"Doctor, I think she's waking up."

The words are fuzzy in your ears, like you're hearing them underwater. You squeeze your eyes closed tightly before cracking them open, bringing a heavy hand up to rub your face.

You snap alert when you realize you don't know where you are. Eden Prime, Saren, the beacon…

You try and sit up, but a gentle hand pushes you back down. "Relax, Commander," Chakwas says, her lightly accented voice soft but firm. "No need to rush."

Dr. Chakwas. You're in the med bay, back on the Normandy. "The beacon," your mouth is dry, it's like talking around a cotton ball. You lick your lips and try again, a bit louder. "Did we get the beacon?"

Lieutenant Alenko appears at your other side, his dark brow furrowed. "Not exactly."

"Not exactly?"

"We have what's left of it, but from what we can tell, it's pretty useless after the explosion."

You try and sit up again, brushing away Chakwas' hand and ignoring her hum of disapproval. "Explosion? Lieutenant, what the hell happened?"

The lines in his forehead deepen. "We were hoping you'd remember, Commander."

You bite the inside of your cheek, thinking back. "I called for evac when we got to the platform. You," his face falls just a bit, so you try and be a bit less accusatory, "the beacon pulled you in, so I got you out. After that…"

It hits you again, like a blow to the head. The visions, the sounds, the colors and that noise. You can hear it clear as day, echoing in your memory. You shake your head at Alenko's concerned expression, hoping he'll take it for confusion, hoping he doesn't ask.

He doesn't. "It lifted you in the air, like some kind of...I don't know, like a biotic lift. It just held you there, Williams wanted to pull you out but I held her back."

"Likely a wise choice," Chakwas adds.

"A few seconds later, it dropped you, and the beacon just...overloaded, or something." He shrugs. "The glow was gone, all but the base of it blew to pieces. You were unconscious, we got you up here right away."

"Your tests are all normal, Commander," explains the doctor, sounding more than a little surprised. "Whatever the beacon did, I don't foresee any lasting consequences. There were, however," she paces over to one of her scanners, "some abnormal brain activity readings. They seem to indicate you were in a dream state, which is highly uncommon while unconscious."

She doesn't ask outright, but the question is there.

You consider telling her about...whatever it was that happened to you. The visions were obviously from the beacon, some sort of message left by the Protheans and imparted onto you. She's watching you, waiting. The admission is on the tip of your tongue, but you find yourself shaking your head, shrugging your shoulders. "I don't remember anything."

"I see." She watches you for a moment longer - she doesn't believe you - before turning away. "Well, I have nothing more to do here, Commander. I patched up a scratch on your leg, nothing serious, and as far as I'm concerned you're medically cleared for duty." She waves the sensor on the wall, opening the door to her office. "I'll go submit my report now so you can get back to work."

"Commander." Alenko's rubbing his neck, watching Chakwas leave and pointedly avoiding your eyes. "I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have gotten so close to the beacon, I must've done something to -"

"Hey," you cut him off, waving your arm. "Stop. It's no big deal, and it would've happened anyway when we tried to move it." His eyes finally meet yours and he opens his mouth to speak again, but you don't give him the chance. "Don't worry about it, Lieutenant. You didn't do anything wrong." You hold his eyes firmly until he stands down.

"I...okay, Commander. Thanks."

The door to the med bay opens, and you both turn and watch as Anderson strides in. He's not a tall man - only a bit taller than you - but it's always fascinated you how he manages to fill a room, simply by being in it.

"Good to see you awake, Shepard," he smiles, "I've missed having an XO around to do all this paperwork."

"Can't say I'm sorry I missed that," you joke, before your mouth twists in a frown. "Was I out that long?"

He shrugs, but his eyes darken, belaying the concern behind his nonchalant gesture. "About fifteen hours. Long enough to make us worried. How are you holding up?"

You swing your legs over the side of the bed and stand, pleased to find that you aren't even dizzy - just a bit sore from the fighting. You've got a hell of a headache, but nothing you can't deal with. Probably best not to even bring it up. It'd just make him worry. "I feel fine, and Chakwas cleared me for duty."

