Disclaimer: Bioware owns the rights to Mass Effect and it's characters. Only the OC's and changes to the plot are mine.
POV Garvil (2181 CE)
The next two years was fairly uneventful. Most of them were simple escort, search and destroy, or infiltration missions. My biotics and N7 training proved to be incredibly useful, but I was yet to be deemed worthy of the fabled N7 ranking. I transfered across several ships, thinking that I wasn't making enough of a difference. With my biotics and intense training, I wasn't sure that my current assignments were what I was meant to do for the rest of my military career.
I finally got my break near the beginning of 2183 CE. I was offered a position as the XO of a ship called The Demeter. The CO was a balding old man named Captain Francis Reynolds. I immediately responded and took my first steps on the Demeter several days later. My weapons and supplies had already been transferred and placed in their rightful spots ahead of time.
The captain was waiting on the inside of the airlock for me. "Welcome to the Demeter, lieutenant. It's an honor having you aboard." He shook my hand firmly but respectfully.
I smiled and saluted crisply. "It's nice to meet you, sir."
The captain motioned with his head and started walking. Taking the hint, I jogged up to his side and matched his stride. He began to speak as we walked. "The Demeter is one of the more advanced ships in the Alliance Military. We are tasked with some of the biggest assignments in the fleet. I was contacted by Alliance Command regarding you and your skills. I think you are perfect for the types of jobs we do." We had reached the stairs. They were too narrow for both of us to fit at once, so I let him walk in front of me. We continued our conversation when we reached the lower floor of the ship. "Our next operation is something much bigger than anything you've done so far in the military. We'll talk about it more in the briefing." The captain stopped in front of a door labelled SLEEPING QUARTERS.
"This is where you will be sleeping. Both the commanding officer and the executive officer get quarters to themselves. It's not much, but privacy means a lot when you can get it. At least, if you're stationed in a ship." He smiled and began moving to a door on the opposite hall. "This is the infirmary. The medical officer is here if you have any health issues. Our doctor is an expert on biotic injuries as well, in case you need it." I raised an eyebrow in surprise. There weren't many doctors in the alliance that knew much of anything about biotics. I should talk to this doctor some time, injury or not.
After that was the bathrooms, between the two previous rooms. I peeked inside the men's bathroom; it was small and clearly meant to fit only one person at a time. With that finished, we walked back up the stairs and around the back wall. "This is the briefing room. All your briefings and debriefings will be in here." He turned to face me and held his hand out again. I took it and we shook again. "Once again, it's good to have you with us Mr. Garvil." He turned towards the terminal in the back and broadcasted throughout the ship, "Attention ground team. Report to the briefing room immediately."
I sat down in one of the chairs surrounding a table in the middle of the room and waited. A minute later, a man who looked like he was in his late twenties entered the room, stretched, then took the seat next to me. He smiled and introduced himself as Corporal Delan. Next was a woman, Lieutenant McKellan. Finally, several minutes after being summoned, another man entered the room. He introduced himself to me as Corporal Wellings.
With the team assembled, Captain Reynolds began the briefing.
"VI, show map 0-24." A 3D map showing a facility showed up. "This is a Cerberus facility on an uncharted planet in the the Attican Beta cluster. Alliance has had suspicions about what they are trying to discover at their facility, and we are charged with finding out." He pointed at several locations on the map. "These are the known entrances into the facility. This one is the main entrance. It's heavily guarded, so that's not an option. The others are all difficult to assess without more details about the facility."
He then turned to me authoritatively and continued. "Commander Garvil, you are to take the team on a scouting mission. Find out anything you can about the defenses, then report back here. Another ship will be arriving within the next day to assist us with this operation, so anything you can tell us with your initial scouting will be very helpful when we infiltrate. He rotated the facility so the opposide side was facing us, then pointed towards one of the corners of the facility. "This is where their docking bay is. With the way the facility is laid out, it's not feasible to have a giant entrance on this side. Most likely there's external storage. When you're down there, confirm or deny this as well. It could help when we make our strike." Any questions?"
