Author's note: Yes, I am rebooting my "Genius rises" Fanfiction after numerous complaints in regards to the formatting of the first version and how Shepard was a "Mary Sue" of sorts. This version still plays off the idea that Shepard has a "Tony Stark-like" mind but has a pretty dark past that, while familiar to many of you, is a little more elaborated on.
It was time to choose a candidate for the position of Council Spectre. The conference room was full of representatives from Earth and her colonies all bringing their respective candidates to the table. Rare was it that the Alliance military and the Alliance embassy met to agree on something and in this delicate matter it was not going well.
"What about Colonel Fredrich Heidrich?" Suggested the representative from Germany.
"The only thing that soldier has in terms of "outstanding" is the number of times he has arrived on duty with alcohol on his breath." Said Captain Anderson.
"What about Major Ferren Cho?" suggested another representative.
"A man affectionately named "the robot?" No, we need someone a little less rigid. We are looking for more than just combat capability, we are looking for someone with better social skills than your average soldier." Said Anderson.
Undina quietly listened to everyone, which was unusual for the politician. This back-and-forth had been going on for hours and it had become an exhausting endeavor. Udina casually scrolled through his console looking at the Citadel news when something caught his eye. He watched the report for a few minutes routing the audio to his earpiece before he transferred it to the conference room's main screen:" … Citadel Council has entered into a private session concerning a requested military expansion of the hanar. Earlier this week when engaging in talks with Dr. Ivan Shepard about their technological trade, the human scientist suggested that they expand their role in the galaxy in a big way with the expansion of its navy. Dr. Shepard, who is the co-CEO of the company Vulcan Heavy Industries, has long been a promoter of unrestricted interspecies technological innovation since exploding onto the scene three years ago. With his partner Dr. Eldim Xaal, a rare krogan scientist, they have taken numerous industries by storm including shipbuilding, industrial manufacturing, VI systems, weapons development, power systems, and numerous other industries. The proposal was headed by the Illuminated Primacy at the encouragement of Dr. Shepar…"
Udina paused the scene," Well, what about Shepard?"
"Shepard is not a soldier, he is a defense contractor." Said the representative from Africa.
"Actually, Shepard served with the Alliance five years back as one of our best combat Engineers." Said Anderson.
"If that was the case, why have we heard nothing about him during his time of service?" Asked the representative from Germany.
Anderson pulled up the associated dossier," According to his file, he had a nack for finding the most practical solutions to given problems. The end results of his action were usually the greatest effectiveness over utilized resources and the lack of attention he drew to himself. He was also known for being a kind and caring man, solving problems on the social level as well as the technological."
Intrigued, the Japanese representative asked," So, why is he not with the Alliance now?"
Admiral Hackett's face down-turned as he looked at the report," about four years eight months ago, his squad was running an investigation of a crash when his squad was attacked by a Thresher Maw... he was the only survivor. He mourned them but he could not effectively perform his duties with their deaths on his mind so he was to be discharged from the Alliance for medical reasons, however he was offered an Early Out. He took the Early Out option and was honorably discharged. The rest you already know."
"What about his combat capability?" Asked the German representative.
"He scored an Expert in his pistol certification, a Marksman on his assault rifle, and a regular for his other weapons qualifications." Said Anderson," Naturally being a combat engineer, he is more than capable of using an omni-tool to great effect."
"So are we in agreement?" Asked Udina.
"Wait. We are assuming much about the man when we come to this decision." Said the British representative," How do we know he would be willing to do this at all? His company is skyrocketing and he is clearly making a fortune. Why would he leave all that to become a Spectre?"
"He does not need to." Said Udina," Spectres are actually encouraged to pay for their own equipment and with Shepard being a defense contractor he can cut out the middleman and manufacture what he needs. So, any other objections?"
He was met with silence.
"I'll make the call." Said Ambassador Udina as the meeting was adjourned.
"LOOK OUT!" Shepard yelled as he tackled a vorcha engineer just as a high-pressure steam valve blew in the area they just occupied.
He got up and extended his arm. A silver/green omni-tool with rotating and shifting matrices composed of complex polygons appeared around his wrist. Several metal blocks mounted on Shepard's back were melted and streamed directly to the breach, followed immediately by a precise application of a cryo blast combined with mass effect fields to rapidly and precisely align the alloy's structure.
