Finding a way: Mass effect 3

Defeat and resolve

"What I needed was for you to stop Kai Leng!" she said in frustration.

"And let you fall?" he asked.

"Yes!" she maintained. "This is why fraternization isn't allowed – you chose me and my life over the success of our mission!"

"Damn right I did! And I'd do it again!" he replied, raising his voice. "I'm not here to save the galaxy, Aubrey. I know that's selfish, but I don't give a damn, because none of it matters if you're not here to share it with me."

Her face was a mix of surprise and confusion.

"You're the hero, sweetheart, not me. You're the peacemaker, the diplomat, the glue that holds us all together. And me? I'm the soldier...your soldier. It's your job to stop the Reapers and it's mine to protect you, to always have your six," he closed the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands as he spoke.

She leaned forward until their foreheads rested against each other, took a deep breath and slowly nodded. "Except now we've lost Thessia and the data on the Catalyst. How the hell are we supposed to complete the Crucible?"

"We'll find a way," he said confidently, pushing down any doubts he had, knowing that she needed his strength right now. He hugged her tightly and her body finally relaxed against him. When she stepped back her eyes held the familiar fire of determination that he loved.

"Then let's go find it."

Kaidan felt his spirits lift at her resolve. Yes, he thought, this is my Aubrey. This is the woman I'll go to hell and back for every time she asks me to.

They gathered in the war room, everyone quiet and somber.

"Asari forces are in full retreat, Shepard," EDI said, breaking the silence. "As with Earth and Palaven, Thessia is lost."

"I know. And that's on me," Aubrey replied.

"No one could have predicted that Cerberus would know and beat us there," Liara said, trying to keep her from blaming herself more.

"I should have!" she maintained. "That asshole played me like a fiddle for months taking down the Collectors. If anyone should've known how he works and what he would do, it should've been me."

"Blaming yourself won't change anything, Aubrey," Garrus said.

"You're absolutely right, Garrus," she admitted. "But finding the Illusive Man, kicking him in the balls, and getting that data back so we can finish the Crucible? Now, that will definitely change things."

"So, how do we find him?" James asked.

"EDI, any chance you know?"

"Unfortunately, I do not. However, Specialist Traynor and I were able to track the shuttle Kai Leng left Thessia in through the relays and extrapolated his destination with 92.348% accuracy."

"That may be the best news I've heard since we left Earth. Where did he go?"

"We lost the signal in the Horsehead Nebula. It and all signals are being actively blocked around the star Anadius," she replied, bringing a holographic map of the nebula on the table in front of them.

"Gotcha," Aubrey said softly, staring at the star in question intently. "Joker, get Admiral Hackett on the comm for me."

"Yes ma'am."

Her gaze traveled around the table. "Listen up," she said. "We may have lost Earth...and Palaven...and Thessia, but we have not lost humanity, or the Turians, or the Asari. After all, rocks and gas don't make a home." He smiled at her use of Legion's lesson. "Home is belonging....and that's something the Reapers can never take away from us."

Hope and resolve lit up everyone's eyes as heads lifted and nodded agreement at her words.

"Now, let's go get that data so we can go serve the Reapers their official eviction notice."

They spent the next several hours coordinating with Admiral Hackett, the Primarch and the Quarian Admiralty board. Given that the Illusive Man's base in the nebula was likely to be heavily guarded it was elected to send a small contingent of ships from the Fifth fleet, some of the Turian support vessels and a few vessels from the Quarian Heavy fleet to assault the base. While Cerberus was engaged with the fleets, the Normandy would be able to get in and extract the data.

"The movement of that many ships will undoubtedly draw the attention of the Reapers," Hackett said, as they planned. "We won't be able to keep the Crucible secret once we launch the attack on Cerberus, so this will be the first stage of our assault to take back Earth."

"Understood, Admiral. Is it ready?" Aubrey asked.

"Except for the Catalyst, yes."

"Then let's get that data, sir. The Reapers started this war, but we're going to finish it."

"Damn right, Commander. Good luck."

They saluted as his image faded.