“We’re gathered here for a hearing in the Williams case.”
We’d assembled in the radio room.
Anderson stood facing Williams, with me on his right and Jane on my right.
Off to the side, observing everything, stood Nihlus, who’d decided to watch the proceedings.
“Ashley Madeline Williams, were you ordered not to approach the beacon?”
“Yes, sir.”
She said it in a voice full of resignation.
It seemed she thought her career was over.
Not that she was wrong, but knowing Anderson, he wouldn’t destroy her career.
Maybe create some small problems, but he wouldn’t ruin or humiliate her.
“Then why did you decide to approach the beacon?”
Anderson tried to show his interest, though personally, I didn’t give a damn about the answer.
“The beacon…
sir, I’d seen that beacon before, and it looked different.
So I took the liberty of getting closer to check.”
“Check?
Are you a specialist in Prothean technology?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Then how were you going to determine what was wrong with the beacon?”
“I…
didn’t think about that…”
Williams sighed and looked away.
“I see.
Jane Shepard, you worked alongside Williams.
Give her an assessment.”
“A decent soldier.
I wouldn’t invite her into the N7 program — her skills aren’t there yet — but N3, maybe even N5.
Though the latter would be very hard for her.”
Jane gave a brief assessment of Williams, and the latter looked at her in surprise.
She certainly hadn’t expected such a recommendation.
After all, because of her actions, Jane had ended up in a hospital bed.
“I see.
But she doesn’t follow orders.”
“Sir, I’ll tell you what I was told when I was training for N7: you don’t judge winners.
Yes, this time her skills weren’t enough to turn things in her favor — though I’d say she never had a chance.
But…”
Jane shrugged.
“…next time, if she learns to assess her capabilities more accurately, she might succeed.”
Anderson made a show of grimacing.
“So?
You’re suggesting we forgive her?
Even though, by your logic, she’s a loser, and losers usually take all the blame?”
“Sir, I was just giving her assessment, as requested.”
“Fine…
John?”
“I don’t really have anything to add…
despite the fact that her actions turned me against her, I can’t call her a terrible soldier.
For a soldier posted to a planet like Eden Prime, her skills are above praise.”
I tried to stay impartial.
“However, I don’t support Lieutenant Shepard’s view of the beacon situation.
In my opinion, only someone with good training can act on the ‘winners aren’t judged’ principle.
Because, as you’re absolutely right, losers do take all the blame.
And since the Council will probably blame us for everything, we can shift some of that blame onto Williams.”
“I understand your point.”
Anderson nodded, and Williams threw me a displeased look.
“So here’s my decision, as captain of this ship.
Ashley Madeline Williams, you are guilty of destroying the beacon and of disobeying an order.
Given that your evaluations are largely positive, you’ll receive a formal reprimand entered into your personal file.”
“Understood, sir.”
Williams seemed relieved she wasn’t being discharged from the military.
“Sir, sorry to interrupt, but you told me to alert you when we approach the mass relay.”
Joker broke in, and he’d clearly done it at just the right time for Williams, since Anderson was about to say something else that she wouldn’t have liked.
“I see…”
Anderson wasn’t happy about being interrupted, but he understood it was necessary.
So he waved Williams off, and the three of us were left alone.
“John, what do you think?”
“I think this mission went straight to hell…
but you know that yourself.
Good thing Kryik is alive — we can prove we’re not the guilty ones.
But what kind of animals we’ll end up looking like…”
I spread my hands.
“I agree.
And yes…
get ready, you’re coming with me to see the ambassador.
I don’t want to listen to his bullshit alone.”
“Just don’t open your mouth too much in front of Udina.
He’s an extremely unpleasant and vindictive type.
If you rub him the wrong way, he’ll do his best to get you kicked out of the military.”
“I don’t give a damn.”
I shrugged carelessly.
“You know I have no problems with money or work, and I don’t expect any.
I’ll just finally focus on running the corporation instead of always dumping everything on my deputies and hired directors.”
“With that attitude…”
Nihlus walked up to us.
“…I’m surprised you’re still in the military.”
“The truth is, I’m in the military for one simple reason: being here, I can help people.
And I don’t mean some mythical people I help through my service — I mean the real people who get fired on trumped-up charges.
And they’re very grateful to have a stable, high salary.”
I allowed myself a smile.
“And why do you need so many soldiers?”
Kryik looked at me closely.
His gaze clearly said that if he didn’t like my answer, I wouldn’t like the consequences.
“Why?
To ensure the security of the colonies in the Terminus — colonies where I’m essentially the only legitimate government.
Because the Alliance doesn’t give a damn about colonies like that.”
“I see…”
My answer didn’t sit well with him.
But judging by his tone, not too badly.
More like “you’re some kind of idiot, but seems harmless.” And while I didn’t like that, I kept my mouth shut.
“John…”
Jane approached me after Nihlus left the radio room.
“…don’t you think you should have said something different?
Something that would have been more to our guest’s liking?”
“Why?”
I looked at her with slight surprise.