I shook my head, then glanced around to see the other three looking at the captain patiently.
"If there is nothing, then you're dismissed soldiers. Good luck out there."
I stood up and followed the other three down the stairs, then into the elevator to the bottom floor. I grabbed my armor and put it on quickly. I made sure my shotgun and assault rifle were strapped on, checked my omni-tool to make sure it was on the right frequency, then entered the shuttle. I sat down next to the door and signaled the driver to take off when everyone was situated. We sat for a few minutes in silence, but then Wellings broke it by asking me a question. "Say, commander, is it true you're a biotic?"
He was sitting across from me, staring at me expectantly. The other two were as well, I noticed. I drew my power into my hand and released it lightly, making my hand glow blue. "It's true, corporal. I'm one of the most powerful human biotics to exist."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise and leaned forward. "That's amazing, sir! I would never have imagined a biotic being our new XO."
I looked back at him again and gave him a blank stare. I ignored his jibe at my biotics for a moment while I replied, "What happened to your old executive officer?"
It was McKellan that answered. Her voice was deeper than I thought it would be. "Our last mission was rough. We got ambushed and he died so that it would succeed." She shook her head. "He gave his life for the mission. I don't know many soldiers that passionate about their job."
I looked away and back towards the reinforced window between the seats. I know of one man who has proved this already... The planet was getting closer, I noticed. I didn't respond, lost in my own thoughts. The terminal cracked to life some time later.
"Reynolds to Ground Team. You're coming in hot. The atmosphere isn't breathable, so get those helmets on." The transmission ended with a small crack.
I pulled on my helmet and sealed it, activating the VI in my suit dedicated to oxygen recycling. I grabbed my assault rifle and gripped it in my hands. I motioned for the team to get into position and stood up, holding on to the rings on the ceiling to keep my balance. We stood in an arc in front of the door, which was on the other side of the seats we were on. I felt the shuttle stop moving, meaning we had equalized enough for landing. The driver banged on the wall separating him from us as a warning, then the door opened. I took aim with my assault rifle as it opened wider, then took a shot at the nearest Cerberus trooper. He groaned and clutched at his chest where my first couple bullets entered him, then fell gracelessly to the ground. The other two soldiers dispatched to inspect the shuttle were dropped shortly after by my teammates.
I jumped off the shuttle and motioned for the team to follow. There was likely to be more troops shortly, so I moved quickly towards the facility. We saw the facility after we passed the second hill. I ordered Delan to take out his sniper rifle and look at this section of the facility through his scope. We waited patiently for a minute while he inspected, and soon enough he lowered his sniper rifle.
"There's two entrances I can see from here. The one on the left is very heavily defended, far too heavily defended for only a few soldiers to bust through. The one on the right is difficult to tell. The guard complement is smaller, but I don't know if it's small enough for us to get a team through."
I activated my omni-tool and patched in Reynolds. "Sir, both entrances on this side are a negative. We'll get back to you when we've found out more."
"Affirmative, Commander. Keep me posted."
We returned to the shuttle and moved to the east side of the facility. Our findings were no different from the first side, and the captain acknowledged this. The third was different. It was the side with the docking bay, and it had two other entrances. This time, Delan noticed that one of the entrances had a fatal flaw; sniper support from the roof was severely lacking due to the way the building was laid out. Afterwards, he investigated the docking bay. He reported that there were several large storage sheds off to the side, exactly what we were looking for.
I reported our findings back to the captain and we returned to the shuttle for extraction.
I took off my armor and began to clean my weapons. It was going to be another two days before the net mission, so I made sure my equipment was in top shape. I noticed my team glancing at me a few times during my maintenence, but I ignored it and rode the elevator after I finished and put my equipment back in my locker. I stumbled into the men's bathroom and took a quick shower, then retired to my quarters and wrote to my father on my private terminal. Stifling a yawn, I browsed the galactic news for the day, then retired when I found nothing interesting to read more about. I felt myself drifting to sleep as I thought about the mission coming up. This mission is what I've been training for. Time to show the Alliance what I can do.
