Strawberry Kiwi wrote...
Indeed. This night hasn't been very productive.
I ponder the idea of retreating back to my quarters for the remainder of the night.
...But I know I'd never be able to log off before 4:00. 
Awww. I get here just in time to see it's apparently been a bad night. I suppose I can try turning things around by telling a joke i've wanted to get off my chest, by way of shortfic. Before I start, I just want to tell you the moral of the story: War Hero Shepard's have just as traumatic a military service as everyone else.
SSV Normandy SR-1
Tali: ...but in practice, the Conclave has the actual power in day to day functions in the Migrant Fleet.
*Shepard seems genuinely interested in this tidbit of information... probably because of her voice. He might also be interested in any technical manual she could read aloud. *
Tali: Oh... listen to me go on. I've been telling you all about me and my people... yet I hardly know anything about you, Shepard.
Shepard: *shifts position uncomfortably, scratching the back of his neck* Okay... what would you like to know?
Tali: Well... I heard you were some kind of hero amoung your people; you saved a colony during the Skyllian Blitz. What was that like?
*Shepard freezes. An involuntary flashback takes him back to Elysium; to the second story window of a bank overlooking a main road as what seems like a million screaming batarians pour into the city. With his heatsink warped, he's currently repairing his rifle, trying to keep silent as the (screaming!) batarians pass his position.*
Batarian #1: GO GO GO!
Batarian #23: ENEMIES EVERYWHERE!
Batarian #47: GO GO GO!
Batarian #316: I WILL DESTROY YOU!
Batarian #768: GO GO GO!
Batarian #1479: YOU WILL DIE!
*Shepard finally pries loose the heatsink, then signals his omnitool to turn off his translator. The screaming batarians now resolve to something approaching the sound of a cat caught in the exhaust manifold of a car. Reluctantly, Shepard switches back to the translator. His hands work just a little bit faster- the sooner he can replace the heatsink, the sooner he can
get rid of that noise.*
Shepard: It was... loud.