Wing Commander: End of an Era
Chapter 10

Serpent Nebula
Widow System
Citadel

Shepard stood watching as Colonel Blair basically ran back to his fleet to prevent the, most likely, life threatening event from occurring. Once again pulling up the data on her omni-tool, she couldn't figure out what had spooked him so much. Along with the random assortment of numbers there were several words in English, with others most likely in the written language of the Kilrathi. According to Blair they were the names of several Kilrathi controlled worlds. Hardly something considered classified intell that needed high levels of security encryption to protect. As she read through the English words, nothing really stood out as suspicious. However those words were most likely codenames for something with far greater meaning behind them. Shutting off her tool with a sigh, Shepard decided she would simply have to except Blair's excuse and drop the matter.

Turning away from the presidium commons, she decided to head back to the Normandy and ensure it, and her crew, were ready to depart and once again continue their hunt of the Collectors. Unfortunately, only a few steps away from the airlock, a familiar face began to make its way toward her. Fighting down the instinct to simply shoot the offending target in the knee and bolt toward the ship, she sidestepped over to the wall and leaned up against it crossing her arms over her chest. Turning her head and now whistling, she was doing her best to act nonchalant and ignore the man now standing in front of her.

"It's nice to see you looking well Shepard," Kaiden Alenko greeted her.

Shepard continued her whistling and completely ignored the man standing only a foot in front of her.

Kaiden raised his eyebrows and cleared his throat trying again, "I said, it's nice to see you again Shepard."

She continued her whistling but decided to raise the volume several notches to try and get him to take the hint.

"This really isn't the most mature thing you've ever done Shepard," Kaiden replied shaking his head.

Stubborn Bastard…She stopped whistling and finally made eye contact with the man, "I could try something more age appropriate, how about this?" as she raised her middle finger.

Giving her a small smile he said, "Getting closer but not exactly the move for someone like you."

Standing up from the wall, she brought a finger to her chin in thought, "You know, you're right. That really isn't the move for someone like me…" She snapped her fingers and gave a wide smile when it came to her, "I know what I should do!"

And she promptly sent him staggering back with a powerful right hook to the face.

As Kaiden massaged his now bloody lip, a small group had gathered around the two humans to watch. Shepard was in no mood however and gave a loud, curt, "Spectre business, move along."

Watching the group quickly disband she let out a chuckle, "I love being able to do that." She looked back to Kaiden who was once again standing alongside her, "Honestly, that counts for about half the reason why I keep at this job."

Still with a hand to his face Kaiden asked, "And the other half?"

"Stopping the destruction of galactic civilization and the deaths of trillions of lives," she responded seriously. "You should know that better than most."

"Right," he said looking uncomfortable. "I never stopped believing in the Reapers existence Commander."

"You just stopped believing in me," Shepard shot back angrily.

"That's not fair and you know it," Kaiden responded. "What was I supposed to think after watching you die?"

Shepard just huffed, "Don't give me that excuse. Both Joker and Dr. Chakwas were on my side again before I was even conscious."

Now it was Kaiden's turn to start getting angry, "All the more reason for someone to remain level headed. Cerberus is dangerous and cunning and they could have been playing all of you from the start."

"Level headed, is that what you call accusing me of treason?" By now she was fighting to control the level of her voice in this public space.

Ever since Horizon the emotions of what Kaiden had said to her had been building up. It was the first time since waking up that Shepard felt truly at a loss and unsure of her actions. For her, every mission ended on a high note. Every mission was a win or at least as close to a perfect victory as someone can get on a changing battlefield. Horizon was the tipping point. First, arriving at the planet hours after the attack had begun. Then, finding out so many colonists had already been loaded onto the Collector ship. Worse yet, failing in stopping the ship from departing, basically dooming everyone aboard to the fate the Collectors had in store for them. That mission ended as a complete failure and right at the moment Shepard thought she would be able to get through the loss, promising herself that the next mission would end differently, out walks Kaiden Alenko. A close friend, fellow solider, a good man, and he accuses her of being a traitor. A failure to the ideals of the Alliance, throwing in her lot with Cerberus. It would be an understatement to say the worst night of her career was after that mission.

Realizing just how angry she was becoming, Shepard turned away and took a deep breath trying to get her emotions back under control. After a second, she looked back to him, "Kaiden by now you know I kicked Cerberus off my ship and that I was never truly working for them. You should have trusted me, like I used to trust you. Back on the SR1 we were very close and good friends, especially after Ashley died. You were always there watching my back and I knew I could count on you to handle any situation. Biotics, Tech, field medicine, you were my human Swiss army knife. I thought if anyone would have my back after I woke up again, it would be you. But instead Horizon happened…"

As she looked into Kaiden's face, Shepard could see the mixed emotions being reflected in his eyes, but the man was too good a soldier to let it influence his features, "I stand by my actions, at the time it was the right call to make. There were too many unknowns for me to drop everything and simply believe your word over all of the Alliance intell."

Shepard gave a sad smile. Kaiden held his morals close and the man was truly incorruptible, probably the feature she liked best about him. Reaching out she grasped his arm softly, "I understand your reasons but can't you even just come out and say you were wrong? That you're sorry for what happened and what was said?" With a growing amount of worry she let go of his arm and took a step back, "Are you even sorry?"

Quickly Kaiden reached out and wrapped his arms around her, "If you would have let me say it earlier." He gave her a gentle squeeze and said, "I'm sorry."

With a wave of immense relief, Shepard tightly hugged him back and buried her face in his shoulder. Her eyes were getting watery and she felt like she was making a fool of herself but it didn't matter. Having Kaiden back on her side was a win she needed more than she cared to admit. This one moment was something she was going to hold onto for as long as possible.

