Wednesday, January 31, 2187 C.E.
Captain's Cabin,
S.S.V. Normandy,
Docking Bay D24, Citadel
The Normandy has returned to the Citadel at the request of Councilor Tevos and Ambassador Irissa, who Shepard is meeting with later today along with Ambassadors Din Korlack and Calyn. Korlack had been pressing for the Volus to get a seat on the Citadel Council, something that Shepard supported. Shepard also supports the Elcor getting a seat on the Citadel Council. This is highly unpopular, opposed by three of the four councilors. Councilor Saracino opposes expanding the Council because he thinks it would weaken the Alliance position. Valern opposes it because he doesn't think the Citadel should add any more seats. Sparatus opposes it because he doesn't think either the Volus or Elcor are strong enough militarily or economically to be a council member. Tevos, while not opposed to the idea, still had her doubts about if the Elcor are ready. And with the Volus being a client state of the Turian Hierarchy that would give the Turians two votes on the Council. Tevos is also curious as to how far Shepard wants to take adding seats to the council but she is willing to listen to Shepard and the other two ambassadors.
Shepard had spent the night with Sha'ira, who had been intimate with Alan several times since 2183. Since their first sexual encounter aboard the Citadel, almost four years later Shepard had become her only male lover. Sha'ira had even let Shepard become intimate with her acolytes, Nelyna, Samaki, Seylymia, Eryr, Anifra and Hannah, something that Sha'ira had never done before.
Council Offices,
Citadel Tower,
Citadel, Widow System
Shepard, Irissa, Korlack, and Calyn sit in Tevos's Office, as the Councilor is explaining her doubts about each species, "The Asari Republics is open to the idea of adding more council members but as this time we feel that neither the Volus nor the Elcor are ready, especially militarily, to have a council seat."
This is not what Din Korlack or Calyn wanted to hear but what they expected. Shepard responds, "Councilor Tevos, I had said before, but will once again I feel this standard for adding council member is unfair to the Volus and Elcor. Neither Volus nor the Elcor society will ever support a military especially a navy likes the Turian, Asari or Salarian but that doesn't mean they couldn't be useful. The Volus were instrumental in developing a stable galactic economy. The Elcor do not rush things and make thorough well-development plans."
"Everything you say is correct Captain Shepard," answers Ambassador Irissa, who was aboard the Destiny Ascension, when Shepard ordered the Alliance Fifth Fleet into the Battle against Sovereign. If it wasn't for the sacrifice of the Alliance, the Destiny Ascension wouldn't have survived. Irissa was later presence when Matriarch Lidanya personally thanked Shepard and the Alliance Navy for their efforts during the Battle of the Citadel in 2183, "However, that doesn't necessarily mean that the Elcor or the Volus is ready for a council seat. Unlike humanity they didn't make the heroic sacrifice, possess the military or economic strength, or show the ability to be able to handle the enormous responsibilities that comes with a council seat."
"Ambassador by that standard my people will never have a seat on the council," voices Din Korlack, whose people had been depending on the Turian protection since the time of the Krogan Rebellion.
Calyn speaks, "An inquiry, Ambassador Irissa, how much more does the Elcor need to show in order to be ready in your view?"
"That is quite simple Mister Ambassador. For the Volus, it would be to strengthen their navy, and stop being a client state to the Turians. The Elcor, is also to strengthen their navy and to increase the size of the economy," explains Ambassador Irissa, who would choose the Elcor because given the Volus client state status with the Turian she fears that the Volus councilor will simply vote how the Turian councilor votes, "Now, I'm not saying that either of your species needs a military or economy the size of the Turians, Asaris, Salarians, or Humans but they need to strengthen their military and economy."
"Patience Ambassador," says Calyn, "The Council of Dekuuna had already approved the Republic of Dekuuna to enlarge our Fleet."
"I'm aware of that Ambassador," responses Irissa, "But the Dekuuna Navy doesn't have a dreadnought. The Dekuuna Navy has only 7 Carriers, 54 Cruisers, 171 Destroyers, and 112 Frigates."
"Prime Ambassador, the Elcor have just launched a new carrier, Dekuuna, and 8 of those Cruisers, are large and more powerful than other navies' Heavy Cruisers," explains Calyn, since the Elcor's Heavy Cruisers are closer to what the Alliance defined as Battlecruiser, since they carried the firepower of a Dreadnought but the armor and speed of a Heavy Cruiser. However, Irissa isn't impressed and says, "With all due respect Ambassador, I was counting the Dekuuna since it is replacing the aging Light Carrier Revan, which never engaged the Reapers during the war but was used just for defense and escort duties."
