Hey guys and gals, before we begin I've been thinking about the Council's incompetence during the original Mass Effect trilogy and I'd like to hear your opinions on it.

I think that the Citadel station has the ability to indoctrinate those that live on it, but it takes a very long period of time to do so and it's to a very small extent of just altering the perception of anyone with enough power to threaten the Reapers plans, IE why the Council brushes Shepard off at almost every step our journey throughout the games when we warn them of the Reaper threat until it's already too late. I know it might seem really stupid because of one reason or another, but take into account the thing is already a massive trap in the first place and in Mass Effect 2 when you go back to the Citadel and speak with C-sec and the Council about Saran's attack, everyone but Anderson thinks that Sovereign was only a Geth ship. Plus the Council continues to not believe you for a moment even if you did save them in Mass Effect 1 after seeing Sovereign's overwhelming power destroy the Citadel Fleet and a lot of the Alliance Arcturus Fleet with it. It would also make sense for Mass Effect 3 as well for why the Council would rather turtle up and let Earth fall then coordinating together to beat the Reapers.

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Star Chart: Slipspace Nexus en route to Batarian Capital Planet…

Location: Aboard the U.N.S.C. Spirit of Fire

Date: 15 February 2560…

Time: 06:00 military standard time…

"So you're going to be following us around?" Leonidas asked looking at his assignment and scrolling through the Spectre's dosa. Evidently, the Admiral had ordered that all field and spec-ops units were to get to know the Council 'tagalongs' as of the most crew called them.

"Yes, it's nice to meet all of you my name is Tela Vasir," the Asari said in the friendliest way she could, with a polite smile to top it off.

"I'm Leonidas out in the field and over comms my callsign is Blaze I'm, Fireteam lead," Leonidas said, pointing to his right, "over here is Kei, her callsign is Edge, she's our handy squad medic and the quiet one at the end is Photos, his callsign is Reaper, he's my second in command," the two give polite nods to Tela as Leonidas nudges a man to his left that had his nose stuffed in a book, "and this bookworm here is Martin, his callsign is Wolf and he's our oooh most talented combat engineer."

"Hey someone has to be able to fix your gear when you charge headfirst into enemy lines," Martin defended with a cocky grin, gaining a laugh out of the rest of his team.

"What's a callsign?" Tela asked tilting her head quizzically.

"It's a form of nickname while you're in a combat situation, so the enemy can't target team leads as easily when the enemy has your comms," Martin said, closing and setting down his book.

"Your job title says that you are a 'Spectre' what does that entail if you don't mind?" Leonidas asked leaning back in his chair.

"We are the right hand of the Citadel Council upholding peace and justice of Council law throughout the galaxy while existing outside it, if a single Spectre is assisting in a political dispute or in this case war it shows that the Council is taking action and deems the side we fight alongside as the right side," Tela explained receiving scowls from the Fireteam.

"Wait, 'outside the law'," Kei said shocked, "I'm surprised that your coalition has survived as long as it has."

"Why?" Tela asked feeling insulted by Kei's statement.

"Us humans have a saying, 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts, absolutely'," Martin stated setting his forearms on the table, "no government entity should have that kind of power without checks and balances from more than one outside force to make sure terrine doesn't overtake it."

"I see," Tela nodded her head, "if it makes you feel any better if we are seen as a danger to the galactic stability our status is removed and we are hunted. Not to mention there are very few Spectres at any given time."

"How many?" Kei asked perplexed at the statement.

"It's very rare for us to be anywhere over 100 active operators," Tela explained, "matter of a fact this is the largest gathering of Spectre operatives to date, in Citadel history."

"Wow," Photos spoke up for the first time in the conversation, "either your government is highly supportive of us or they are scared shitless."

"Well, the Council has never encountered a civilization like yours which makes you of course a sort of a unknown variable," Tela explained, "that tends to happen when a fleet magically appears in system with promises of war and warnings of immediate destruction of our heads of government as their first contact package and first impression to the rest of the galactic community."