I entered the briefing room two days later and sat down in one of the empty chairs surrounding the oval table. Wellings smiled at me mischevously as I sat down, and I ignored him as I leaned forward and turned my eyes to Captain Reynolds. There was another man in the room across from me I didn't recognize; I assumed he was the leader of the second squad that would be joining us for this mission.
The captain had been facing the terminal in the back, but he turned around when I sat down. He walked slowly up to the table and planted his hands on the surface. "VI, show map 0-26." The same 3D image of the facility appeared, with the alterations Delan had suggested. "Thanks to the information we have acquired two days ago, we now have a solid plan for attack."
He motioned towards the one entrance Delan suggested we enter through. "Garvil, you will take your team through the facility at this point. Find out what you can about their research. Salvage or destroy what you can; I'm leaving the choice up to you. I have faith that you will make the right decision."
He then pointed towards the docking bay. "Commander Devons, your team will infiltrate the docking bay and see what you can find about the base. Afterwards, you will enter through the docking bay door and assist Garvil in his mission." The other commander saluted sharply and exited the room. I saluted as well after the door closed and began walking in the same direction.
"Commander." I turned around. Reynold was standing in the same place, giving me an unreadable stare. Suddenly, he let out a small grin and added, "Good luck." I saluted again and left the briefing room. I suited up quickly and checked my omni-tool to make sure I was on the same frequency as Devons. I made sure to grab several remote controlled proximity mines and Afterwards, I entered the shuttle and sat down on the far end, same as I did last time. The shuttle took off smoothly, and I grabbed my assault rifle, prepared for another hot landing.
We sat for a few minutes in silence until my omni tool crackled. I opened the frequency, and heard, "Commander Devons here. We've landed and are fighting our way to the storage crates."
I put my fingers on the transmitter and responded, "Affirmative, commander. We'll touch down in one minute. Good hunting." I turned off the transmission and stood up, grabbing the ceiling hook nearest to me.
The rest of the team followed my lead and stood up as well. McKellan moved to my side and asked me, "What do you think Cerberus is doing down here, sir?"
I turned myself to face her and responded, "I have no idea Lieutenant. I've heard a few things about Cerberus. They haven't been prominent long, but some of the things they've done are unforgivable. I've heard about the assassination of an Admiral in the Alliance that is suspected to be their doing. I'm bracing for the worst. Helmet's on, we drop down in twenty."
I grabbed my helmet from my back with my left hand and slipped it in my head. I pushed down on the top and I heard the seal pop. I heard the oxygen recycler pop on and the temperature regulator beep. The rest of the team gave me a thumbs up, and I moved towards the door. The driver popped over the intercom saying, "Cold landing this time, commander. Good luck on your mission. Call for evac when you're ready."
The door to the shuttle opened and I jumped off, watching the facility in the distance. I couldn't see the other team anywhere due to the distance, but I knew they were probably searching through the sheds right now. I motioned my team to follow and started walking briskly towards the facility. It took several minutes to get close enough to see the guard complement. I brought my hand out in front of me and the team sprinted towards a pair of large rocks. I followed, sprinting towards a rock slightly out of the way. I looked around it and saw a guard next to the door fall roughly. The guard on the other side froze for a second, then opened the door and ran through. I motioned to the team and began walking cautiously towards the door.
My omni-tool crackled again. "Commander Devons here. We've discovered something. There are reports here about genetic material, except these strands are nothing I've ever seen before. I'm sending this information to the captain so he can run it through the database."
Delan dropped a soldier from the roof nearby and joined us next to the door. He was correct in his assessment, the roof wasn't designed for sniper coverage in this entrance. I motioned McKellan to open the door and she nodded, using her omni-tool to bypass the lock. After a few seconds, the door opened and I peeked inside. I realized instantly why the entrance was so poorly defended. The room looked like a nightmare to attack.