Calyn doesn't respond, as Shepard says, "Ambassador Irissa, if the Asaris want to keep the Council as some elite club for the most powerful races that is your version of the future. However, I think the council should be more of an actual governing body where all species have a representative for their individual species. This would allow the Krogans, Quarians or other species to not be seen as being told what to do by the Council, as much as helping to create the policies that affect them on a daily basis."
Irissa is beside herself that Shepard would support such a ridiculous idea that Krogan, Quarian, Volus, and Elcor would have a seat on the Council. When would the insanity stop? Irissa is next in line for the Asari Council seat once Tevos retires or steps down. Councilor Tevos responds, "Shepard, while we all respect everything you have done for the galaxy in the last several years, while you were right about the Reapers that doesn't mean you're right now. There is the issue of you being a Spectre and being so famous. Spectres tend to be only vaguely known. There is also the issue according to C-Intel that you had a base on the planet Mavigon. The base is a former hideout that was control by Levin Rayne, who if I remember correctly you killed, before eliminating his syndicate in 2183."
Alan is a little surprised, as Tevos just openly revealed a secret that he had been holding for two years now. After Shepard was recruited into Cerberus in early 2185, he began using Cerberus resources to create a series of outposts on several planets. So far Citadel Intelligence had only learned of the base on the planet Mavigon, Han System, Gemini Sigma Cluster. The outposts served as fallback points during the Reaper Invasion. Luckily for Shepard a majority of them were minor, with only a few hundred beings in each outpost, they were low priority targets. Shepard originally founded the outposts as a means to defend against the Collectors. After several minutes of silence, Alan explains, "The Councilor is correct. I do have a small base on the planet Mavigon, where gold and cobalt deposits proved to be a source of wealth. The mined gold allowed me to buy the services of several mercenary groups during the Reaper Invasion, whereas the cobalt is being used in several alloys amongst other things."
"This is not about Mavigon, Councilor!" angrily voices Korlack, "Honestly, I don't care if Shepard has a base on Mavigon or not. If you had listened to him in 2183 and prepared, the Reaper Invasion wasn't had been such a disaster for the galaxy. This meeting is about whether or not the Volus and Elcor are going to get a seat on the council or not. I can see that the Thessia-clan desire to maintain the council for the Asari's agenda."
Din Korlack then storms out of the room, as Calyn moves to leave also but says, "Korlack is correct Councilor."
Moments after Korlack and Calyn are gone, Irissa says, "Shepard this is a wonderful incident you have created for the Council!"
Then Irissa storms out of the office, with Councilor Tevos responding, "Alan, while I respect your opinion on this issue. Neither species are really ready for membership on the Council."
"Councilor Tevos, of the four councilors, I like you the best," replies Alan, "However, you said the same thing about humanity."
"Doesn't mean humanity was ready either," explains Tevos, who was still against giving humanity a seat on the Council after the defeat of Sovereign but was 'convinced' by Valern and Sparatus, "Alan, you only like me the best because I am female."
"That is part of it, I will admit," Shepard comments, taking Tevos in his arms before kissing her passionately. After the kissing for several minutes Shepard continues, "But is also because you seem to be the most sensible. I mean Sparatus had grown to respect me since I helped his people during the war and the less said about Valern the better. Saracino is a speciesism who I have no respect for whatsoever. Remember, several of my lovers are Asari and I wouldn't find them any more desirable if…"
"But I don't see you banging a harem of female Salarians or female Turians," says Tevos, who personally thanked Shepard for saving her life in 2183 and then again for saving Thessia in 2186 plus she had a threesome with Shepard and Irissa shortly before the destruction of the S.S.V. Normandy, SR-1 in 2184. Alan just shrugs his shoulders, before explaining, "Hmm, Salarians or Turians females don't do a thing for me. I like Humans, Asaris, and Quarians, amongst some other races' females."
"Well then," says Tevos pushing Shepard back, before grinning evilly, "We have never done anything sexual in my office before…"
Alan grins, but resumes kissing Tevos, as she opens the front of her clothing, revealing her decent-sized chest and then…
