107 – Citadel Party (1)

The reunion ended, and its effects were felt almost immediately. It seemed to ignite a sense of duty across the galaxy, as almost every species had a surge of recruitment just minutes after it had concluded.

The ages of those eager to join varied widely, with even teenagers wanting to contribute to the war effort. They weren't officially recruited; however, as LD and the rest promised, they would train anyone who came seeking it.

Not only young people, but even older individuals sought out training. They understood what they were fighting for: a better future—not just for themselves but for the next generation as well.

They were determined to do their part.

Still, fear loomed, as the Reapers were an incredibly formidable opponent. They had literally destroyed the capital of Thessia in less than a day. More troops would only increase the number of casualties.

However, for evil to prevail, it only requires a good person to do nothing.

The galaxy was slowly but surely preparing for war.

WITH VALERY

Valery watched her son appear at the reunion, a few tears forming in her eyes and a proud look on her face. He had accomplished so much in his short life and was now at the center of the galaxy's power structure.

It was amazing. She was sure Mason would be proud if he could see his son now.

However, when Samael revealed that RR was an AI, she worried about the reaction from the rest of the galaxy. At the same time, she trusted her son to handle it.

Still, there was nothing she could do to help him regarding that, so she could only wait.

After that, everything became a blur to her. She felt a mix of emotions. She knew how others reacted in the face of fear; she had felt that way when she heard about the Reapers months ago. But there was also hope that the galaxy would truly unite against this crisis and overcome it.

"Well, let's wait and see."

To be honest, she wanted to help in combat too, but she felt too old for that. "Maybe I should have taken some training like Samael told me."

Crying over the past wouldn't change the future. Valery knew the best thing she could do for the galaxy was to ensure her own safety. She knew her son well, and she was uncertain about what he might do if something happened to her.

"Maybe it's time to leave Earth?"

After much consideration, she reached this conclusion. The place where she lived was literally the safest on Earth—it was in San Francisco, where the LD HQ was located. In her community, there was even a whole compound, so it felt secure.

Yet Samael had offered to take her off Earth months ago, and now it seemed like a good time to accept that offer.

Before she could continue that train of thought, someone knocked on her door. She checked the multiple cameras Samael had installed around the house and saw it was someone from the neighborhood and an old acquaintance.

She didn't know why they were there, but she decided to answer the door anyway. Everyone in the area already knew Samael was the owner of LD, so she wasn't worried it would be an attack or anything like that.

When she opened the door, the person, who didn't look over 40 years old, asked right away, '' Where can I go to help?''

''Sorry?" Valery asked in a confused tone.

The person looked resolute, almost as if they were ready to go to war. "I—well, I assume everyone in the galaxy saw the Reunion. So, even though I'm quite old, I can't stay put and watch the rest of the galaxy move to help. Where can I go to join LD?"

As mentioned in the Reunion, the Alliance, LD, the Krogan, the Turians, the Asari—well, the whole galaxy—will now accept civilians to train for the war, no matter the age.

They just have to be willing to help.

The person in front of her was one of them. Valery couldn't help but feel both good and worried about the situation. She knew the upcoming war would be bloody, and the chances of survival were slim. The moment she answered, this man's life would change. Still, it was his choice, and now she had to make hers.

"...There's an LD compound in the slums. You can go there to receive training.''

Everyone knew about it, including the man, so he nodded. "Thank you for that. I came here just to be sure. See you around."

"Bye." Valery watched as the man left, her mind racing with complicated thoughts. Not much time had passed since the Reunion ended, and he was the first to arrive at her place, but she suspected many more would come.

"Maybe it's not time to leave Earth after all. And it seems I can still be of help."

With a resolute mind, Valery decided to assist in the recruitment process. This was a fight no one could escape from, and every bit of help was appreciated.

She would do her part and hoped the rest of the galaxy would do the same.

--

WITH SHEPARD

Right after the Reunion, which determined how the galaxy would prepare against the Reapers, Shepard went to meet the now-Councilor Anderson, her adoptive father.

They had talked before, yes, but through calls, not in person. This was a rare chance for both of them.

On her way there, Shepard noticed Anderson was surrounded by people from different species, all congratulating him on becoming a Councilor.

Shepard hesitated to interrupt for a brief second, long enough for Anderson to notice her nearby. As soon as he did, he excused himself from the group and approached her. Soon, he was in front of her, looking quite proud of her. "How have you been?"

Although he didn't show it, he panicked when he heard that Shepard was on Thessia during the Reaper attack. He immediately tried to send reinforcements but knew it would be too late by then. All he could do was hope she was alive.

When he received a call informing him she was safe, he relaxed immediately. It also strengthened his resolve to better prepare the galaxy for the upcoming threat. So, when Samael called him a while ago with an opportunity to join the council, he accepted right away.

"I have been good. Samael and his crew have treated me well," Shepard said, noticing Anderson's worries despite his stoic exterior. She reassured him as best as she could.

It also warmed her heart to see him like that; it meant he cared for her, and that was enough.