"True, but we humans have never had a peaceful first contact," Leonidas said with a frown, "even the Batarians shot first and asked questions later."

"The Batarians have a relatively aggressive government, I think in your terms they function more Communist but the normal Batarian civilian is more like a stubborn businessman," Tela informed.

"Nice to know, then we shouldn't really see that much terrorist activity if any from the local populous planetside," Leonidas nodded.

"Now you've asked me about my organization I think it's a fair trade if I ask yours. What are Spartans?" Tela asked secretly opening a recorder to download audio, "I've done my research on the project but there are things left out about it."

"We Spartan IV's are mainly just special forces taking out key targets that kind of thing, but if we are seen on the field, then most enemies know that U.N.S.C. mean business," Martin explained, "all we have is slight augmentations to our bodies and minds to make us faster, stronger and quicker than most normal humans and our armor doubles our reflexes, speed, strength and toughness past that point, along with a few more specialized equipment that work for a very specific tasks."

"Like what?" Tela asked leaning over slightly toward Martin to get better audio.

"That's all classified," Photos said, looking at Tela suspiciously.

"Okay," Tela sighed shutting off the recorder knowing she wasn't going to get anywhere with her questioning.

"One last question," Leonidas said leaning forward, "what is biotics? I've seen it stated multiple times in your combat type but it doesn't say what it is."

"Well, it basically is a side effect of being exposed to large amounts of ezzo, the Asari homeworld is covered in it making every Asari a potent Biotic," Tela said pulsing with blue energy to show off, "the practical use of it is telekinesis, creating personal shields without the need of a shield generator but normal shields help keep it stable, creating larger support shields to help against artillery strikes and creating kinetic energy waves to launch or break armored targets, some techniques actually set the target on fire."

"So it's a support type of power with some useful offensive capabilities," Leonidas said tapping his chin, that would be quite useful if we had that kind of advantage during the Great War, "welcome to Fireteam Domino, Miss Vasir, let's see if you're able to keep up."

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Star Chart: Kite's Nest, Harsa System, Khar'shan

Location: Aboard the U.N.S.C. Spirit of Fire

Date: 5 March 2560…

Time: 06:00 military standard time…

"Admiral Cutter, Sword, Dawn, Guardian and Vanquisher War Congregations have jumped at the edge of the system and are hailing us on comms," Marteese Ramsey, Cutter's comm operator called out from his seat on the other side of the room.

Cutter had been sitting at the edge of the Harsa system for the past three solar cycles, gathering data on the defenses of the home system which consisted of warships with the odd station here and there. They were protecting probably infrastructure and shipyards making those clear targets for removal. Cutter mainly used Prowler-class scout ships to estimate the Batarian fleet numbers, which sat at a healthy 1500 warships, 10% cruiser-class, 40% frigate-class and 50% corvette-class. There were also contracted pirate fleets with them, too. Their numbers counting at about 500 severely under classed, undermanned and under armed ships if scans were accurate. 70% of their ships barely met corvette-class and the remaining 30% were frigate-class at best. This totaled the enemy presents to be 2000 ships in power to defend the home system.

"Tell them to meet me in the war room, on deck B-16," Cutter ordered receiving a 'yes, sir' from the officer, yet as Cutter headed to the door a Salarian entered the room.

"Admiral, may I please speak with you," Jondum Bau requested blocking Admiral Cutter's path.

"What would that be?" Cutter asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"When are we launching our strike we've been sitting here for three days," Jondum asked folding his hands over his chest in the same manner.

"Soon," Cutter said, "I'm going to the war room now to meet with the other Admirals assisting with the mission and if you excuse me I'm going to be late for, said meeting."

"Of course my apologies, Admiral," Jondum nodded stepping out of the way for Cutter and following behind the human.

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As soon as Cutter entered the war room he found Admirals Rtas, Yen-Keth, N'thavo, and Jonathan speaking about combat coordination, logistics between the fleets for certain supplies and fighter coordination, "Fleetmaster Cutter you're late," Admiral Rtas said being the first one to look up as the door to the war room opened.