After a few seconds of silence, Kaiden let out a low chuckle, "But I am not admitting I was wrong. I know if you hear me say that, I'll never live it down."

Laughing along with him, she left his arms and quickly wiped away the tears in her eyes, "I would have let you off eventually." He gave her a pointed look prompting Shepard to add, "It would have only been blackmail material until you bought me off with a really grand gesture, probably a new Mako for the SR2."

"Not a chance Shepard," Alenko responded with a smile. Afterwards though he became more serious and continued, "I'm really glad we were able to clear this up Jane but there are some things I need to discuss with you."

With a sigh, Shepard leaned back up against the wall and responded, "Okay, what is it this time? Seeing as how Anderson was the most recent person I've pissed off, I'm guessing you're here on his behalf right?"

Alenko nodded, "Your right, it is Anderson. He has been trying to contact you since yesterday but none of his messages are getting through. Jane, what happened that caused you to completely burn your connection with him?"

She threw her arms in the air and gave him a look, "I don't know what it is Kaiden but apparently taking the job of a Councilor makes you stupid. He wouldn't listen to reason and he gave me a terrible order so I made my own call and disobeyed him."

"We're talking about Anderson here," he said uncomfortably. "I'm sure he was trying to do what he thought was best. And do you really think pushing him away is a good idea? No offense, but you don't have a lot of connections left in the galaxy."

"Then I'll go it alone," Shepard replied back seriously. "I have my squad and I have a ship. The Council has never really been on my side and my last official briefing with them, they ordered me to stay out of Council space. They gave me this job as Spectre and I will do my duty and defend this galaxy but I'm seriously considering just ignoring them all from now on."

Watching Alenko's reaction, she could tell he was thrown by her statement. Kaiden walked over and leaned against the wall next to her, "Wow. You, uh…you sure about that Jane?"

Shepard laughed back nervously, "I'm not sure of anything anymore. Anderson was a friend but his actions on the Council prove otherwise, Sparatus and Valern have as much love for me as I do them, Tevos just recently said that she trusts me but again recent actions prove otherwise." She stood up and took a few steps forward running a hand through her hair. After a moment, she turned back around and faced Kaiden, "The last time I spoke to Admiral Coleman of the Sixth Fleet he said the Alliance would back any action I take to stop the Reapers. But honestly, how long will that offer last? Eventually some event will occur and I'll make a decision they don't agree with and once more be on my own. To be perfectly honest, I may already have seeing as how I've blown off Anderson."

Bringing all of this up wasn't helping her stay calm but now that she had an audience to vent at she couldn't stop. Pacing slowly in front of Kaiden she continued, "Back in the Alliance, everything was simple. Find the bad guy, kill the bad guy, and go home. Rinse and repeat. We never had to deal with the apocalypse of all things. Last I remember N7 training never covered what to do in case killer robots from dark space invade. So now I'm playing solider and diplomat, trying to get everyone to prepare and flat out believe what I'm telling them. And now if that wasn't enough, the galaxy has a new race of giant cats with the technology to build twenty-kilometer long warships, deciding to invade and conquer us all."

She stopped pacing directly in front of Kaiden and turned to look at him, "How the hell am I supposed to get them on my side now, especially after the Council sabotaged my best chance of actually getting close to one of their leaders and explaining the situation to them. Have you even seen them Kaiden? I thought the Krogan were intimidating up close! Thank god the Kilrathi don't have biotics or we would all be completely screwed."

She looked to the ground shaking her head and put her hands on her hips, "And my current role in the galaxy means that eventually I must confront them and try to get them on our side. I'll tell you right now Kaiden, the situation sucks."

After several seconds Shepard was forced to look back to Kaiden after hearing him utter something that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle. Turns out she was right and the man was fighting down laughter. "You better fill me in on what is so funny," she said threateningly.

He stood up from the wall still chuckling, "After everything you just said and everything you've been through and experienced, you end your rant with 'the situation sucks'. Out of all the colorful words you could have chosen, you simply say it 'sucks'." Kaiden took a step forward to stand right in front of her, "Jane you are completely correct, your situation sucks but we both know you are just going to keep on going and accomplish your mission no matter what life throws at you."

Staring at Alenko's smiling face and hearing him voice his confidence in her, Shepard found herself soon smiling back at him. Seeing her mood lifted, Kaiden continued, "I guess I should let you go now, I need to leave soon myself."

"Where are you going to be stationed now?" Shepard asked.

Kaiden shrugged, "I don't know yet, haven't been told. I'll try reach out when I get the chance."

"Make sure that you do," Shepard said as she pulled him in for a goodbye hug. "Be careful out there. The galaxy was dangerous enough without a war against the Kilrathi going on."

Pulling back, Kaiden gave her nod, "Same to you, Jane."

Task Force 54
TCS Jutland
Captains Quarters

Colonel Blair took a deep breath to steady himself and then knocked and opened the door to the Captain's cabin onboard the Jutland. Inside the spacious room he saw Admiral Richards sitting at his desk, working on whatever needed to be done for the Confederation fleet. Blair quickly shut the door behind him and walked into the room and stood before the man.

"Admiral Richards, there is an urgent matter I need to discuss with you."

Looking up, Richards chuckled softly, "I know you may be used to a relaxed system of rank Colonel, but that was the fastest I've ever seen an officer enter an Admiral's office without permission to do so. What is so urgent you need my undivided attention?"

