Shepard hadn't been to Randy's in years, but she reveled in its dinginess and quiet. She went to a corner table and ordered a beer, figuring she had a few minutes before Wrex showed up. Sure enough, he arrived just as her beer did and gleefully ordered a ryncol. They drank in silence for a few minutes until Wrex spoke up, "What's going on, Shepard?"

"This is big, Wrex. Bigger than anything I've fought before. And now the universe is watching…I've never worked in the spotlight before."

Wrex frowned thoughtfully and leaned towards the human, "I agree, Shepard. I've got a bad feeling about this. I'd like to come with you. Fighting with you today, I felt more alive than I have in years."

For a moment Cordelia's face lit up and she let out a relieved laugh. "I'd love it if you came with me, Wrex. I don't know any of the new crew. They seem capable enough, but I'm not sure yet if they understand the situation's gravity. You saw Alenko after you killed Fist. He's naïve…this mission will either destroy that or destroy him."

The krogan nodded. "We need a team though. And he handled himself well. And if I know you you've already recruited the turian and the quarian."

Shay smiled, "Yes. They'll be a big help, and you know this mission isn't a human mission. I just can't shake this feeling that something terrible is coming. The beacon…Wrex the memories were the worst things I've ever seen."

For Shepard to say that, seeing what she had seen, going through what she had went through, if Wrex could pale he would have. "We'll gut the bastard, Shepard. We've never lost a fight."

Shepard clinked her glass against the krogan's and smiled, half fond, half sad, "No we haven't, have we, big guy?"

Wrex seemed pleased to have drawn a smile and threw back his drink. "You and me Shepard. I've got your back. The rest will fall in line. You've always been able to bring out the best in your soldiers."

The two ordered several more rounds of drinks before gathering Wrex's belongings and going back to the Normandy. Wrex was surprisingly stealthy and Shepard could easily avoid the late night skeleton crew. She put Wrex in her old room, remembering that she would be in the captain's quarters now. By the time she got there, it was past three in the morning. The room was big, bigger than her quarters on her old ship. She sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned over, burying her head in her arms.

She couldn't believe she was no longer an Alliance soldier and she wondered if the brass had known that when they volunteered her for the Spectre position. There was no way the Council would let her serve two militaries, but she also knew the Alliance would expect her to stay their obedient little soldier. And Anderson, well he knew how much being a soldier meant to her, and how much she hated the spotlight. She couldn't help but feel betrayed by one of the only people in the universe she would have trusted to protect her.

Her terminal was blinking and she sighed, remembering that Benton and Cooper would have responded by now. Sure enough, she got up and saw a message from both of them.

TO: C.S. SHEPARD

FROM: L.E. COOPER

Shepard! I can't believe we didn't get to say goodbye. We've been hearing strange things around base…Something about a new ship co-designed with the turians? I can't believe the brass would agree to work with them! What's happening, Shay? Everyone's talking but no one seems to know anything. We're shipping out soon – radio silence for a few months at least. Apparently Eclipse is becoming more active in the slave trade-we think they're active a few systems over from Omega.

We're going to miss you, Commander. To be honest, I'm a little nervous about the team. I've been promoted to squad leader, but I'm not you. Don't try to make me feel better either- you know it's true. I'm good, Commander, but you were the most successful slaver hunter the Alliance has ever seen. Keep in contact. We won't be able to get your messages for a while, but we have a few more days until we go silent.

Stay safe.

Cooper

TO. C.S SHEPARD

FROM: D.A BENTON

Linds already sent you the details, but I just wanted to say goodbye, Shepard. And Shepard- I'm going to propose. I wanted to marry her before this mission started, but there's no way either of us would want to get married without you there. So- god willing if – she says yes, we're going to wait for you. You're our best man.

You got Hotel California stuck in my head. Thanks for that.

Danny

Shay's eyes watered up at their messages and she thought frantically how to respond. For a moment she thought about not responding at all, not sure how to summarize everything that had happened. But then she remembered Danny's message and she knew she couldn't let them go silent without talking once more.

Linds,

You're going to be great. You're a great soldier and a better leader. The team may be different than it was when I led, but only because it's your team now. I couldn't ask for a better successor. I'll miss you.

You're going to hear a lot about me. Most of it's probably true. There's too much to say in a message, but you'll get the gist of it from the news. You remember the krogan I told you about, from Mindoir and Elysium? He's with me. So are Joker and Karin. So tell Danny not to worry so much about me. And Linds? Say yes.

Shay

Danny,

She's going to say yes, Danny. She loves you as much as you love it. It's sickening, really. Thanks for messaging me. I'm sure Cooper will tell you what I said, but watch the news. I can't believe everything that's happened the past few days. You guys won't be able to either. Enjoy the last few days of your leave- keep Cooper safe. You know she's going to try to prove herself. She doesn't need to.

You're welcome.

Shay

Not two minutes after the messages sent she got an incoming call on the holo from presumably the two of them, but Cordelia hit ignore and threw herself back on the bed. She couldn't talk right now. Wrex was different. Wrex understood her and wouldn't push her to talk about things. He'd let her distract herself because he knew it was what helped her handle everything. Danny, Lindsay, Jeff, Karin…they meant well, but it was like Wrex said once, Shay wasn't as human as the rest of them. They expected her to be human when really she had tried for too long not to be a human and now she got along better with a krogan than her own species.

She loved them, but sometimes, like after Bri and Riley and everyone else, she wondered if it wasn't better to love them from a distance.