"What the hell did just happen?" Was all that Shepard could ask after she left the prying eyes of all but Anderson and Hackett.
"We're... not really sure ourselves." Answered Hackett, shaken.
"You knew this was going to happen when you called me?"
"Not exactly. Not like this." Hackett replied. "We knew they were voting for a temporary Imperium and we strongly believed the "elected" Emperor would be The Illusive Man, finally leaving his shadows to take up rulership of humanity, like in one of his bad propaganda flicks. We called you here to be a... deterrent of sorts, or balance. We were going to propose you'd be some Minister of Defense or some such. We don't need a civil war, but we don't need to be weeded out in the shadows either. Us more... tolerant of alien species and coexistence, like we believe you are too, didn't want some crazy extremist being named Emperor of an Empire. Imagine our surprise... that the guy would throw it in your lap, just like that." He took a break to let that sink in. "You realise... you have to stay, right? If you decline, someone else, very likely someone worse, will take that... throne and bring us to ruin."
Shepard pondered for a moment. Yes, she couldn't let TIM take a goddamn human throne, but still... a thought came to mind. "What about my Spectre status? What about my duties to the Council?"
Hackett snorted. "What Council? Everything's in disarray with the aliens, as much as I hate to dislike them, I'm starting to. It's not just Thessia that's been hit. Didn't you keep up with the news? Well, if you say yes, and I strongly suggest you do, you can request any sensitive information you want, stuff that goes even beyond our heads. In the position these people made for you, anything any human will know, you will know, or you can give the order to basically interrogate, torture or kill anyone who doesn't comply on charges of high treason."
There was quiet for a few moments, until Anderson spoke up. "Speaking of... Shepard. You and us... we're good, right? I'd like us to be allies, to watch our backs here. If it wasn't before, now it's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and people, even aliens, that you can implicitly trust are worth more than their weight in gold. What we had before was a golden era, as loathe to admit it as would be any non-Asari, Turian or Salarian. Rest of us didn't like 'em, but they kept the damn Galaxy stable, even with their... flaws. Truth is, we need you to keep our backs and we'll keep yours. A position doesn't make you invulnerable, you need loyalties. And... please don't let it go to your head. I hope at least we taught you better than that."
Shepard's guts felt... wrong somehow. These people that she had respected, had taken orders from, that had kept humanity safe for decades, were suddenly both afraid and in awe of her. Both subtly threatening her and pleading with her... to what? To help them? Their side? Humanity? To keep them alive? Damn, she hated politics.
"Yeah... sure..." she said, more or less shell-shocked, and left in an almost robotic matter. Only later did she realize she didn't know where to go and accessed her omni-tool. To her surprise, what she found was a copy of EDI integrated in it, telling her of the new accommodations built mostly for her. She didn't really get it and just walked out of the building, took a cab... and saw something that both amazed her and terrified her, for such a thing should not exist on the Earth that she knew. A giant cathedral-like palace was built where the slums were, where she grew up. Someone seemed to have had a twisted sense of humor, that or really wanted to endeer themselves to her. At this point, she wasn't sure if they'd succeed or not. She decided to ask the cabbie then.
"Hey, buddy, I haven't been around for a while, what's with that thing?"
"Oh, you mean the Imperial Palace? They started building since Terra Firma got to power, big-ass waste of money if you ask me, but it's imposing and makes aliens crap their pants when they see it, I'll give 'em that. They just finished it recently, or so they say, just before they announced that Queen or whatever. On the other hand, they gave good people good pay to build it. Damn, the stories I hear... secret rooms, everything made of marble, gold, rubies, all that shit thrown liberally around. Thing's big enough to house an army or something."
"What about the people who used to live there?" Shepard asked, her gut wretching at the thought of what extremists would have done with those poor people.
"Oh, they're the lucky ones, I say. They got the choice to actually work and live there. I hear they even get trained, tested for what they're best at, "recycled" if you want but in a good way. I hear the staff's mostly made of those people, a few other homeless aliens were brought there for... God knows what, but they didn't say 'nything 'bout screamin', so it's probably for working there. Lots of Asari refugees too, dunno what they do to them. Still, nobody's complained, and the atmosphere... how to say it... you know, it's not stiff, it's not fear-ridden and such. It's like they're all friends and working for something better than them. Sometimes it looks awesome, sometimes it's more creepy than they'd actually been brainwashed.[1] Still, they could have at least taken professionals, but who am I to know these things, right lass?"
"What about... those who refused this... enrollment?"