Keeping his voice steady Blair began, "Sir, three months ago I was running patrols for Admiral Tolwyn in Sol Sector. With you being the head of ConFleet Intell, I'm pretty sure you know what I'm actually talking about."

Seeing the Admiral nod his understanding Blair felt his gut tighten. He continued, "Admiral, during the battle yesterday, the Kilrathi withdrew after that mysterious ship appeared and immediately destroyed a cat cruiser. Just after that ship appeared a signal was discovered being transmitted between this ship and the Kilrathi dreadnought. That signal was an intell package detailing several Kilrathi worlds about to be targeted by the TCS Behemoth. It also gave the specs for the Confed dreadnought."

The Admiral raised his eyebrows in surprise but no other emotion was given. Blair decided to get right to the point, "You and I are the only two people on this fleet that know about the Behemoth. I didn't send that signal so the only other option was you. Did you give the Kilrathi intell on the ship and its targets?"

Blair could feel his heart pounding inside his chest as he waited for the Admiral to give his answer. In his mind he had a chant of please no, please no, please no, repeating over and over again. He hoped it wasn't the man before him but as Richards simply stared back into his eyes, the truth became painfully clear.

Richards sighed and leaned back in his chair, "Yes, I sent the data and told the Kilrathi about the Behemoth and its ongoing operation in Vega Sector."

By the time the Admiral was done speaking Blair had his pistol drawn and pointed at the man's chest. Despite the number of emotions he was feeling at this moment his arm never twitched and his voice was sharp, "Get up. We are going to Admiral Eisen and then you will be placed under arrest."

Richards didn't move however and simply tapped his fingers against the desk's surface in a calm, rhythmic manner. "I don't think that will be necessary Colonel. If you would allow me the chance to explain why-"

"You don't get a chance," Blair icily cut in. "You're a traitor to the Confederation and that one signal you sent may cost us the rest of the war. Now on your feet."

Richards shook his head, still disturbingly calm, "There are many factors at work here you do not understand. Please put away the pistol and let us talk this through."

Blair's answer was simple, "No."

Richards let out a long sigh and stared at Blair for a time before saying, "I'm afraid then that I must insist you hand over your weapon and take a seat."

Just as Blair's mouth was opening in reply, he heard a second laser pistol charge up in the room and then a barrel was pressed into the back of his neck.

A feminine voice spoke behind him, "Next time you enter a room, clear your corners first." The laser pistol pressed slightly harder into his neck, "Now please hand over your weapon and take a seat like the Admiral ordered. There is no need for this to escalate any further."

Taking stock of his new situation, Blair's eyes and aim never left the Admiral. He was trying to judge whether he could take his unknown assailant when Richards spoke again, "Colonel Blair your skill in a fighter is unparalleled. Clearly though, we are not in fighters, but inside my office. Make the right choice."

Fuck.

After a few more seconds of indecision, Blair finally made his choice and prayed it was the right one. He slowly brought his pistol up to his shoulder where the women behind him took it out of his grasp, and he took his seat at the Admiral's desk.

He then looked to his right to see the familiar looking young women holster his pistol and sit in the seat next to him. Blair was surprised to find that she looked actually quite nervous about the whole situation. Judging by the sound of the voice he had heard behind himself, Blair would have thought he would find it belonging to a rough and seasoned marine. Clearly this was not the case and just when Blair was having second thoughts, Richards spoke up once again.

"Don't judge a book by its cover Colonel. Ensign Davis is a part of ConFleet Intell and my personal assistant for a reason."

Hearing the name it dawned on Blair who the women was, "You're that Ensign Davis at the briefing above Earth, the receptionist that greeted everyone before the meeting explaining the expedition through the mass relays."

She smiled back with genuine enthusiasm, "It's a real pleasure to meet you again Colonel."

Confused at her attitude to the situation, Blair could only nod back before turning to face Richards, "You mind now explaining why you don't deserve to be shot for treason."

The Admiral remained passive despite Blair's attitude, "Treason. A weighted word, especially during times of war, but is what I do truly treason? Maybe, maybe not, but no one will ever know because what I do will never be told. Ever.

"Yes I sent that message to the Kilrathi dreadnought and in doing so ended a battle that would have cost us all our lives and everyone on that station. So in that sense, I am a hero. But you are right; the contents of that message most likely will mean the destruction of the Behemoth and the deaths of many Confed personal trying to defend it. In this instance, I am a traitor."

Blair spoke up, "I'm not hearing anything to make me understand your point. What the hell is going on and why did you doom the Confederation's last chance to win this war outright?"

Richards nodded in understanding, "Bear with me Colonel, this will take a minute to explain. You know the Kilrathi's history. They have waged war against every space faring species they have encountered, everyone. Only two have ever been able to actually oppose them. Ourselves and the Mantu. The Kilrathi war against the Mantu is unique in that the Kilrathi would have not straight out won the war. The Mantu were strong enough to match the Kilrathi blow for blow in every engagement, did you know that?"

That news was actually new to Blair. He had not known the Mantu were that powerful.

He shook his head and Richards continued, "It is not common knowledge and the Kilrathi we have interrogated don't like to admit it but it is true. The Mantu were powerful enough to actually drive back the Kilrathi in several engagements of the war, until they suddenly pulled back into their own territory, never to be heard from again."

"Why?" asked Blair.

Richards shrugged, "We honestly don't know. Neither do the Kilrathi and the cats patrol their shared border rigorously to prevent any future attacks. But for our discussion that doesn't matter. What matters is this. The Kilrathi fear and respect the Mantu. That war lasted only a few years and the next time the Mantu emerge, the Kilrathi will spare no expense in utterly destroying them with all the power they have at their disposal. Because they fear and respect them, over a war lasting a few years.

