"Kha..."
Opening my eyes, I quickly looked around and only then relaxed slightly. This is the SSV Normandy's medical bay, which means everything is fine.
"Captain, how are you?"
Dr. Chakwas loomed over me almost instantly, looking closely into my eyes.
"Fine. Tali'Zorah? The civilians?"
"The civilians are dead; those who survived the blast didn't survive the building's destruction and being in space without protection afterward. Tali'Zorah is alive; I discharged her just yesterday."
"Good..."
Hearing this, I relaxed.
"...what's my condition?"
"Overall... I've treated the burns. Of course, you should stay in the med-bay for another week or two, but generally, you could leave it right now."
"Call Jane Shepard and Charles Pressly for me."
"It will be done."
Dr. Chakwas smirked with satisfaction, then went to the computer and quickly executed my order, after which she approached me again.
"And while they're coming here, I'll perform an examination, unless, of course, you mind."
"Karin, you can use 'thou'..."
I smiled weakly.
"...and I don't mind. Of course, if there were an urgent need, I would have tried to leave your domain even on the brink of death, but right now there is no such need. So I see no point in neglecting my own health."
"If only everyone were so understanding..."
A slight grumble was heard in the ship doctor's voice, which didn't stop her from proceeding with her duties.
"Captain!"
"John!"
Charles Pressly and Jane Shepard literally ran into the medical bay and froze in front of my cot.
"Pressly, report."
"Ship status—one hundred percent. The crew... is worried, but I think after the news that you're on the mend, it will become calmer on board. No orders from the Systems Alliance or the Citadel Council. Documents from command arrived on your personal terminal. I didn't open them."
"That's good, thank you for your service."
Charles Pressly only smirked with the corner of his lips and nodded to me.
"Jane Shepard?"
"The culprit has been put in the brig..."
I closed my eyes, hiding my irritation at this decision. Snapping at Jane Shepard made no sense, as she acted according to protocol, and on emotion as well.
"...John, no, Commander Shepard, I petition for the discharge of Tali'Zorah from the ship SSV Normandy."
"Denied."
Jane Shepard clenched her fists.
"Jane Shepard, I can partly guess the reasons why you approached me with this request, but I cannot approve it. And it's not just about my liking for Tali'Zorah, which you're probably thinking about right now, but also that at the moment she is the only technician who has worked well with our landing party and in whom I can be confident during combat operations on the ground."
"John..."
A desire to contest these words of mine was heard in the girl's voice, but she, taking a deep breath, closed her eyes.
"...I understand, Captain."
"Now, now, enough of that..."
I wagged a finger at her.
"...the fact that I didn't approve her discharge doesn't mean there won't be punishment. After all, I didn't like the fact that because of her initiative I ended up on a hospital cot either. So... take her under your wing."
"What?"
Jane Shepard sharply opened her eyes, in which shock and misunderstanding could be easily seen.
"I want life on the ship to become hell for her... Just not in terms of bullying... I want you to coordinate a schedule with Adams so that she doesn't have strength for anything but sleep. Worked as a technician, went to train, after physical training, theoretical classes, and all this without a break for food. In short... remember N7 training and how they prepared us there, and give her a practical application..."
"But..."
"As soon as a mission comes from the Council, send her to get some sleep so she doesn't nod off during it, and after... again. Over the next month, she should curse the moment she disobeyed an order, and at the same time, this should bring her to a new level. Ideally, if Adams doesn't just make her work, but also loads her with studies... If she wants to save everyone, then her skills are clearly insufficient for that, and it's necessary that either she gives up on this crazy idea, or her skills become sufficient for it."
"Understood."
Jane Shepard nodded resolutely.
"Can I..."
"Involve whoever you want."
"Thank you."
She smirked, and I realized that Tali'Zorah would indeed either become better or run away from the ship herself.
"What about the asteroid?"
"The engines were reversed, returned it to orbit. The Batarians have been handed over to the arriving Alliance military personnel. An investigation is currently underway; however, I'm sure the Batarians will again tell everyone that the pirates have nothing to do with them."
"Dismissed... and as soon as a mission appears from the Council or the Alliance, report it."
Jane Shepard's words made me frown; I, of course, harbored no illusions that everything would be resolved and the guilty would receive their deserved punishment, but... I had hope that these four-eyed bastards would still be punished.
No, I didn't think all Batarians were pirates; there are quite decent sapient beings among them, but... their state is criminal and something must be done about that already.
"Yes, sir."
** Perspective from the side. **
"Tali'Zorah, out."
Jane Shepard stood next to the brig, which had just been opened, and looked closely at the Quarian, who had been sent here immediately after being discharged from the med-bay.
