A few minutes after Nihlus' arrival, Shepard found herself leaning against the wall of the conference room, which was nestled into the alcove behind the CIC. Across from her, Nihlus stood at parade rest behind one of the many seats in the room; he hadn't moved at all from that spot, and his gaze had yet to stray from her face. The two were waiting for the Captain; he'd glared at both Nihlus and Navigator Pressly before 'politely' asking for the two to go on ahead of him.

She cleared her throat, daring to initiate a conversation. "So, Spectre-"

"Nihlus," he corrected.

"-Nihlus, you said that the Alliance tends to keep its people...'in the dark'." She took her weight off of the wall, and crossed her arms. "Care to elaborate?"

The Turian's eyes shifted subtly, likely reading her body language; she had no doubt he'd been extensively trained in understanding the body language of multiple species. He sighed, speaking only after a few moments of thought. "I would think it quite clear, Commander: you're on an advanced, prototype starship designed by both Turians and Humans, with a Turian Spectre present on board, and yet you have no idea as to why you are here."

Shepard shrugged. "I imagine that the Alliance brass didn't want to transmit sensitive information through unsecured channels just for my comfort."

Nihlus shook his head. "I agree with that assessment, Commander; however, between the time you arrived on the station and the time you came aboard, you should've been up-to-speed on the mission and its participants."

She nodded gently. "And yet, here I am."

He tilted his head sideways in a gesture of acknowledgment. "And so you are." He brought up his omni-tool, and a hologram of Alliance space was generated inside the circle of chairs that divided the floor between them. The hologram shifted away from the multiple planet-states of the Terran Inner Sphere, instead focusing on the Alliance-sponsored colonies placed beyond the Charon Relay. It then focused further; first the systems comprising the Exodus cluster, then the Utopia system within, and finally the sole human colony in the system, Eden Prime.

Nihlus observed Shepard reviewing the information surrounding the holographic orb for a few moments. "What do you think, Commander, of the Alliance's crowning jewel of colonization?"

She just shook her head in response. "I've never been there before, so I can't say I have an opinion."

He grunted. "Of course you have an opinion, Shepard. Regardless of whether or not you've ever set foot on the world, Eden Prime represents something great for your people, doesn't it? Proof that humanity can overcome the greedy and inherit shortcomings that have rendered several 'Inner Sphere' worlds as industrial skeletons, perhaps?" He crossed his arms, and then continued. "Or, instead, is it proof that not only can humanity create sustainable, beautiful colonies in the larger galactic community, but also protect them from within and without?"

Shepard's brow furrowed, and she glared at Nihlus through the hologram. He either refused to notice her look, or genuinely didn't. "Is there something I should know, Nihlus?" she said as she leaned just slightly in his direction.

He waved the hologram of Eden Prime away, his body language unchanged by her implications. "I'm merely questioning, Shepard, just as many races question humanity; they wonder if you'll outgrow your parasitic ways before you settle into the galaxy proper, for example." He sighed, leaning back almost casually. "Your people's use of 'planet-cracker' starships makes other species nervous, Shepard. The Council may not be able to dictate how you operate in your local corners of space, but should you decide to unleash them into galactic space..."

Shepard snorted, aware Nihlus was fishing for a reaction. "From what I understand, they're going to start decommissioning those things in just over a year." She leaned up against the chair in front of her. "And if the CEC and EarthGov don't, what's the Council going to do? Are they going to send in fleets and armies to force the issue?"

It was Nihlus' turn to grunt. "Perhaps they will; or, perhaps the Baterians will move in to the Attican Traverse in the hopes of both pushing humanity out, and of capturing a planet-cracker to study. Those four-eyed bastards would just love to have their own." He finally decided to return her glare. "And then there are the Quarians..."

Shepard inhaled, but the argument was cut short as the doorway slid open; Captain Anderson marched quickly into the room, the door closing behind him as he stopped just short of the chairs. "My apologies, Commander." he said as he eyed Nihlus with suspicion. "I hope our guest here has informed you of our mission?"

She shook her head. "No, sir," she replied crisply.

He glared at the Turian. "Funny, then, how you complained about that earlier." He let the words stew for a moment, and then continued. "Would you care to, or should I?"

Nihlus only chuckled. "No, go ahead," he said simply. "I'm sure she's already guessed we're on no simple 'shakedown run' of some sort." Shepard chuckled at that, nodding at the obvious.

Anderson glared for another moment, and then turned towards Shepard. "Have you ever heard of an Alliance colony called 'Eden Prime', Commander?"

She shrugged. "Nihlus here brought up a hologram of it, though I didn't get much about it."

Anderson nodded. "It's one of our best colonies out there. It's our most eco-friendly, and the most productive. Honestly, it's our most popular destination for new colonists, and there are plenty of retired Alliance personnel who live there even now." He waved his arm, bringing back the Eden Prime hologram with his own omni-tool as he did so. "It's also one of the latest planets to have discovered Prothean ruins buried just under the surface."

Shepard nodded patiently as the hologram marked a section of the surface where a small city had been constructed, and then marked another section nearby, indicating the location of Prothean ruins.

"Two days ago," Anderson continued, "a research team there stumbled upon a big find, something that most galactic species have never discovered in their own turf; they discovered a Prothean Beacon."

Despite the apparent awe in Anderson's voice, Shepard had only passing knowledge of the Protheans, and didn't know exactly what was being talked about. "What do these Prothean Beacons do exactly, sir?" she inquired.