He nods. "Good. I'm going to need you to write your report for the mission. I need to get it back to Alliance command and to the Citadel, since Nihlus is involved."

"Right." You clench your teeth as you remember. "Some shakedown, huh? I went out on a retrieval mission and came back unconscious, with two dead men and a broken beacon."

Now that you're thinking about it, your gut twists as you remember Jenkins bleeding out in front of you, Nihlus lifeless on the platform. If you'd kept a closer eye on the Corporal, if you'd gotten to the platform just a few minutes sooner…

"Stop that, now," he says sternly. "You did a good job down there, Shepard. I sent you into an unknown situation, and you did the best you could."

You nod. "I did, sir. I'm just sorry it didn't turn out better."

You knew better than most what you were signing up for when you inked your enlistment papers. You didn't go in with starry-eyed ideas of glory-filled battles and saving the universe - that kind of stuff only happens in stories. Real military life is gritty and hard and full of if-onlys, and you were crazy enough to sign up for it anyway. You know there's nothing to do but swallow it and move on.

It's what you all learn to do, eventually.

He claps your shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You know better. Just get that report done and rest up."

You nod again, thinking about your mission report and what you're going to say. Suddenly, you remember something else, and glance over at the Lieutenant. "Did Alenko tell you about what the geth were doing to the humans down there?"

"What?"

"The husks," Alenko says. He shrugs when you look at him curiously. "That's what we've sort of named them, Williams said it and it caught on."

Your bodysuit's folded at the end of your bed, and you dig around the pockets until you find the dog tags, handing them to your CO. "I pulled these off the first one we killed. It's someone from the 212. Whatever those things are, they used to be human, until the geth got to them."

Anderson takes the tags and shakes his head, studying the name engraved on their surface. "I'll get a note about this to the retrieval team. We told them about the husks, but this...complicates things. Any idea how the geth did this?"

You shrug. "I'm a soldier, not a scientist, I guarantee your guess is better than mine."

He pockets the tags and looks back at you. "Well, make sure all of this ends up in your report, as well. You'd better get started - we'll be at the Citadel in a few hours and I need you to come with me." His eyes darken. "I've requested a meeting with the Council to talk about Saren."

You don't miss the venom in his voice at the name, the way his eyes darken. Whatever their history is, it's obviously not good. Asking straight up would be out of place, so you don't bother. You nod toward your Lieutenant. "I assume Alenko filled you in on that, too?"

He nods. "Right when he got back, when we debriefed. We got an official statement from Powell, that dock worker you talked to, before leaving the planet. Hopefully that evidence will be enough for them, but I want you there to speak just in case. Saren's been a Spectre for a while, he's well respected and has a lot of pull. If he's working with the geth, well...a rogue Spectre can do a lot of damage."

Unchecked power within Council space, with the money and resources to run armies at their fingertips? A lot of damage is an understatement. "I'll do whatever you need, sir, don't worry about it."

He claps you on the shoulder. "I know you will, Shepard. Thank you."

You stand in the Council chambers at parade rest just behind Captain Anderson, taking in the view. The large, open chamber is full of sweeping architecture and massive windows, with serene garden areas dotted with flowers and small trees. The three Councillors stand on a raised platform across from you, looking down with imposing authority as Ambassador Udina summarizes the mission. Saren's holographic form stands on a transmitter off to their side.

You've never seen Saren in person, just heard stories. He's an imposing figure - tall, even for a turian, with thin, hard eyes and long, wide crests extending from his jawline. Even in holographic form, he gives off an aura of power and control that you can't help but admire. He watches the Council impassively, hands clasped behind his back.

Udina has a nasally, grating voice that instinctively makes you dislike him. You'd never met him before being introduced in his office about an hour ago, just before he launched into a tirade about how Eden Prime was a "disaster", the loss of the beacon "unacceptable". His verbal onslaught eventually shifted to the Council, as they had dismissed his request to speak further prior to the scheduled hearing. A C-Sec investigation into Saren's activities was being done, and they refused to meet until after they gave report.

You can already tell the hearing won't end well. The Councillors look bored, tired, like they're humoring your claim just so Udina stops bothering them. As much as you dislike him, you can understand his frustration.

