86

Terra Nova

Systems Alliance Defence Committee meeting.

- You... You have no idea what awaits Shepard when we catch her! - screamed the matriarch Etina as soon as she made contact with the Alliance.

- Well, in this situation, we're, our, like, this very, already, here our powers are all... over," the Prime Minister replied. He was put in a stalemate by all these events, but he had to answer.

- Finished?! - the Azari on the other side of the line was not relenting. - Shepard is your soldier, and you are responsible for her!

- According to our laws, Shepard was declared dead, which disqualifies her from the Alliance military. Yes, the law provides for an unexpected return, well, in this case, resurrection, but then the whole enlistment process has to be redone. Shepard didn't do that, so she has nothing to do with us," Petrovsky replied.

- But she's enlisted in the SPECTRE! - Etina persisted.

- No, no, no, m nodded the general's head. - There was no procedure, Shepard is not enrolled, and there is no judgement.

- It's just a bureaucratic formality! - The matriarch, whose eyes were burning blue, was already hissing. - You didn't have time to do it!

- We aren't usually the ones that handle it. There was no procedure, so there was no return, and that means Shepard treats us the same way the Krogans treat the armed forces of the Turian Hierarchy. No matter how hard the matriarch tried, Petrovsky had already turned on the cunning Jew, not for nothing was his grandfather. Coupled with the general's hard-headedness, which the proudest mountain sheep could envy, the matriarch didn't stand a chance.

- We'll come back to that," the azari said angrily.

- And you will talk to Counsellor Udina about the fact that you have discovered a Protean beacon, which you hid from everyone, and thus violated the Convention on the Joint Study of the Protean Heritage, - said Petrovsky, and then, flashing her eyes, the azari switched off.

- And you're a sadist, as I see, - said Mikhailovich. - To send her to Udine... And you know a lot about sadism.

- Well, you asked for it. It would help if you didn't take it out on us. Why should we be responsible for Shepherd? She's a SPECTRE, but she's not in the Alliance. So I'm sorry, fuck you. This is Udina's department," Petrovsky said firmly.

- Oh, I told you—real sadist.

- You're from Chelyabinsk. You're a long way from me. I'm from Yekaterinburg.

- Are we disturbing you? - asked the Prime Minister.

- I'm sorry, we're all done. Let's discuss the absurdity of the current situation," Admiral Mikhailovich said seriously.

- And what is this absurdity? - one of the Committee members asked with the same serious tone—a figure to replace Hraston.

- Can't you see that? - Mikhailovich said with a raised eyebrow. - 'All right, I'll explain. One of our former soldiers, the first SPECTRE-man and Captain of the most expensive ship in the history of our fleet, has fucked up, pardon my French, that very ship. Including himself. And then, suddenly, two years later, out of the blue, we get information that this Captain works for Cerberus. Well, we all scratch our heads, start to sort things out, and then find out that indeed, the Captain, oh miracle, resurrected, but only this very "Cerberus" was this Captain sent to the forest. As it turns out later, the Captain was resurrected not even by "Cerberus", as this three-headed dog tried to convince us so fiercely, but by a geth, with which Admirals Anderson, Hackett and two more Quarian exiles are personally acquainted. Also admirals. And then we learn that this same Captain, who is no longer a captain but just a SPECTRE, is in command of a huge twenty-kilometre-long ship that destroyed a Batarian planet. Then the Captain kidnaps a LIVE Protean and, with him, breaks into the Temple on Thessia and downloads data from a hitherto unknown Protean beacon, and then escapes with the help of a giant space lobster who manages to turn off the Haron repeater with one left. Did I miss anything?! - Mihalovich, who had been on a roll, blurted out.

- Nothing, though," Petrovsky said. - To make a long story short... This is some lawlessness, gentlemen!

- This is no longer lawlessness, - said Admiral Nagumo. - This is already anarchy!

- Anarchy is anarchy, but let's think about what to do about it, - suggested the Prime Minister. And all eyes in the room turned to Anderson.

- What's that got to do with me? - he wondered.

- You know Shepard best of all, - Petrovsky replied. - You know how she can behave; you know how to negotiate with her. You're like a father to her.

- Well, yes, that's true, I admit," Anderson finally agreed. - But there are a few things that could be improved with negotiating.

- What are they? - The Prime Minister asked briefly.

- She doesn't like the Alliance," David began.

- That's a good start, Mikhailovich muttered quietly so that only Petrovsky could hear him.

