Their Finest Hour

"Remind me, again, why I agreed to this?"

"As I recall," Thane smiled, folding his hands as he leaned his chin against them. "Lt. Baily espoused on the student aid programs available to C-Sec officers in training and your chances for advancement at the completion of your education. You could not say yes fast enough."

Kolyat shook his head, leaning back in his chair until he was scrunched up like a petulant child on the receiving end of a lecture. "Yea. That part I remember. What I don't remember is Bailey telling me that I would be trained by 'her'."

"And what is wrong with your training officer, Kolyat?"

"If what half the shit the other officers are telling me about her is true, I might not survive." Kolyat sat up at his father's half amused curiosity. "They call her 'Sargent Slaughter' behind her back. Less than half the recruits she's trained have made it and I think the other officers are trying to warm me that she's a cannibal. They told me 'She eats kids like you for breakfast'." Kolyat buried his head in his hands at Thane's blank expression. "And that isn't even the worst part! She's the fucking 'Butcher of Torfan'," Kolyat whined as he cradled his head in his hands. "I am so dead."

"I am sure, Kolyat, that the tales of her eating 'kids like you' are not true." Thane chuckled. "The other officers may be playing a prank on you. It seems to be a common practice to do so in high stress environments."

"Are you sure?"

Thane had to hold back the urge to laugh at the look his son was giving him. "Yes, Kolyat. I am sure. However, to be certain you do not catch her ire, please refrain from such colorful embellishments when speaking to her."

Kolyat sighed and slumped back in his chair, sifting his brain for anything to change the subject "So," he smiled after he remembered the news feed he had seen earlier that morning. "I hear my father's a pirate."

Thane shook his head and sighed, giving his son a half smile.

"You know, I over heard two of the human officers talking about that. They couldn't seem to get over the fact that one of the 'Cerberus Pirates' is a 'ninja'." Kolyat smirked as Thane nearly inhaled his tea, laughing as he cleared his throat. "So you've heard the debate, as well?"

"Yes," Thane cleared his throat one more time. "The Engineers seem preoccupied with whether or not the entire universe will implode by having one person be both things." Thane chuckled, remembering that Tali had very nearly throttled Kenneth when the man would not stop speaking like the high-seas pirates of Earth's past.

Kolyat cleared his throat, running his two fused fingers over his brow. Thane observed that he always did that when he was unsure of what to say. He reminded Thane so much of Iriccah. "Well," Kolyat sighed as he looked at the clock on his bedside table. "I should get to bed. Long day tomorrow." Thane nodded.

"You have to be up early. I understand," he smiled, setting his tea aside. "I enjoy our chats, no matter how short."

"Yea... same here." Thane took Kolyat's short answer to mean he had already over stayed. He reached forward to cut the feed. "Wait." Thane stopped, his finger hovering just over the controls. "I... Be careful, Dad."

Thane nodded, a genuine smile pulling at his lips. "I will, my son. Arashu guide and protect you." Kolyat tried to hide his smile as he ended the transmission.

Thane closed the laptop quietly and leaned back in his chair, slipping into memories of better times.

---

"Shepard," Tali strode in as the door to Shepard's quarters opened. Commander Shepard looked up from her data pad, watching as Tali started pacing. "I contacted Kal'Reeger. When you told me what Admiral Daro'Xen was doing I -," Tali paced the room, wringing her hands. "I didn't want to believe it. I still don't."

She shook her head as Shepard stepped in front of her and put her hands on her shoulders. "Tali, why don't you sit down before you wear a rut in the floor."

Tali smiled, nodding as she let Shepard guide her over to the couch so that the two could speak face to face. "Alright," Tali took a deep breath.

"How is Reeger?" Shepard tried to start with small talk, noting that Tali seemed on the verge of tears.

"Kal'Reeger? Oh, he's doing fine." Shepard detected the smile in Tali's voice without having to see her face. "Since the Geth were... well converted, he's been able to use the facilities orbiting Haestrom to continue studying Dholen." She smiled again. "He's very gifted with electronics," Tali cleared her throat.

"He sounds like you're sweet on the guy." Shepard smiled, happy to entertain this small distraction. If anyone deserved to find love, Tali did.