Councillor Tevos, the asari representative, is the first to speak. "The geth attack is a matter of some concern, but there is nothing to indicate Saren was involved in any way."

Udina cocks his head to the side. "An eyewitness saw him kill Nihlus in cold blood. I'm not sure what other evidence you need."

The salarian, Valern, speaks next. "The account of one traumatized dock worker is hardly compelling proof, Ambassador. We need more than that to back an accusation of this magnitude."

"An accusation I resent greatly." Saren's voice is deep and gravelly, even for a turian. "Nihlus was a fellow Spectre and a close friend."

Anderson speaks for the first time, and though you can't see him, you can tell he's livid. "That just let you catch him with his guard down."

Saren's mandibles twitch. "Captain Anderson." His voice is sing-song, demeaning. "Why is it you always seem to be involved when humanity brings false charges against me?"

"Because apparently I'm the only one that sees through your bullshit."

He laughs humorlessly, but doesn't give Anderson a response. Instead, his eyes fix on you. You can feel the coolness of his gaze, even though he's not physically in the room. "And Commander Shepard, your young protege. I hope there's a good reason she allowed that beacon to be destroyed."

He's purposely not addressing you, but you respond anyway. "I didn't allow for the destruction of anything. It was completely out of my control."

"Spectres don't make a habit of going into situations they cannot control, Commander. And I hear you've been put forward as a Spectre candidate?" The turian shakes his head. "It's unfortunate that you're the best humanity can offer."

"Shepard's Spectre candidacy is not the point of this hearing!" Udina barks.

"This hearing has no purpose, Ambassador. It is a waste of our time and that of the Council. Unless there is anything more to add?" He gestures to the three Councillors on their raised dais.

"The Citadel Security investigation has turned up no evidence to support your claim of treason," says the turian councillor, Sparatus. "Given the lack of evidence, the charges against Saren will be dropped. Is there anything you would like to add?"

Udina's voice is bitter. "You've made your decision. I won't waste my breath."

The Council members glance at one another, and come to some kind of agreement. Tevos stands tall and clasps her hands in front of her. "The Council has found no evidence of any connection between Saren Arterius and the geth attack on Eden Prime. Ambassador, your motion to have him disbarred from the Spectres is denied. This hearing is dismissed."

Saren nods. "I'm glad to see justice was served." His holograph flickers and goes dark.

Udina storms past you and Anderson, leaving you both to follow in his angry wake. "This is a disaster," he mutters. As you walk out of range of the Council chamber, he suddenly whips around on Anderson. "It was a mistake bringing you to that hearing, Captain. You have too much history with Saren. It made the Council question our motives."

"All due respect, Ambassador," you defend, "I don't think Anderson's history has anything to do with this."

"You have no room to talk," his icy grey eyes fix on you. "Saying your candidacy for the Spectres is in jeopardy is an understatement."

You can't see why that matters so much, but he's a politician. His priorities are much different than yours. To be honest, you'd forgotten that Nihlus had put your name forward until you got to the Citadel. "I think we have bigger problems to worry about than my candidacy. We can't just let Saren get away with attacking a colony like this."

"As a Spectre, he's virtually untouchable." Anderson purses his lips. "We need to expose him, but it won't be easy."

"We could start with C-Sec," you offer. "Find the lead investigator, see what they can tell us."

Udina nods, finally beginning to calm down. "I have a contact in C-Sec that can help, his name's Harkin."

Anderson grimaces. "No, I won't waste my time with him. They suspended him a month ago, drinking on the job. He won't know anything about the investigation, anyway."

Udina folds his arms across his chest. "It is not your choice, Captain, and not your problem. Shepard will be handling this. I don't want the Council using your history with Saren as an excuse to ignore anything we turn up, and if the Commander has any hope of becoming a Spectre, she needs to prove her capability."

"You can't just cut Anderson out of this investigation!"

The Captain waves you down. "The Ambassador's right. I need to step aside."

Udina unfolds his arms. "If that's settled, I have work I need to take care of. Shepard, you are able to conduct this investigation as you wish under my authority. I expect regular updates." He raises a finger in warning. "Do not mess this up."