He extended a hand to the fallen vorcha and helped him to his feet. The vorcha went back to his station while Shepard's industrial Omni-tool restored the scientist's personal supply of raw material from nearby storage blocks. Shepard jogged along the cavernous room's scaffolding towards an outreach that was the primary control center for the area. Waiting in the middle, was a krogan in an exoskeleton with an integrated lab coat similar to the one Shepard wore, including their patented omni-goggles. The krogan was very old, which was indicated by the his aged long-grown head plate, by how he leaned on his sledge hammer cane, and the hiss of hydraulics for his reinforced exoskeleton. What was more, the krogan had a fully prosthetic mechanical left arm.
The krogan walked over to another control panel. He slipped his omni-goggles onto his head plate, pulled a pair of pince-nez glasses out of a pocket, and onto his nose. Shepard approached the krogan.
"We nearly lost a technician this time but only thirteen breaches as opposed to the forty-seven of last time." Said Shepard to his Krogan colleague.
"Now we need to install the eight mass effect cores and test their networked capacity with the power generated by the reactor section." Said Xaal.
"Problem. We have only enough Eezo for three cores." Said Shepard.
"Blast! What is the status of us expanding into the mining industry?" Asked the frustrated Krogan.
"We are still simulating several new mining techniques and technologies but we have manufactured several of those that passed tests and training several employees in their use." Said Shepard.
"The new equipment passed safety checks?" Asked Xaal.
"All of them." Affirmed Shepard.
The krogan removed his Pince-nez glasses and rubbed his eyes with his organic hands.
"Let us call it a day while the HLAs rectify the problems." Suggested Shepard.
"Alright." The Krogan leaned on his cane as he walked towards the exit. Shepard shut everything down with a wave of his Omni-tool. The two of them walked through the attached facility to reach the station that housed many trains. They had their own private train while the workers had their own commuter. Their locomotive was a redesigned Union Pacific Steam Locomotive with a fusion reactor, magnetic bearings and a streamlined body shape.
The locomotive left the station not long after the two scientist's boarded and quickly built up speed thanks to their redesign. Shepard looked out the window at the Noveria's snowy landscape.
"So," asked Xaal sipping coffee served to him by a salarian butler," How are your projects going?"
"The Duren'sez is undergoing its shakedown run, I have nearly worked all the bugs out of the shipborne Omni-Factory." Said Shepard.
"I overheard one of our research staff talking about you buying Synthetic Insights or petitioning the Council for the rights to develop and research AI. I take it you are finished with Overseer?" Asked Xaal.
"Yes all his code has been checked and double-checked, all he needs is to be turned on." Said Shepard.
"I will have a chat with the board and see about making that happen." Said Xaal.
"The Asari are attempting to defund our research into the Mass Relays." Said Shepard.
"All Asari or someone in particular?" Asked Xaal.
"Some matriarchs who are followers of something called the "Athame Doctrine." I think I can persuade the Enkindler Research Group to pick up the slack." Said Shepard.
"I am still shocked as to how you have made the hanar come out of their shell. Now they are starting to move up in the galaxy. However, I am curious how you were able to convince them that actually doing in-depth studies into Prothean artifacts is not defacing or desecrating to their religion." Said Xaal.
"The key is to understand their line of thinking and then use logic based upon that understanding to basically tell them that if the Protheans gave them language to express themselves then why not the artifacts for them to divine the secrets of the galaxy? Once you get them to open their minds to the possibility, the sky's the limit." Said Shepard.
"Indeed." Said Xaal as he sipped his coffee. His prosthetic arm reached to the side of his chair and pulled an old fashioned book out of a slot. The book bore the gold letters of "Holy Bible" on the cover.
"Shall we?" Asked the krogan.
Shepard closed his console and turned to face his colleague with a smile," We shall. Now to day is the 12th so that would put us in Proverbs 12 today..."
An hour later, when the train had reached Port Hanshan,the two scientists took a lift up to mezzanine. They exited and crossed the plaza to another lift that took them to Vulcan Heavy Industries main office. In a tank was their hanar secretary.
"Anything new, Fyrol?" Asked Shepard.
"Upon your train pulling into the station, I took the liberty of brewing a fresh batch of coffee..." started the hanar.