I retreated my head to the side of the door as a few bullets passed by my head. "There's no less than six turrets and twelve soldiers in there. McKellan, can you provide cover with your drone while Wellings and I take cover inside?" She nodded and prepared her omni-tool. I raised my hand in a stop motion and held it. A second after I dropped it, I sprinted past the door and slid my way to an overturned table. I heard Wellings hit the table next to me and nodded to him. I noticed a trooper on the other side of the table and an idea hit me. I quickly grabbed him by the head over the wall and used my biotics to throw him over the table. He lay there dazed in the second it took for me to thrust my omni-tool's blade into his head. I stood up briefly and used Biotic Pull on one of the Engineers. His head exploded and one of the turrets fell apart. I turned around to see Delan giving me a wink before disappearing from the entrance.
We spent the next several minutes wearing down the Cerberus troops. Eventually we finished them off without complications. We forced our way through the facility, facing heavy resistance by Cerberus troops. I activated my omni-tool to send a transmission to Captain Reynolds: "Captain, we've been facing heavy resistance throughout the entire facility. This is much more than simple research."
"Acknowledged Commander. Keep me monitored. Reynolds out."
We found our way to one of the primary experiment sections of the facility. It had been evacuated, assumedly because of the attack. I walked up to the tanks on the opposite wall and stared inside them in disbelief. I felt Delan walk up next to me and glanced at him. He was looking curiously at what I was seeing. I slowly pressed a few buttons on my omni-tool, then held down the transmit button.
"Captain, I think we have rachni here."
Silence for a few seconds. "Commander, are you sure? Rachni have been extinct for centuries."
I could not mistake what was in front of me. I had seen pictures of what the rachni looked like in my studies. "I don't know of any race that looks like this. I'm going to destroy the facility; it looks like they're trying to clone them."
I took out a mine from my belt and placed it directly on the tank. I primed it and synced it to my omni-tool. McKellan was busy with the terminal, attempting to salvage any information she could. "Commander, they left sections of their data. They apparantly didn't have the time to clear everything before they left. I've forwarded what I could find to the Demeter."
I nodded and went back towards the door to the experiment room. "Let's find the man in charge here. I want answers."
We moved through the facility, going towards the top floors when we could. We found ourselves in what looked like a secretary's office. We had found our way to the administrative section of the facility. Two cerberus troops had been hiding behind the secretary's desk, and caught us by surprise. McKellan was hit in her left arm before we dealt with the hostiles. I inspected McKellan for how serious her injury was briefly. She wouldn't be able to hold any weapon other than her pistol, but her omni-tool was still functional and she could still walk. I put medigel on the wound and continued into the next room, motioning for Wellings to follow me while McKellan and Delan
We had hit the jackpot. The man in the room sitting behind the administrative terminal was smiling at us innocently. I held up my assult rifle and aimed for his head. "Stand up slowly with your hands in the air."
He stood up and walked around the desk slowly, grinning the entire time. He began to speak, as if his life weren't in imminent danger. "You must be Commander Garvil. I've heard a lot about you." He had walked a fair amount, but kept his distance from me regardless. I didn't see a weapon anywhere in sight. He was a middle aged man, dressed in a crisp suit and professor's glasses.
I took a small step back and readjusted my aim. "I'm not here to play your games. We've been sent to shut down this facility once and for all."
He cut off what I was going to say next with words of his own. "Ah, yes. The Rachni. Cerberus represents humanity in the galaxy. Our goals are synonymous with humanity as a whole." He turned around and raised his hands as if showing off a prized possession. "We will use the Rachni to overcome the barriers to our dominance. Humanity will prevail!" He turned back around and smiled at me again. "Do what you will to me, it doesn't matter. We will continue regardless of what happened here. However, you've overstayed your welcome."