- But she dislikes the Batarians even more," David continued, to which Mikhailovich replied again to Petrovsky.

- Seven hundred million Batarians are already convinced of that.

- And there is one more, but very important detail, - said Anderson in a firm voice, as if preparing the ground. - We need to figure out how to contact her.

- That would be a good place to start," Petrovsky said, but out loud.

- Yes, a dilemma, - summarised the Prime Minister. - But she is communicating with the Council, right? - consoled himself the leader of the Alliance, trying to grab at least something.

- Yes, through one-way messages," Anderson replied. - Ever since she'd been tasked to look for evidence of the Reapers, she hadn't been in direct contact. Only send messages to the Council and the leaders of the States.

- Yes, we've read her reports," Admiral Inez Lindholm replied. - Reaper tactics and strategy, recommendations, advice, and maps of their possible offensive. Half of it is nonsense; the other half is stoner nonsense.

- Why would that be? - Mikhailovich asked. Petrovsky and Anderson supported his views.

- At least the number of enemy troops. I quote, "Approximately twenty thousand ships of the Lord class." No, have you heard this nonsense? - The Admiral was indignant. - By the way, it even lists their weaknesses. I'm beginning to think that Shepard hand-drew all this stuff and is trying to present it to us as truth.

- Don't you believe in the Reapers? - Mikhailovich asked the question head-on.

- How can you believe such a thing? - parried the Admiral, waving his datapad. - Don't tell me that you, Mikhailovich, believe in it.

- I do, and I will not keep silent about it, - said the Russian Admiral firmly. - But since you are here preaching the religion of "St Sparatus" and have read his holy scripture ", Ah yes, the Reapers!" I have bad news for you.

- Admiral Mikhailovich, you can refrain from your humour for the time being," the Prime Minister asked delicately.

- I'm sorry, but I can't. I am fed up with such individuals who send a global danger to all humanity as a species, far away, hoping that this very danger will disappear. We have only Hacket preparing for the Reapers, and you can't even increase the number of MLA or the number of regular soldiers. You see, they're on a budget.

- It's starting..." Inez rolled his eyes.

- Yes, it's starting. How much longer? We're about to be exterminated, and all of you, except some individuals, are burying your heads in the sand like ostriches. Or, no, more accurately, like the Azari. They're as concerned about the budget as Muslims are about the Koran. And how they care about their seats, which have been occupied for several hundred years... Our senators were not even close to the Hierarchy. They prepare as best they can. The whole population has service weapons, and a third have heavy weapons. And we still haven't legalised the carrying of weapons for civilians. I imagine the Primarch writing orders to strengthen the fleet and prepare for the Harvest!

****

Palaven. The Primarch's Palace

Primarch Fedorian, looking at the stack of datapads, should have paid more attention to the gathering of generals and admirals. It was unnecessary to say anything. Recent events had driven him so far that the Primarch had reached the point of prostration. Still, he had already used up all the alcohol in his office, and the lack of it in this situation only worsened it. He had never had such an outrage in his life, career, or life. So, having rubbed his head a little, he addressed all those present.

- Fuck it. This. All of it. Just-- Just fuck it.

****

The frigate Normandy-SR2.

- Shepard, who do you think you are? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! - Yelled Udina at the Captain—or rather, his hologram and the holograms of all the councillors. Udina didn't know how to talk to Shepard any other way, but now he had an excuse.

- Perhaps you could be more precise," Shepard trolled Udina blatantly. It gave her unheard-of pleasure.

- Don't get all squirmy on me, Shepard! You know exactly what I'm talking about! What were you thinking when you attacked the temple on Tessia?!

- Saving your arses, that's what. You don't believe me. No matter what I do or what I show you, you deny the Reapers exist. Fortunately, I found a way to get rid of them. But that required data from the beacon the Azari had so safely hidden," Shepard explained.

- How did you know about the beacon? - Irissa asked in a serious tone.

- I have my own... sources. That's the only problem. You've been hiding it from everyone. I am hiding it so that you wouldn't even listen to me. So I had to act on my own.

- One hundred and thirty-five," Irisa continued. - You killed a hundred and thirty-five soldiers just for some lighthouse data.

- It wasn't for lighthouse data but for the trillions of lives in this galaxy. I know how to stop the Reapers, and I will. If you ask me if I have any regrets, I'll tell you immediately. Yes, I do. I regret not finding another way to do it. But it's your fault. You don't believe the obvious. So it's up to me to stop the Reapers, and I will. No matter the cost.