"Excellent, lemme at it." Said Xaal as he shambled over to a complex array of pumps, boilers, and pipes that was the office coffee machine. Xaal reached up and opened several valves and started up the mixing pump which incorporated irish cream, rum, and Ryncol with the coffee. The delicious smelling brew was dispensed into the krogan scientist's large mug.
"Also, you have an appointment with Captain Anderson who is waiting in your office." Said the hanar.
"Very well." Shepard pulled down his own mug and opened a single valve. A hiss of steam cleared the spigot of Xaal's brew and straight black coffee emerged. Xaal shook his head and followed Shepard to their shared office.
Inside the Alliance Captain got up from the chair in front of Shepard's desk opposite of that was Xaal's desk. The cavernous room was dominated by the irised-open window to Noveria's snowy landscape.
"Captain, welcome" Said Shepard as he shook the Captain's hand. He then gestured for the Captain to sit while he sat down at his desk with his coffee. Automatically, several screens popped up with schematics and reports. Shepard shut down the one between him and Anderson.
"So, what can Vulcan Heavy Industries do for the Alliance today?" Asked Shepard.
"As you no doubt know the Alliance has been pushing to have a human in the ranks of the Council Spectres for years in order to have more say with the council..." Started Anderson.
"Ah. So what does your spectre need? A ship? Armor? Omni-tools? Weapons?" Asked Shepard as he turned sideways to bring up a list of the mentioned items as he took another drink of his coffee.
"Actually, we need you. You are the primary Spectre candidate." Said Anderson bluntly.
Coffee spewed out of Shepard's mouth as he whipped back to look at Anderson," WHHHAAATTTTT?!"
"Your record speaks for itself, you are best qualified for the position." Continued Anderson.
"But i am not in the military anymore, I am now a scientist and the partner CEO to one of the largest growing industrial companies in the galaxy, I cannot afford to go cavorting about at the whim of the Council just to satisfy the Alliance's political agenda."said Shepard as he rose, leaning on his desk.
"Shepard, humanity needs this. And while your efforts as a scientist and industrialist have brought humanity new levels of economic growth and technological innovation, humanity wants a larger political role in the galaxy. If they are willing to accept a Spectre into their ranks it show how far humanity has come." Said Anderson.
"Shepard.. a word ?" Xaal called and gestured for his colleague to come over.
"Excuse me." Shepard straightened up and walked over to his friend's desk, out of earshot of Anderson," What?"
"It is perfect." Said Xaal with a smile Shepard knew all too well. It was a smile Xaal got on his face when he had something devious in mind.
"Me becoming a Spectre? Do tell…" Said Shepard, wondering what the krogan scientist was getting at.
"Think about it… Spectres operate above the law and they are often sent on mission throughout the galaxy. The new opportunities for our company could expand that much more. You don't have to jump through endless hoops to activate Overseer. As a Spectre you can just straight up turn him on." Explained Xaal.
"...And I can scout out for the raw materials you need to finish the Nautilus…" Said Shepard as he rolled his eyes.
"Well… that too… " Said Xaal with a smile.
Shepard sighed," Well, I cannot argue the advantage of such a position, i still have to wonder if the Council would try to use that position against us by ordering to me to make corporate decisions."
"Even as a Spectre, they could not do that to you. Any mission they send you on has to be for the good of the galaxy, a stabilizing agent as it were." Said Xaal.
"And what if they decide that it would "stabilize" the galaxy if you were removed from the picture? You know how much the salarian government hates you just for being what you are." Asked Shepard.
"HA. Like those pyjaks have enough spine to ask such a thing of the Council especially with how big we are in the public eye, not to mention having thwarted... how many assassination attempts?" Asked Xaal.
"The latest count being 158 this year thus far… including the one from this morning." Said Shepard rubbing his forehead," Which excludes corporate sabotage attempts."
"Another couple of reason why you need to get out there and get me what I need to finish Nautilus." Said Xaal as he grabbed another cup of coffee off a nearby tray only to pour it down a nearby garbage disposal after smelling it," 159."
"Fine. You better keep me up-to-date on everything. Am I clear?" Said Shepard.
"Crystal." Said Xaal with a smile.
Shepard walked back over to Anderson," Alright Captain, how shall we proceed?"
Anderson smiled," Meet me at Arcturus Station and we will begin from there."
"Very well." Said Shepard as he took Anderson's hand.
Yet something was nagging at the back of Shepard's mind: Why me?