A Road not Taken

Prologue

"Receiving crews, standby for arrival on pier twelve, arm three." The automated voice announced over the speakers in the corridor of the imposing space station. In front of a large viewing window and older man in a dark blue uniform stood at parade rest. His deep blue eyes watched carefully as the one hundred seventy meter long frigate docked with the station. The vessel in question had very much similar lines to that of the marine frigates of old, only a trained eye would be able to tell the difference between the ships that liberated the man's homeworld more than one hundred years ago and these ships. The ship was painted in the distinct base blue and white markings as most other ships in the fleet, the angel moon crest emblazoned on the prow of the warship that came to view as it docked. The sight of the ship brought a feeling of nostalgia and memories of the past.

"Admiral Hackett?"

"Yes?" The man's gravelly voice replied as his gaze of the ship was broken, his mind returning to the present and to a young man who looked no older than twenty.

"Docking procedures are complete, you can come with me."

"That won't be necessary, Ensign." Admiral Hackett replied as he saw the doors leading to the docking arm open up and a woman in her mid thirties with a similar uniform to that of the admiral walked towards him with her cap tucked under her right arm. The woman had sharp angular facial features, near luminescent green eyes and in spite of her significantly shorter height, carried herself with confidence. As she walked to the admiral, her streaked blonde and brown hair that was tied back in a ponytail made a slight swish with each step. The female snapped to a crisp salute to the old man.

"Admiral Hackett, sir."

"Captain LiirHra." The admiral said returning the salute.

The captain's stoic expression changed to a warm smile as she then hugged the old man briefly before releasing him from the embrace. "It's good to see you again, Steven."

"The feeling is mutual, Doria." The two of them then started walking down the halls and began to converse between themselves.

"So, how is the family?" Doria asked Steven as they walked, passing viewports where other ships were docked, ranging from frigates like Doria's to the massive battlecruisers ten times their size.

"They're doing well. Tara is making plans for our fortieth anniversary next month. Joseph just graduated from fleet academy and will be heading through the node after our anniversary. He's been posted to the forty second guard fleet."

"What about Lucy?"

"Lucy is well...Lucy is still trying to figure out what she wants to do. Would you mind getting in contact with her when you head back? She's still over there. I think she just can't get enough of Iona."

Doria let out a chuckle at this. "Steven, don't be so hard on her, you can't blame her for wanting to have a good time and we both know that Iona is party central for young adults her age."

Steven just grumbled at this for a moment before he returned the question. "What about you? I hear that you and Victor are working on what? Number six?"

"Seven." Doria corrected him.

"Damn. I mean I get it, you're trying to recover population numbers over what happened almost three hundred years ago, but with your science, I thought cloning would work far better. Be a hell of a lot easier on you as well."

"Right there is the difference between a human and a hiigaran. I could try and explain it to you until I'm blue in the face, but we both know you still won't get it."

"No, I guess not. Well, how are the kids and their father?"

"Very well, Victor's new administrative job at the Naabal distribution hub in Tiir is steady, but allows him most nights at home with the kids. They sure grow up fast. Ethan is thinking of donning the red."

Steven nodded at this. He knew somewhat how conflicted she was about this. Donning the red was a ceremony that one had to take part in if they chose to join Kiith Soban, one of the main clans of the hiigarans. Problem was, the ceremony would involve abandoning all previous ties, so they would have limited contact in the future. Soban was militarily the best trained in the two galaxies and so would be working to keep both humans and hiigarans safe and so having one join Soban was at the same time a tremendous honor.

"Ethan is a good man; I know this because I know his parents. He'll make the right decision."

Doria let out an exhale and looked up at Steven with a warm smile. She didn't need to say anything; words sometimes didn't need to be spoken.

The two officers rounded a corner and came to a pair of large doors that were promptly opened by the soldiers standing on either side of them along with a salute which the officers returned. Once inside the room, the doors were closed and a distinct click was heard as they were secured.

"Captain LiirHra, good to see you again." A dark skinned man said who stood up and offered his hand to her.

"David Anderson," Doria replied and took his hand in a firm shake. "Finally decided to leave the dangerous work to the youth, I see."

"You could say that, not that fleet postings are exactly safe."

Doria agreed with a slight nod before she looked over at the other person in the room. The man was older, wearing a suit with greying hair and a receding hairline. "I don't think we've met before. Mr?"

"Udina," the man replied to her. "I am Ambassador Donnel Udina. Now, if everyone can take their seats, we can begin with our candidate selection."