"I was attending to other matters," Cutter sighed scratching at the facial hair on his cheek.

"What are we dealing with?" Yen-Keth asked stretching his neck.

"2000 ships, ranging from corvette sized at their smallest and cruiser sized at their largest," Cutter informed the rest, "there are five planets in system, with a singular asteroid belt and a Mass Relay on the other end of the system, most planets are uninhabitable mining worlds except for their homeworld which is the second planet from their star."

"Where are their fleet locations?" Jonathan asked writing notes down on his data-pad.

"Their about 1000 ships blockading the Mass Relay," Cutter said pulling up a system map with red markers as to where they were, "the Mass Relay is where they have stationed government funded pirates, it is most likely given their fleet doctrine that the pirates hold most, if not all their boarding craft and the rest of their ships are spread out into groupings of 200 over each planet."

"This might be a challenge," N'thavo smiled at the defensive stance of the enemy, "so who is taking on which enemy force? This is your operation, you're in charge we're only here for combat support."

"I'll be taking the Capital planet," Cutter clarified, "Rtas, Jonathan hit the fleet near the Mass Relay don't let anyone escape through it but don't hit it or you'll kill everyone in the system."

"Understood," Rtas and Jonathan said simultaneously.

"Yen-Keth you're taking the fifth planet from the star," Cutter informed the Kig-Yar Admiral, "my ONI agents are getting some strange reading from under the planet's surface and I want you to investigate and clear out whatever is down there."

"It will be done," Yen-Keth nodded.

"N'thavo, your to remove the rest of the threats in a system that are not already being dealt with," Cutter looked over at the young Sangheili Admiral, "Rtas will be in to help your fleet once his objective is complete."

"It will be an honor," N'thavo nodded.

"What will I be doing after my objective is complete?" Jonathan asked.

"You are to blockade the Relay from any potential reinforcement groups," Cutter informed, receiving a curt nod in return.

"Admiral Cutter I'd like to requisition a few of your Spartan Fireteams to help clear the planet," Yen-Keth responded.

"I'll be able to spare three Fireteams, will that do?" Cutter asked.

"That should be more than enough," Yen-Keth said with a smile.

"Good, I'll leave your own fleet strategy to you and your Captains to figure out, good hunting Admirals," Cutter saluted the gathered Admirals, receiving the same gesture from them and headed back out of the war room.

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Star Chart: Kite's Nest, Harsa System, Khar'shan

Location: Aboard the Batarian Dreadnought Khan

Date: 03/05/2157 CE…

Time: 06:00 a.m. galactic standard time…

Admiral Ghask Radpamak looked over Khar'shan fear in his eyes as more reports came in about several large energy spikes at the edge of system popping up and the loss of Lorek a key producer of element zero.

I knew we should not have left our territory to fend for themselves. At least then we would have died with some dignity, now we'll die as cowards, Ghask thought in despair, out of moral and out of energy as he prepared to sell the lives of the entire Batarian Navy so the bureaucrats planetside could have a little more time to flaunt around like they still held any actual power left passed the Harsa star system. A lot of soldiers felt that way about the events of the last couple months but not enough to start a coup of their government so they had to follow orders like good soldiers should. Hell, the Council completely abandoned the Batarian race like they had done so before, from the suit rat Quarians and to the warlike Krogan.

"Admiral," one of Ghask's crew members said from behind him with the shaky voice of fear, "it's them."

"I know, young one," Ghask said lowering his head in shame, unable to look at the poor soul behind him, "go and speak to your loved ones planetside through the comms station… make your peace."

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There you go, this war is almost over, at least five more chapters until the end of this arc. I suggest you get your votes in soon before you run out of time. Thank you all for your support with this story. Without all the constant feedback whether you find this a good laugh or you actually find this a good story, I think I would have just stopped writing on this website altogether.

Until next time, this is Iron Warriors signing out.