"So...this'll be a short visit, right?"
James question lingered in the elevator, none really feeling like answering it as they stood there, tense and worried. Michael had hoped to be in a good mood upon reaching them, yet Joker hadn't been helpful in that regard, despite EDI's best attempts. It had been odd, but Joker hadn't seemed all that pleased with the new hardware of hers, sure, his eyes had bulged when he'd first seen her, but then he had seemingly gotten pensive and...well...sarcastic.
If Michael didn't know better, he would have guessed that the man was uncomfortable with EDI not being just the Normandy computer.
With his show ending prematurely, Michael had been forced to focus at the task at hand. He had tried to distract himself with Liara again, but he had been of little help to her when she had been collating the data they so desperately needed, and his attempts had only served to remind him of what was ahead of them. Before, he had felt confident the Council would help them, with such massive amounts of evidence behind them, but now...it was easy to remember how it had gone before. The feeling was shared amongst the others in the elevator, he could feel it in the air, he, Liara and Kaidan all had experience dealing with the Council, and James was fretting as he sensed the dread within the soundless compartment.
What ever happened to the music in this thing? They finally shot the one responsible? Michael shook aside the odd question as he glanced back at the soldier. "What's the matter, Lieutenant, afraid you'll bump into Udina?"
An amused snort escaped Kaidan, making Michael's shoulders slump a bit in relief. He was well aware that he and Kaidan weren't getting along, not even in the way they at least had managed back during their hunt for Saren. No, now they were at odds, almost rivals, and Michael didn't want that. As such, he took Kaidan's amusement as a good sign. "He hasn't changed much, I'm afraid." The biotic muttered, shooting Michael a hesitant glance.
A Michael laughing ever so softly. "Well that's good news, it's no fun if he's all friendly and stuff."
"Yes." Again, the biotic shot him a glance. "You heard about him being made Councillor, right?"
"Yeah." Michael grimaced, Anderson had briefly told him about him stepping down. The whole thing was quite a confusing tale about a Cerberus assassin – wonder if it's the same as on Mars, I should ask him if I get the chance – Kahlee Sanders and some sort of huskified human that Cerberus was intent on capturing. Unfortunately, their alliance had crumpled before Michael had had a chance to ask the Illusive Man what was so important about one husk...and as such he had pushed it aside for the moment. In a way, while it was still regrettable, he liked Anderson out of that position; the man didn't deserve to work in something that made him miserable. What Michael didn't like, was the idea of the conversation steering in that direction. "So Udina's a Councillor now, bet that didn't go to his head."
"It can be pretty big at times." This time, Kaidan chuckled, if somewhat politely, his tone just as polite as he continued. "Elevators still as speedy as they used to be, huh..."
"Yeah, you'd think they'd fix that..." Michael muttered, trying to keep the conversation going, yet not knowing what else to say.
Fortunately, Liara saved him. "The elevators notwithstanding, we'll soon be there, at that point, James, we really don't know what to expect, I'm afraid. The Council can be a bit...indecisive at times."
"That's an understatement." Michael snorted. There had been times he had truly regretted saving the Council, who knew how many ships and soldiers the Alliance had lost to save them? Yet they offered nothing but words in return. He had to remind himself though that the Ascension had carried thousands of Asari soldiers and was a powerful ship in its own right, not to mention that taking out the central leadership of each cycle was part of the Reapers plan...and he couldn't allow that.
"True, but we have to remember that they are representatives of their governments, governments responsible for the life of billions." Kaidan pointed out, as he had done so long ago, being the voice of reason. At least some things haven't changed. Michael smiled, feeling wistful. "As such, I'm grateful that they are not ready to make rash decisions."
"Although that will be needed this time." Michael couldn't help but point out.
Kaidan looked over at him, gaze steady, making him regret his words. Crap. Then, to his relief, the man nodded. "True." Kaidan turned back to regard the still closed door of the elevator. "But the human home world has been hit, surely they must help?"
"Yeah!" James shot in, set on latching on to hope after everyone had gotten him nervous.
Michael frowned though, looking down at his shoes. "Tell that to the Quarians..."
Except for the shuffling of Liara's feet as she inched closer in support, the elevator got quiet again.