It takes you a beat longer than it should, but eventually you nod. "Understood, Ambassador."

Partly because you don't want to follow Udina's suggestion just out of spite, but mostly because you're not feeling spending time with a drunk in some seedy bar, you don't bother trying to find Harkin. You don't like making things more trouble than they're worth.

You walk out of the elevator into C-Sec Academy, and almost run into a krogan in the middle of a confrontation with two turian officers. "I already told you," the krogan grumbles, "I'm going to kill Fist."

One of the officers folds his arms in front of him. "We can't let you do that, Wrex. We have officers at Chora's Den that will be watching for you."

He snorts. "I'd like to see you try and stop me."

He almost hits you when he turns abruptly to leave - you put your hands out and side out of his way. He glares at you with old red eyes, towering about a foot above you. "Watch it, kid."

The officers don't move to stop him from leaving. Apparently, threatening homicide isn't something they're interested in prosecuting. At least, not when the offender's a five hundred kilo krogan merc. You approach them and smile. "Sorry to bother you, but I'm trying to find one of your officers."

One of them, a tall man with red facial markings, folds his arms. "Does that officer have a name?"

You shrug. "I'm sure he does, but I don't know it. He was the lead investigator for the Saren Arterius case."

The other turian's head whips around, to see if anyone heard. He points at you with one raised finger. "Watch what you say, human. Stuff like that isn't supposed to leave this building."

"You'll want Garrus Vakarian," the first replies, mandibles twitching as he waves down his partner. "He should be in his office, but word has it he's doing a bit of...private investigating, down in the wards." He gestures behind him. "Try the med clinic."

You thank them and head down the stairs.

The med clinic is a small hole-in-the-wall of a place, you might have missed it entirely if you hadn't been actively searching for it. The door slides open quietly when you hit the switch, and you step inside.

"I didn't tell anyone, I swear!"

You pull the pistol from your belt, and take stock of the scene in front of you. The doctor - a tall red-headed woman - has her back against a table, faced by two men in red jackets. You can see her trembling from here. There's a turian crouched behind the short wall in front of you, so still you almost don't notice him. He's watching carefully, gun raised, waiting.

"That was smart, doc." One of the men circles her, tapping his fingers against his gun. "You better stay smart if C-Sec comes around, or we'll-"

Before you can slip into cover, the thug spots you. He grabs the doctor by the waist, using her as a shield as he raises your gun to you. You respond in kind, cursing your lack of armor, turning to the side to try and make yourself a smaller target.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Let her go," you say firmly, "and no one has to get hurt."

The turian takes the opportunity, moving around the parttion and firing a quick shot into the man's head. The doctor screams and ducks for cover as his body jerks back and falls to the ground.

You don't hesitate, firing two quick shots into the other thug's chest.

Satisfied that the room is clear, you cross the room and kneel down next to the doctor. She's shaking, but appears unharmed. "It's alright, you're safe now," you console her with a soft voice. "I'm Commander Shepard with the Alliance, I can make sure you're safe."

"Thank you, Commander," her voice is shaky, and heavily accented. You wonder where she's from as you help her to her feet. "Thank you."

"Commander Shepard?" The turian seems to recognize your name. He offers you a hand in introduction as he slides his rifle back into his pack. "Garrus Vakarian."

He seems young for a turian, not that you have much experience with them. He's lean and tall, blue C-Sec armor strapped to him like it belongs there. He moves with easy confidence, and exudes an aura of control that you're intimately familiar with - he's military, all right, down to the bone.

"You're the one in charge of Saren's investigation?"

His eyes darken and his mandibles flick in annoyance. "Was in charge. The Executor cut me from the case a few hours ago, wouldn't give me more time."

You grimace. "Yeah, the hearing was...bad. So you didn't find anything?"

"He's a Spectre." His flanged voice is more pronounced with his irritation. "Everything he touches is classified, I can't get anything on him. I'm not sure how they expect me to do my job when everything's all wrapped up in yellow tape." He looks around the clinic, glancing at the doctor before he continues. "I don't like Saren. Something about him doesn't sit right with me. I know he's up to something, and I can't just sit around and let him get away with it."

