Well, I was wondering when this might happen… This story is about to have more hits than any other I've yet written. I imagine it'll be there by the end of today, and I find that awesome. I'm glad that folks enjoy the story, and I hope everyone continues to do so.
Once again, my thanks go to Stickki for his assistance in finding my grammatical foibles and pointing out the important details I missed.
Mr. Martin: Oddly enough, I was already planning on including that event. Still working the details, but the few bits I could see in my head looked pretty good.
I'll let the new plot developments speak for themselves. On with the show!
Mass Effect. BioWare. Not mine. (I'm running out of ways to say this.)
The ambassador arranged their meeting with the Council. He and the captain departed to ensure the Council was ready to hear the evidence. That gave the team more than enough time to make their way to the Council Chamber. Once they were alone, Shepard turned to the group. "Alright, I want Kaidan, Ashley, and Tali with me. Garrus…"
The turian raised a three-fingered hand. "I'll swing by C-Sec again and see if there's anything I can dig up on recent geth activity," he replied. "If we're lucky, some of the reports Tali heard will have made it there."
"Good," Shepard said with a nod. "We'll be swinging through the C-Sec Academy lobby on the way to the Normandy, anyway. We'll find you there."
Garrus's mandibles opened in a smile. "I'll need to let them know I'm going with you, anyway."
The Normandy? Their ship was the Normandy? The achievement that had first caught in interest in humanity… and Tali was going to be on her?
After that many days under almost constant attack, when she'd felt she must have angered Keelah in some way, a reward presented itself.
Wrex moved toward the door, pausing when he got to Shepard. "Where's your ship docked?"
Shepard looked at him for a moment. "Port 34-Thiatic," he replied. "You're sticking around?"
"Why not?" Wrex asked. "Soon as I get paid I've got nothing keeping me here. Haven't seen a good fight in a while, and you look like you're about to head straight into one."
Shepard smirked. "Every chance. Be there in two hours." The krogan nodded, lumbering towards the door. Garrus gave a nod to the group, mimicking Wrex's gait for a few steps as he departed as well.
Tali smiled at the display, her quiet chuckle joining Alenko's. Alenko's hand had gone to the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. Williams looked over at Shepard with a cocked eyebrow. "You sure about these guys, skipper?"
"As allies?" Shepard asked. Williams nodded. "Enough to give them a chance," he replied.
Williams was strange to Tali. Almost every human she'd met had been open to other races, to trusting them as other sentient beings. Maybe she'd met only those in the supportive minority, and Williams's sentiments were more common among her race.
But Tali hoped not. There was enough distrust among the races of Citadel space as it was. There was no need for more.
"Let's get moving." Shepard led the way out the door, Tali moving up alongside him. Somehow, she felt safer there… Probably because he was the first person in a while to not shoot at her.
They soon passed through the embassy lobby, Shepard coming to a stop. "Commander?" Alenko asked.
"We've got some time to kill," he replied, pointing to the stairwell on the far side the lobby. "Want to explore a bit?" He didn't wait for a reply, instead simply starting for the stairs. Williams started after him quickly, Alenko joining her after giving a light chuckle.
Tali watched for a moment, but finally jogged to catch up.
As they moved along the corridor, the door at the far end opened. It appeared to be the entrance to a lounge of some kind. A human, dark skinned with fur on his face and wearing a tailored suit, stopped as he spotted them. His eyes widened in recognition as they approached him. "Commander Shepard, the man said, catching Shepard's attention. "May I have a moment of your time?" His voice carried an accent different from the three humans with her. She was curious as to why, but it was hardly the time to ask. She held back, allowing her companions to move closer to the man.
"Is there something I can do for you?" Shepard replied as he came to a stop.
"I hope so," the man replied. "I do apologize for my intrusion, but I feel I have no one else to turn to."
Shepard held up a hand. "There's nothing to apologize for. What's wrong?" Tali could hear a calm patience in the Shepard's voice.
"My name is Samesh Bhatia," the man said. "My wife was a marine assigned to Eden Prime, serving in the 212."
A look of recognition suddenly crossed Williams's features. "Bhatia… You're Nirali Bhatia's husband?" Samesh nodded. "I'm Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams," she continued. "We served in the same unit."
A ghost of a smile crossed Samesh's lips. "Chief Williams... Yes, Nirali mentioned you on several occasions. You had earned her trust, and her respect."