Before I could respond, he slammed his hand on a button on the terminal. I heard machinery move behind me. I quickly turned around and saw automated turrets begin to rise up from the potted plants in either corner. I screamed "MOVE" to Wellings and sprinted for the man. He smirked and didn't even move as I bought out my omni-tool and slammed the blade into his neck. In the same motion, I vaulted over the desk and took cover behind it, leaving the administrator's body to fall to the ground. I heard a groan of pain and looked up. Wellings was slumped over the desk, blood appearing out of his mouth. He gave me a single weak look and closed his eyes, falling to the floor on the other side. I activated my omni-tool and contacted McKellan and Delan, then looked up from behind the cover and used my biotics to pull the barrel out of one of the turrets. After a second, I did the same to the other.
The rest of the team did not respond to my hail.
"Ah, 'Commander'. I underestimated you."
I looked up and saw none other than Commander Devons, escorted by several Cerberus troops. He didn't look like he was a prisoner. I ducked back down and prepared my shotgun. "So you're a Cerberus spy, Devons? I never would have thought the Alliance would have missed one in their command structure."
I heard him chuckle for a moment, then a second of silence before he continued. "Cerberus has a larger reach than you realize, Garvil. We might not have been around for long, but our reach is not affected by this. You have been a very interesting subject for us. A son of Jonathan Garvil, head of the most influential company on Earth, a biotic and a graduate of the N7 program. I would never have imagined such an individual could exist. But here you are." While he talked, I prepared my last mine and fixed it to the bottom of the desk. I had been laying them in discreet locations throughout the facility, and I was sure that one command from my omni-tool would collapse this facility once and for all.
He continued as I synced up the mine's detonation protocol. "You would have been an excellent agent for Cerberus. Unfortunately, my orders are to kill you. Any last words before you die, 'Commander'?"
I gathered up all my resolve and made a desperate plan. "Just this, Devons." I quickly vaulted over the desk, taking the troops by surprise. I gathered my biotics and sent a shockwave through the group, scattering them throughout the room. As I passed Devons dazed next to one of the destroyed turrets, I added, "Go to hell."
I activated my omni-tool as I sprinted through the secretary's office, using Throw to knock the cerberus guard into the other. I noticed for a brief second the bodies of McKellan and Delan. I felt a brief twinge of sadness, but adrenaline pushed it away as fast as it came. The Cerberus guards fell into a heap in the corner and I ran through the open doorway. "Captain, this is Commander Garvil. I'm on the top levels and need evac ASAP."
Reynolds responded immediately. "I have a read on you commander. Take a left on the third door and go straight. There's a balcony there. I'm sending the shuttle to pick you up. What happened down there?"
"I'll answer that later. Right now I need evac. I'm blowing this whole facility to hell."
I followed the captain's instructions and slammed the door open with my biotics, sliding through. The guards on top of the roof were visibly startled by my sudden entrance, and I used this opportunity to use Throw on one of them, causing him to land on two more in a heap. I turned around and enacted a biotic barrier, then shot at the two remaining guards with my assault rifle. They dropped within seconds and I turned back to the three guards on the ground. One was already back on his feet and taking aim at my head with a sniper rifle. I used another throw on him and he stumbled over the railing and was sent screaming to meet the ground with his face. I sprinted to the other two and substituted my assault rifle for my shotgun. I put a single round into each guard's chest and turned towards the railing. I saw the shuttle approach at maximum speed.
I heard the door open again and Devons popped through, a furious expression on his face as he raised his submachine gun. I activated my omni-tool, "Devons is a mole. I repeat, Devons is a mole". I raised a barrier just in time, as he began to rain bullets in my direction. Each bullet pushed me back, but then they suddenly stopped. The shuttle was in front of me with the door open. None other than Captain Reynolds was standing in the doorway with a pistol. He held a hand out and helped me up onto the shuttle. I turned around right before the door closed and saw Devons on his knees clutching his side.
I stumbled to the seats and took my usual spot. Reynolds sat across from me and removed his helmet with a small pop. "You ok, Commander? What happened?"