Where are you? With him incarcerated, Michael hadn't been able to send Tali any messages, he just had to trust that she would do what she could to make the Quarians ready for war, as they had planned. After leaving the sol system, he had finally tried sending her a message, only to find the entire Flotilla off the grid. He doubted it had been caught by the Reapers, it was too elusive, especially with the Reapers so concentrated on Earth, yet he couldn't help but worry... No, don't think about it, she can handle herself, plus, this is too important for distractions. Mentally chiding himself, Michael raised his head, ready for whatever might come once more.
As if sensing he was ready, the door opened.
The Council chamber was just as Michael remembered it, though there was something new in the atmosphere, a hint of anxiety, which was odd because it seemed emptier than it used to be. Down in the rest of the Presidium, there had to be hundreds of diplomats and envoys from every world in Citadel space and beyond...yet here, all Michael could see were stern-face C-sec officers standing guard in the alcoves, the few dressed in civilian clothing looking worried, speaking in hushed tones as they held their heads close together in discussions.
Marching forward, Liara on his left and Kaidan on his right, with a fretting James in tow, Michael felt dozen of C-sec officers eyes on him, struggling not to stare. Those not with C-sec were even more obvious, conversations either dying or turning into an eager buzzing as they inched away from the marching group, eyes wide as they followed Michael's ascent.
"Shit, one can taste the panic in here..." James muttered, but thankfully went quiet when Kaidan shot him a gesture.
The first level still had its fountain. I remember killing a Geth and dropping it into it, the last push against Saren, no, Sovereign... It was the same as it once had been, though the sound of the splashing water, despite being so soft, felt like an intrusion now.
The second, the small garden with its decorative stones. Using the stones for cover, gunning down Geth, then again, to shield myself from Sovereigns remains... Michael blinked, old memories haunting him as he moved to the right of the garden, instead he focused his attention on the garden itself, somewhat surprised to find some of its plants wilting, untended.
Feeling strangely distant, Michael marched up the stairs to the final level.
Ahead, Saren looked down at him, eyes wide in disbelief-
No.
Shaking his head, Michael cleared the memory away as he reached the top of the stairs and moved down the ramp towards the waiting council. Once, I knelt here, accepting my position as Spectre, becoming a pawn of the Council, a pawn for the Alliance to get more influence. Michael straightened and held his chin high as he came to a stop before the four facing him. I'm no longer your pawn.
To the far left, Udina looked...older. Slightly hunched over his console, the man looked like he hadn't slept for a week, there was still a spark in his eyes though, calculating...and clearly not liking his conclusion.
Next to him, the Turian, Sparatus, also looked tired, but there was a hard edge to it, his hands gripping tightly onto his console. If he'd been human, Michael guessed the man would be clenching his teeth.
The Asari, Tevos, looked calmer, almost haughty, the way she was inching away from the two men on their right striking Michael as somewhat defensive. God, I've been around Tali for too long... The thought almost put a smile on Michael's face, almost...for he worried as to why the Asari was on the defensive.
At the far right, Valern was harder to read, the Salarian seemingly hiding behind a neutral mask, unwilling to show a even a hint of his thoughts on the matter.
Tevos spoke the moment Michael came to a stop, her tone officious. "Spectre Shepard is acknowledged to speak in this session of the Council, number two hundred and-"
"Could we skip the formalities?" Michael interrupted, making the woman frown, reacting more harshly than Michael would have expected over such a small thing. "Earth has been attacked by the Reapers, we all know that, and if the reports I've received via the Extranet are correct, several other systems are currently falling to their advance." He looked over to Sparatus. "The Turians in particular are being targeted." The Turian's face remained impassive, but his hands closed tighter around the console.
"Very well..." Tevos replied, nodding over at someone further off. A shuffling began...and the C-sec officers quietly escorted out what few people were in the chamber. Only when the last person had left did she spoke once more, her face a mask of neutrality. "Yes, the Reapers are out in strength, it's a difficult time for all of us." Michael found himself glaring at her, the fact that she didn't even acknowledge that he had been right all along not going unnoticed. Tevos ignored his glare though. "Prudent measures are needed."
Prudent! Michael found himself tensing, he didn't like the sound of that. Udina too, didn't seem to like what he was hearing, the man coughing. "Considering Shepard's experience with the Reapers, perhaps we should hear him out?"