Nihlus sighed quietly. "They were the hubs of Prothean colonies; they were slaved to the Mass Relays, transmitting information directly through the network, allowing unparalleled levels of communication within their society." He tapped his own omni-tool after a brief moment. "There's even speculation that Beacons were able to generate low levels usable energy, but that theory's been inconclusive so far."

Anderson nodded. "In any case, finding one is a big deal, even if it's inoperative." He chuckled lightly. "Of course, the one we found is not only intact, but still somehow active."

"And still containing information, if I recall correctly," Nihlus chimed.

Anderson glanced over towards the Turian, still slightly agitated. "The report said it was likely, though our analysts haven't been able to scratch the layers of encryption."

"Which is why this situation goes beyond human concerns, Captain," Nihlus replied as he stepped in between some seats, getting closer to Shepard and Anderson. "The Citadel Council's member races have plenty of scientists who're far more capable than Alliance personnel." He cast his eyes on Shepard. "Also, there are plenty of Terminus System powers who'd love to have this Beacon as well; they'll risk war with humanity, and even the Council races, to get it."

Anderson's expression didn't change as he returned his attention to Shepard. "Unfortunately, Nihlus here is right, and the Alliance brass was inclined to agree with him."

Shepard waited for a moment before speaking. "So, then; we land on Eden Prime, secure the Beacon, and transport it...?"

"...to the Citadel, where it'll likely be transported to a 'secure facility' elsewhere," Anderson finished. "Far away from human eyes, I'll wager."

Nihlus chuckled, this time a little louder than before. "Despite humanity's insistence on being more valuable than its current station implies, I must remind you that there isn't a single human being with anywhere near the experience or knowledge necessary to study a Prothean Beacon." He narrowed his eyes as he traded glances with Shepard and Anderson. "So yes, it will be taken to the Citadel, it will then be taken elsewhere, and I cannot be any more forthcoming than that."

A quiet silence, filled only with the sounds of the ship around them, hung tensely in the air for a few moments. Anderson was the first to speak. "There is one other matter, Shepard..."

Nihlus chuckled. "No need to dance around the issue, Captain." He turned his focus on Shepard again. "While I'm here to represent the Citadel Council and its interests, the Beacon is not the only thing the Council has an interest in."

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What else does the illustrious Council want?"

He chose to ignore the light air of whimsy she'd displayed with her comment. "I'm here to observe how you handle yourself out there, Commander. This simple mission will be one of many we'll share together."

Shepard passed a worried glance over at Anderson. "Sir?" she said quizzically.

Anderson nodded. "Nihlus is here to appraise you, Commander, as to whether you have what it takes to become a Spectre."

It was her turn to trade glanced with the two. "Spectres," she said, rolling the though around in her head. "They're the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance agency, who're the elite agents of the Citadel Council?"

Nihlus nodded. "That is correct, Shepard. I've read through many of your files; your training, your service history, and your experience on Akuze. Lesser soldiers would've broken under such circumstances...but lesser soldiers would never be considered for candidacy." He shrugged his shoulders at the thought. "We don't care who, or what, you are; we only care that you can get the job done. And I believe you might have what it takes."

"'You' believe?" Shepard said with a frown.

"He personally sponsored you, despite several others voicing very strong opinions against it," Anderson chimed. "Admiral Hackett, Ambassador Udina, and I personally helped the Alliance choose you, but without Spectre sponsorship, any choice of ours would've been dead in the water."

Nihlus shook his head. "I doubt my vote was that decisive for the Council, but I can't deny that it helps." He cast a sideways glance at Anderson. "Any vote from a Spectre helps…especially when it's a human involved." He shifted his weight, and then sighed. "I apologize for my...'mixed signals'. Humanity has a large, negative stigma applied to it among the intergalactic community, and it's...difficult to break that train of thought, even for a Spectre." He returned his eyes to Shepard. "It's a stigma I hope you prove false."

Shepard shrugged, and then nodded. "I certainly hope so." She sighed, motioning to hologram. "Now that we've got all this crap out of the way, can we get on with the mission briefing?"

The Captain and the Spectre nodded, and the next several minutes we filled with predictable, if not dry planning; the Normandy, operating with her stealth systems engaged, would approach Eden Prime, signal the First Response defense satellites, land outside of the city, and then proceed to load the Prothean Beacon aboard. Then all that was required was to safely cart the Beacon to the Citadel, wherein the Spectres would assume control of the operation.

"Mr. Moreau," Anderson shouted to the intercom, after all that exhausting planning was done, "what's our ETA at the Charon Relay?"

"Eleven minutes by twelve, Captain," Joker replied swiftly, indicating that they were eleven minutes and twelve seconds out.

"Understood," the Captain replied. He glanced between Nihlus and Shepard before quickly nodding. "Is there anything else to add to this briefing?"

Shepard shook her head, a motion that was quickly mirrored by Nihlus a moment later.

"Very well; Commander, you're dismissed," Anderson finished, adding "if you'd like, I'd suggest talking to the crew while we're still on route; you'll be posted on the Normandy for a decent amount of time, I'm sure."

"I would suggest," Nihlus added, "speaking to Lieutenant Alenko and Corporal Jenkins; they'll be the members of your ground team."

Shepard raised an eyebrow at his statement. "You won't be joining us on the ground?" She expected that, since he was here to 'evaluate' her, he'd be riding shotgun on whatever ground team she'd be a part of.

Nihlus chuckled, shaking his head. "There won't be much reason for me to be present planet-side, Commander," he said simply. "I'll glean your command style from this mission, and your skills on the next ones."

Shepard nodded, and then turned towards the Captain. She saluted him, only leaving the conference room after he'd saluted back.