I leaned back and closed my eyes. "Devons was with Cerberus all along. He killed McKellan and Delan. Wellings was killed as we assassinated the head scientist in charge of the program. He was spouting nonsense about Cerberus being humanity's ticket to being the dominant race. I only barely made it out, as you saw."
Reynolds scratched his chin and looked at me curiously. After a second, he smiled and responded, "You did what you could Commander. There's no way you could have predicted what could happen. I'll include this in my report."
I activated my omni-tool once more. "One last thing, sir. Brace yourself." I pressed a few buttons, glanced up at the captain, then pressed the detonate button. Seconds after, the shuttle rocked for a moment. It took everything I had to stay balanced in my seat. "The facility is no longer a problem, sir."
The rest of the shuttle ride was uneventful. All I could see was Wellings slumped over the desk in the administrator's office, staring into my eyes with a look of pain. I sighed and shook my head, hoping to get the image out of my head. I stepped out of the shuttle and put away my armor. I followed Reynolds to the briefing room and watched him file his report.
After he finished, he turned around and walked up to me. "You should get some rest, Garvel."
I allowed a single eyebrow to raise in surprise before turning and leaving. I walked down the stairs and began to head into my own room, but then I had an idea and turned around. I knocked on the medical bay's door and entered.
The doctor, a lady who looked in her fifties, turned around in her chair and stood up. She motioned to one of the beds and I sat down, hanging my head. I recognized from the ship manifests that her name was Dr. Karin Chakwas. She sat down on the bed opposite me and asked me, "What's bothering you, Commander?"
I looked up into her face and sighed. "The entire ground team got wiped out, doctor. I watched one of them die in front of my eyes." She gasped and grabbed my hand. "The other two were killed by the other commander on this mission. Devons. He was a Cerberus mole the entire time."
She patted my hand with her own, but remained silent.
I stood up roughly and facepalmed. "I've been looking for an assignment that would mean something. Instead I got my entire team killed."
She laughed and stood up, putting her arm on my shoulder. "You figured out what they were researching, killed their head researcher, and destroyed the entire facility. If that doesn't mean anything, then nothing does."
I stared blankly at the one way window seperating the medical bay from the rest of the ship level. "I know, but all I can see is my team dying."
"That's not your fault, Commander. You did all you could, and gave Cerberus a serious blow to their plans."
"I'm not so sure, doctor. The man in charge said that he didn't care what I did to him or the facility, that Cerberus would continue with their plans."
She snorted. "Mind games. He knew he was dead and probably knew a lot about you. All he was doing was trying to break your resolve. Don't listen to what he had to say."
I turned and gave her a hug. "I never thought of it that way, doctor. Thank you."
She smiled and released me. "Anytime, Commander."
I walked out of the medical bay and into my own room. Talking with the doctor had alleviated my fears somewhat, although the guilt remained. I turned over onto my side and tried my best to go to sleep.
Five days later, the ship docked with the Citadel. I had been notified the next day that the council had wanted to be notified of the results in person. I was shocked at this news, as I thought the council had far more important things to deal with than my missions with the Alliance. I stepped out of the airlock with Reynolds and looked at the splendor of the wards. The view was breathtaking.
An Asari in a long, thin robe walked up to us. I hadn't seen an Asari in person before, either. I knew a lot about them from my studies, but seeing one in person was a completely different story. She smiled and asked in a cute voice, "Captain Reynolds and Commander Garvil? The council wishes to speak to you. Follow me please."
Reynolds and I turned to look at each other, and he motioned for me to follow her. She was walking at a brisk pace, but I was able to keep up with ease. She stopped in front of a terminal, and shortly a shuttle appeared. We climbed into the cramped interior and sat in silence for several moments. The asari kept her smile glued onto her face, and I couldn't help smiling back. These shuttles had windows, and I contented myself watching the various structures zoom by outside. Soon afterwards, the shuttle stopped and the door opened. The asari climbed out and we followed, stretching our sore limbs. She explained that we were now on the Presidium, where the most important people and services were housed. I was awestruck at the citadel's arms when we first landed, but this was twice as breathtaking.