Oh. Michael blinked in surprise at the words, then offered Udina a thankful nod as all eyes turned to him. "Thank you, Councillor." Udina nodded back, smiling ever so slightly. "Prudent measures are indeed needed, Tevos. Fortunately, we have a plan. Liara?" Gesturing at the Asari to step forward, he watched her hold up her omni-tool, the hologram of the Crucible glowing green as it appeared over her palm, as large as herself to properly show the Council. "This is the Crucible, or rather, the plans for it, a weapon the Protheans intended to use against the Reapers."
"Really? And you just happened to stumble upon it in our hour of need?" Valern asked, the Salarian sounding sceptical.
"It's the product of three years of searching of my part, Councillor." Liara spoke for the first time since they had docked to the Citadel, her words slow, thoughtful. Michael shot her a curious look, but the Asari was engrossed in the hologram before her. "Even then, it was a close call on Mars, and now that we have it, it's still a difficult project, mostly due to its scale and the logistics of building and protecting it. The Alliance fleet has already begun construction, but without help, it'll take too long."
"On Mars, you say?" The Salarian's large eyes narrowed, a hand coming up to rub his chin as he looked over to Udina. "Information like that has been on Mars all along, and humanity hasn't found it until now? May I enquire as to why? A race keeping Prothean data private is a grave offence, and now you want us to help you to build something that you have kept from us all this time?"
"The Mars archives have never been kept away from the eyes of the Council, had they inquired, they would have been granted access." Udina smoothly replied, narrowing his eyes back at the Salarian. "As to why we haven't found out until now...well..." He shifted where he stood, suddenly looking a bit embarrassed. "The discovery of the archives led to humanity's great stride forward, our first encounter with alien species..." He shot Sparatus a glance, but the Turian calmly looked back, not moved. "...and us integrating in society, expanding, not to mention fending of the Batarians and keeping our colonies safe." He hesitated. "Funding had to be considered."
Something akin to a gasp escaped Valern, his green face wrinkling as he grimaced. "The Alliance has had this information all along, and not studied it because of funding! If the initial discoveries on Mars pushed your development hundreds of years forward, how could you be so foolish as to not study what remained of it!"
"I cannot and will not be held accountable for the actions of my predecessors." Udina snapped, then hesitated. "Clearly, priorities were made, and they were, in hindsight, wrong."
"That must be the greatest understatement in the course of our history." Tevos replied acidly, the Asari looking as hostile as the Salarian all of a sudden. Huh, and here I thought her unable to be anything but the mediating diplomat... "If humanity had done more than grasp for more territory and power on the galactic stage, we might never have been in this position."
Oh you did not just... Michael narrowed his eyes, cold words spilling out of his mouth. "I don't think casting blame around will help anyone, and I hardly think the Asari Councillor is in any position to do so..."
For a moment, a look of shame and guilt passed across Tevos' face, then it turned into a neutral mask. "Of course, Shepard is right, hard words will not change the reality of our position." Of course, now that you remember who was right all along, you want to focus on something else but blame... She took a deep breath. "With that in mind, could we turn our attention to this Crucible? I have...concerns." She looked over to Michael, the hint of ice behind her eyes freezing his blood. "No doubt Shepard's aware that with the Reaper's on the march within the galaxy, shipping and even communications are becoming more difficult. As such, shipping the necessary material and experts to a large project such as this would be no easy task, and a considerable strain on our resources when we all need to focus on our defences. As such, I must enquire as to what exactly this Crucible is supposed to do, and what Shepard's plan with it is."
"My plan is simple." Michael straightened. "We pool our resources, build the Crucible, then we use every ship we have to engage the main Reaper force on Earth, where we'll deploy the Crucible to destroy them." The Salarian and Asari exchanged a glance, and the so far quiet Sparatus, didn't look all that impressed. "It's the only way, separate we'll be destroyed, together, we stand a chance." This time, the Turian nodded, if only minimally.
Valern turned his dark eyes to Liara though. "I see, and what then, as my honourable counterpart has asked, does it do?"
"I am...not sure." Liara admitted, making Michael grimace even as the Councillors exchanged neutral glances that were anything but encouraging. Dammit, why must you always be so honest! "The Prothean text is not yet fully translated, but it does state that the Crucible will destroy the Reapers, and will do so by taking advantage of the Mass Relays. Shepard and I have discussed deploying it here in the Citadel instead of in the Sol system, but given how little we know of how it works, we believe it would be safer to do so as near the Reapers as possible, we only get once chance, after all."