"So what brought you here? Who were those men?" You reach out and help the doctor to her feet.

He nods to the doctor. "Dr. Michel sent in a tip this morning, and it caught my attention."

She starts to explain, unconsciously rubbing her forehead where there'd been a gun pressed to it not so long ago. "The men work for Fist. They were trying to keep me quiet, keep me from telling Garrus about the quarian."

"Fist?" You frown, trying to figure out why that name sounds familiar.

Dr. Michel nods, and launches into her story. "A quarian girl came into the clinic a few days ago. She'd been shot, but she wouldn't tell me who did it. She was scared, probably on the run. She asked me about the Shadow Broker, and offered to trade information for a safe place to hide. I put her in contact with Fist, since he's an agent for the Broker, I thought he would help."

"Problem is," Garrus adds, "Fist doesn't work for the Broker anymore. He works for Saren."

Her thin red eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "He betrayed the Shadow Broker? That's stupid, even for him. They'll kill him for it."

You snap your fingers, remembering where you've heard the name. "There was a krogan merc at C-Sec before I came down here, said he was going to kill Fist."

Garrus nods. "Probably hired by the Broker. He doesn't take well to being double crossed." His mandibles twitch. "That quarian has information, and I'm betting it has to do with Saren. Otherwise Fist wouldn't be making such a fuss over her, and wouldn't be sending men to keep Dr. Michel quiet."

"Well, it's a start." It's not the best lead, but it's better than nothing. You shrug. "I suppose if anyone could link Saren with the geth, it'd be a quarian."

You meant it as a joke, but the doctor's eyes widen. "Geth! The quarian, she said her information had to do with the geth."

Well, that's fortuitous. "Then it sounds like we need to get to Fist." You look at Garrus. "Any ideas?"

"That krogan bounty hunter might be a good start. Did he say where he was headed?"

You try and remember, but Dr. Michel pipes in. "Fist is based out of Chora's Den, that is where I sent the quarian."

"That's where he said he was going. We'd better get moving, before Fist ends up on the wrong end of a krogan's shotgun barrel."

Garrus snorts. "I have a suspicion that might happen anyway - we just have to get there first."

"Wait!" Fist crawls backward, away from the gun you've shoved in his face. His pitiful whine is at odds with his crew cut and scarred face. You think maybe he's gotten complacent, cocky and secure in his position with the Broker. "Don't shoot me, I surrender!"

"Where's the quarian?" you snarl. There's blood dripping down your arm from where you were grazed by a stray bullet from one of Fist's thugs. Fist knew he'd been caught, and had closed the club and filled it with hired guns to protect him. Walking into a nightclub and getting shot at made you grumpy, and being stuck to cover during the ensuing fight with nothing but your service uniform and a pistol made you even grumpier.

"I don't know, I swear!"

"Listen, Fist," you emphasize his name. "I don't have the time or the patience to deal with your bullshit right now. Tell me where she is."

He licks his lips and avoids your eyes. "She's not here, she said she'd only talk to the Shadow Broker himself."

"That's not possible, the Shadow Broker only works through agents," Garrus says. "So where'd you send her?"

"She didn't know that, she thought I could get him to talk to her. So I set up a fake meeting, gave her a time and a place."

"And who will she find at that meeting?" He doesn't respond, just slowly moves to get to his feet, watching your gun. "Hey," you push him back down. "Answer me!"

"Well, look at that," a deep, rumbling voice says. "Looks like I almost missed the party."

Fist's face goes pale, and he shrinks back closer to the wall. You glance over at the krogan that crosses the room to stand next to you, shotgun at his recognize his red armor and deep scars.

"Wrex?"

He peers at you with dark red eyes. He growls, showing some of his teeth. "Do I know you, human?"

"Commander Shepard. I ran into you at C-Sec, heard you say you were coming to kill Fist." You nudge the thug with your toe. "Should have talked faster, big guy, now look what you've gotten yourself into."

"Please don't kill me, please," he begs. "It's Saren's guys, okay? She's got dirt on him, he wants her dead."

"Where?"

"The back alley by the markets, right close to here. She should be there now."