With only a slight pause, she motioned us to follow her again and we obliged. I noticed that our destination was a giant tower near the end of the presidium. It took a while to get there, and my legs began to get sore again when we finally climbed the steps to enter the citadel tower. We were led past various checkpoints and finally we entered the council's chamber. The Asari grinned broadly at me and took her leave. Reynolds led the way to the seat of the council. I followed reluctantly, but I remained skeptical about the council.
The three council members were already ready in their posts. I recognized the man with the white markings on his face as a Turian. As with one turian he had met already, this one had eyes that could melt the skin off your bones with his glare. I shuddered and looked away. The woman in the middle looked similar to the Asari that led us to the chamber, except this one had a formal red dress with a white stripe down the middle. She had white marks on her blue face in an arc above her eyes, giving her the impression of compassion. She looked fairly regal, and I felt my eyes drawn to her experienced face. Finally, the reptilian figure on the right was clothed in a dark robe with a single red stripe down the middle, further seperated into horizontal red stripes seperated by white lines. The only thing I could see of the councilor was his face, his light gray skin accenting his large dark eyes.
I stepped up towards the edge of the platform I was on and faced the council.
The asari spoke up first. "Commander Garvil. We've heard of your exploits. We understand you recently discovered a facility researching the Rachni?"
I nodded. "This facility was run by Cerberus, councilor. It appears they were trying to clone Rachni DNA to bring the species back."
The salarian spoke next. "If this is true, then this is troubling. We hear you also destroyed the base. Did you recover any of the data?"
"One of my squadmates was able to upload parts of data to the Demeter before the facility was destroyed. The Captain would be able to tell you more about that."
Reynolds stepped up next to me. "I will forward a copy of the data to you councilors. The Alliance must also get this information, as it is a human terrorist group we fought."
The salarian spoke up again. "We understand, Captain." Reynolds nodded respectfully and stepped back.
The turian spoke next. "As I understand, the rest of your squad was killed in action." I nodded. The councilor bowed his head for a second, the other two following suit.
The asari finalized the meeting. "It is our wish that you remain on the station for the next week, commander. We will send word to a nearby hotel that you will be there to stay for a week. You will also be granted access to the wards and to return to the presidium whenever you wish. This meeting is adjourned."
I stepped back and turn around, directly in front of Reynolds. He smiled and shook my hand again. "Not many people get the attention of the council themselves. You should be proud, Commander. I'll be staying for the next week as well, recover from the last mission. Send me a message if you need anything." With that, he turned and walked briskly out of the tower. I stayed frozen for a moment, but then followed suit and exited the tower.
Six days after my meeting with the council, I was sitting in a bar near the top of the Zakera Wards. The beer here was nasty, but I stayed and popped a few shots down anyway. I turned and watched the various bar folk. I was sober enough to keep my wits about, but I couldn't stop myself from laughing at the various people around makin fools of themselves. I grabbed another shot of beer and downed it thirstily, then practically slammed the glass on to the counter and looked around again. I finally noticed a seriously looking Alliance officer walking up to the counter in his uniform. I stared at him as he approached me, occasionally going into blank dazes from the drinks. He looked like he was in his sixties. He was also black, which wasn't very common in the Alliance.
He finally reached me and held out his hand. I grabbed it awkwardly and felt the man shake my arm. I briefly forgot how this worked, but I regained my memory quickly enough and shaked back. He sat on the barstool next to mine and leaned back on it.
I turned to him and nearly fell out of my chair. "Anything you need me for, sir?"
He looked at me for a second. "This is no way for a soldier to act on shore leave, especially a Commander."
I let what he said sink in for a moment. "How do you know what I am?"
He put his hand on my shoulder. It felt much more authoritative than I would have thought. "I know who you are, Garvil. I'm here for a very specific reason. My name is Captain Anderson, and I'm here to give you a proposition.
EDIT: I somehow managed to not finish one of my sentences. Fixed.
