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“Hey Skipper.” Ashley settles against one of the columns of the memorial, a book tucked under one arm. “I know it hasn’t been long but I was in the neighborhood and I thought you'd like an update. Such as it is." Ashley shifts her weight slightly, slides down the column.
"Um. First off I miss you. The whole. Normandy think is kind of falling apart without you. All us Alliance members are getting reassigned and the rest are getting shipped off to the citadel I think." Ashley presses her lips together, growls a little in the back of her throat.
"To be honest I think the politicians are running scared and the Alliance Brass isn't much better. No one knows anything about the mystery ship and if you mention a reaper in a debrief you get shut the hell down."
“We didn’t even have a Normandy to steal this time around.” Ashley emphasizes this with a gesture of her book then falls silent for a few seconds.
“I know you’d hate it but I am pissed at Joker for trying to stay on-board. Like. I get it but you -" the *died because of him*' hangs unsaid and Ashley tips her head back with a grunt of frustration.
"Its fine - I’ll get over it. Kinda hard to stay mad at him right now anyway. Commander you should have seen the look on his face - Everyone getting new assignments and promotions. Anything to keep us quiet. Joker though? Indefinite shore leave.”
Ashley sighs ruefully. “He looked like he’d been sentenced to a firing squad. And sure he’s an intolerable little shit but he's a good pilot.”
Ashley falls silent for a moment, weighing the book in her hand. “They’re keeping me ship-board, which - was a surprise. Guess all it took to get a Williams back up in space was fighting a Reaper.” She huffs, gestures with the book.
“Dad should have tried it years ago. I have to stop by and see him too before I ship out tonight. Short notice, The Captain said they’d already delayed take-off to confirm my reassignment. I think Hackett's trying to make sure us Normandy crew don’t have time to plan anything.”
Ashley’s omni-tool chimes and she sighs.
“Anyway, I gotta go. I’ll try and keep track of your crew Skipper - A couple of the techs are trying to get some-kind of ID or tracking on the mystery ship. Maybe by the time I make it back I’ll be able to tell you how we sent those fuckers to hell.”
—- —- —- —-
“Hey Skipper.” Its raining and Ashley hunches into her jacket. “Thought I’d stop by and tell you I got promoted. Operations Chief Ashley Williams - Always figured I’d top out at Chief Gunnery Officer honestly.” She shakes her head. “You could have given me a heads-up about the recommendation. Though it did take almost eight months. I guess a praise from the first human spectre only goes so far when it comes to bureaucratic bullshit huh?”
The thin smile drops after a moment. “I haven’t heard from Joker in almost six weeks. I’d say he’s ghosting me again but his indefinite medical-leave was starting to look more and more like discharge in everything but name so…” Ashley scrubs a hand across her face. “I just hope the little bastard hasn’t done anything too - permanent.”
The rain makes the leaves and grass rustle and Ashley glances up, squinting into the drizzle. “News is getting sparse from everyone though. I don’t know whether they’re all just trying to keep their heads down or if they’re trying not to think about the Normandy.” She wipes her face again, rain misting in her eyes.
“I did hear from Tali last week - she’s been back with the flotilla for a while. She seemed shaken - security breaches she couldn’t get into.”
Ashley hesitates. “I think she just needed someone from off-ship to talk to. It was nice to hear from her." Ashley trails off then grumbles under her breath.
“I mean you know my opinions on politicians and even with Anderson on-board the Council’s refusing to do anything concrete in terms of Reaper preparedness and Alliance still doesn’t have anything useful on the mystery ship either so-” Ashley shakes her head in frustration. “It was nice to talk to someone I didn't have to *convince* that half of that shit happened."
Thunder rumbles in the distance and Ashley shivers, shakes the rain out of her eyes again. “Oh well, I'm Operations cheif now. Maybe one day I'll be admiral and people will be complaining about how I do things huh?” Ashley taps her fingers on the embossed name. “Thanks Shepard. For everything.”
—- —-
“Well what do you think." Ashley stands with her arms crossed and studies the Cenotaph and Shepard's name.
"There are some rumours going around saying you’re not dead. *and* you're wearing Cerberus colours these days."
There are birds chirping somewhere, counter to Ashleys mood and she shifts her weight, waiting like she might get some kind of response from the mostly empty park.
"I’ve been telling people they’re nuts if they think you’d ever align yourself with Cerberus but people have been swearing up and down they saw the Normandy with a cerberus logo too.“
Ashley grumbles in the back of her throat. "I mean you got me back to earth again so thanks for that I guess. Have to go meet with high command about another special op they want to send me on." Ashley huffs a little. "Yeah I'm getting *special assignments* now. If I'm lucky I might even make Lieutenant..." Something chimes in her Omni-tool and Ashley glances down at it, shifting her jaw before glancing up at the name carved in the cenotaph.
"Its been two years y'know. I hope you know I'm going to be pissed if you never even called me."
—- —-
Ashley doesn't say anything at first when she stops by the Cenotaph on her way to the Alliance command center.
She just stares at the monument for a long moment.
"Someone's gonna have to pull your plaque off of there huh?" She rubs her forearm, absently. "If that really is you over there."
Ashley cocks her head slightly. "I still have to give Joker hell too. I was halfway convinced he was dead in a ditch somewhere." She trails off. staring at the plaque.
"Think the hearing is over yet?"
There's no response, as usual but Ashley shifts her weight anyway, tapping her fingers on the plaque again as she goes by.
----
"This is it huh?" Shepard scuffs their toe into the ground and then studies the cenotaph with a critical eye.
Its not a hell of a lot to look at. Most of the park isn't, though the grass is already starting to get shaggy around the bigger pieces of debris that the crews haven't gotten to yet.
This is a low priority area.
"Yep." Ashley says. "Hope you weren't expecting a statue." Shepard scoffs, shifting to lean more heavily on their cane.
"God no." They grin slightly. "Who was it that was threatening me with a statue on the citadel?" Ashley can't help laughing.
"Oh my god Wrex right? built to Krogan standards?"
Shepard snorts.
"That sounds right. I just remember feeling my ears get so hot I stopped listening." Ashley elbows them in their good arm.
"Just wait maybe you'll get one yet. The Krogan *are* getting offered a seat on the council I hear." Ashley pretends to consider it. "I mean I've seen you naked too, I'm sure I could offer some suggestions to make it more -" She trails off and winks.
"Fuck off." Shepard snaps but their ears are bright red. "Lets get out of here before you get any more good ideas."
They turn and start limping back the way they'd come and Ashley darts up beside them.
"Sure thing Skipper." Ashley says sweetly. "Whatever I can do for the savior of the known Galaxy."
"Fuck you."
Ashley doesn't look back.
The cracked cenotaph will probably be removed when the crews are finished with the higher priority areas.
Besides the name thats mostly been chipped away by one of the pillars falling onto the face of the stone - It didn't belong there anyway.