Williams stepped closer to him, taking hold of his shoulder. "Nirali was a good woman. I could always count on her to have my back when things got tough." She sighed. "I am very sorry for your loss."
"Thank you, Chief Williams." She stepped back, and Samesh continued. He suddenly sounded very… tired. "I had requested for her body to be returned home for cremation… but the military refused the request."
"What?" Williams snapped. "Why would they do that?"
Samesh shook his head. "I don't know. They simply declared the return of her body to be impossible. Every time I ask why, they tell me that it is classified."
Williams looked furious, but she kept herself in check. She turned, looking at Shepard. Shepard's eyebrows had furrowed as he shook his head. "That is bullshit," he said, speaking in a matter-of-fact fashion. "There is NO reason for the Alliance to hold her body from you. I'll look into this."
"Thank you, Commander," Samesh said. "The man I had spoken with before is a Mr. Bosker. I believe I saw him in the embassy lounge." He pointed back at the door he'd just passed through.
"Commander," Williams said, "if you don't mind, I'd like to stay here with Mr. Bhatia for a bit."
"Not a problem," Shepard replied to her. To Samesh, he said, "I'll sort this out." Shepard moved past him, walking toward the door. Tali and Alenko followed.
They found him. Bosker had been relaxing in the lounge, seeming more interested in the fact Commander Shepard was speaking with him than in doing his job. Tali was unimpressed; every member of a quarian crew had to do their job. All had to work together. If anyone focused on their own interests, set aside their responsibilities, people could die.
From what Tali could see right then, Bosker wouldn't make it on a quarian ship.
Shepard didn't seem impressed by the man, either. He remained patient, allowing him to explain why the Alliance thought it necessary to keep the woman's body. It seemed that possible new defenses against the geth weren't enough to gain Shepard's support. "I understand what you're trying to do," Shepard finally said, "but keeping Nirali's body from Samesh is wrong."
"But, Commander," the man pleaded, "you stopped the Blitz. You've put everything on the line for humanity, and you of all people should know what needs to be done to protect it!"
"Not if we lose our humanity in the process!" Tali was visibly startled by his outburst. He'd been so calm before, even after the fight in the alley. In a way, though, the shout felt right. Something about the look on his face, how his eyes had hardened when he'd heard of what his military had decided. Regardless, the shout had the intended effect. Bosker seemed to shrink against the wall. "I'm out here fighting to stop shit like this!" Shepard continued, drilling even further into the man.
Finally, Bosker held up his hands in defeat. "All right, Commander. You've made your point. I'll see to it that the body is shipped back to Earth." Tali could hear it in his voice; the man wanted Shepard gone before he got punched, so he'd do as he said.
"Good," Shepard replied, the familiar calm demeanor returning. "I'll pass the word to Samesh." Without further word, he turned to leave.
The trio soon returned to Samesh, who was still speaking with Williams. Both reminisced about Nirali, and it seemed to be improving Samesh's spirits. Hearing of Shepard's success did even more, bringing him peace as he thanked Shepard for his efforts and departed.
Shepard led the team along the Presidium, Tali's eyes once again drifting over the beautifully laid out grounds. She wished that more of her people could see it. Wished that the other races would stop seeing the quarians through three hundred year old blinders and allow them to rejoin the galactic community as something other than second class citizens…
Tali's pace had slowed. She fell behind as she thought, and stopped abruptly as she realized someone was standing before her. Tali looked up. It was Williams… She didn't look happy… "Do you know who that man was?" She didn't let her answer, stepping even closer. "Do you know what he lost?" Tali could plainly hear the woman's anger and… sadness?
"I… I don't know what to say…" Tali replied, lightly shaking her head. She'd never been singled out like that before, been the sole focus of someone's anger. Anger at her people she knew how to deal with. This… This was different.
"Do you ever think about it? About the geth, and what they've done to this galaxy?" She seemed to sense Tali's distress. It only spurred her on as her voice took on an almost menacing edge to it. "About the people who have lost their lives because the quarians wanted the easy life?"
"You think I don't?" Tali snapped back. Anger to match Williams's overrode her better judgment. She wouldn't let Williams insult her further. "The geth took everything from my people. You still have worlds you can call home. We don't. Do you think I like that the geth are threatening them?"
"That's enough!"
Both Tali and Williams looked sharply up the pathway. There Shepard stood, looking obviously displeased. He looked between the two of them.
Keelah… What if he thought she'd started this? What if he decided that she was disrupting the cohesion of his team? Disrupting his mission?