"So you do work for Saren, huh?" Wrex is watching Fist closely, eyeing him like a predator watching prey. "I'd tell you to send my love, but you won't make it that far."

"No, please -"

He's cut off by a single shotgun blast, and the room falls silent.

You lower your gun. "Let's get out of here." You eye the krogan, not faltering when he rests his eyes on you once again. "You have something against Saren?"

Wrex nods. "We have a history." His lip curls into a snarl - you realize it's maybe the krogan version of a smile. "I would enjoy killing him."

You smirk. "Join the club. You can come with us if you'd like, I'm interested in hearing about this history of yours. Right now, though," you leave the room as you speak, not watching to see if your companions follow, "we have a quarian to save."

The quarian girl stands alone in the middle of the hall, back straight and tall. Between her posture and the intricate colored designs on her suit, she looks almost regal. In contrast, the turian approaching her has a dark hood over his crest and a harsh, deep voice.

"Did you bring it?"

She stands her ground. "Where's the Shadow Broker? Where's Fist?" Her voice is firm and proud, heavily accented and a bit tinny from her suit.

"They'll be here." He reaches and strokes the edge of her hood with one taloned finger. You tighten your grip on your pistol. Filthy bastard.

She bats his hand away, taking a step back. "Deal's off. I know a set up when I see one."

He watches her for a moment before flicking his hand to the side - a signal to the backups you knew must be around somewhere. His hand is still moving when you raise your own fist in a signal to your companions, calling them forward. His motion doesn't go unnoticed by the quarian, either, who throws out her hand and takes off running for cover.

There's a blast, and a scream - she threw a flash-bang. The smoke hampers your view, but you take a shot at a glint of white limping through the hall, dropping the figure to the ground. Garrus and Wrex push past, shields up, and make quick work of the rest of the assassins.

They give you the all clear, and you run out into the hall, searching for the quarian. She stands from where she was hiding behind a pillar and approaches you.

"Are you alright, were you hurt?" you ask.

She shakes her head. "I'm fine, I can handle myself in a fight. Not that I don't appreciate the help," she adds hastily. "Who are you?"

"I'm Commander Shepard, with the Systems Alliance." You point over your shoulder with your thumb. "This is Garrus Vakarian, he's with C-Sec, and this is…Wrex." You'll have to come up with a better way to introduce him if he's going to be sticking around. "We're trying to find evidence to prove Saren Arterius has gone rogue, and our search led us to you."

"I am Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," she bows slightly at the waist, "and I have something you may find helpful."

"When I gave you full control over this investigation, Commander, a string of firefights through the wards was not what I had in mind."

Udina's nasally voice is scathing and irritated - though you're beginning to think that's his baseline. "It wasn't what I expected either, Ambassador, or I would have brought my guns."

He turns and glares, but Captain Anderson cuts him off before he can yell at you more. "I assume you found something, Shepard?"

You nod, and tell them the abridged version of your investigation, from when you stepped into C-Sec to when you picked up Tali. They listen in silence, and Udina's eyes begin to gleam when you mention Tali's data.

"I'd like to hear what you have to say, Miss Zorah." He's back in diplomat mode, and his voice comes out much sweeter than when he addressed you.

"I have been traveling recently, on my Pilgrimage," she begins, stepping forward from where she stood behind you. "I heard stories of geth beyond the Veil - as a quarian, that caught my interest. We track them closely, and they haven't left the homeworld in a hundred years. I tracked a patrol unit to an uncharted world out near the Terminus systems. I waited for one to separate from the rest of the unit, disabled it, and took its memory core." You notice she speaks a lot with her hands, using them for emphasis. Maybe years of living in a hard suit make that a necessity, when no one can see your face.

"I thought geth memory cores fried on deactivation," Garrus questions. "Some kind of defense mechanism."

"They do," Tali confirms with a nod, "but my people created the geth. With the right knowledge and a bit of luck, some of the data can be recovered." She pulls up her omni tool. "Most of what I found was junk, but I got part of an audio clip that, well...it's best if I just play it for you."

A familiar voice echoes through the ambassador's office. "Eden Prime was a major victory. The beacon has brought us one step closer to the Conduit."