- What price are you talking about? - Vallern asked a rather important question. He was still alive, strangely enough, though that was surprising. Four more months and he would be 41, which was simply unthinkable.

- Cut the crap, Shepherd. You've already gone completely insane, and now your insanity is out of control. Besides, as we've already realised, you have a living protean on your ship," Udina wasn't going to let the councillors have their say. He wanted to vent on Shepard and was doing a very good job of it. Well, good for him, but for everyone else... Well, everyone was already wishing they had a shotgun.

- Well, I have one on my team, so what? - Shepard pretended. A living protean, so what? Like he's interesting.

- Are you mocking us, Shepard? - Quentin asked a rhetorical question.

- Of course, I am. That's all I do. It's a hobby.

- Enough! - Irissa shouted, causing Vallern and Quentius to recoil. - You will take the protean to the Citadel immediately.

- Actually, this protean has a name. Yavik," If Shepard had said it, no one would have been surprised and just sent her away, but when Yavik, who had appeared next to Shepard, said it, all four of them gasped, and their eyes grew as big as Vallern's, while the Salarian couldn't physically make them any bigger. - And to get me to the Citadel, you must kill me first.

- You... You really..." The azari tried to say something, but her surprise was getting in the way.

- Well, that's unexpected," Vallern said, "I don't mean to be impertinent, but I have just one question for you - do you know anything about the Reapers?

- It's funny," Javik began. - A lizard has more intelligence than a human with less brain capacity. They used to lick their eyes. Evolution never slumbers..." That statement dumbfounded everyone, but Vallern's face was full of pride and exaltation.

- They're amphibians..." Quentin said.

- And they used to eat flies," Javik replied, having also "noticed" this fact.

- So what's the matter with these Reapers? - Udina returned to them.

- I'm not talking to you, primate," the protean grinned. - My people saw potential in your race, but you, Udina," Yavik said, trying to pronounce the "primate's" name, "are simply the ultimate degenerate of your race. - are simply the ultimate degenerate of your race. Do you know what the Reapers are? This is your doom! The first thing I saw was my planet being burned out of orbit. My empire controlled 30 per cent of the galaxy and held out against the Reapers for 300 years on your primitive calendar. You only know a little over one per cent. With your primitive fleet, which you call the turian fleet, you won't last a month.

- You know, it would be better if you told us everything in detail," Irissa began, but Shepard interrupted her.

- I don't think so.

- That's not for you to decide," Udina interjected.

- Actually, it is the Captain's decision, ape," the protean agreed. - I answer to the Captain and no one else. So all questions are for her to answer.

- 'And I say no,' the Captain replied calmly and immediately received an exclamation from Udina.

- This is outrageous!!! You have no authority to decide such delicate matters! Know, Shepard, that you will not get away with this!

- What are you going to do to me? - The Captain asked directly, causing both Udina and Irissa's eyes to light up.

- Shepard, this is your last warning," the Azari began dryly, a great deal of anger in her voice. - Take the protean to the Citadel. Immediately.

- No one asked you, azari. The Captain questioned the primate. I'm sick of you. Azari... One of our creations and our greatest disappointment," Javik said. Now he was getting into it. He shouldn't have spent so much time on the extranet and studying this Cycle. And it would be all right if he had spent 35 hours on historical sites, 14 hours on technical and scientific sites, 7 hours on culinary sites and 3 hours on the sites of clothing and shoe modelling agencies... But 73 hours on pornographic sites... That was enough for Javik. - Without us, you'd be nothing! Nothing in the galactic arena and nothing more. We helped you, gave you so much hope, and what have we become? Liberal schemers, mercenaries and SLUTS! I wish the Captain would let me come to the Citadel to see you. I could have spat in your face! It would be best if you had made the Salarians all biotic. It would've been more useful. The only one of you four is a normal turian. He's just being polite and not saying anything. Turians used to kill each other for females. I'm sick of your whole Cycle! You have driven yourselves into the grave with your intrigues, power-sharing, peacekeeping, stagnation, democracy, and oesophagus! I already have an urge not to defend you but to sit back and watch you be exterminated planet by planet! But that's not going to happen. The Captain knows how to stop it and save all your primitive carcasses. In the meantime..." Having blurted out everything in the face of four of the most powerful individuals in the galaxy, Javik turned to Shepard. - 'Captain, I have a problem since I am three-toed. Can you please show these primitives your primitive gesture that people use to insult each other?

