Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect, this belongs to Bioware. Please enjoy.
Chapter 14: Confessions and Questions.
Saren's voice run through the halls of the council room as Tali's recording was played. Confirming to the council what the Alliance had said was true. Finally Saren was going to get what he deserved but as Garrus shifted his weight from foot to foot, the weight of the room suddenly came crashing down on his shoulders. Vixen had sent him a message just before the proceedings began, saying that they should head there and she'd meet up with them later. Still, Garrus held his uneasy feeling within him that that he might not see Vixen again. Wrex and Tali stood along side him, Wrex was quiet with his crimson eyes seemingly focused on Udina's back. Tali on the other hand was fidgeting with her fingers, winding the six digits together. Garrus couldn't blame her for being nervous, the room and the atmosphere (mainly because of Wrex) was even making him a little nervous. His mind wandered back to Vixen, she still hadn't turned up. Though he had an idea of why she might take her time. Just by being near her, you got an impression of her personality and where her loyalties lay. The way the Alliance soldier, Williams, treated her. If she had been in the Turian Military they would have been worse than thrown across a room using Biotic powers. Alenko...Garrus still couldn't get a read on him.
"You wanted proof. There it is." Udina spoke. Garrus snapped back into the real world to realise that the recording had stopped.
"This evidence is irrefutable, Ambassador." The Turian councillor spoke. Even though the on the outside the councillor looked and sounded calm, Garrus could hear the several clicks and growls signalling his fury. "Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes." The councillor concluded. Garrus heard the hushed cries of cheer coming from the two Alliance soldiers. Wrex grunted while Tali stayed silent, Garrus too wanted to puff up with pride since he had been trying to take down Saren for a while.
"I recognize the other voice, the one speaking with Saren. Matriarch Benezia." The Asari councillor mentioned. Her posture changed slightly, as if she was shocked by this new information.
"Who's she?" Alenko asked, his voice barely echoing off the walls of the chamber.
"Matriarchs are powerful Asari who have entered the final stage of their lives. Revered for their wisdom and experience, they serve as guides and mentors to my people." The Asari councillor explained. Garrus vaguely knew about the stages of Asari life and the structure of their society, since it was a 'need to know' sort of thing for living on the Citadel and working in C-sec. But still, knowing now that Saren had an Asari matriarch partner didn't bode well.
"Matriarch Benezia is a powerful biotic, and she had many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren." The councillor ended. Garrus heard the Turian councillor thrill his concern over the development. Garrus couldn't blame him but he still had to clamp down his own vocals.
"I'm more interested in the Reapers. What do you know about them?" The Salarian councillor asked. Garrus felt the air around the alliance soldiers shift from confidence to almost nervousness. Anderson stepped forward, his face impassive as he approached.
"We only know what was extracted from the Geth's memory core. The Reapers were an ancient race of machines that wiped out the Protheans. Then they vanished." Anderson spoke. Had to admit, that was all anyone knew about these 'Reapers' at this point.
"The Geth believe the Reapers are gods. And Saren is the prophet for their return" Williams spoke up, folding her arms and cocking her hip as she did. Garrus noted the pose, it was the same pose that Vixen mostly took.
"We think the Conduit is the key to bringing them back. Saren's searching for it. That's why he attacked Eden Prime" Anderson concluded.
"Do we know what this Conduit is?" The Salarian councillor asked.
"It will bring back the Reapers, that's bad enough" Alenko spoke up again.
"Listen to what you are saying!" The Turian councillor growled out. Garrus heard his raging harmonics, so much so Garrus had to fight a shudder from running through his body.
"Saren wants to bring back the machines that wiped out all life in the galaxy? Impossible. It has to be. Where did the Reapers go? Why did they vanish? How come we've found no trace of their existence? If they were real, we'd have found something!"
Garrus was incline to agree, with something that was meant to wipe out the largest race in the galaxy and leave no trace, nothing was that perfect. Back in his earlier days of C-sec he remembered one murder was almost perfect, but still they caught the guy on the smallest of trace evidence. Still, why would Saren be interested in something like the Reapers? Why would a Matriarch side with Saren? Again questions that needed answers and no body was offering them. A low rumbling growl broke Garrus' train of thought.
"Not liking what you're hearing, Wrex?" Garrus whispered to the Krogan. Wrex turned his blood red eye towards him before giving a heavy sigh and shifted his position a little to rest against the platform's guard rail.
"Lots of political whining, from both sides" Wrex growled out. Garrus turned back to the proceedings, barely listening to the continuing arguments that each side shouted. Garrus looked down at his Omni-tool again, still Vixen hadn't sent a message or anything to say she was on her way. Garrus hummed to himself as he thought where Vixen could have gone and what was taking so long.