"Saren," Anderson spits out the name like a curse. "That's all the proof we need."

"There's more," says Tali, waving him silent. "He's not working alone."

"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers." The female voice is not one you recognize, but you freeze at the last word.

They are coming.

"You okay, Shepard?" Anderson is watching you with concern, and you lower your hand from your head. You didn't realize you'd raised it to massage your temple.

"Fine, sir, just a headache."

"I don't recognize that voice," Udina muses. "Regardless, we need to contact the Council again. This evidence is definitive. Maybe they will be able to identify that woman."

Anderson claps you on the back and smiles. "Good work, Shepard." You smile back, hoping it's convincing, but your mind's on other things.

That vision from the beacon had something to do with Reapers. You're not sure how you know it, but you can feel it. Whatever a 'Reaper' is, just the thought sends your head spinning, brings back flashes of light and pain that you're barely able to keep from overwhelming you.

Finding out who the woman is - finding out everything about what Saren's doing - just became much more important.

"This evidence is irrefutable, Ambassador," states Sparatus. The flanging of his voice seems more prominent, angrier. You think maybe this is a bit personal for him, being turian and all. "Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status, and all efforts will be made to bring him in so he can answer for his crimes."

Tevos turns to him, frowning. "I recognize the other voice. It's Matriarch Benezia."

Judging by the reactions of the other two councillors, she must be someone important. You've never heard the name, but knowing she's an asari matriarch is enough to tighten your frown.

"And the Reapers?" Anderson asks. "Do you know anything about them?"

The other two defer to the salarian, who shakes his head. "I have never heard of such a thing. However," he rubs his chin thoughtfully, "just from context the 'Conduit' has something to do with bringing them back. Back from where, though? There aren't that many unexplored areas left in the solar system."

"We don't have time for hearsay," Sparatus chides, turning back to Anderson. "We need to find Saren, and get him back to the Citadel before he can do more damage."

"Don't you think figuring out what he wants the Conduit for is probably important?"

"Frankly, no. Saren no longer has the rights or resources of a Spectre, and he is now a fugitive. He is no longer a threat to Council space, even if he is able to keep the geth at his side."

Udina punches his hand with his fist. "So send a fleet after him, stop him before he can hurt more of our colonies!"

"Humanity knew the risk of colonizing so close to the Traverse, Ambassador," says Tevos. "We will not send a fleet, risking war with the Terminus Systems, for the sake of finding one man."

"Then send us."

All five of them turn to you in surprise. You step closer to the head of the pulpit, clasping your hands behind your back. "Normandy has the stealth technology required to move through the Traverse undetected, and the speed to search the area efficiently. With the help of the Council, Anderson and I can detain Saren and this Matriarch before they can do any more harm."

You lock eyes with Councillor Tevos, who watches you back with curious green eyes. "Unfortunately, the SSV Normandy is an Alliance ship, and we do not have the proper jurisdiction to remove her from your fleet." She visibly hesitates before turning to Sparatus, the question in her voice obvious. "There is, however, a way to circumvent that."

He blanches at whatever it is she's suggesting. "No. Absolutely not."

"It does seem to be the best solution," muses Valern. "This was the planned outcome of the Eden Prime mission anyway, and it would allow this matter with Saren to be brought to a close without further conflict."

Planned outcome? What -

Anderson's hand suddenly appears at the small of your back, gently ushering you forward until you stand alone at the front of the stand. You stand proudly in parade rest, but your heart is pounding and you have no idea what the hell is going on.

The Councillors reach an unspoken agreement, tapping at their HI units before straightening and looking down on you.

Tevos folds her hands behind her as she speaks, letting her voice carry throughout the chamber. "Members of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch are not trained, but chosen. They are forged in the fire of service and battle, selected from those individuals whose actions elevate them above the rank and file. Spectres are an idea, a symbol, the embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They bear a great burden, as they are protectors of galactic peace, serving as both the first and last lines of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold."

Oh. Oh.

"Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Shepard," the asari's eyes lock on yours again, "it is the will of this Council that you be granted all powers and privileges associated with membership in the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel. Do you accept?"