- What you don't do for the team. Counsellors, at the request of a member of my crew," Shepard, gathering the fingers of her right hand in the proper sequence, jerked her hand out in front of her. - Fuck you! - The Captain's middle finger shut up even the perpetually indignant Udina, and then the holograms switched off. The session was over, but Javik wasn't satisfied, so he smashed the holoprojector with green biotics with a wave.

- Thank you, Captain.

- You're welcome, Javik.

****

Tali's quarters

- Tali," Admiral Raan said hello when her face did appear on the screen.

- Aunt Raan," the Quarian replied. She wasn't wearing a spacesuit, but Shala wasn't surprised," It's good to see you.

- You too, Tali. How are you?

- I'm all right. Flying here and there and somewhere else..." Tali began uncertainly. She didn't have much to tell, or Legatus had asked her not to. He said it would be better for the Admiral himself. - How are you? You're already on Rannoch, aren't you?

- Yes, Tali. The entire Civilian Fleet is in orbit with the farm ships. Several hundred ships have already landed... We've even established a settlement already.

- That fast? - Tali was surprised, though her face clearly showed joy.

- Yes. It's all Roshih's doing. He's working hard; he wants to get settled as soon as possible. Zahil, on the other hand, is not so optimistic. Half the Heavy Fleet is staying away from Rannoch. In case-" Shala hesitated, afraid of that word.

- You mean the geth?

- Yes.- agreed Admiral, - Many people fear it's a trap... And I'm with them... I agree, to a certain extent...

- Oh, Keela..." Tali pleaded, raising her gaze to the ceiling of the Normandy. - 'Aunt Raan, the geth aren't coming back. They've... Changed.

- How can you be sure of that? - You know what they are like!

- I do. That's why I'm sure. I wouldn't have brought their ambassador to Raya if I weren't sure. They're gone for good. They don't want war. They never have.

- You sound just like Zaal," Shala interjected.

- 'Speaking of them...' Tali suddenly remembered. - They can come back, can't they?

- Yes... Yes, they can. Specialists like them... We need them like air right now, - Shala thought for a moment, silent and lowered her gaze. You could see it through the mask of her helmet. Periodically she tried to say something, opening her mouth (it was visible by the flashing filter that reacted to the movement of her lips. It was only half a minute later that she did continue. - Are you... Still mad at Rael?

Now it was Tali's turn to wonder. She didn't know how to answer. Or rather, she hadn't thought about it. She'd been depressed since Alaray and the Legate had noticed. So he did everything he could to make her... Forget not to think about it; calm down. Then there was Tessia, and Shepard loaded the Quarian with work, for which the latter was more than grateful. It helped calm down, and then Tali stopped thinking about it. The company of the crew and the Legate was far more pleasant than the sight of a man with tubes stuffed in his mouth and his eyes forcibly opened, not even allowing him to blink. So, after some thought, Tali answered.

- 'No. I... I... I can't. I can't forgive," Tali admitted bitterly to herself.

- Tali, you do realise what he was doing...

- For the Fleet? For our people? But by what methods?! What was that man's fault? What was the fault of all those he sent to their deaths? What was my fault when he accused me of selfishness when I was asking him to give me a break?!

- Tali, calm down, I'm begging you... - Shala tried to calm the Quarian, but Tali was already hysterical. Without realising it, Tali decided to say everything she had to say.

- Calm down? How can I calm down when you ask me to forget everything my father did? How can you even ask me to calm down?! I feel like I'm the only one who cares! I understand the Navy comes first, but not like this. If you can torture living people like this and send others to their deaths, how are you any different from the geth?

- Tali..." Such a statement took Shala's breath away, and at the same time, Tali noticed that the Admiral's glowing eyes rose very quickly for one second but then looked at Admiral Zor's daughter again. For some reason, Tali noticed this and focused her attention on it. Thoughts travelled fast. Up and to the right. So there is something behind the projector that Shala is looking into, and that something is worth her attention. Or someone. It took Tali even less than a second to realise it all.

- Dad's standing there, isn't he?" it wasn't even a question—a dry statement of fact. Shala didn't answer right away, but then she did.

