No comment, hay that's my first no comment, but does this count as a Comment? and if so is that first statment a lie?

(some ones head explodes)

Edited by Halo Token

BOLD leaning type: text messages.

Leaning:thoughts plus song.

/Bold with slashs/:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach

"The council has yet to make an official statement on the Alliance moving army's into the Terminus systems, it is expected that a statement shall be made in the following days. The Alliance statement was, quote: this is happening to protect our people and our colony's. Deal with it."

"The aliens must be shitting bricks." Ashley commented at the news story.

"Ya, we kicked the Turians in first contact and they still don't have a counter to us. Wonder if they have anything planned?"

"I wonder why the citadel has such annoying slow elevators." Shepard said back.

The doors, finally, dinged open and the small combat team entered the gleaming council chambers.

"Lot of stairs." Shepard commented.

"And fire zones. Between the trees, rocks and benches its one big kill zone. Ten to one they have heavy weapons watching us." Ashley commented.

They climbed the stairs as they talked.

"So if you had to take it, what do we you do?"

Kaidan asked.

"Light everything on fire. Then advance with a squad of power armour troopers." Shepard both joked and said seriously.

"Simple, direct, and involves fire. I like it." Ashley commented.

After coming up the first of stairs they found a pair of Turians arguing.

"Saren's hiding something, I just know it. Give me some more time."

"And stall the council? I think not. This investigation is over." With that the older of the two Turians marched off.

The younger one seemed to simmer for a moment before turning to face the three humans.

"You must be Shepard, Garrus Vakarian C-sec." He extended his hand and Shepard shook it.

"Find anything?"

"Nothing. He's a specter everything he touches is classified. I can't get anything, but I have one of those gut feelings Saren is hiding something."

"That's generally why stuff is classified, why is a good question."

"Shepard, were on." Kaidan said.

"Good luck maybe you'll get something."

"I doubt it." Shepard said and his small group left the Turian behind.

A few feet more they meet Anderson. "The meetings about to start, do you have the Cipher?"

"Yes, but the message is still not unlocked, it's, complicated."

"Joy." Anderson said back as the four walked into the council chambers.

SHIFT

Shepard drummed his foot in irritation; the result of the meeting was both expected and infuriating.

Saren got off scot free.

"I knew this would happen." Udina grumbled as he approached the group. "I told you it would happen." He said to Anderson.

"I know," Anderson grumped then he sighed. "Right so what we need is more evidence. Untainted by 'AI's.'"

"Any suggestions Admiral?" Shepard asked.

"That was a C-sec officer who was working the case."

"Garrus?" Shepard asked.

"That's him. He may have something. I hate to say it but I recommend talking to Harkin. He may know where he is."

"That disgrace?" Udina huffed. "He spends all his time drinking in that slum of a pub."

"Harkin? Wasn't he the first human appointed to C sec?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, and what a disaster. Harkin is a disgrace to his race, no discipline and C sec has no will to force it into him." In the Alliance the only difference between the police and the army was the weight class of their armour. So to them C sec looked far less professional with the exception of their SWAT teams.

"Then this should be easy." Shepard said.

"You could also see Barla Von. He semi openly works for the Shadow Broker and over the years we have got good information out of him." Udina commented.

"Barla and Harkin, got it." Shepard nodded.

"You're on your own Shepard. I have an invasion to prepare." Anderson finished up.

"I as well." Udina said and followed Anderson.

"So what first?" Ashley asked.

"We start with the Broker. I trust him more than some human pub bug." Shepard commented. "On me."

SHIFT

Elevator news.

"From the director who brought you the Rachni wars in 3D and the Smash hit Rise of the Krogan, comes a new movie, from the history of earth."

"The President is losing a lot of blood!"

"They put a Colonel in charge?"

"As of five minutes ago, I'm a general."

"Time is running out for you world."

"Activate the Purifier!"

"From the mind of the famed Asari director Sylan with prince Zessus as himself, The Earth Assault! Coming soon to a holo theatre near you.

"The Aliens better get it right." Ashley commented.

"Seeing as how Zessus is one of the actors I don't see how they could do it wrong. Hot damn maybe they'll have an AI do special effects? Give them some good cred here in the council." Kaidan finished.

SHIFT

The door slid open and the three humans stormed in, not their fault mind you but armed soldiers tended to the get the noun 'storming' added whenever they entered a room looking determined for something.

"Hello Shepard." The Volus in the back said. Unusually the normal pressure suit was, not the normal suit, and was more like a suit of powered armour.

Pinching his fingers on his desk he nodded, the helmet was the same at any rate.

"I've been expecting, pisst, you."

"Indeed, nice pressure suit." Shepard commented.

"It is." He took a moment to look at the cloth pattern on one of the ceramic arm pads. "I was in the Alliance on a business venture when I was in need of a new one. Odd you can literally get anything on custom order in Alliance space. Pisst. "

"We know." Shepard sat down across from him. "I'm looking for information."

"Indeed. I recently got an order from the shadow broker to pass along some information to you. Pisst."