What if he told her to just go away? She had nowhere to go. No ideas, no direction, nothing for her Pilgrimage… And Saren's people would probably still be after her.
She suddenly realized just how much she needed to be on Shepard's team.
Finally, his eyes settled on Williams. His voice came firmly. "Chief, return to the Normandy. Cool off."
"But, sir, I…"
"That was an order, Chief." His eyes were hard, unyielding.
For a moment, it looked like Williams planned to argue further. In the end, she snapped to attention, throwing a crisp salute. "Yes, sir." She turned and started for a nearby elevator to the Wards.
Once she was well out of earshot, Shepard turned to Tali. His eyes had lost their edge. "I apologize for that, Tali. She was out of line."
"It's all right," Tali replied with a nod. "I've… never met someone who was directly affected by the geth before. Well… someone non-quarian, that is."
Shepard nodded back his understanding. "Let's hope you don't have to again." He gestured along the pathway, and they continued along the Presidium.
As they walked, she kept thinking about what she'd said, how she'd snapped back at Williams. She should have apologized for her conduct. Whatever Williams said, however she had acted, it did not justify Tali's response. At least, it didn't in her mind.
They entered the elevator at the base of the massive Citadel Tower. From what she'd seen when she'd arrived at the Citadel, the ride to its top would take some time. As the elevator started, Tali started to wonder…
Which would happen first? Their arrival at the top, or being driven to insanity by the horrible music they had chosen for the station's elevators?
Alenko, apparently hoping to fill the sudden silence, looked over to Tali. "Tali, there's something I've been curious about. About your people. If you don't mind my asking."
Tali turned to look at him. She didn't see any accusations in his eyes, any anger in his features. He had been diplomatic and kind with her, and likely just wanted to ask a question. She nodded. "Please, go ahead." She was always happy to answer questions about her people. It was good not to allow popular supposition to continue.
His question was one she had expected to hear at some point, asking about her suit and why her people needed them. He had assumed some cultural meaning, which was certainly a better idea than she'd heard before from other quarians' stories.
She spared him the details, but she mentioned the clean environment of the flotilla's ships, and how their immune systems had been weakened because of it.
"Oh," he had replied. "Then I'll try not to sneeze."
Tali couldn't help but chuckle at that. "You're very open minded, Lieutenant. Most are like what you saw on the Presidium. They prefer to rely on what they think they know, rather than just ask. It's almost surprising, actually."
"How so?" he asked.
Tali sighed. "After what happened with Chief Williams, I wasn't sure if humans would be more like you, or more like her."
"Ashley was on Eden Prime when the geth attacked," Alenko explained. "She lost her squad and was nearly killed herself before we got there. Talking with Mr. Bhatia probably brought all that back to her mind."
Tali nodded. "I… hadn't known that." She gave another soft sigh. "I'm sorry for snapping back at her. I should have…" Before she could speak further, the elevator slowed to a stop.
Alenko gave a thankful nod. "Don't worry about it. Just give some time for everything to cool down."
The elevator doors opened, allowing the trio into the Council Chamber. From the door, she could see many levels of stairs leading to the Audience Chamber, a viewport into space beyond. At the first landing was a large, multi stream fountain, and large trees lines the higher levels. It was darker than the Presidium, eyes drawn to the Council itself and whoever was speaking to them.
She heard the human ambassador's voice reverberating through the chamber, though she could not pick out the words. Shepard took the lead once more, and the trio started through the chamber of diplomats and toward the Council.
As they approached the final stairwell, Captain Anderson approached. "Come on," he said, "Udina's presenting Miss Zorah's evidence to the Council." Shepard simply nodded, starting up the stairs.
As the group reached the Petitioner's Stage, the audio file Tali had recovered played over the chamber's sound systems. As it finished, Udina spoke again. "You wanted proof," he said, "there it is."
"Just where did you find this evidence?" the turian councilmember asked.
Ambassador Udina looked to the group, seeing Tali among them. "A young quarian woman gained access to a geth datacore and was able to retrieve this file."
The turian ambassador seemed less than impressed. "So we are to trust evidence gained by a quarian, then?" Tali's eyes squinted ever so slightly. For a moment, she'd thought that the members of the Council would be a little more open minded than most people. She stood corrected. "How did she gain it? How can we be sure she does not have her own agenda?"
The asari councilor raised a hand. "I am sure we can come to an arrangement to prove the validity of the data file."