"If we ignore the idea of being close to the largest Reaper force out there as being 'safe'...you're essentially telling us that you have no idea how the weapon works, or even if it will work, and despite the expense, you want us to build it at a time where resources must be carefully considered. That's about it?" Valern asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "May I remind you that the Protheans were defeated, what good will a weapon made by them do if they failed using it?"
"Don't try to educate me in what happened to the Protheans..." Liara merely muttered the words, but Michael heard them and held back a chuckle, then she raised her voice. "They did build the weapon, yes, but they never got to fire it, it was missing a component, the Catalyst, which is some kind of...artefact." She hesitated, shooting Michael a worried glance. "I'm not yet sure what that is..."
"So we're to build a weapon missing a component which nobody knows what or where it is?" Valern shook his head. "And hope that we find it in time? Must I remind you that we're trying to protect billions of people? We cannot trust to chance." He looked over to Tevos.
Who quickly spoke, tone soft, yet the words harsh. "It may sound cruel, but with the main Reaper force busy on Earth, the rest of us can shore up our defences..." Behind him, Michael heard James take several steps forward, only to be stopped by Kaidan, muttering words telling the man to calm down. "...the resources at our disposal must be well spent, and that must be on defences that can stop the Reapers at each planet and wear them out."
You can't wear Reapers out! Michael took a step forward, finding himself at the edge of the platform, glaring at the Asari and Salarian as he clenched his fists in frustration. Damn you all! Always refusing to do anything but the safest of bets! It was Udina who spoke first though, his voice full of anger. "You're abandoning humanity! This Council is not fit to hold a position of leadership if they can't even protect its people!"
"You would do the same, were it another species in your position, Councillor." Tevos replied with disgusting calm. "Humanity doesn't end with Earth, you can rebuild."
"Eighty percent of humanity still lives on Earth! Eighty!" Udina roared, slamming a fist into his console. "If this had been a mere Asari colony, the Council would have acted!"
"That is not true." Tevos replied defensively, shaking her head. "Bluster all you like, but we are not authorizing a joint attack with our fleets on Earth that will leave our own homes defenceless when the attack fails. With time, when our defences have repelled the Reapers, we can look into reclaiming..."
"You think we have time!" To Michael's shock, it was Liara snapping the words, making everyone look at her in surprise as the soft-spoken woman started shouting. "You think your defences will hold! Anyone with the least bit of knowledge of the Protheans know that they were several times over as advanced as us! They were unified into one empire! Fought as one! Yet they failed! What do you think your defences will do that they couldn't! Do you even remember Sovereign's attack! That was one Reaper, and now we have hundreds of them! And you think a few bunkers and defence satellites will stop them!" The Asari violently shook her head. "No! I'm the Prothean expert and I'm saying that no defence we have can match what the Protheans did to fight the Reapers! I'm saying that the Crucible is the only hope we have! You might not like it, but that's the truth! Just listen, for once!"
Wow...
Staring, Michael took a step away from Liara, her face having gone slightly purple, her chest heaving with heavy breaths as she held her fists clenched to her sides, glaring at the Councillors before them. Heh, didn't know she had it in her...
Sadly, the words didn't seem to impress either Tevos or Valern, the former shaking her head. "When we wish to ask an archaeologist for advice on war, we will ask for it. No, we must consider the present, not the past, when deciding what to do." Ah, so when Valern points out the Protheans lost, it's okay, but when we compare them to us, it's wrong? Michael grimaced, suddenly remembering why he hated politicians.
Silence, the various groups glaring at one another.
Then, Sparatus of all people, finally spoke. Gone was the anger, the hostility and distrust of Shepard. Instead, his voice was soft, almost hesitant. "While I cannot tell the Asari or Salarians what to do, and with communications as they are, I cannot speak for my people...but may I suggest that we, in a sign of cooperation, at least allow the technicians of C-sec to join Shepard's effort in building the Crucible?" He's...supporting me! Michael stared at the Turian, but was ignored as the man held the gazes of his two counterparts. "It would cost our people nothing, be a minimal loss for the Citadel's efficiency and at least help with the Crucible's construction, if it actually proves to be our only hope."
The Asari warily watched Sparatus, almost as if she was distrusting her long-time ally all of a sudden, but Valern nodded eagerly. "Yes, minimal expenditure, some extra help to the project in case it proves valuable. It means we're playing all the bases...a good strategy."
"Very well..." Tevos agreed with a shrug, turning back to Michael. "You shall have the aid of the Citadel's own experts, as well as some funding, is that sufficient?"