"No!" Tali held up her hands. "I mean, it's not that he isn't a good man. Or that I don't like him. I do. I just- Is it getting hot in here?" Tali started wringing her hands again. "Why did I come here, again?"

Shepard laughed as Tali became flustered. "You said something about wanting to punch Daro'Xen."

"Well... not punch, Shepard." Tali smiled, hoping that her blushing could not be seen through her visor. "I'd rather shoot her, throw her out the air lock or toss her into a pen of hungry Varren."

"You might give the Varren indigestion."

"Yes, well," Tali smiled, finely putting her hands in her lap. "It seems from what Kal'Reeger told me, Liara's information is correct. But, there is more to it." She sighed. "You see, ever since my father's research was discovered, the Admirals have been fighting over how best to use it, or even to use it at all." She shook her head. "You saw their squabbling at my trial. Well, now imagine that magnified. You know that Daro'Xen wants to bring the Geth back under Quarian control, right? Well, Han'Gerrel wants to utterly destroy them which is... more than unwise. Imagine the hatred the rest of the Galaxy would have for us if we embroiled it yet again in a protracted war?"

Tali sighed and leaned against the couch. "And Zaal'Koris... I know that his objections to my father's work had more to do with not wanting more Quarians to die from an all out war. Because, either way you look at it, destroying or controlling them would cost many lives. But, I just don't thing that we have the kind of time needed to find another home world. But, many Quarians share his views. And this is where it's getting ugly, Shepard." Shepard draped her arm over the back of the couch as she listened. "Daro'Xen and Han'Gerrel have been gathering supporters to themselves in the hopes of trumping the other's agenda with a majority. But there are plenty who support Zaal'Koris and are tired of all the fighting. And then there are those who see no point in finding another home world. That the Quarian people should continue to live aboard the Flotilla since it is all we have ever known.

"I never thought I would live to see my people divided so deeply, Shepard. I'm scared that this will break the Flotilla apart. I don't think we could ever recover from that, Shepard. Not just from the political or social upheval. We simply don't have the resources; not the ships or food or even people to be split like that."

"No one is attacking each other, I hope."

"Oh no. Thank goodness it has not come to that yet. I just... I'm worried. I know that the Admirals think they are doing what is best for the Flotilla, but some things run deeper than just differences of opinion, Shepard. Maybe I am just being paranoid. But, if Kal'Reegar is worried, I can't help but be worried as well."

Shepard nodded. "I got the impression, from your trial, that he had a pretty good grasp of Quarian politics. I think maybe you should stay in contact with him. To keep abreast of the Flotilla, at least." Tali blushed at Shepard's double meaning.

Both were startled by a chuckle from across the room as Garrus pushed himself off of the wall and descended the stairs. "This is a pleasant sight to come home to."

"Ah, I just remembered I have some calibrations to do." Tali quickly made her way to the door, looking back at Shepard, a smile on her face. "I wouldn't want to get in the way of any flying heat-sinks."

Shepard cackled as Tali left, falling over at the look of utter shock on Garrus' face.

---

Shepard smiled as she listened to Garrus grumble to himself as he had Thane scour every square millimeter of her quarters for listening devices and cameras. Poor Garrus had been afraid to remove his eye piece until Thane had declared the room clean. Shepard bent over the sink as she washed her face, the mirror fogged from her shower. As she dried her face, her eyes looking into the frosted glass in front of her, Shepard caught a flash of blue. She stopped drying her face, focusing her eyes on her reflection in the mirror. For a moment... Shepard shook her head and slipped her boxers and tank top on, throwing her towel in the hamper.

"Shepard, you look like you just saw a - ghost, is it?" Garrus turned toward her as she exited her bathroom, slightly concerned with the look on her face.

"For a second... No, it was nothing. Probably just my eyes playing tricks on me after staring at that data pad all day." Garrus chuckled as he removed his armor and sat it on the side table.

"My eyes would go fuzzy if I had to stare at that thing all day too." He slipped under the covers, wrapping his arms around her body as he laid his head on the pillow. "You probably just need some sleep." Shepard nodded as she laid her head on his shoulder, her fingers playing with the ridges along his back as the lights went out in her cabin.