Disclaimer: Only Sakkara, Emil, Jason, Agaric, and Nula are mine. Everyone else is Bioware's.
CE 2183…0800 hours…August 20…Bay D24, The Citadel
"Good to see you have made it Mr. Shepard."
Jason simply crossed his arms and looked at the salarian approaching him and the asari next to him. The fact that the contact wasn't alone, both were armed, and in armor he didn't recognize didn't help his worries about today, though the fact that he had backup with him helped ease his concern.
"I'm Jondum Bau," He says as he reaches him and puts forth a hand. Jason cautiously shakes his hand as the salarian continues, "and this is Tela Vasir, we're with Special Tactics and Recon."
"What're Spectre's doin leadin us to a shuttle for a STG assigned mission?" He asks.
"Once Councilor Valern informed his fellow councilors of this mission they insisted this become a multilateral effort between the STG and a selection of Spectre's as well as a multispecies effort among the ship's crew." Bau replies.
"How many more Spectre's are involved in this?" Jason asks.
"A few others, but there will only be one that you may see. A turian named Marrus Galavius. The rest are there to lead crew for other tasks onboard." Vasir answered.
"Gotcha, well before we're off the five I chose to take with me are here." Jason says as he turns to introduce the others to the Spectres, "This is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Emil'Koris, Agaric Denarius, Nula D'noark, and Sakkara."
"Pleased to meet you all," Jondum says with a bow, "now if you will follow us, we will lead you to the shuttle."
Jason motions forward for the pair to lead his group to the shuttle. After a short walk to the end of the docking bay they come to an oddly shaped shuttle that is at least twice the size of an alliance one. The side opened to reveal a very spacious interior. There were multiple chairs in the center rather than along the walls like the shuttles he had seen before, and the walls indicated that there were monitors on the side to show the outside of the shuttle without sacrificing structural integrity. The group huddled in and found a seat for themselves, Bau taking his place as the pilot and Vasir as the co-pilot. As Jason took a quick look around him he saw that the floor had grooves indicating that the chairs could move to different positions to allow for more people to fit inside, and he spotted a turret in the very back with similar groves leading to the doors.
"Before leaving Shepard, Councilor Valern would like to speak with you." Bau said loudly as he operated the console in front of him to start the shuttle over the ward.
The monitors on the walls stop producing outside images and after a moment a hologram of the councilor materializes in the opening separating the passenger space and the cockpit.
"Good day Jason Shepard." He said, a smile on his face.
"Hey, Councilor." Jason responds.
"I'm surprised you were able to find a full crew before coming here, considering how short notice our message was."
"Lucky for me you guys take forever to execute people. These are the people that helped Captain Anderson free the Normandy." Jason said bluntly.
"Ah, indeed." Valern says, if he finds the news troubling he doesn't show it, "Well regardless, it is good you were able to find the assistance readily."
There is a pause before Valern starts again.
"I'm here to ask you to join the Salarian STG."
"What? Why" Jason asks as he leans forward, resting his chin on his clasped hands
"More than likely so that they can keep an eye on you, it's what the turian hierarchy would want, though with much less subtlety." Agaric says from his seat near the back.
"Not entirely but you are correct to some extent Communications Officer Agaric, as is our right. Jason is a super biotic manufactured by Cerberus, to leave him unattended would be irresponsible, but to lock him away would be a ridiculous notion considering your help in stopping Saren and the geth, one of Shepard's crew disappearing after her saving the Citadel would not go over well with the public."
"Why would he accept if you just told him he'd practically be a prisoner?" Tali asks
"Not a prisoner, he will receive all the operating freedom of any of our other operatives, we only asks that you submit to regular physical and psychological evaluations when you refill your eezo tanks to determine your mental state, and that his AI receives shackles to only have operating freedom when he is off the ship." Valern assures
"And if I refuse? You guys haven't exactly promoted much trust." Jason says bitterly.
"Then I will instruct Bau to land you back on Citadel where you will be encouraged to take up permanent residence and submit to daily evaluations by C-Sec and your AI is destroyed."
"So you're giving him a choice between either a gilded cage or a regular one." Sakkara states bluntly
"This is ridiculous; there is no way Councilor Tevos would allow you to do this to Jason." Nula complains
"It was her idea to allow him to be given a chance as an STG agent, originally she wanted him in the Spectres but Sparatus would have none of it. A second human Spectre this soon after they gained a Council seat would cause an uproar, even with humanities newfound galactic respect."
"Doesn't look like you have much choice Jason, you should take the deal." Agaric suggests.
"Yes, your options are extremely limited, and I am growing extremely dissatisfied with the option of leaving." ALI agrees.
"Sure you would, I say he leaves the deal, one less AI in the galaxy is never a bad thing." Emil says bitterly.
"Emil!" Sakkara says in a chastising tone, causing the quarian to cringe and grumble an apology.
"Whatever you choose, I'll be here for you Jason." Tali reassures as she places her hand on his thigh.
"I accept." He says once everyone quiets down, "This way I can find out more about the Reapers, maybe even find a way to stop them."
"Very well, if you aren't seen as a leader the inhabitants may not take you seriously so you will be given total command of the upcoming mission and the rank of Captain. The crew of your ship has been instructed to follow your orders pertaining to the mission. After each planet you are to report to the Council similarly to what Samantha Shepard did while hunting Saren. All relevant data on these planets has been sent to your cabin on the ship." Valern said with a pleased smirk on his face and once he finished his hologram deactivates and the transmission cuts. After a moment the walls on each side shuttle begin to produce images of the outside once again.
"Well this is just perfect." Emil says with sarcastic frustration, "I bet they're going to do some kind shake down once we reach this ship and force all of us to stay."
"Calm down Emil, Jason wouldn't force us to stay if we didn't want to." Tali reassured.
"Not that they could do anything about it if we wanted to leave anyway." Sakkara chimed in.
Emil crosses his arms and turns his head away from the group, "Doesn't mean I like the situation any more than I do." He turns back to Jason for a moment, "If your orders get either my deeliah hurt again, I'm done."
"Emil…" Sakkara says with a frustrated sigh.
The rest of the ride is quiet. Tali leans into Jason shoulder as he watches out of the window. The shuttle begins to pull away from the Citadel and fly to the Widow Relay.