"Oh, they bought a lot of property around, built giant-ass apartments, tall as hell and fortified, I hear. They gave all who didn't want to work there homes, and had spare for others to move in. They spared no expense, I tell you that. No aliens allowed to permanently stay there though, though some rent and others "work"... in-house, if you get my... blue meaning." He said with a wink. "Still, if you're a bleedin' heart for those outies[2], don't be, they gave 'em homes too, just on the other side of the world. They're mopping up aliens that they don't know from around the palace and the Representative buildings, I hear. I don't think they chuck them in the ocean or out of a plane though, or throw 'em in mines[3], there'd be too many complaints and the ambassadors haven't made any ruckus about these, whatchamacallit, dislocations?"
"Relocation." Mumbled Shepard absentmindedly. By this time, they were in the parking lot and even from the air... it was enormous and beautiful at the same time. An Asari of all people came to ask who the visitor was, but was stopped in her tracks when she saw Shepard. She quickly composed herself, bowed, then went to take her hand as to help her get out of the car.
"Your Majesty." She said meekly, with a soft, real smile on her lips. She was dressed very well, in a white silk dress that did not impede her movement, yet showed off her assets, as her dark blue skin contrasted with the pure white of the gold-embroided dress.
Shepard looked at the cabbie, scratching her head, and decided to just "declare": "Sorry, buddy, it's a long story."
The cabbie looked for a second at her armored form, then gave her a kind smile. "Hey, I get to say I took on royalty. If you'll let me, of course." He said the last line through chuckles.
"Sure, buddy. Thanks for the lift. How much do I owe you?"
Before he could answer, either to overtax, be so fair that'd bring awkwardness, or say it was on the house, the Asari answered with the same kind smile. "You'll be compensated once I have seen the Lady to her quarters."
The cabbie just continued smiling and answered. "No problem, missie, glad to have been o' help." And he went on his way away from the Imperial Palace with a great story to tell his grandkids (when he'd have them).
Though her eyes were taken by the sights, murals, statues (many of her and some of some shady guy eclipsed by a dying star... really? Who could that be? She snorted to herself) and staff, that seemed to consist mainly of humans, as well as Asari dressed in, although definitely not cheap, but skimpy clothing, and even some Turians, Batarians and even Krogans doing some menial tasks (with great ardour, she might add, even before she had arrived), she finally noticed a "fashion accessory" on all their necks. It was greyish as to fit in, and it looked more like a chocker than a biotic collar to the unused eye, but she had seen enough in her life to know these were indeed some kinds of collars. So she asked her Asari host - servant? - what was that about.
"Are those biotic supressers you're wearing around your neck?"
The Asari didn't stop her stride in the slightest, but she started fidgeting mid-walk. "No... well, yes... well, not really. It's complicated, you see... all of us have to wear them if we want to work here, especially the aliens. You don't know how awful we lived before they built this... behemoth. They offered us jobs, we knew they were considered extremists and xenophobes by your people, but we were too afraid to say no.[3] And it's a great place to live and work, really it is. And this isn't a supressant... per se. Well, it is, but not automatically. It's keyed in to the omnitool of... well, they didn't tell us who... "high ranking officials" they said. Those can supress our biotics, at a whim, but we don't really use them around here anyway. They can do... other unsavory things too. I never saw it used that way, or felt it on myself, but we were warned to behave or they'd... discharge, whatever that means, it doesn't sound good anyway."
By the time she had finished babbling, the Asari had led her to a giant of a room, enough to encompass an entire floor of a skyscraper, where everything seemed to be built for her every whim in lavishment and beauty, some of it she had revealed she'd have liked here and there, but never imagined it'd actually become reality. In truth, it did not encompass entirely all her dreams and wishes, which slightly reassured her. At least those bastards aren't reading my mind, but they sure know who and how to ask questions.
And so Empress Shepard firmly entered her new life.
Author's Notes: I'm aware I may have fleshed this out more than was necessary, but inspiration came to me and I felt a little description of the situation in which Shepard got herself into wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Then I had to explain why TIM would hire aliens, and what control method he'd use. TIM's a very manipulative and controlling individual after all, and wants to make sure all his employees are well... motivated, both in terms of carrots and sticks. If you haven't figured it out yet, you will find out that the reason he put Shepard in this position is that he now knows (from the talks with Chakwas) she's his long-sought after Ubermench to lead humanity on an even, or above footing over the aliens in the Galaxy. Some (anti-Chaos) Reaper indoctrination doesn't hurt either.
[1] No, no Reaper influence.
[2] Outer space - aliens.
[3] No concentration camps or genocides, I swear.