May 2183, Arcturus Station, one week before the Eden Prime mission.
Captain Anderson walks down the empty corridor in rushed manner, hoping the urgent call from Fleet Admiral Hackett to meet him and Ambassador Udina, wasn't about the theft of SSV Normandy causing a diplomatic incident with the Turian Hierarchy. Nearing his destination, he lets out a heavy sigh in an attempt to relieve himself of some of the anger and frustration that had built up due to a security debacle that ended the pilot trials before they had even begun.
Simply remembering the what happened during the debacle was enough to bring about a severe migraine though finding such a talented pilot so quickly ALMOST made up for it. Reaching the door, Anderson pauses for a second to straighten up his appearance before opening the door and enters the room.
"Thank you for coming, Captain Anderson. How goes the pilot trials for the SSV Normandy and picking her crew?" Admiral Hackett greets as he returns Anderson's salute while Ambassador Udina simply nods.
"Admiral, Ambassador." Anderson greets. "The trials were over before they even started but that story is for another time. What is it that you called me here for?"
"Earlier today, a turian Spectre with white clan markings by the name of Nihlus Kryik contacted our embassy on the Citadel." Ambassador Udina begins.
"What did he want?" Anderson asks, intrigued.
"He wants to put forward the name of one of our N7 status marines for Spectre candidacy. But he doesn't know where to begin so he asked us to select a suitable candidate." Ambassador Udina continues.
"I assume you two already have list of suitable candidates, gentlemen?" Anderson asks even more intrigued.
"Yes we do, which is why we called you here so you can provide feedback on the candidates we selected." Admiral Hackett replies "Since you are the most experienced Special Forces officer in the Alliance military and the fact that you are the only human soldier to work side by side with a Spectre for an extended period of time.
"Alright, who's first on the list? Anderson asks, cringing a bit at the mention of working with a Spectre side by side part.
"First is Lieutenant Harrison." Admiral Hackett states as he picks up and opens the first file from the large stack of personnel files.
Hours later…
The three men slump back in their chairs, exhausted from the endless discussion and arguing on which marine they're going to choose for the Spectre Candidacy. Ambassador Udina looks over the conference table filled with open personnel files that are haphazardly scattered around on top of it. He spies an unopened personnel file, in the place where the large stack of personnel files used to be, that has N7 markings and a partially covered name: a Jane Shepard, Cdr.
"What about this 'Jane Shepard'?" Ambassador Udina wearily asks, picking up and is greeted by a picture a of a 29 year old woman who has rosy pale skin, shoulder length snow white straight hair, a pair of eyes that are a beautiful mix of sapphire blue and emerald green, light gray eyebrows, and a large scar that stretches from one side of her face to the other side across the bridge of her nose while going through a dense splattering of visible freckles. A small smirk appears on Anderson's face followed quickly by a chuckle when he and Hackett recognizes the name. "The file says she lived aboard starships most her life."
"It's Staff Commander Athena Shepard, Ambassador, Jane is her middle name." Anderson points out.
"I see. What is her background like?" Udina inquires.
"Well, both of her parents serve in the Alliance Military. Her mother, Hannah Shepard, is currently the Captain of the SSV Kilimanjaro and her father, Lt. Commander John Shepard, died a war hero defending Mindoir from a Batarian slave raid in 2170, which became her main inspiration for joining the Alliance Military." Anderson explains as Admiral Hackett picks up and opens Commander Athena Jane Shepard's personnel file before inspecting it for himself.
"She's the sole survivor of the Olympus Hostage Crisis where she unwittingly ordered all of the 433rd to their deaths." Admiral Hackett explains continuing off of Anderson's explanation as Ambassador Udina takes Shepard's personnel file back from Admiral Hackett's hands.
"But she still managed to liberate the colony from the pirates despite the loss of her unit." Anderson adds.
"Are you sure this is the kind of person we would want protecting the galaxy?" Ambassador Udina questions, inspecting the file more thoroughly.
"She's a survivor who can get the job done right no matter the cost while having more than enough evidence and reasoning to justify her actions." Anderson states as looks over the table covered in personnel files they couldn't agree on before bringing his gaze back to Ambassador Ambassador Udina.
"Even if she was accused of mass murder for what happened during the Olympus Hostage Crisis?" Ambassador Udina challenges, causing Anderson to clench his fists and grit his teeth.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen." Admiral Hackett interrupts begore anything bad happens between the two of them. "Shepard wouldn't have been included if those accusations were found to be true. Otherwise she would be rotting way in a maximum security prison instead of being a respected naval officer the Alliance can rely on."
"Hrmm" Ambassador Udina folding his arms as he glares at the other two men for a couple of seconds before relenting. "I'll make the call."
As Ambassador Udina moves away to gain some privacy, Admiral Hackett sits down next to Anderson who is relieved that the hours of debate is finally over.
"Have you found a suitable candidate to be your Executive officer, Captain?" asks Admiral Hackett.
Anderson smirks at the question before replying. "Funny thing about that, I already asked the Staff Commander and she said yes. I just need an admiral's authorization to complete the paperwork."
"You have my authorization, Captain. I have a feeling that this posting will not only benefit her but also the entire Systems Alliance and possibly the whole galaxy if she becomes a Spectre." Admiral Hackett grinning slightly as he leans back in his chair.
Suddenly the ambassador sits down across from the two men and speaks. "Good news, gentlemen. Nihlus will consider our choice and will be putting the commander's name forward to the Council if he approves. And even more good news is that there may be a mission for a Spectre to assess Shepard's candidacy."
"What's the mission?" the Admiral inquires.
"A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some sort of beacon in the Prothean ruins they are excavating. But they say it will be another week before they can fully excavate it without causing damage. So Captain Anderson, I want you coordinate with Admiral Hackett and get whoever you need for a full crew onboard the SSV Normandy and have the ship ready within the week." Ambassador Ambassador Udina commands before getting up to leave the conference room.
Anderson and Admiral Hackett watch the ambassador march out of the conference room speaking into his OMNI-tool.
"So Captain, what news does comes from the pilot trials if they were wrapped up before they even began?" the admiral asks looking over at Captain Anderson.
"Good news is that we have an extremely talented pilot with the skills and an academy record to backup that claim."
"And the bad news?"
"He's a comedian with Vrolik's syndrome." Anderson deadpans tone in an attempt to keep his voice neutral and not show how much he dislikes the pilot.