You have the urge to salute, as if this were a military ceremony, but something tells you that wouldn't be appropriate. You settle for a rough bow. "I'd be honored, Councillors." You're a bit surprised at how confident your voice is, how loud it seems in the large chamber.

A light smile plays at the corners of her eyes. "You are the first human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and for your kind."

"We're sending you into the Traverse, after Saren. You are authorized to use any means you deem appropriate to apprehend him." Valern gestures to Udina. "We will forward any relevant files to Ambassador Udina, and we will be working with him and the Alliance to procure you a vessel and crew so that you can begin work as soon as possible."

You frown when the words sink in. "I can't stay with the Normandy?"

"The Normandy is an Alliance vessel, not the Council's," Sparatus answers. "You may stay on the ship only if the Alliance allows it."

"Understood, Councillor."

"This meeting of the Council is adjourned. Commander, we will be in touch."

You turn to find Anderson grinning at you proudly. You feel a smile tugging at your own lips as you look away, taking his outstretched hand. "Congratulations, Shepard."

It starts to sink in. When Nihlus mentioned he'd put forward your name you felt honored, but it didn't feel real. Then there was the mission, this mess with Saren..you never really thought you'd actually become a Spectre.

And now here you are.

Anderson...he's always been there for you. He was there when you enlisted, and again when you left OCS. He put your name in for ICT and was there when you made N7. Shaking his hand now, seeing the pride in his eyes...a warm tingling spreads through your chest. This is real.

Of course, Udina is there to ruin the moment. "We need to start making arrangements immediately. You need a ship, a crew, supplies…"

"Let her have the Normandy, Ambassador."

Both of you look at Anderson in shock, and reply in unison. "What?"

"Like she already told the Council - it's the perfect ship for this mission, and she already knows the crew. Arranging for something else could take weeks, and we don't have the luxury of more time."

"Captain, no, I can't...what about you? I can't take your ship."

"You're not taking anything from me." His voice is resolute, his dark eyes firm. You know he's made his choice, as much as you don't like it. "I'm giving it to you. It's my own choice."

It feels wrong. The Normandy is Anderson's ship, it has been from the start. More importantly, it's his crew - he hand picked everyone, created his own team, and over the course of a few weeks turned you into the best damn crew in the fleet. Taking that away from him...it's all wrong. This isn't how you wanted to take command of your first ship.

He must see your emotions written on your face, because he reaches out and grabs your shoulder. "You deserve this, Shepard. You know I wouldn't trust that ship to anyone else but you."

You bite the inside of your cheek, studying his dark eyes. "It won't be the same without you, sir."

"That's true, but Joker will probably sleep easier knowing I'm not there to breathe down his neck."

You can't help but smile. "Yeah, until he realizes I'm even worse."

He squeezes your arm and lets go, chuckling under his breath.

"Well, it seems we have some work to do," Udina drones. "Anderson, I'll need you to come with me to make the requisite calls and arrangements. We'll have to meet with Rear Admiral Mikhailovich, since you won't be joining his flotilla any longer -"

You tune him out. The logistics probably should be important to you, but you can't find yourself to care. If you're taking this ship and going after Saren, there's things you need to do - like figure out where you're going. The Council offered you information, but you have your own contacts that might have some ideas.

"Ambassador," you cut in, ignoring the look of indignation that flashes through his eyes at the interruption, "since the Normandy will be my ship, I have unrestricted control over who I choose to serve on the crew, correct?"

"Well, yes, I suppose, but you will already have a crew -"

"I'm not looking to make replacements, don't worry," you smile, "just some additions."

You just hope you get to see his face when he finds out none of the three 'additions' you're planning are human.

A/N: I want to apologize for the long wait for this chapter. I've had it written for a while, but it just wasn't sitting well with me - it's like 90% dialogue, and that's definitely not the composition I envisioned when I started planning this story. I did some more editing and decided to just go for it anyway, because I'm getting antsy to write new things and move forward. Hopefully the next chapter comes more easily. I have a feeling you guys will really like some of what I have planned!

As always, thank you so much for reading. You don't know how much it means to me.