"Now a century later, the Kilrathi come in contact with the Terran Confederation. Over the next few years they poke and they prod testing themselves against us in light engagements before the Confederation finally votes to go to war. At this point we are nothing to them. An insignificant species like all the rest they have conquered. We are beneath the Kilrathi in every way. The first few battles are devastating losses for the Confederation due to the cats superior torpedo technology and their favored ambush tactics involving overwhelming numbers. Then came the Battle for McAuliffe in 2634. We lost so much in those four days of fighting but we proved to the Kilrathi we were not their prey to be slaughtered. We were just as deadly and just as committed to the war as the cats. I have testimony from a captured Kilrathi officer who served with Admiral Nargth, commander of the Second Fleet of the Claw, which fought the critical battle of the last day. During the battle Admiral Nargth watched as the Terrans destroyed the Imperial Carrier Tukgah in a suicidal action. He then is quoted as saying 'I fear we have underestimated these foes. These humans have Zaga, the warrior spirit, as well.'"

Richards paused and leaned forward, over his desk, toward Blair. He looked the Colonel in the eye and spoke with gravity, "Do you understand the sheer power behind that one sentence? Admiral Nargth was commander of the Second Fleet of the Claw, the second most powerful fleet in the entire Empire. He was a close advisor to the Emperor himself and a tactician without equal; and at a time when humans are viewed as nothing except a pestilence to be conquered, Admiral Nargth complements our fighting spirit. One of the most dangerous and influential Kilrathi in the Empire basically calls us equals. If anyone else had uttered those words, they would have their throat cut and their body dragged through the Imperial City as a warning to others."

Satisfied that Colonel Blair understood, Richards leaned back in his seat once more and continued, "Over the next twenty years the Kilrathi and Confederation fought for control of Vega Sector, the primary region of space our two civilizations border one another. Neither side makes any real gains and the war falls into a stalemate. For twenty years we fight against the Kilrathi, facing their fleets with our own. Testing our will against theirs, and over these twenty years something occurs. Something so very small it is almost impossible to see but it is there for those that look. The Kilrathi have a growing respect for the Confederation. It is not much, as I said before almost invisible, but it is there. We may not have been as strong as the Mantu had been, but through our clever use of tactics and fighting spirit, we proved to the Kilrathi that they would not simply march over us in victory.

"But those twenty years pale in comparison to the last ten. It is over the course of the last decade that the Confederation's technological superiority begins to become apparent. It is because we adapt faster than the Kilrathi at war and we fear the possibility of defeat more so. This is the push that causes us to become a true threat. Our capital ships begin to destroy more than their fair share of the Kilrathis, and our fighters and bombers out preform the cats aging designs. Over the course of this decade the Kilrathi are forced to up war production and field more and more ships in battle. And an action on this scale is not lost on the rest of the Empire. It is over this decade the other clans first question the 'all knowing' Emperor. They begin to whisper questions 'did he not promise us quick victory?', 'why are we losing on this new front?', and most importantly 'how are the humans standing against us?'. Doubt has firmly settled in all their minds, permanently overshadowing everything the Emperor says. But doubt doesn't compare to respect or even fear."

Richards let out a chuckle and said, "In the battle yesterday we faced off against the dreadnought KIS Vengeance of Vukar Tag; so named to strike fear in the minds of all the humans that face it. Ironically the name works in the opposite way. Vukar Tag will always be a reminder of how the mighty Kilrathi armada was utterly humbled by the Confederation navy. On the planet's surface the Confederation destroys the ancestral home of the Kiranka clan. The Emperor himself grew up there. All royal family members at one time lived there, and we destroyed it. A direct insult to the royal family. To regain lost honor the Emperor orders the Home Fleet, the largest and most powerful Kilrathi fleet, to retake the planet. Alongside the carriers sent were Imperial Guards, the most deadly of their ground troops. Enough foot soldiers to hold Earth for a time if they so choose. The entire fleet together was powerful, invincible, and unstoppable and our forces defeat them. Two-thirds of their fleet destroyed and 40,000 of their elite soldiers killed by the end of the fighting. Our own forces lost merely a fraction of our total strength. That battle is a testament to the Confederation's overwhelmingly superior strategy and tactics and our determination to survive and excel in the face of hardship. The Battle of Vukar Tag in 2667 proves our mettle and for the first time since the wars inception, the Kilrathi are openly afraid.

"It was at the end of that specific battle a shift in power occurs. The Kilrathi had always had an advantage in numbers against us. They still did in most ships but not where it counted. The Confederation finally, after the fighting over Vukar Tag, had more fleet carriers online and fighting on the front lines than the Kilrathi. Not only that, but intelligence gathered tells us that our fleet carrier production outstripped the Kilrathi's for the next four years. We had a three to one advantage in fighter and bomber strength for the next four years. I can safely tell you without a doubt, the Confederation would have won the war in three of those four years. This is not me bragging but the cold hard statistics of war. Our fighters and bombers were more advanced and we had more than the Kilrathi. If we had maintained a constant offensive all the way to Kilrah, we would have been in orbit of their home world in three years.

"The Kilrathi knew this as well, and they were afraid. For the first time in their recorded history, they were losing a war. The Kilrathi also had the same numbers as us and they knew in three years, the Confederation would be over their home world. It was out of this desperation and fear the Emperor was forced to reveal his secret construction of the Hakaga class of super carriers. These ships were being built in secret to eventually assault the Mantu in the next war; they were never intended to face the Confederation simply because we were 'unworthy'."

