC.
"Sword fleets stand ready to engage the Reapers surrounding Earth," Hackett informed them. "With the Reapers distracted, Shepard, you and your team will join Hammer's ground forces in taking London."
"Shouldn't we be assaulting the Citadel directly, sir?" he asked.
"With the Citadel arms closed we won't be able to dock the Crucible with it," she added.
"Right now, the only way onto the Citadel is from a beam the Reapers are using to transport people from Earth up there. We don't know why," Hackett explained. "But getting the ground forces established in London will allow us to launch an assault on the beam and get our people up there to open the Citadel arms. Shield fleet will then escort the Crucible in for docking."
"The timing is going to be tight, sir," Aubrey said somewhat nervously. "Splitting Sword and Shield fleets isn't going to leave you with much fire power to defend the Crucible."
"I know. It's a desperate plan, but it's the best one we've got. Without the Crucible, the Reapers bleed us slowly until this ends. Which means, you need to get the Citadel open, Commander...whatever it takes."
"Yes, sir."
The Admiral left to rejoin his flag ship and the fleets started making the jumps through the relays to the Sol system.
He took his station on the bridge with Aubrey standing behind where he and Joker were sitting. It was just like their first mission together to Eden Prime, only this time her gaze didn't soften in wonder as they passed through the last relay and entered their home system. Her features were set and determined, every inch the Commander and Marine.
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Finding a way: Mass effect 3
FanfictionKaidan Alenko comes face to face with the woman he's ever loved who he never thought he'd see again. He's thrown back with the crew of the Normandy as galactic extinction looms at the hands of the Reapers. Will he be able to repair his relationship...