"Shepard's still not here then" Wrex's voice caught Garrus' ear. Garrus shut down his Omni-tool with a slight growl.
"Vixen said she wouldn't be long, but I thought she would have been here by now" Garrus spoke, keeping his eyes on the councillors as they debated with the Human Ambassador. Their words not really reaching him...not that he could be bothered.
"I wouldn't blame her if she didn't show" Wrex groaned while adjusting himself against the railing, which Garrus was sure that is was bending under the pressure.
"If Vixen said she'd be here, then she'll be here." Tali chimed in. Garrus nodded, he got the impression that Vixen was the type of woman who stood by her word...even if she missed the whole event, she'd still show up.
"What? No! The human isn't ready or capable" the Turian councillor's voice rang through the room, thoroughly snapping Garrus out of his trance. The councillor's snarl was loud enough, surly the humans must have known they had stepped over a line.
"Why not? He has proven himself and is adequate for the position" The Asari councillor spoke. The Turian councillor growled while the Salarian councillor remained quiet.
"Even you, Tevos, have read the reports. Nihlus did not recommend him, due to his inexperience with other council races and the potential influence from outside forces." The Turian councillor argued as he growled so low it was barely audible. Garrus hummed in thought. He knew nothing about the reports but given the fact that the Alliance had been pushing for a Spectre for years it did seem logical that the Alliance would try and influence where the human spectre would go and do.
"He's got a point...for a Turian" Wrex grumbled. Garrus nodded before giving a click of the mandible towards the Krogan, in irritation at the latter end of the statement.
"And what do you think, Valern?" The Asari councillor asked as she gracefully turned towards the Salarian on her left. The Salarian councillor blinked before raising his finger to his lips, as if he was sorting out a debate within his complex mind.
"I have to side with Sparatus on this one, Tevos. The lieutenant quiet simply does not have what we need in a Spectre" The Salarian councillor stated before returning to his original statue like position. Garrus looked between the councillors, they all seemed to be having a silent argument. Sparatus was standing his ground, his fringe flushed to show his power and authority. Valern's eyes seemed unmoving but still they looked unnerving in their own way. But Tevos was seeming to struggle maintaining her feminine and gentle mask.
"Wait, you're not making Alenko a Spectre. Just because he doesn't have alien experience...That's not fair!" Williams shouted suddenly towards the council. Garrus watched as Anderson told Williams to stand down, resulting in the human female to swallow her anger and slink back to where she stood. The council, least of all the Turian councillor, didn't seem to pleased with her outburst either.
"This isn't going so well...is it" Tali's soft asked from behind Garrus. Garrus shook his head as he face to watch the council verses Alliance drama again.
"Unclog your ears, human. Not only did I state that the lieutenant has no experience with council races but I also said that he might be influenced by outside forces. Mainly, the Alliance. How can we trust him." The Turian councillor growled. The echoing room fell silent, the daunting walls looming over the small gathering. The tension in the air was so thick, it felt like each breath Garrus took was out of shear exhaustion.
"Then what do you propose we do, Sparatus. Alenko was the only one who knows of the events that happened on Eden Prime." The Asari councillor finally spoke.
"You know that is not true, Tevos. There was another" The Turian councillor said almost too calmly. Garrus wondered they were talking about Williams, but the way the Turian councillor spoke to her before and the way he acted now made Garrus unsure.
"Ah, Yes. She would be more suitable to this mission." The Salarian councillor added.
"What do you mean?" Udina demanded, even though his back was facing Garrus. Garrus could just see the patterns in the human's skin etch further in.
"We will send one of our own to hunt down Saren and bring him to justice. She is well skilled for this mission and has previous experience dealing with Saren. She maybe a bit..."
"Krogan-headed..." The Asari councillor interrupted the Salarian councillor. Wrex let out a low growl that was almost so primal and brutal it nearly shook the plates from Garrus' hide. Garrus was surprised that the Asari councillor would say something like that and in front of a Krogan no less. Krogan weren't known for their intelligence or tactical strategy but more for their brute strength and head on approach. So among Krogans it was considered an insult.
"Stubborn. But, Sparatus and myself know that no matter the cost, she will complete the mission" The Salarian councillor finished as he slightly cleared his breath.
"So you're taking over our mission. We've done your dirty work and now you take the glory with another Turian Spectre. Is that it?" Williams spoke up again, the venom literally dripping from her words.
