Aftermath

Chapter 24

Commander Ashley Williams stared out into space from the windows in the Normandy's lounge. She always seemed to think better when she could physically see outside. And she'd never been comfortable taking the Captain's Cabin on Deck One. Her few personal items still sat unpacked in crates on the floor there. It was just too weird. So once again she found herself doing her contemplation in the lounge.

Shepard, Liara and Traynor had disappeared in the alien ship a full three weeks prior. No one knew for sure what had happened, but Miranda's analysis speculated that the ship had jumped through some sort of mass effect field. No one knew where they'd jumped to or even if they survived.

The Normandy had stopped the cruiser with it's explosive payload. As soon as they boarded the two Redeemers used their suicide capsules. There wasn't even a fight to be had. They found the two Salarian's dead in their seats and the bomb sitting quietly in the cargo hold waiting to be taken.

The Alliance and the Counsel, while happy to have the immediate threat averted, were none too happy about loosing their prize possession in Shepard. Ashley and Shepard had been acting as Spectres at the time so they couldn't really discipline her but her own guilt at loosing Shepard, not to mention Liara and Traynor as well, was crushing her inside.

She didn't bother turning around when she heard the door open. Instead she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She felt someone come to stand next to her. Looking in the reflection of the window she saw Garrus.

"I half expected to find you passed out on the floor in here," he said casually. "But then without Vega's influence things have gotten a little boring around here."

Ashley remained quiet, hands stiffly behind her back.

"It's not your fault Ashley," he said finally, meeting her gaze in the reflection.

"The hell it isn't," she shot back.

"If anything it's my fault. I mean I watched the damn thing disappear right in front of us. You were chasing the bomb. I was sitting there with a stick up my ass." He paused, no response. "Shepard knows what she's doing. Most of the time anyway. I'm sure they're fighting their way back here right now. Hell if the Collectors and the Reapers couldn't kill her galactic terrorists don't have a chance."

Ashley blew out an ironic chuckle. "That was the old Shepard. I'm telling you Garrus she came back spooked this time. She's not the same."

Garrus physically turned to her this time. "Are you the same? Are any of us after that damn war? Shepard's been through more than any of us. Isn't she entitled to a little... spook?"

Ashley looked at him. "I can't help but think this happened because she wasn't ready. She ran off to an alien ship we had no way of tracking after being back a few weeks and took her girlfriend and a newbie specialist who'd never been on a mission before. Allowing that to happen at all was my fault."

"I know you're trying to be all noble and take the blame here Ash but you're coming off like a whiny Vorcha." Garrus stuck a finger at her chest. "You're selling all three of them short, especially Shepard." He took a moment to calm himself. "Look, you think maybe we can just punch each other hard a couple times and move on? We still don't know who's pulling the strings on this Redeemer operation. For all we know they could be planning something else. We need to be on our toes for this event. Shepard would be."

Ash met his gaze, knowing he was right and hating him for it. They only had two weeks before every major dignitary in the galaxy would be gathered in one place. It was certainly a tempting enough opportunity for the Redeemers to try striking again. She grimaced, "Ok, but you get to be the one to deal with Miranda. She hates me."