Richards let out a heavy sigh and stared at his desk, "From here you know the story. In order to buy time and possibly cripple the Confederation, the false armistice was made. We fell for it and paid the price. The Confederation went from winning the war to barely struggling by. I told you and Eisen myself, in little over a year the Kilrathi will once again be above Earth."

Blair watched as Richards remained silent and seemed to be lost in thought. As much as he distrusted the man now, Blair knew what he was going through. Admiral Richards was a career man in the Confed Navy since the war's beginning and while he wasn't on the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the war, he had grown up alongside those who were. They were all old comrades and now they were all dead. It was safe to assume Richards had lost nearly all his remaining close friends after the Kilrathi suicide bomber killed the entire group.

After a few seconds the Admiral seemed to shake himself back to the present and looked toward Blair once more, "The Battle for Earth was a terrible defeat but whether it truly costs us the war remains to be seen. You know the Kilrathi have been taking steps to simply wipe us out. No longer are they fighting to conquer but to annihilate us. What you don't know is that this is not the decision of the Kilrathi as a whole. This was made solely by the Emperor and his grandson Prince Thrakhath."

Blair looked to him in confusion, "What does it matter who gave the order, the fact they are taking this action is bad enough for us."

Richards shook his head and replied, "It matters more than you know. I have explained to you how the Confederation has slowly earned the respect and fear of the Kilrathi Empire as a whole. As insane as it sounds, finally they consider us their equals. A true force that has weathered the storm of their most brutal attacks and still had the strength to fight back. Now a few Kilrathi have decided to simply wipe us out. What happens next? The Confederation decides to do the same. We match them blow for blow, fleet for fleet, and now finally planet for planet. We are their equals in combat what else can they expect us to do, and this fact scares the rest of the Empire.

"Just like when we utterly destroyed their finest forces over Vukar Tag, what will the Confederation do in response to the deaths of their worlds and billions of their kind? What is at risk? What if the unthinkable occurs and the humans manage to penetrate into the Empire yet again? What happens if this force makes it to Kilrah? We bombed their Earth, left it in near ruins. What if this is Kilrahs fate? What if the home world was made lifeless? What will our future be then? These are the questions going through the minds of the clan leaders for Kilrathi Empire.

"Colonel Blair, this is why I told Vak nar Ragitagha of the Behemoths existence. Even if that warship never fires a single shot or destroys a single planet, the sheer fact it exists and the Confederation is willing to take this war to the next level, is enough to start a chain of events within the Empire that may result in a true cease fire between our people."

Blair could only stare at the elderly man completely stunned by what he had heard. He looked over to Davis sitting next to him and she seemed to believe in Richards words as she nodded her approval. He looked back to Richards and couldn't decide what to even say. Finally it came to him, "That's the most insane plan I have ever heard."

Instead of becoming angry or frustrated Richards just sighed and nodded in agreement, "It is one of the longest shots I have ever tried but I firmly believe it is the Confederation's only hope for survival."

"Only hope for survival?" Blair repeated still stunned. "I'll tell you what our only hope is, blowing Kilrah into tiny bits of space debris. This war ends with it being them or us. They've proved this already."

"What have they proved exactly?" Richards asked back. "I have told you that the decision to wipe us out came from only two in the billions of Kilrathi alive today; two Kilrathi with a quickly slipping hold on the throne. The other clans are poised to rebel and the Behemoth may be the final straw."

Blair wasn't impressed yet, "So you have walked the streets of Kilrah taking a public poll then? You know what the average citizen is thinking? Our only safe bet is to take out Kilrah and completely destabilize their entire government."

Richards shook his head sadly, "Destroying Kilrah would lead to peace? I can tell you Colonel Blair, that you are perhaps half right. Destroying the Kilrathi home world would lead to only one of two events. The first being what you personally believe. Wipe out the planet, destabilize the government and send a shockwave so far into the Kilrathi's psyche they never rise up ever again.

"The second option would mean the end of all human life. Destroy Kilrah and every Kilrathi alive today swears a blood oath of revenge against the loss of their most sacred possession. The entire Kilrathi race rises up as one. No more feuds between clans, no more petty disagreements. All is wiped away for the resulting war of annihilation against all human life in the galaxy. Nowhere in the galaxy can we hide, the Kilrathi will follow and kill us until the end of time.

"Those are the only two options. Destroy Kilrah and we have a fifty-fifty shot at winning this war or dooming every human in the galaxy. Are you willing to take that risk? Are you willing to hold the lives of every Confederation citizen in your hands and simply flip a coin to see if they live or die? I have spent the past ten years working toward my plan and I know it is the safest course of action for everyone involved. Including the Kilrathi."

Throat dry, and head spinning from the Admiral's prediction for the Confederation's future at the death of Kilrah, Blair could only ask, "What do you mean you have been working at this for ten years?"

"Vak nar Ragitagha is leader for the Ragitagha clan, the largest and arguably most powerful clan composing the Kilrathi Empire," Richards explained. "He is also a very smart Kilrathi in that his loyalty is not solely the Emperor's. Vak wants the Kilrathi as a species to survive and grow stronger and he is willing to bend some rules and traditions to make his dream come true.

"Ten years ago, I contacted Vak with an offer. I told him how I was the head of ConFleet Intell and privy to huge amounts of classified intelligence. I explained how I would be willing to share bits of my knowledge, if he would give something back. At first I think it's safe to assume that Vak thought I was insane to be trying to pull something over on him. He probably figured he could play this silly human for valuable information and give nothing but false data in return.