"Wha...no!" Michael shook his head. "I can't believe...you can't keep doing this! No more half-measures! No more waiting and hoping things will magically resolve themselves! We must take decisive action or we'll lose the galaxy! Admiral Anderson is right now holding Earth! That gives us an opportunity! An opportunity we need to use to prepare an attack that can stop the Reapers! Stalling them will not work! For every hour that passes, they create more husks and become more powerful! By digging in and letting each race fight on our own you are sealing our doom! Each race will face a foe more formidable than those before them had faced! And while I know the Crucible seems too good to be true and a possible waste of time, if any one of you knew Liara as I do, you'd know she was right! It's a gamble, yes! But I don't see you coming up with a plan!" He scoffed, taking a step back. "Except if you count a plan coming down to 'wait and see'..."
Silence.
Inwardly, Michael was screaming in frustration, for as with Liara, his words seemed to have little effect. Instead of considering what he was shouting, Tevos and Valern was dismissing it with an exchange of a glance.
Finally, Tevos sighed before speaking. "We have already voted on whether to counter-attack to save Earth or not, at behest of Councillor Udina, Shepard. But very well, we'll see if your words have changed our minds."
Obviously, they hadn't.
Michael felt defeated, his shoulders slumping as he watched the voting, listened to Tevos' officious voice, as if she found found some sort of comfort in the familiar procedures. "The Council will now vote on sending a joint fleet of all Citadel races to relieve Earth, as well as supporting the construction of the Crucible project." A pause. "Cast your votes."
Instantly, Udina's console shone green...and was answered by the consoles of Tevos and Valern turning a dark red.
Between them, Sparatus stood, head downcast, staring at his console, mandibles clicking together in frustration, shoulders bunched up. Next to him, the Councillors looked at him, Udina with frustration, the other two evenly.
Michael cocked his head to the side, despite the despair, he felt...curious.
Finally, the Turian slid a claw over the console.
"One in favour, two against, one vote abstained." Tevos spoke, sounding as if she had expected it. "No aid will be sent to Earth, save what the Alliance does at its own volition, nor any resources diverted to the Crucible project, except for what has already been agreed upon." She turned to Michael, her face somewhat sympathetic, though it was of little comfort. "I'm sorry Spectre, but we must do what's best for our people."
Idiots...damn...idiots...
Michael felt himself shaking, fists clenched tight to his sides, jaw clenched, teeth biting down so hard he feared they'd break against each other. His heart hammered in his chest, wanting to burst as his vision became clouded with red rage.
What is the point of leadership, if they won't lead!
I hate you!
I hate you!
I hate you!
He reached for his pistol-
A moment later Kaidan was gripping his wrist, making him whirl about to glare at the man, only to get a steady gaze looking back at him. It...won't do any good...no. Nodding, Michael let go of the weapon, making Kaidan step back with an approving nod. Looking back to the Council, Michael found the Asari and Salarian eyeing him warily, meanwhile the Turian looked tired, almost...sympathetic.
Finally, Tevos spoke. "This session is closed, now, you must excuse us, but we have preparations to make."
With that, she and Valern began to walk away, not even giving Michael the courtesy of a final glance. Udina though, gestured Michael to follow as he went the other way, and Michael reluctantly did so.
Behind them, Sparatus remained, staring down at his console.
8
8
8
"Those cowardly, pathetic...fools!"
That about sums it up...
Michael, too tired to shout, only watched as Udina stalked back and forth in his office, shaking his fist at nothing in particular. "They'd see humanity burn to save their own hides! And then they try to pass it off as a noble deed! I won't allow it! We must put all our efforts into it! The Crucible will be built!"
"Oh?" Michael arched an eyebrow. "You never struck me as someone willing to believe in miracles, you're more the type playing all the angles, if I remember correctly..."
He felt a bit awkward, standing in full combat gear in Udina's office, but as he had told the others, with Cerberus about it was best to be on their guard, something Kaidan had vehemently backed. Though mostly, it was that he was alone with a man he didn't much care for, that had him shifting where he stood, uncomfortable. Liara had, grumbling as she went, gone to continue her studies of the data, Kaidan to analyse EDI back on the Normandy, and James had muttered something about getting drunk...and as such Michael was left alone to pick up the pieces of their failed diplomacy.
"And what do you know!" Udina snapped, his back towards Michael, then he shook his head. "I just want my people saved! Is that so hard to understand!"
