A/N: So this is set far into the future after Me3. Since I am not a game developer I don't know what happens in Me3 we'll just assume that Shepard kicks the reaper's asses and everyone lives. Yay! Shepard is such a badass. This is a heavily military oriented fic. I'm not a military expert so forgive me if this seems a bit mellow for the military. I guess being engaged to a soldier inspires me a little. :] Enjoy.

"Shepard." Anderson smiled as the Commander entered the conference room. "I'm glad to see that you made it back, mostly unscathed." They shook hands and Shepard fed him a tight lipped smile.

"I'm sure you are, Councilor." She said and shook some of her shoulder length brown hair to the side so Anderson could get a good look at the claw marks that cut across the left side of her face from hair line to ear.

"Damn Shepard, you're lucky the eye didn't go." He said noting that the deepest gash stopped just below her eyebrow and started again at her cheekbone.

"I promise I still would have been of use to you." She said dryly. "One eye or two." The pair skirted the conference table on the way to their seats at the other end. The table was segregated with five humans on the left and five turians on the right, not counting Councilor Velarn. Shepard wasn't one to question the council, not since the reaper invasion when they started taking her seriously, but this was an odd congregation.

Multiple human soldiers congratulated the Commander on her safe return as she passed. She nodded her thanks and turned her attention to the turian side of the table. It was difficult to tell emotions by looking at their faces, but a quick glance in their predatory eyes told the Commander which ones were excited, scared, and of all things bored. Each of them bore a different clan marking. Her attention snagged on a turian at the end of the table. His plates and skin were different shades of brown, but it was the blue paint on his cheeks that caught her eye. A former team member of hers had worn the same markings. She could have sworn that he smiled at the talon marks that marred her face.

"Damn Commander, that looks nasty." The man next to her commented. He pointed to his face as if she didn't know what he was talking about. Just because she didn't see it didn't mean she wasn't aware of the burning scratches that cut across her once decent features.

"That, Cale, is what happens when a turian runs out of ammo and goes manic on your face." Shepard formed a smile of her own and stared the smiling turian down as she took her seat. "Obviously he didn't get the chance to finish the job." The turian growled lowly in his chest and Shepard's smile only widened.

"Shepard." Anderson cautioned in her ear. The Commander waved him off but stopped taunting the turian.

"I am sure you are all wondering why you have been called to this meeting." Velarn said from the head of the turian side of the table. "In short, one of our Spectres has gone rogue and we would like to have him back." The room grew tenser as the news settled. The last Spectre to go rogue had destroyed half of the Citadel and killed countless people on the way. Shepard felt a grim frown take over her features. "We are not sure why he has gone rogue and frankly it doesn't matter. It is your job to retrieve him."

"Wait," one of the human soldiers, Johnson, interrupted, "you need ten people to take down one Spectre and bring him back here?" Velarn nodded, looking a bit annoyed.

"He has experience in the turian military, C-sec, and his own endeavors." Velarn's eyes met Shepard's at that moment. Shepard furrowed her brow, but Velarn looked away before any silent messages could be sent. Any that she understood anyway. "This is a highly trained individual. He is an adept sniper so keep away from open spaces where you could easily be picked off." Velarn fired up his omni-tool and the projection of a planet sprouted in the center of the table. "He was last seen on Intai'sei in the Phoenix system somewhere in the south eastern hemisphere. You will begin your search here." Various members of the group nodded.

"Commander Shepard has been kind of enough to lend us the Normandy SR-2 for this mission." Anderson spoke up from the head of the human side of the table. "It is being equipped with dextro-amino commodities as we speak. A turian chef will be aboard along with Mess Sergeant Gardner, who is a capable cook with levo and dextro foods." Anderson fired up his own omni-tool and the planet projection was replaced by the Normandy. "The observation ports are being converted into barracks." As he spoke the observation ports lit up green to emphasize their location. "The human barracks will be on the starboard side and the turian barracks on the port." Anderson sighed and laced his fingers together. "I know that everyone here has their own opinions of the other race. Do not cause any trouble on Commander Shepard's ship. She will take it as a personal offense and I think we all know what happens to people who personally offend her." Shepard smiled at the stares she received.

"Your squad leaders will be Commander Shepard and Commander Vorik." Velarn said gesturing towards Shepard and a gray turian with white marking down his face seated across from her. He nodded politely in her direction and she returned the favor. "You don't think without their permission. Understood?" All of the turians confirmed their understanding. The humans looked at Shepard where she sat smiling. Most of them didn't know her all that well. Oh how she loved toying with the newbies.

"The Normandy leaves at 1100 hours. I suggest you take care of whatever business you have and make your way to the docking bay as soon as you can." Anderson said. "Anyone who does not report to the Normandy at 1100 will be arrested for defying a direct order from the Council." This time everyone nodded their understanding. "Mission details will be uploaded to your omni-tools before you board the Normandy. Dismissed."

Shepard rose to leave but Anderson dropped a hand on her shoulder and she stopped. "Commander, this may have more personal ties to you. I trust that you will do what is necessary no matter what." Shepard stared at him confused and he glanced at Velarn out of the corner of his eye. They weren't supposed to tell her who the rogue was.

"Of course, Councilor." Shepard replied smiling unhappily. Anderson nodded and released her shoulder.