"The first time we traded intell he gave me such a terrible report it was almost laughable. But for my plan to succeed I still had to give him something in return. So I gave him jump coordinates that lead straight into a neutron star. Vak had no idea however and thought I gave him a back door into the Enigma Sector. Needless to say, the fleet he sent through never returned."

Richards laughed out loud as he continued his story, "You should have seen his face when I contacted him again a week later. Vak was absolutely furious that I had deceived him. I calmly explained to him again that this deal between us was to better both sides in the war and next time he shouldn't lie to me. He roared back that there would never be a next time and ended our transmission.

"So I gave him another week to calm down and then tried to contact him again. Once I got through to Vak, I explained how the Confederation would be launching an offensive soon in the next few days and how wouldn't it be wonderful if Vak could be the one to save the day. Naturally he was still angry and suspicious but he stayed to ask me what I wanted in return. I told him I needed data on a specific planet away from the front lines. Eventually he agreed to my terms and a partnership was born.

"For the next ten years, Vak and I have been trading intell to further our races advancement in the war. Over this time we have developed a…mutual respect. I know to never trust him implicitly and he knows the same, but we both understand that we gain more working together than working alone. In the past few months though our relationship has changed drastically."

Richards looked to Blair and became serious, "Just before the first Kilrathi attack during the fake peace, Vak contacted me. He would not sell out his people and gave no information of when or where the surprise assault would occur, but he did give me a warning. Vak told me of Prince Thrakhath's plan to bomb our worlds with radioactive ordinance. He wanted me to try and prepare our citizens and lessen the damage done. When I asked why he would tell me this he replied that the Prince's plan was cowardly and without honor. He said that over our war, humans have proved themselves worthy to exist alongside the Kilrathi. Not as trusted allies or really even friends, but simply exist with a mutual respect."

Richards leaned back into his chair, "I told you before, Vak is different from most Kilrathi. He wants his Empire to survive. The Terran Confederation now threatens that dream because the Emperor and his grandson refuse to admit that they were wrong and humans are worthy of respect. Thanks to my work alongside Vak's, the Empire of Kilrah is poised on the verge of revolution. Vak has already convinced four of the other clans to join his side. This gives Vak a five on three advantage when he tries to overthrow the Emperor. All the Confederation needs to do now is just hold on a little longer and not do anything incredibly foolish like blowing up Kilrah. If we can do that, Vak will launch his coup and declare an immediate cease fire with the Confederation. Our thirty-six year long war will finally end."

Blair remained silent as Richards finished explaining his actions. He stared at the Admiral's desk trying to process the information he had just heard. It all sounded very impressive but almost too fanciful. Two covert agents from each side, working together with a mutual goal of lasting peace? This was the stuff that made up spy movies, not real life. Blair couldn't shake the feeling that the older man was simply grasping at any option he could, especially the incredibly farfetched ones.

His eyes never leaving Blair since he had finished speaking, Richards tilted his head to the side and asked, "You don't believe this could work, do you?"

Meeting the Admiral's gaze, Blair was trying to see the man's side of things, "Your entire plan comes down to the fact that one Kilrathi you say you have befriended is willing to end the war and at the same time keep the rest of his species in line. All without the power of having the Emperor behind him." Blair shrugged and shook his head, "The position of Emperor is vital to the Kilrathi system of self-governance. There are too many clan's all vying for power for one Kilrathi clan leader to hope to control them all, without rightfully attaining the throne."

The Admiral nodded, "I agree it's risky, but the prize of success is worth that risk."

This was the topic Blair's feelings were perfectly clear on, "And you are making that decision for the whole of the Confederation?"

Richard's gaze hardened slightly, "The situation has been placed before me."

"Then the correct procedure would to bring that situation to the Joint Chiefs and President," Blair replied back, his own voice hardening. "You are one Admiral in a military system of dozens who report to our Commander in Chief. They should be informed and then decide the correct way to proceed."

"Too dangerous," Richards replied sharply. "As disgusting as it is, the cats have turned some of our own kind against us. Their spies have penetrated the upper echelons of our government before; I won't let my plan be interfered with."

"What makes your plan so much better than Admiral Tolwyn's," Blair said turning angry once more. "I may not fully agree with the man, but Tolwyn is hands down the Confederation's best strategist and tactician. If anyone could pull off an assault against the Kilrathi home world it would be him."

Richards actually chuckled, and shook his head sadly, "All of you hard military types say the same thing and you've been listening to your old friend General Taggart too much, Colonel. I just explained how the Confederation and Kilrathi could one day live side by side in peace and all you continue to see is a threat to be exterminated. Your letting your experience fighting the Kilrathi on the front lines influence your judgment."

"And you've been sitting behind a desk for so long you've forgotten what this war really costs," Blair shot back. "When was the last time you talked to one of our marines? They can tell you the horror stories of what the cats do to their POWs. You speak of their respect and fear toward humanity and yet I still see Kilrathi pilots target and destroy our fighters' life pods. There can't be a peace with the Kilrathi, our cultures are simply too distant from one another."

Richards eyes filled with anger and his voice was strong, "Don't you dare claim your loss is greater than mine. I was fighting this war long before you even saw a fighter up close. You somehow discovered my transmission and I thought you deserved an explanation. That's what's going on here."

"I should have shot you when I had the chance," Blair said softly but with plenty of loathing. "You deserve it for all the deaths that transmission of your will cause."