“Well…
he’s a Spectre.”
“Don’t give a damn…”
I shrugged.
“…Jane, the time when I worried about getting kicked out of the army is long past.
So there’s no point in being evasive.”
“And us?”
She looked at me darkly.
“Have you thought about what will happen to us if you get thrown out of the military?”
“Well, I’ll leave you your gear, and I’ll invite anyone I like to come with me.”
“Tch…”
Anderson walked past me.
“Don’t you dare poach soldiers from the military.
It’s one thing to pick up those who’ve been kicked out, and something else entirely to poach those still in service.”
“Yes, sir.”
I said it with a slight smile, but Anderson didn’t care.
“Sir…
Ma’am…”
Williams walked up to us.
“I…
thank you for not drowning me.”
Her gaze held gratitude toward Jane, and gratitude mixed with displeasure toward me.
“Drowning you?”
Jane addressed Williams with slight irritation in her voice.
“Why would we do that?
We’ve never done anything like that.
Even when you got detained, we did everything strictly by regulation.
Actually, John did…”
“Actually, I detained you because I thought it was the right thing to do, not because of regulations.
And if anything depends on me — or to be precise, if Anderson doesn’t suddenly develop a fondness for you — you won’t be serving on the Normandy.”
“Didn’t want to that badly.”
But her voice made it clear she very much wanted to serve on this ship.
“Sir…”
I heard something in Jane’s voice that I wasn’t thrilled about.
“…Williams is still a good soldier.”
“A good soldier, you say?”
I looked at Jane carefully.
“Yes.”
She nodded confidently.
“Fine…
Williams…”
I stood directly in front of the girl and smirked slightly arrogantly.
I easily caught Williams’s hand, but she immediately tried to knee me in the groin.
“Atte-e-e-ention!”
Jane’s shout made Williams snap to attention.
“So?
You said she was a good soldier?”
Jane grimaced, and the look she gave Williams held mild disappointment.
“Spoke too soon.”
“Ma’am?”
Williams was clearly shocked by what she’d just heard.
“Williams, a good soldier in your position should have asked only one clarifying question: how fast to strip.”
Jane said it in a tone that made it immediately clear to Williams that now was not the time to argue.
“And no, no one was going to make you strip completely.
John would have stopped you once you took off your armor.
It was the most basic test, and you failed it.”
“I’ve…
I’ve put men in the hospital for less.”
“Well, that’s your business.
You couldn’t follow a simple order.
It would be one thing if John ordered you to strip when you were alone, but he did it in my presence, so you should have realized this wasn’t for nothing.”
“You two just planned this!”
A light, barely perceptible jolt told me the Normandy had passed through the mass relay, which meant we’d be at the Citadel port very soon.
“Planned it?
Not at all…
I didn’t ask John to test you.
That was his own initiative, after your stunt with the beacon.
I would have just run you ragged, but…”
“Well, maybe it’s not all lost…”
Seems Williams decided that Jane was the weak link in our team, someone she could pressure a little.
A stupid choice, since Jane wouldn’t go against me — at least, I wanted to believe that.
“Not all?”
“Well, yeah…
If you get transferred somewhere…”
“Oh, that’s what you mean…”
Jane shook her head disapprovingly.
“I’m hoping to stay on the Normandy under Captain Shepard’s command.
As a commander, he suits me perfectly.”
Williams’s eyes widened in surprise.
“That caveman?!”
“Hah, you’re so naive…”
Jane shook her head.
Losing all interest in the conversation, I decided to leave the women to it.
“Alright, I’m going.
Jane, when we’re on the Citadel, I expect you, Bekka, and Chifuyu at the airlock.”
“Bekka?”
There was confusion in Jane’s voice, but her expression cleared quickly.
“You mean Revy?
Listen…
don’t confuse me, okay?
Rebecca is Revy, Chifuyu is Chif.
What dress code?”
“Civvies, but there are several concealed vests in the container, plus the weapons that service personnel are allowed to carry on the Citadel.
Unfortunately for us, those are six-round pistols.
At least the number of magazines isn’t limited.”
Jane grimaced at the mention of the pistol.
“Are you expecting trouble?”
“I always expect trouble.
So you and I have some business where you and the girls will need to accompany me.”
“Understood.”
Jane smiled at me, then turned to Williams.
“Well, I have work to do, so…”
She didn’t bother saying goodbye and simply walked out, following me.
“I understand…”
There was sadness and even anger in Williams’s voice.
“It’s because of my grandfather, isn’t it?!
Because of him?!”
“General Williams was a great man who made an extremely controversial and difficult decision…”
I even stopped to answer the girl’s outburst.
“…and I respect him for being able to make that decision.
It doesn’t matter much what the Alliance or other people think of that decision…
He saved the planet’s inhabitants with that decision, and not everyone could have done that.
But what’s happening to you is a result of your own actions.”
With that, I turned and finally went about my business.
It all helps promote the story.
And every 100, 300 and 500 stones adds a bonus chapter.
Every 5 reviews too.