Shepard spoke up before she could. "If you want to examine the evidence, we can give you a copy." Maybe he sensed she was about to do something: talk, yell, maybe climb out to the Council and start swinging… He was right that she was about to do one of them, but she herself wasn't sure which.
"Please do, Commander," the salarian councilor replied.
"I do recognize that other voice in that recording, though," the asari councilor said. "Matriarch Benezia. She had many followers, and is herself a powerful biotic. If she truly has joined forces with Saren… she would be a formidable ally."
The turian looked to her. "Don't tell me you believe this."
She turned to look back. "Matriarch Benezia disappeared some time ago with many of her followers. This is the first news I've heard about where she might have gone. So yes, I'm inclined to believe them."
"What of the Reapers, and this Conduit?" the salarian asked. "Saren seemed to be interested in them." He ignored the glare the turian threw at him.
Shepard spoke up. "We found more information in the data core suggesting the Reapers were a machine race responsible for the destruction of the Protheans. As for the Conduit, we have nothing save its name."
"As was stated in their conversation," Anderson added, "they plan to use it to bring the Reapers back, though we don't know why."
The turian ambassador shook his head. "What you're suggesting makes no sense. Saren is working to bring back a machine race responsible for the greatest act of genocide known to galactic civilization?" He looked to the other council members. "They're grasping for any wild claim which proves their case."
"But the questions they raise cannot be ignored," the asari replied. "At the very least, Saren must answer for what has transpired."
"Assuming he can even be located to deliver those answers," the turian said dismissively.
The asari paused, turning once more to look at him. "You have not attempted to contact him already?"
Tali could see a twitch of the turian's mandibles. She guessed he hadn't meant to let that particular detail slip. He remained silent for a moment, but finally spoke. "I have. I was unable to reach him."
The asari nodded. "Then he must be located and brought before this Council."
"What if their evidence is falsified?" the turian asked.
"Then the humans will face harsh censure," she replied. "This Council is not to be tricked into action."
"He won't come in willingly," Ambassador Udina noted, "especially if he knows we brought this evidence to you." He paused a moment, waiting until he saw small nods from the asari and salarian council members. "Then he is to be tracked down?" the ambassador continued. "You will send a fleet into the Traverse?"
The salarian shook his head. "A fleet cannot track down one man."
"But it COULD stabilize the region," the ambassador countered. "It could keep the geth from attacking any more of our colonies."
"Or trigger a war with the Terminus Systems," the turian replied. "We will not be drawn into a galactic confrontation over a few human colonies, not on evidence as weak as this."
"There's another way."
The voice, calm but strong, drew all eyes. Shepard took another step forward. "I can take him down."
The turian once more shook his head, this time slashing his hand through the air to drive home his point. "No. Humanity is not yet ready for the responsibilities of joining the Spectres."
Spectres? Shepard was a Spectre candidate? That explained a lot. How else could he gain the Council's attention so quickly, speak to them himself rather than relying on the ambassador?
"You won't have to send that fleet into the Traverse," Shepard countered. Gesturing to Ambassador Udina, he continued, "and the ambassador gets his human Spectre. Everybody's happy."
The asari and salarian council members nodded. The turian… "If the evidence is discovered to be false, then it is YOU I will move to have expelled." Still, he gave his nod to the others.
Shepard was told to step forward. The Council spoke with him about the duties of the Spectres, of their responsibilities, and how they were the first and last line of defense for Citadel Space. It was a great burden for anyone to carry, but Shepard bowed. "I'm honored," he said.
He accepted his orders, to locate and apprehend Saren, with that same calm confidence Tali had come to expect from him. And with that, the meeting was adjourned.
The group gathered at the end of the Petitioner's Stage. "Congratulations, Commander," Captain Anderson said.
Ambassador Udina was already focused on the next step. "We have many preparations to make. Shepard will need a ship, crew, supplies…" He looked to the captain. "Anderson, come with me. I will need your help to set everything up."
Captain Anderson nodded, then looked back to Shepard. "You'll have access to specialized Spectre equipment now. You may want to look into that while you have some time." With that, and a final shake of Shepard's hand, he turned to join the ambassador in the trek back to the elevators.
Tali watched after them for a moment, finally looking to Shepard. "I thought that was a victory for your ambassador. He didn't even thank you."
Shepard shrugged. "Until I find Saren, I haven't done anything. Let's go."