"Not so. We believe you will be pleased with this choice of Spectre. That's if she takes up the mission" The Salarian councillor spoke. The Turian councillor typed something onto the panel that appeared before him. A door suddenly opened from the far side of the chamber, Garrus looked to see who might appear from the doorway, as a connecting bridge slowly started to extend from the main walkway.
"What do you mean?" Udina questioned, the irritation in his voice all to present in his voice.
"Why don't you ask her yourself" The Asari councillor spoke softly, her hand guiding the eyes of everyone towards the newly opened door. Footsteps soon became aware of Garrus' ear canals, strong and defined. To say Garrus' excitement was growing was an understatement, his heart was beating out of his chest. His feet were itching to move closer to the railing to get a better look. There weren't many Spectres that could take on or even match Saren, the only one Garrus knew of was currently lying in the hospital comatose. As the Spectre emerged from the door way, Garrus felt the air leave from everybody's lungs. The shock was plastered on the faces of the Alliance people, the Human ambassador was turning a new shade of purple Garrus had never seen before. Garrus felt his own heart jump at the sight of the Spectre as suddenly his new sniper became heavy on his back. Even Wrex became still as he gazed at the Spectre.
There, in the light of the nebular that shone softly through the windows, her features still smeared with Turian blood was the last person he would have guessed but the first person he should have suspected.
"Commander Vixen Shepard. Alliance Navy. Spectre. Reporting for duty"
)_)
Vixen resisted the urge to run as Udina and Anderson chased her down the stairs away from the Council Chambers, quickly followed by Alenko and Williams while Garrus and the others weren't too far behind. After the council had officially recognised her as a Spectre in front of millions and given her the mission to capture Saren, Udina didn't waste his chance to pounce like a cheetah cat on its prey. Vixen knew this would happen when the Alliance and, worst of all, Udina found out that she was a Spectre. She just hoped it would have happened with less grandeur than it did. But she knew that even though she was hating the fact her secret was out, it did feel like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She didn't need to lie to Anderson now and the Alliance might just get off her back about where she was half the time.
"So. Are you going to tell us?" Udina demanded as they eventually reached the bottom of the stairs. Vixen closed her eyes and let the air escape from her lungs as she prepared for the possible longest gruelling of her military career. Brushing her tangled mess of hair behind her ear, she turned to face the disquieted faces of the people behind her.
"Tell you what? The reason why I'm a Spectre and not your prized solider?" Vixen spoke as she arched an eyebrow. Alenko deflated a little while Udina's vein nearly popped out of his head.
"That would be a good start" Udina ground out between his teeth while he slowly regained his composer, though not by much. Vixen sighed as she ran her fingers through her rat's nest of hair as she tried to think where to begin and how to keep it short.
"You could say that at first, I was a trail run Spectre. For the council to see how the human race would adapt and work with other races." Vixen started as she rested her hands on her hips.
"A trail run Spectre. I've never heard of one" Udina ground out through his teeth. Vixen resisted rolling her eyes at the man so instead bit the inside of her cheek.
"Of course you haven't heard of it, Udina. Because it's a really old rule. Every race had a trail run Spectre before the council let anyone of the same race in. They did it for the Turians, the Asari and the Salarians. So of course they had to do it for humans since you were pushing for a human Spectre." Vixen explained.
"So why pick you?" Williams piped in. Vixen glared at the woman, her biotics itching to slam the woman into the ground again. Alenko inched a bit closer to Williams as though to block any oncoming biotic attack to the woman. Vixen didn't blame him, she had already beaten William twice with her biotics in his presence so his caution was warranted. Vixen shrugged and turned back to Udina.
"I was picked because I had more experience with the council races and other alien races than most or all of the Spectre candidates Udina and the Alliance were putting forward." Vixen spoke. Udina's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he started to go into a rage, causing Anderson to be ready to pry Udina off of Vixen if something happened.
"You! You barely do anything for the Alliance and the council picked you! They're mad...no. Stupid is more like it." Udina raged as his arms went flying in protest. Vixen bit her tongue hard to keep her composer as she watched the man rave like a lunatic. As Anderson tried to calm the man as Vixen peered over to Garrus and the others. The three aliens were quiet but seemed to be listening to every word. Tali was looking from one person to the other, obviously fascinated with how Udina was almost flying off the ground in his rage. Wrex was leaning against one of the pillars that connected to the stairs, almost pretending like he wasn't interested but from the chuckling grunts that came from his lips Vixen knew better. Garrus on the other hand was staring intently at Vixen. Vixen fought the heat that started to present itself on her cheeks, the way his eyes were staring at her made it seem like he was hunting his prey. Carefully watching her every movement and action while absorbing every bit of information that poured from her lips.