- Tali, I... I just wanted to..." Tali didn't listen any further. She switched off the holoprojector and terminated the communication session. And after that, she just cried. The Quarian didn't even want to hold back. She just cried as she suddenly realised one very unpleasant thing. A thing that was very difficult to realise but very easy to prove. Tali suddenly realised that the geth were... better than the Quarians. At least the geth wouldn't do such experiments on humans. The geth don't send their own to die for some imaginary purpose. The geth always tries to find a way to keep others from suffering. Maybe they were like that now, thanks to the Legate. Tali didn't care about that. The fact that they had become like that, and her father had become a butcher, suggested that the geth had become better and her people had not. And that was what hurt the most.

****

In the meantime.

OK, encrypting the channel establishes communication. Almost there. Time to catch up with some people. I haven't seen them in a while.

The screen started to ripple, but the image quickly took shape. And now, the masks of the two Quarians are finally visible in all their glory.

- Hello, good sirs. Long time no see," I said.

- Legatus? Is that... Is that you?" Daro'Zen was surprised. Yes, these were the two I decided to call. I had to ask how they were doing. I knew that, but I just wanted to talk to them.

- Who else would it be? Me.

- Long time no see, Legatus. How have you been? - Zaal asked.

- I'm fine. I'm saving Galactica with Shepard. How's it going with you? Are you settled in for a couple of years?

- Yeah. It's very... Unusual," Daro began.

- Too much space?

- Yes! There needs to be more space. Everything is too far apart. The room is on the first floor! - I didn't expect Daro to spout off like that.

- And we're also tormented by the Council sometimes. Especially that Udina," Koris continued.

- God Almighty, you've been talking to Udina?! - I gasped, raising all my eyebrows. Now that was something I didn't know, to be honest. How did I miss that?

- Yeah, he... Wanted us to... co-operate and... bring the fleet closer to the Alliance... Oh, what am I talking about? That bosh'tet blew my mind. I'd introduce him to my shotgun," Daro began to get angry again. She has strange mood swings. And apparently, all Quarians like shotguns. Quarian women, to be exact. Heh.

- OK, I get it. Are you... going back to Rannoch? You've already heard, right? - I asked you directly.

- Yes. We have. That was a good speech you gave. But... I don't think we're needed there..." Zaal answered instead of Daro.

- Oh, we are needed! - I assured him. - Do you think there are many specialists like you there? Hell no! They need you now more than ever. And anyway... It's time for you to leave the Citadel. I can't say much, but soon there won't be much left of it. So you'd better get back to Rannoch. You want to live there.

- Yes. Yes, we do. No, he's right. We're needed there. Not here. There's nothing to do here. And there's Rannoch. Without the geth. With the Quarians. We'll go there. We will, won't we? - Daro rambled on in the best Mordin tradition, and I was finally convinced that something was wrong with her.

- Daro," I reassured her because she wanted to keep talking. - Are you all right?

- Well, I don't know. I should tell her. Maybe I shouldn't. Should I or shouldn't I? - the woman asked Zaal, but he just exhaled and then looked at the monitor again.

- 'It's OK, Legatus, it's just... Daro is... Expecting a baby.

- Wow," was all I could say. - That's just... Unexpected news. Good for you. I mean... Oh, shit, I don't even know how to respond to that. Then it would help if you went to Rannoch. If the little one's born there, he might not need a suit.

- Hmm... That's a good reason," Zaal thought, but what was there to consider?

- Not a good reason, but one reason that tells you to pack up and go to Rannoch. Before the little one's born.

- That's still seven months away! - noted Daro.

- Exactly. Let him get used to your sunshine. And it's a handful. So good luck out there. If you need anything, don't hesitate to get in touch. You're going to need all the help you can get.

- Thank you, Legatus. For everything, I mean. For saving me back on Rakhan. For this flat. For Rannoch," Daro continued, and then Zaal decided to add more.

- For not killing us on Moreh.

- Zaal! - Zaal got a good smack from Daro for that. It was only piping, though, but still. The message is the point.

- Why, he could have. But he didn't," Koris excused himself.

- Well... yes," Daro agreed uncertainly. - Our good little geth.

- I'm not property. Nor am I a little one. This platform is three hundred years old, by the way.

- I'll shut up. I didn't think—old habit. I used to want to re-program you... re-progr... perprag... Oh, Kila," Daro realised her mistake as she raised her hands, but her hormones were making her stormy—time to call it a day.

- OK. I'll see you later," I said goodbye.

- I'll see you later," I heard myself say, and the connection went dead.

****

In a few minutes...

- Admiral Hackett," Shepard said hello, but the Admiral himself was not so cheerful and happy.