"Ah?"
The girl looked at her slightly confused but came out anyway.
"The Captain has regained consciousness and ordered your release. And also to put you through additional training, so that you either have enough strength and skills next time to carry out your plan, or, well, you don't even dare think about disobeying an order again."
"I... can I see the Captain?"
"No."
Jane Shepard understood that taking revenge in this way for the worries she had experienced was petty, but since this Quarian had been handed over to her lock, stock, and barrel, she intended to do everything to make her feel as uncomfortable as possible.
"I understand..."
Tali'Zorah was clearly upset by the refusal.
"Now then, catch your new daily schedule... and God help you if you don't manage; the Captain won't cover for you anymore. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
As soon as Jane Shepard departed and Tali'Zorah ran to the technicians, since according to the schedule she was supposed to be there now, Ashley Williams swore quietly.
"Don't."
Chifuyu Orimura looked at her disapprovingly.
"But... she was essentially forgiven!"
Fury was heard in the mulatto girl's voice. She didn't understand why this specific Quarian was treated this way. Or rather, she did understand, but she didn't want to believe that John could so openly favor his favorites.
"Forgiven? Ashley Williams, believe me, soon you'll understand that for Tali'Zorah it would have been much preferable if she were kicked off the ship."
"Ah?"
"Didn't you see that they handed her a new schedule?"
"Well... yes, so what?"
"Even though it was put together in a hurry, I was asked to lead some courses for Tali'Zorah; well, she won't have enough time for sleep. She will pray for every free second, so don't worry. Soon she'll be begging to be discharged from the SSV Normandy herself."
"And if not?"
Ashley Williams cast a distrustful glance at her acquaintance.
"Eh... do you remember training? Or rather, those moments when command decided that the Alliance soldiers serving under them were not physically developed enough, and also that their skills were a bit lacking?"
"Yes..."
Ashley Williams shrugged her shoulders. Such a thing was very hard to forget.
"Well, even now, the schedule, which will still be refined, looks much more terrible than anything you can imagine remembering training. So if she manages, it will mean she earned a second chance."
"I understand."
Ashley Williams didn't entirely agree with this, but she didn't argue.
** A few days later. **
"Oriana Lawson, hello."
"Boss!"
A note of relief was heard in the girl's voice.
"You're okay!"
"Yes, I'm okay... but how did you..."
"Well..."
Her gaze darted to the side.
"...I have my methods. Though, I didn't know you were already on your feet. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yes."
I smiled at her gratefully.
"Oriana Lawson, I have an order for you."
"An order?"
"Yes... I remember we allocated funds for Project Retribution..."
"Um... yes... and not just funds; through dozens of shell companies, many ships were bought up, they were put in order, and mercenaries who could be recruited were also selected. But... wait... you've decided?"
"Yes, but the targets must only be military objects. I don't want civilians to suffer from our subordinates' actions. So recruit teams, define targets, and..."
I ran my thumb across my throat.
"The Batarians must feel for themselves what pirate tyranny means, and we must get our income from it."
"I understand... Am I being transferred?"
"No..."
I shook my head.
"...you're too good in your position to transfer you anywhere else; you just launch the project, and then we'll either find you a deputy who will handle specifically that, or we'll separate it into a separate direction. Though, I'd like to avoid the latter."
"May I make a request?"
"M?"
"I suggest increasing the group responsible for working against pirates."
At these words from Oriana Lawson, I grimaced almost imperceptibly.
"Ori... I wouldn't want to increase the number of mercenaries; it's enough that we'll be smashing Batarian military objects through tenth hands. And the population of our colonies isn't that large yet to recruit new teams."
"John... believe me, for five to seven ships, we'll find the crews. Though we'll have to delay the decommissioning of some ships. Well, we decommission them in such a state anyway that other corporations consider us big spenders."
"Is that so?"
"No, I know that we sell them essentially at a price slightly below market and at the same time, due to automation and modularity of designs, we still have triple profit. To them, we're working almost at a loss."
I only smirked.
"Fine, at your discretion."
"Excellent! Then I'm starting crew recruitment."
"Go ahead, you firebrand..."
"Pf! Honestly, John, your attitude toward me makes me wonder if you want to drag me into bed."
"Well... you are, of course, a beauty and smart, but I have a girlfriend. So in this matter, there's nothing for you."
"Yes, yes..."
Oriana Lawson nodded mockingly, after which the connection broke, and I headed to my cabin with a smirk. Fortunately, I had no missions at the moment, so I could pick a place for training. And deal with the corporation's papers...
***
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