"Shepard. The council didn't introduce you as a trail Spectre." Anderson's voice broke the trance making Vixen snap her eyes back towards the man. Udina had now calm down slightly to listen but she could still see the vain pulsing angrily on Udina's temple.
"I became a full Spectre about two years ago." Vixen spoke. Anderson's eyes widened in surprise as did Alenko's while Udina looked like he was about to faint from shock. "The council were waiting for a suitable candidate to review but the more I did the more I impressed them. They said it was logical."
"So what was the point of Kaidan trying to become a Spectre if you were one? I bet you decided that and told the council he wasn't good enough" Williams spat. Vixen grit her teeth as her eyes narrowed at the chief, her biotics flaring across her skin.
"Don't test me, Williams. I slammed you into a wall with my biotics twice, I'm not above doing it a third time. I had nothing to do whether Kaidan got into the Spectres or not. Nihlus was the one evaluating him, I was merely there to check the spelling of human names." Vixen growled out as her biotics flared. Williams flinched as she went for her pistol while Alenko readied for an attack, but Vixen managed to swollen down her raging biotics before they could unleash themselves. Vixen turned away from the Alliance meerkats and stared at Udina and Anderson, who themselves were a bit shaken from the biotic display. Locking down her emotions whilst slipping into her Commander mask, she thought of the words that were to pour from her mouth.
"Look Udina, I might not be your poster child Spectre you and the Alliance wanted. But I am the human Spectre whether you like it or not. So you can work with me and give me the resources I need to do this mission. Or I can go out there myself, creating an even worse reputation for the Alliance by blowing up shit." Vixen spoke calmly to the two men in front of her. Udina magically seemed to calm as he thought over her words. Anderson too seemed to mill over the words.
"I admit I am not happy with the choice the council has made. But what is done is done." Udina spoke, the strain in his voice almost made Vixen smile. Udina brushed off some imaginary dust from his coat before turning to Anderson with a grim expression.
"Anderson, come with me. We need to discuss a few things. Shepard, finish off what business you have on the Citadel and then report to the docks. And for god's sake clean yourself up, you look like you've just come back from a war zone." Udina ordered. Vixen nodded and watched as the Ambassador and Captain walked off already in heated talks. As soon as the two disappeared from view, Vixen felt the glaring eyes of Williams on her back. As Vixen turned to the rest of the audience, Williams barged past her with a look that just read 'I am so pissed off I want to shoot something'. Vixen didn't call out or try to stop her, she knew it would only add fuel to he already burning fire.
Alenko wasn't too far behind Williams as he chased after her, obviously to try and calm her down. Vixen shrugged as she faced the three that didn't partake in the shouting match. Vixen smiled kindly as she walked up to them, the tension rolling off her body with each step.
"So, now you know too. Sorry for not saying earlier" Vixen smiled. Tali looked to the others while Garrus and Wrex kept their eyes fixed on Vixen. The silence drifting in the air like the fumes of the Keeper tunnels. Thick and putrid. Then as if out of nowhere, Wrex started to boom with laughter, the walls and structures of the surrounding area shaking from the vibrations of Wrex's hearty laugh.
"I gotta say, Shep...Vixen. You've got one hell of a quad" Wrex roared as he shoved Garrus out of the way and heavily patted Vixen on the shoulder, so much so the wind nearly escaped from her lungs.
"Well what can I say Wrex, we can't let you be the one with all the quad in the group" Vixen smiled and laugh as Wrex laughed more. Even Tali laughed while Garrus just smiled and shook his head. The group talked more of how Vixen became a Spectre and why. Garrus was the one with the most questions which in small part didn't surprised Vixen. But she couldn't deny the young C-sec officer, the sparkle in his eyes when he listened to her was just too cute to ignore. As Vixen looked round the faces of her small group, they did seem like an odd group of friends but in truth this was what Vixen was fighting for. She wanted the galaxy to forget its differences and see that no matter what colour your skin or plates maybe. Deep inside they were all similar in some way. But for right now, she had her mission.
She was going to find out why Saren had shot Nihlus and left him for dead. She was going to drag his scaly ass back to the Citadel and make him see what he did to his friend.
Hope you liked it guys!
Sorry that I took so long again but this chapter was hard to write. But I got it in before Christmas! So, Merry Christmas! (yes I know it's early but :P)
Thank you to all people who have favoured and are following this story, couldn't do it without you. Also thank you to the people who have reviewed, I hope I make you proud.
THNAK YOU!