The three officers took their seats, along with the civilian and by the look on Doria's face; she clearly was not sure what exactly they were selecting.

"Captain LiirHra, we needed you here as an observer. We are selecting a potential Spectre candidate." Admiral Hackett explained.

"Spectre?" Doria's brow furrowed as she began to think of where she heard that before.

"Spectres are the Citadel's special agents. Stands for Special Tactics and Reconnaissance, they recently offered us to put a candidate forward for consideration. While the new defense pact essentially makes the Systems Alliance an independent entity from the Hiigaran Pax, we don't want to do anything that might cause undue friction." Udina explained with a calm tone and measured words.

"I see," Doria replied with concern in her voice. "The Alliance really wants this, don't they? In spite of our close relationship and warnings about governing bodies like the Council?"

"Doria, you said that no matter how much you explained, we wouldn't quite fully understand your people? Well, it is the same way for us. We appreciate everything the hiigarans did for us, but we are a part of this galaxy and if that means becoming more involved in her politics then we cannot just hide away."

Doria nodded at this. "You're right, admiral. We can't keep you separate from the rest of the galaxy, and while I have reservations about the Council, we know you well enough to know you will act in your people's best interest as well as ours. Please proceed."

"Our first candidate is Daniel Santiago. Born on Earth to a middle-class family, he's proven himself an excellent student in space combat commanding a pulsar gunship. Let's see here. Survived the Battle of Noveau Burgundy."

"That might be a problem," Hackett spoke up as he looked at the datapad. "Only major engagement was a disaster, and while he survived to warn the fifth fleet, many still look on breaking the line with a great deal of stigma. He's a survivor, I don't know if those are the values we want to instill. Sometimes you have to hold the line, even when it means you won't survive."

"Well what about this one? Thomas Calais. He was born on Arcturus Station, trained in the twenty third shock battalion and lead the charge to re-take Winter Jericho from the Vaygr. A soldier like that sure knows how to press the victory." Captain Anderson said as he looked over more of the man's bio.

"Victory at all costs." Doria spoke up as she saw something that had not been considered. "During the engagement, he ordered orbital bombardments on enemy positions known to be in civilian zones as well as calling in danger close fire missions. Sure, he got the job done, and I'm certain those turians will like that kind of resolve, but if your candidate is going to represent the Alliance, do you want that representative to be someone who cares little for civilian and friendly casualties?"

"Well, those were our prime candidates. Are we going back to the selection process?" Udina spoke up, clearly annoyed at the rejection of the candidates.

"Ambassador, I couldn't help but notice that Lieutenant-Commander Shepard was not in the selection pool. I worked with her a few years back, is there a reason for that?" Anderson questioned Udina with a slightly raised brow.

"She doesn't meet the qualifications." Udina replied simply.

"I don't see how she doesn't. She's smart, resourceful and one hell of a shot and was part of the force that withstood the Siege of Elysium. Her command of one of the strongpoints is the reason we didn't lose the spaceport." Anderson's expression changed when he suddenly realized what Udina was getting at.

"Like I said, Captain, she doesn't meet the qualifications."

"Anderson, would you care to enlighten me? Clearly, you know something that I don't." Hackett spoke up, seeing the tension in his fellow officer.

"The ambassador seems to think that her background makes her ineligible. Her mother's maiden name was Helena S'jet."

"It is a perfectly legitimate concern," Udina said as his voice just slightly increased in volume. "Humanity and the Alliance are already viewed by most of the galaxy as mere puppets of the Hiigaran Pax. If we are going to be viewed at a truly independent power in the galaxy, we cannot be represented by someone who didn't enter this galaxy for the first sixteen years of her life. Then there is the concern of where her loyalties really lie."

Admiral Hackett leaned forward in his seat and pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a second as he endeavored to remain calm. Every race had their hang-ups, and this was a big one that didn't seem to go away. People with mixed blood were sometimes viewed as untrustworthy. This was a carryover back to when Earth was under taiidan occupation where many humans were upset at how the hiigarans never involved themselves directly and many hiigarans viewed humans as simplistic brutes. When members of the two races began to intermarry, their children received the brunt of this same stigma where hiigarans saw them as less intelligent and humans questioned their loyalty. The lower dregs of the society called them 'varsha-kiith' or 'half-breeds'.

"Ambassador," Hackett began slowly. "Her record speaks for herself. Top marks, exemplary service record and the Star of Terra during the siege of Elysium. You say her loyalty is questionable, and I say you don't have a leg to stand on."

The ambassador raised his hands in surrender and let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, I'll make the call."