- Shepard," he began dryly. - Answer me just one question. What the hell are you doing?!

- I'm saving the galaxy," Shepard replied. That was true, but Stephen was not satisfied with that answer.

- You are, yeah. Let me tell you, kidnapping a living protein is enough to get you court-martialled. And I'm not talking about Tessia, the destroyed Batarian planet and the giant lobster that trapped me on Earth. What the hell were you thinking? - Hackett was burning with anger now, but he demanded explanations, so he stopped talking.

- Well, first of all, when that lobster locked you on Earth, I was dead. Second of all, I don't feel sorry for the Batarians. Not at all. Thirdly, what do you care about this protean? A protean, so what? Yeah, it's green. Yes, four eyes with double pupils. Yes, he's sarcastic and calls everyone primitive, and he called Udina a primate. Yes...

- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what? He called Udina a "primate"? - Hackett was surprised, which even made him interrupt the Captain.

- Yes, he was talking to the Council...

- He said that to his face? - The Admiral was stunned again.

- Well, yes, but...

- I love that protean. OK, no questions about him. But what about the Batarians? I mean... How did you get a ship like that?

- Are you jealous? - Shepard asked with one eyebrow raised.

- What? I'm not... I'm not... Oh, hell, yes, I am. I have yet to learn about the turians. They probably want one of these. So where'd you get it?

- It's not mine. It's Legata's - that answer made Hackett's eyes look like Valern's for a second.

- Legatus. What an arsehole... - Hackett spoke while turning away from the Captain, but she heard everything well.

- So, you can tell me why Legatus was so helpful to you and Anderson.

- I'll put it this way. He got me, Anderson and two other Quarian admirals out of such a mess that I am forever grateful to him. Amen.

- Oh, you too. Arse, arse, arse, arse, it's all arse, and you won't tell me what it was. What a bunch of partisans.

- Shepherd, let me put it to you this way. An arsehole is an arsehole to be faceless and horrifying. Trust me.

- Oh, OK, OK. I got it. I was just wondering. How are you guys doing back on Earth?

- It's fine. We're back up and running, restoring order. There were some, but I have unlimited powers and shotgun blasts are fun. No, no, no, don't get me wrong. There were few. A couple of dozen shots, a couple of hundred more locked up, and that's all right? We can't wait for the eggheads to rebuild the transponder. They're thinking and thinking, but they're not getting anywhere.

- Yeah, about the transponders..." Shepard hesitated, not knowing how to say it.

- OK, I wouldn't say I like this one. Tell me. What are you thinking? - the Admiral demanded in a stern, fatherly voice.

- Well, you know I want to stop the Reapers.

- Yes. We're preparing for them as best we can.

- Anyway, I found a way to stop it. A way to stop the Harvest before it starts. Admiral, you realise what kind of war this is going to be. It's better to prevent it than to fight it.

- Well, I understand that" the Admiral answered almost immediately. - And with that, I agree with you on all three hundredths. But there is another side, isn't there? What's the price?

- The thing is, after that, all the transponders in the galaxy will be destroyed," Shepard said, and he could hardly believe his ears.

- ..." the Admiral was silent. This news shocked him even more than the Captain had expected.

- And also, I don't know if the Citadel will most likely be destroyed. I'll warn the Council to make sure no one dies, but the fact remains. Hey, Admiral. Can you hear me?

- I... I'll be right there," the Admiral trailed off out of the image, but the sound was still good here. Shepard could hear Hackett reach for something glassy. Then Hackett returned, opened a bottle of vodka, poured himself two hundred grams and drank them in a volley. Then he continued.

- Right. Shepard. This is... This is too much.

- But there's no other choice! - Shepard started to defend herself, but Hackett interrupted her.

- I'm, I'm not saying I'm against it. If that's the price of not starting this war, I'm fine with it. But... That's a bit much, Shepard. I mean, you want to blow up the repeaters. Repeaters, Shepherd. And the Citadel. The Citadel! Right, OK, that's it. I've had enough of this. Just do what you do. I'm already settled here on Earth, so that I can hold out. What happens to the others is up to you.

- All right, thanks for understanding.

- That's it. I don't want to hear anything. Over and out," and with that, Hackett's hologram disappeared, and Shepard decided to turn to Susie.

- Hey, Susie, did Legate tell you when the Gorn would be built?

- Yes," Big Sister's voice answered. - 'The Horn' will be finished in three weeks.

- I see. Thanks, Sue. Now all we have to do is wait.