"I suppose not..." Michael muttered, realizing he was being a bit too hard on a man under a lot of stress who had done nothing to deserve it. I can sympathize with him, even...
"I will make a draft in the colonies, requisition every resource we have, then borrow more." Udina nodded at his own words, turning to face Michael. "Hackett will not find humanity wanting."
"Good to hear." Michael nodded, glad for the slightest bit of good news. "Also, you must be careful, Cerberus is opposing us, I had hoped to get them on our side, but it didn't work out..."
Udina grimaced. "Cerberus, of course, another problem to fix." Then he fixed his gaze on Michael. "I trust you though, you are not with Cerberus, I'm sure of it." Michael nodded, grateful that at least Udina believed him. I really hope Kaidan will come around... "That said, they are a secondary concern, they can harm us, but the Reapers will kill us, we need to focus all our efforts on the Crucible, agreed?"
Michael hesitated. Cerberus was dangerous, the Illusive Man was not someone who you should ignore...especially not when he could well sabotage their one shot at victory. Yet Udina had a point, the Reapers were the true threat. "Agreed, we'll focus on getting the Crucible operational, as well as finding the Catalyst."
"Yes, you should make that your first priority, but keep me informed so I can secure it once you've found it." Udina nodded eagerly, frowning. "I'll focus on getting the Crucible operational." A sage nod. "Yes, we can do this..."
Somewhat surprised by Udina's eagerness to work as a team, Michael cocked his head to the side. "Yes, but it's a shame about the Council. Building the Crucible on our own...I'm unsure we can do it. And hell, without any allies to help us, the attack could well prove suicidal."
Udina opened his mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by the door to his office opening, revealing Sparatus, who without waiting for an invitation quickly entered before reaching back and hitting the control for the door, locking it. Interesting... "Councillor Sparatus? I...did not expect to see you here." Udina muttered, apparently taken off guard. "Where's Lana? She didn't tell me you'd arrived."
"Your secretary was delayed whilst on her way to get coffee..." The Turian replied, already turning towards Michael, eyes worried. "We need to talk."
Michael exchanged a look with Udina, then took a step forward, warily eyeing the Councillor. "Apparently we do...what's your angle?"
"No angle, I'm here to help." Sparatus replied, straightening as he put his hands behind his back.
"Yeah...I noticed you were less...vocal than you usually are around issues surrounding me..." Michael replied, still wary of what the Turian was thinking.
"I know." The Turian sighed, looking away. "I...I thought you were dangerous, uncontrolled and that your idea of the Reapers was complete nonsense, I truly did." He looked back to Michael, holding his gaze. "I was wrong."
"Huh..." Was all Michael managed, taken aback with the honesty, not to mention that the most hostile politician he'd ever met was the one apologising. I would have put my money on the Asari...
"Don't look at me like that." Sparatus snorted, raising his chin. "I'm trying to help."
"Okay...I'm just surprised that you're the one who's ready to help, and not any of the others." Michael felt forced to explain, drawing a scoff out of Udina, apparently the politician wasn't entirely sold on the idea yet.
"You humans are still relatively new here, so let me explain." The Turian's tone wasn't chiding, in fact, he almost sounded...amused? "The Salarians are intelligence operatives, their political power is based on knowledge, as is their military, they have never entered a war where they haven't been the ones firing the first shot." A shake of his head. "But this time they were taken by surprise, and by an enemy they know next to nothing about. They're out of their element and they know it. It makes them scared, and they lash out, wanting to wait until they know what they're dealing with, time the Reapers won't give them..."
Michael couldn't help himself. "If only someone had told them what to expect..."
Sparatus nodded, a look of guilt in his eyes, then continued. "And the Asari are and always have been the diplomats and politicians, they try to solve things in clever ways, keep the peace and stop anything from rocking the boat. This is good in peacetime and can end wars quickly, as both our races know from our first contact." Sparatus shrugged. "But the Reapers don't even speak to us, all they do is attack and attack, and that with a force neither Rachni nor Krogan could muster. The Asari are therefore also out of their element, and do what politicians do best, they think of their own interests."
"May I just note that you're a politician too." Michael raised a finger to point out the niggling little detail.