"That was, easy." Shepard said confused.

"Well the broker has been acting odd since you human's hit the galactic level. Pisst. I think he's scared of your AI tracking back to him, or them no one's sure. Pisst. Or maybe he's mad. Saren did something very stupid indeed. He betrayed the Shadow broker he also managed to convince a low level informant Fist to join him as well. Pisst. Or should I say an ex-low level informant. Pisst. A bounty hunter has been hired to take him out. You humans have such a term for this, but I can't think of it."

"A cake walk?" Shepard provided.

"Pisst. No." Barla said tapping his finger; he actually had fingers rather than the pressure suit grippers from before.

"Fist is out of his weight class, that's the one." He clicked his fingers together forcefully like someone else would snap them. "That bounty hunter is a Krogan battle master. I honestly think he could give a human in power armor a run for his money."

"I'll keep that in mind, any idea where this bounty hunter is?"

"He is in the C sec academy being questioned there's an elevator nearby."

"Oh joy." Shepard said annoyed. "Another elevator."

SHIFT

Elevator news.

A alarming report has been leaked from an anonymous source within the alliance confirming the Geth invaders both used extensive use of nerve gas and had weapons unknown to both Alliance and Citadel Alliance command has assured the public that the Geth, quote, "still die if you shoot them."

"True dat." Kaidan said.

"I wonder if the leak was intentional or not?"

"I wonder if the Council will ever speed up there elevators." Shepard grumbled

With a light bell chime the elevator doors finally slide open.

"Seriously they are a security hazard." He finished as the group left the elevator and scanned around the main room.

Krogan battle masters stand out like sore thumbs, even if they were surrounded by C sec.

"Witnesses saw you make threats at fist's bar stay away from him"

The scarred Krogan did not seem phased and gravely replied to the human. "I don't take orders from you."

"This is your only warning Wrex."

"You should warn Fist, I will kill him."

"You want to get arrested Wrex?" The humans tone had shifted slightly and he had a hand on his hip, over the handle of a K size Taser.

"I want you to try." Wrex said with a glare. The human matched it.

"Fist is not worth it." He said at last. And the way he said it meant it was not worth it, not that he was yielding.

"Glad you see it my way." Wrex said with a half smile. He turned and walked off.

Shepard ran interception.

"Hello human." He said.

"I'm going after Saren and Barla Von told me to talk to you."

"Barla Von is a wise man. We may share a common goal."

"I'm looking to take down Saren; you're hired to kill Fist. I don't see the relation."

"A Quarian showed up on the Citadel, she is on the run. She wanted to trade information for safety. So she went to Fist who promised a face to face meeting between her and the broker. Instead he sold her to Saren."

"Not a good move?"

"I'm after him. Yes it was not a good move." Wrex nodded.

"If we get our hands on the data the Council with have to listen to us." Kaidan chimed his agreement in.

"You can kill Fist, if we get the Quarian data. Deal?"

"I love the way you humans think." He chuckled like someone pulling the trigger on a empty 120mm howitzer.

-Codex-Council threat assessment-

Alliance

Technological power: Extreme

Between Nanobot assemblers and advance electronic systems Used by the Alliance there nanobot systems allow the near instant assembling of materials. We cite the incident where in retaliation for the first contact war the Alliance practically destroyed Elanus Risk Control Services (ERCS) with a systemic attack of cheap products that under cut there price, and were a increase in all over all quality. This seems to be the tip of the ice burg and the Alliance seems to be trying to force the Turian Hierarchy in economic rescission: see bellow.

Economic: High

The Alliance economy is radically different from any other system seen out side of a fiction book, in fact for the nature of this article we had to consult a futurist book author. Relent purely on there own nanobots for speed to assembling any and everything there system is purely AI run with organic ownership only cutting in on the small business niche. In this Humans serve almost purely as repair men for the Alliance systems and it is strongly suspected that if the Alliance did not have a consist long boiling war with the Hierarchy they would be almost Utopic in nature. Do to the differences in systems the Alliance can easily interfere in the Council Economy, but we can not in theres. A common tactic the Alliance uses is to choose a company of the nation that displease them, then choose a product they make, then make a better version far,far cheaper basically driving the company down with the inability to compete, this tactic is wrecking havoc in Council space and the shock waves are still reverberating though the economy.

Diplomatic: High.

The alliance has shown great political skill and it is believed the Alliance is responsible for the Baterians leaving the citadel.

Military: Extreme

We feel enough has already been said on this. Suffice to say between there high technology and high grade veteral core and severe culture importance placed on war, and the Alliance is a thrat licke no other

final Threat: High

Final Assessment: We feel there are only three things keeping the Alliance from conquering us. First: there own war with the Hierarchy that keeps most of there troops locked down. Second: the Masari: we they feel would not allow a war of aggression and due to the power they have in the Alliance government they could keep one from happening. Three:a lack of interest: if left on there own the Alliance would likely prefer to be left alone. We lack a way to stop there army's in both speed of deployment and there ability to replace fallen equipment. The only tool we have, is to drown them in men.