"Then our discussion is finished," said Richards as he stood and walked around his desk to Ensign Davis. She stood when Richards reached her and the Admiral held out his hand to the young women. Blair could see in her face she looked conflicted but she still handed over Blair's laser pistol to the Admiral. Davis then backed up several feet giving the Admiral room with Blair.

"Stand up Colonel," Richards spoke curtly.

Blair rose from his seat slowly and faced the Admiral with all the determination and anger he could show. Just because the man held his gun, didn't mean the Admiral intimidated him.

"The choice is yours on how this proceeds," Richards began to explain. "You have only two options. The first option is that you swear to me now that what was discussed in this room you will never reveal to anyone else for the remainder of your life. I will then let you go and you can continue your job of defending the Confederation in our struggle. However, over the remainder of your military career should you ever receive an order from ConFleet Intell that disobeys set mission parameters you will follow my orders over those of your current commanders; no matter what my orders may be. You belong to ConFleet Intell now.

"If you do tell anyone or you attempt to interfere with my plans in any way, I will not only end your life but everyone you ever told or got to aid you even in the most indirect way. I don't care how valuable you may think you are to the Confederation war effort Colonel; everyone is expendable in this conflict."

To say that Blair hated the man standing before him would be an understatement, "If I don't agree with those terms?"

Richards remained emotionless, "Option two is I kill you right here, right now."

Despite the words Blair was about to say, his eyes spoke the truth, One day I am going to kill you.

"I'll do it," Blair said. "I'll work for you and keep my mouth shut. But I will never agree with your plan."

"Your agreement was never necessary Colonel," the Admiral responded as he gave back Blair's laser pistol. He then walked to his desk and sat in his chair while saying, "Since I am returning to Confederation space, while you and this task force aren't, I will be leaving Ensign Davis here with you. From now on Ensign Davis of the Confed Navy will be Captain Davis of the Space Forces. She will be a permanent assignment to your Excalibur squadron and will be my voice while I am away. When she gives you an order it is to be followed as if I spoke the words myself is that clear?"

"Crystal sir," Blair spoke through clenched teeth.

"Good, you both are dismissed then," Richards said as he then got back to his waiting work.

Blair stood still with his hands tightened into fists, nails digging into his palms, as he stared at the Admiral. Captain Davis gave a quick salute and then walked back to the office's door, opening it, and then waiting for Colonel Blair. Finally, after long silent moments, Blair turned around and headed for the door. As he took one step out Richards called to him again, prompting Blair to pause but not turn around.

"Colonel Blair, I was wrong when I said everyone is expendable. Don't do anything we will both come to regret."

Blair continued out of the office and walked straight across the hall to stand in front of the opposite wall. When the door was closed by Davis, he turned around and gave her a hard look. After a few silent seconds of looking back at him she spoke.

"If you're thinking of trying to overtake me and then rush back in to kill Admiral Richards, I'd advise against it," she said deadly serious. "I don't know about your close combat skills but the last time I fought and killed a Kilrathi marine, it was hand to hand with me holding his dagger."

Storing that information away for later, Blair shook his head, "I wasn't thinking about that."

"Oh…well good," Davis replied looking relieved and slightly embarrassed. "After what you just went through it's hard to tell what you're actually thinking. Want to talk it out, maybe I can help you through this, uh…transition."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Blair continued to stare at her until he said, "Based on your reaction to seeing me over Earth and then seeing Captain Bondarvesky as well, I would guess that you truly do look up to us as heroes of the Confederation. Is that true?"

Davis smiled widely, "Of course I do! Your exploits are legendary, so are the Captains. Back at the academy there was an entire section in piloting class on the maneuvers you invented yourself."

Blair was still staring her down, "And yet despite this, you were actually willing to let that man kill me without saying a word? You clearly weren't happy with the events progressing in that office but you didn't even need to ask Richards what he meant when he put out his hand for my pistol. I'm forced to ask, does he hold many people at gunpoint?"

Davis was nervous but held his gaze, "No one's actually ever caught him in the act before like you did."

"Would you have let him kill me?" Blair asked bluntly.

She swallowed and averted her eyes from Blair's for a moment before looking back, "I really don't want to answer that question Colonel. Can we change topics?"

Blair could only sigh loudly and shake his head. He lowered his arms and put his hands in his pockets before leaning back up against the hallway wall. He then decided to change topics, "Seeing as how you are now in my squadron and flying the very best, and expensive fighter, the Confederation possess I guess I should get to know you better. How old are you?"

Captain Davis visibly relaxed now that they were discussing other things. "Twenty-five years old, sir," she answered quickly.

"How long have you been an active pilot?" Blair asked next.

"Off and on since graduating at eighteen from the academy back on Earth," Davis answered.

Blair nodded and then asked, "What craft do you have the most experience piloting in missions and simulators?"

"In the simulators I have the most experience flying Hellcats but in actual combat missions I have flown the P-64D Super Ferret," Davis quickly responded.

Blair was expecting the answer of Hellcat for the simulator. That was the standard fighter all new recruits practiced on but the Super Ferret for combat missions threw him. The Super Ferret was the latest upgrade to the aging design of Ferret light fighters. It was still a potent machine of war but mostly replaced by the Arrow for frontline combat.

"Why the Ferret?" he asked genuinely curious.

Davis explained, "Well the Ferret is an older model light fighter which saw the most action over ten years ago. The Super Ferret design today is on par with an Arrow and while it has a lighter armament, it does have a much longer range and smaller radar cross section making it harder to detect. Perfect craft for covert operations run by Intell."

"How long have you worked for Admiral Richards and ConFleet Intell?" Blair asked.

Davis once again seemed nervous but still answered quickly, "Since graduation."