The reply was a scoff, Sparatus somehow managing to raise his chin another inch without breaking eye contact. "No, at heart, I, as any Turian, am a soldier." Michael straightened, suddenly sensing that the Turian wasn't just hot air when he was talking about helping. "We cannot claim to be as diplomatic as the Asari or as clever as the Salarians, but we have fought off the Krogan. We see a problem, and we fix it, at any means necessary." There was a burning light in Sparatus' eyes now. "That is why I will help you, because I know you are right, we can't sit down and wait for the Reapers to come to us, we must act decisively and without mercy."
"Music to my ears..." Michael grinned, his spirit rising.
Udina didn't sound impressed though. "If you are so set on helping, why did you abstain from voting?"
"To what end? We would have been in a stalemate none the less." Sparatus shot Udina an annoyed look. "Besides, I can't vote on such an issue, I'm afraid." He grimaced. "As Councillor, I wield great power, when I can communicate with my people and others, with my contacts and connections with the other races, I nearly wield as much power as the Primarch." The Turian shook his head. "But by now communications are difficult, the Asari and Salarians are set on doing nothing and I can't contact everyone I know back in the Hierarchy, not even the Primarch, who is the only one who can order something as drastic as moving Turian forces and resources into a project such as the Crucible as well as your counter-attack. Without his approval, I can't even pressure my colleagues into taking action, because they know my words are without the Turian power they usually have."
"Everyone out for themselves the moment there's a fire...nice solidarity there..." Michael muttered with a low nod, him and the Councillor exchanging a worried look. "But I see what you're going for, you're thinking the Normandy with her stealth drive would be perfect to get a hold of the Primarch, at which point he can get us the Turian forces we need, as well as help us convince the others of a different strategy than what they're currently going for."
"Precisely." The Councillor nodded, looking pleased.
"Unless the Primarch decides otherwise." Udina soberly stated, then turned to Michael. "Commander, Palaven itself is under siege, I doubt the Turians will be much help. Our focus really should be on building the Crucible, and more importantly, finding the Catalyst."
"Don't underestimate Turian tenacity." Sparatus scoffed. "We have had our backs to the wall before and endured, our forces are nothing if not tough. Besides, do you really think a crippled Alliance economy will be able to build the Crucible? We Turians might not have the largest one in the galaxy, but it's tightly controlled and we can direct it right into the Crucible project. And our fleet has taken a beating, yes, but it's still the strongest in the galaxy, and will fight to the end to deploy the Crucible when the time comes." He turned to Michael. "Shepard, Primarch Fedorian is a soldier, he'll see the need for the counter-attack like any good Turian, and if not, I guarantee I'll do my utmost to convince him." A ghost of a smile. "We are old friends, he and I."
Michael turned to give Udina a look. "You did say we have to put all our efforts into building the Crucible, this will help immensely."
"If Fedorian agrees to help." Udina retorted, earning him a glare from Sparatus. "I'm just concerned that you'll lose sight of your hunt for the Catalyst..."
"We don't even know where to look yet; Liara is on it, but it'll take time." Michael argued, turning back to Sparatus. "So in the meantime we'll try to strengthen the Crucible project, you can't object to that, can you?"
Udina sighed. "No, I suppose not..."
Shaking his head at Udina's strange behaviour, Michael frowned at Sparatus. "By the way, is it really that bad? I've only heard quick reports so...Palaven, under siege?"
"Might not be as bad as Earth, but that's like comparing a bullet in your knee to one in your spine, sure, one is less of a pain than the other, but that doesn't make it good." Sparatus grimaced. "I hear the death toll is in the millions...and my family...all gone, heard it only two days ago."
Michael took a step back, eyes wide for a moment, then remembered himself and stepped back, patting the Turian's shoulder. "I...I'm sorry to hear that..."
Sparatus' mandibles clicked together in anger. "Not as sorry as the Reapers will be." His eyes shone, with tears or rage, it was hard to tell. "We Turians know there'll be losses and sacrifices, but if one is left standing, then it's been a battle worth waging." A sharp nod. "I will make their deaths mean something, all the pain...I will make it worth it."
Michael nodded, gaze dropping to the floor as he gritted his teeth, well aware of what he had sworn in the Collector base as he watched Zaeed's remains. I will make it worth it, every death, every loss, all of it will be worth it in the end...I swear it. "You and I...we speak the same language." He offered his hand, gaze steady as he met Sparatus'. "I will get him out."
Sparatus looked down at the offered hand, then smiled and nodded, grasping it.
"I believe you."
8
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8
Thanks to Abydos Jackson for always going that extra mile.