"That's good to hear." Anderson could see that Shepard cared for her crew and her new friends. Still, he was immensely glad to see her doing well.

"By the way, when were you going to tell me about all of this, huh?" After their emotional (?) reunion, Shepard asked with a grin on her face. "I was surprised when you were announced as a Councilor."

Anderson chuckled and looked at Samael across the room, who was surrounded by people trying to talk to him. Some were cursing him because of his AI, while others were thanking him for the support that the LD would provide to others in the upcoming years. Regardless, Wrex was at his side, managing those who might have had funny thoughts.

It was amusing to Anderson that the Krogan had also become a Councilor, yet only a few people approached him to offer congratulations.

Anderson knew that his current position was only possible because of Samael and his connections. If it hadn't been for Samael to make a deal with Tevos, humanity would have taken a long time to secure a seat on the Council. "Believe me, I was surprised too."

A while ago, Anderson had received a call from Samael and didn't hesitate to accept his offer. With his new position, he felt he could help far more than he could in his previous role.

'There's a lot to do and think about: who to send to Project Andromeda, where to start recruitment and training. It seems I will be quite busy now.'

However, he was happy that he could contribute more.

Shepard noticed Anderson's gaze and connected the dots. 'Samael must have helped with all this show.'

It made sense since LD had a significant influence across the galaxy. Still, Shepard surmised that Samael had chosen Anderson primarily because of her. It felt a bit narcissistic, but it also made perfect sense.

It warmed her heart, as it indicated that Samael genuinely cared for her; otherwise, he would have chosen someone with more power.

'That man is unbelievable, in more than one way.'

With that thought, Shepard looked at Anderson with a soft gaze, knowing what lay ahead for him. "You will be busier now."

Anderson smiled in response. "Don't worry, we can still talk through calls... but let's make it more frequent, okay?"

Shepard nodded, "Let's do that."

"Don't go back on your word."

While adoptive father and daughter shared a reunion after some time apart, Samael, on the other side of the room, faced his own challenges.

'What to do, what to do...'

He was contemplating how to say goodbye to the Citadel, as after this trip, he would probably only return after a long time. When he left, he would embark on a journey that would take some time, and he still had to prepare for the war.

Chaotic times were ahead, so he thought of throwing a good party. He had experience in that area, after all, he had lived a long life. Still, he had many doubts about how to ensure everyone would have a good time.

'Maybe we could use Chora's Den?'

The owner was the former Asari waitress he had helped after killing Fisk months ago. She still owed him a favor, so using the place made sense. But—

'It's too simple, and we've already been there before... I'll keep it in mind, though.'

So, Samael continued to brainstorm ideas while more people tried to approach him to talk. Wrex served as a shield, allowing only those with good intentions to speak to him.

Even then, Samael spoke to them in an automated manner while thinking about a good place to party.

'You know what, forget it. We'll improvise.'

Samael finally accepted that and redirected his attention to the present, looking around the room.

Castis was speaking with Garrus and Solana, probably discussing what his life as a Councilor would be like. Garrus was likely talking about joining Samael's crew, and Solana was there to stay in the loop.

By the way, she had a position on one of the Arks of the Andromeda Project, but it remained to be seen whether she would accept it or not.

Tevos was conversing with Liara and Samara. He had no idea what they were discussing.

Tali was chatting with the Quarian Councilor, who just happened to be her father. Yes, that was Samael's idea, just like he did with Anderson. Believe it or not, even though the galaxy had a war to fight, if they won, those two would hold positions of power for life, making their lives significantly easier.

Now, they just had to win.

The rest of the crew was scattered across the room. Javik and Grunt were together, as were Shepard's crew.

Samael smiled at the situation. "Let's get it going."

He sent a message for everyone to regroup at Chora's Den in ten minutes.

---

CHORA'S DEN

The bar was nothing like its previous version. Under the Asari, it had undergone numerous renovations, all financed with LD's help, as Samael had promised her.

It was now considered one of the best bars on the Citadel, with its former reputation now gone. No more crime lords residing there or anything like that.

It was bustling with people, and today was no different. Well, it WAS bustling, not anymore, because the owner had received a message that Samael was coming.

She mentally prepared herself, knowing that the last time they visited, they had emptied the stock. She never got angry, though, as she realized she wouldn't be where she was today if Samael hadn't appeared in her life.

So, she cleared the bar, drawing a few angry stares from customers. She ignored them because the guests coming was far more important than they ever would be.

Soon after, a diverse crowd entered her bar: Krogan, Asari, Quarian, Prothean, Human—you name it, they entered. Well, she knew not every species was there, but it certainly looked that way.

They immediately arranged themselves at the table, almost as if they had planned it beforehand. Soon, they began to ask for drinks and other orders.

The owner no longer worked as a waitress, but she stayed nearby to keep an eye on things.

From a distance, she could see Samael mouthing, "Thanks for that, and I'm sorry."

The Asari could only sigh. It was going to be a long day.