Still curious about the Admiral and the women saddled as his watchdog, Blair decided to let the matter drop for now. If he was going to fish for information he didn't want to push too hard and tip them off to the fact he was doing so.

"Alright then," he began as he pushed himself off the wall, "well the Super Ferret is nearly as fast and maneuverable as the Excaliburs so the change in fighter shouldn't be too hard for you to adjust but I still want you studying the flight manual and logging hours in the simulator as much as possible. I don't care what Admiral Richards says, you become a burden to my squadron and you won't fly with me for long, is that understood?"

Davis came to attention and replied swiftly, "Understood Colonel. I promise I won't let you down. I happen to be a very good pilot and if my kill scores weren't classified I would show them to you."

"I don't care how many kills you have," Blair lightly scolded. "What only matters are the missions you succeed at and come back alive. Now the Admiral gave you the rank of Captain and that will give you some seniority but at your age you'll have to prove you deserve that respect to your fellow pilots. Have you ever been a Captain in a fighter squadron before now?"

Davis nodded, "Yes sir. The Admiral gives me this rank when I need to travel throughout the fleet and fly a fighter. High enough to get things done in an operation, but low enough not to draw to much suspicion for my age."

"Well your age would most likely mean Second or maybe First Lieutenant, not Captain," Blair countered. "But it isn't unheard of for really talented pilots to reach that rank early in their careers. Make sure you live up to that expectation."

Davis nodded back determined, "I will sir."

Blair continued to study the young women before him. She seemed confident enough in her abilities and despite Admiral Richards forcing this situation upon him, he doubted the man would have inept operatives working for him, let alone as a personal assistant. Still, he would reserve total judgment until he saw her in action for himself. Maybe test her patience and temperament too by putting her as Marshall's wingman. If Davis was as an accomplished hand to hand combatant as she earlier claimed, Blair looked forward to seeing how that situation might play out for the overly aggressive Major. The thought of Maniac crippled in the med bay brought a smile to his face and was nearly enough to wipe away the rage he was still feeling after meeting with Richards.

Satisfied with her résumé for now, Blair turned and began to make his way down the hallway, "Come with me then. I need to head back to my office and get you registered as a pilot for my squadron as well as all the other paperwork involved with having a new name placed on a flight roster."

Davis fell into step behind Blair and the two of them began to make their way through the Confederation carrier. Eventually Blair asked a question he figured Davis might know the answer to.

"Admiral Richards said he was soon heading back to Confederation space. What does that mean for the future of our task force if we are staying here?"

"Task Force 54 is now headed back to the Asari world of Illium," Davis answered. "From there the Admiral will break up this fleet and head back into Confederation space using a completely different mass relay than the one we used to get here."

Blair stopped walking and turned to Davis, "What do you mean a completely different relay?"

"Back at the Citadel, Richards received a complete map of all active and dormant mass relays currently known to the Citadel races," she explained back. "By now the Kilrathi know about how we have been sharing the relay they discovered first. It would be too dangerous to continue passing through it, especially now that the cats are at war with the Citadel races. Most likely it is already being fortified with orbital stations and dry-docks to aid them in the coming months.

"With the map Richards received, he was able to locate another active mass relay that leads to a lifeless system that is close enough to begin a journey back to Confederation space using our jump drives. Unfortunately for us, this journey adds a week onto the trip and now our ships are forced to travel through the Argent Sector instead of Enigma. For now it's safe to say the Kilrathi have a massive logistical advantage in reaching the mass relays and Citadel space."

That news brought no comfort to Blair. Argent Sector was on the opposite side of the heavily fortified Enigma Sector and had been completely exempt from any Kilrathi attacks during the entire war. In other words it was only lightly defended at most. If the Kilrathi ever learned of this route and took advantage of it, the Confederation would be scrambling ships to seal the breach leaving the front lines even more stretched than they already were.

Apparently, Davis could see what he was thinking, "You don't have to worry about Argent being so undefended. Once Richards returns there is a plan in place to defend our relay just as the Kilrathi are planning to defend theirs. Hopefully they will never find out, and if they do, our defenses will stop them."

"I hope your right," Blair then began to make his way through the ship once more. "Anyways, back to the fleet, what's happening to us?"

"Admiral Richards is taking a majority of the ships back with him," she answered walking alongside Blair. "Only the TCS Jutland along with five destroyers and five cruisers will remain behind. The TCS Enigma needs repairs a.s.a.p. and the two light carriers will be donating their fighters and bombers to the Jutland so she once again has a full flight of ninety strike craft. Ten of those being the flight of Excaliburs, they will remain here and help offset the loss of firepower."

"Richards is cutting our fleet strength in half?" Blair questioned.

"Well now that we know what's beyond the relays and how superior our ships are to the other races, we won't need so much firepower," Davis responded. She then looked uncomfortable, "At least, this is what the Admiral believes. Our only real threat will be any Kilrathi ships we encounter. At least, them or those Collectors who seem to be interested in us."

After a few moments of silence from Blair, she looked to him and asked, "You don't approve of the Admiral's decisions?"

"No, I don't," he said back unhappily. "You said it yourself, no one out here is a clear threat to us, so why are we wasting our resources this far out from the front lines. Our enemy is the Kilrathi, not the numerous pirate and mercenary warlords of the Terminus systems."

Now standing in front of the wing commander's office, Blair opened the door allowing Davis in first. She chuckled back to him, "I understand your frustration but I think you are underestimating the Kilrathi's interest in this new region of space. I know for a fact that you have nothing to fear Colonel; our fleet will be plenty busy in the coming days."