"Captain Tristan Alenko, please step forward."
Jarred and Tristan looked at each other, and Tristan came forward, and saluted the Council. The rest of the crew stayed back.
"We have read the reports on the Cerberus base you have mentioned." Tali said from behind her Council console, "The base has been seized by the Human Alliance, and they are now on the process of retrieving data from it."
"The data includes several other smaller Cerberus bases." Kaidan said, "It was a very important find, because this would mean we could find them faster." He looked proudly at his son, "You have done well, Captain Alenko."
Tristan bowed a little, "Thank you, Councilors."
Samara smiled, "Lieutenant Commander Jarred Vancair, please step forward beside Captain Alenko."
Jarred's brows furrowed but he stepped forward beside his best friend. They looked at each other, and Jarred looked confusedly at him, but he merely shrugged.
"Lieutenant Commander Vancair." Urdnot Mordin said, "We have also reviewed your files. Since your induction to the Alliance Military, you have done marvelous things beside Captain Alenko."
Councilor Victus ran a finger down his console, "Destroyed several Cerberus remnant bases… the rescue of 1,000 Council species from batarian slave traders… the prevention of an assassination attempt at a Citadel diplomat… involvement in the quelling of a Krogan insurgence at Virmire… arresting red sand dealers and users… and the rescue of Meiou Seishiro, a Cerberus experiment."
At the mention of Meiou's name, Jarred felt a bit of pain in his heart. He missed her very much.
"Because of you and Captain Alenko's stellar performance during the last few years…" Samara said, smiling down at them, "It is the decision of this Council to induct Captain Tristan Alenko and Lieutenant Commander Jarred Vancair… to the Spectres."
Jarred and Tristan's eyes widened in surprise, and from behind them, they heard Thanikah's gasp and Amira's small squeak of joy. Kaidan looked proudly at his son as he pressed a button and two consoles rose from under the floor. "Please step forward to the consoles, and place your hand on it for scanning."
The two of them stepped forward toward the consoles, both of them removing the gloves on their hands as they placed it on. The consoles began scanning their fingerprints.
"It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the rights and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance Branch of the Citadel." Tali said as she pressed a button on her console.
Urdnot Mordin pressed a button as well, "Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle; those whose actions lift them above the rank and file."
"Spectres are an ideal, a symbol, the embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will." Councilor Victus said, pressing on his console.
"Spectres bear a great burden. Both our first and last line of defense, the safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold." Kaidan said, looking proudly at his son as he pressed a button.
"But we also know to trust your judgment. Your logic… as both soldiers and as species… is the reason why this Council will entrust the safety of the galaxy to you." Samara said as she pressed a button on her console, "Though the burden will be great, and though the decisions may become harsh, we, the Council, believe that you will lead all the Council Species into greatness."
Jarred looked down at the console as he stepped back, and he saw his picture from his Alliance records glow from orange to blue, his fingerprints encoded into his file, and soon, he looked at the part of his name, the rank before his name changing from 'Lieutenant Commander' to 'Spectre'. He swallowed.
"Spectre Jarred Vancair."
Jarred's head slowly looked up at Councilor Victus' face, and he was surprised to see that the turian had his mandibles flared in a smile, "You are the first turian-human Spectre. Had they been living, I'm sure your parents would be proud of you."
He blinked, and he remembered that Victus was kept in the dark at the state of his parents. He looked over to Kaidan, who winked. He nodded at the turian, "Yes. I'm sure they would be."
Kaidan nodded, "As Spectres, I would like to give you your next assignment. However, there is one more issue we need to address."
"With the betrayal and death of Engineer Chris Radley, it has come to our attention that the Normandy needs another crew member." Victus said, "But before that… Yeoman Jose Cruz, please step forward."
The human's eyes widened, but he came forward from the back of the crew, looking slightly nervous as he stood beside Jarred. He saluted, "Y… yes, Councilors?"
Tali looked down at her console, "If our sources were correct, you were helped during the creation of the Biotic Relays."
Jose nodded, "Y… yes, Councilor Tali."
"Your background also tells me that you are the son of Gabriella Daniels and Kenneth Donnelly. But when your parents separated, and your mother remarried, but you have remained in contact with your biological father, am I correct?"
"Yes, Councilor Tali." Jose said, "My step-father is Engineer Alejandro Ruiz Cruz of the SSV Ain Jalut. He and my parents taught me most of my engineering knowledge. I was an Engineer before I was reassigned as a Yeoman."
Urnot Mordin nodded, "Very well. We hereby assign Amira'Zorah nar Rannoch as the Normandy SR-2's Head Engineer. Engineer Jose Cruz, you are to assist Amira as engineer for the Normandy."
Jose sighed in relief, "Yes. Thank you, Councilors."
Kaidan sighed, "Which leaves the position of Yeoman empty." He looked up at Tristan, "Very well. Private Leena Traynor will fill the position of Yeoman, if she agrees to it."
Traynor nodded, "I do, Councilor."
"We will also be integrating a new member to your ranks." Samara said, a slight smile on her face, "She has recently finished her training with N7… breezed through it, in fact… and has been welcomed to the N7 as a Fury. I believe she would be an asset to your team once you've had new assignments." She looked over to her left, on the offices of the Council. "Please come out, N7 Fury Adept… Meiou Seishiro."
The door opened, and a sleek-looking female in light armor came out. Jarred looked up, his breath catching at his throat as she walked down from the Council offices, smiling at her friends. Because she had been under the N7 Program, she had changed her armor to the Fury Adepts' standard black and red armor, though her hood was down. She had also done something to her hair, so that it only reached to her waist now, and it was straight instead of her usual wavy hair. She stood in front of the Normandy crew, and saluted at Tristan, but she winked at them, causing them to smile.
Jarred looked up at Kaidan, who smiled at him, "I believe you still have a few days from the shore leave I gave you, but once it's done, I've sent details of your new assignments over to the Normandy's computers. Yeoman Traynor would be in charge of that. Spectre Vancair, don't forget to orient Fury Seishiro to her duties on the Normandy." He looked down at Jarred, and he winked, making the turian-human blush under his mandibles, "This Council is dismissed." And he nodded to his son, before he and the other Councilors headed back to their offices.
Meiou lowered her salute and looked at them, and immediately Thanikah, Nicholas and Amira rushed forward and hugged her. She laughed as her friends wrapped their arms around her, and smothered her in their arms.
"We thought you were dead….!"
"Omni-tool clearly shows you flat-lined…"
"Scared the shit out of me!"
"All right! Everybody calm down." Tristan said as he came forward, and Meiou saluted at him, smirking.
"It will be an honor to serve you, Spectre Tristan Alenko." She said, her smirk turning into a full grin.
Tristan laughed, and saluted in return, before lowering his hand, and shaking hers. "An honor to have you on the Normandy, Fury Seishiro." He smirked and bent over to her to whisper to her ear, "Though I think the other Spectre would like to have a word with you. Should I give you some time?"
Meiou laughed, but she nodded, and Tristan stepped back, "Okay, everyone. We'll talk to Meiou once we're back on the Normandy." He turned to her and smiled again, "Don't take too long, Fury Seishiro… Spectre Vancair."
At this, Jarred looked at his best friend, only to see him ushering the crew along back to the elevators, leaving him and Meiou on the Council Chambers. He swallowed as he looked down… not daring to look her in the eyes.
He watched as her feet came closer, her footsteps slightly echoing on the floor. "Hello… Jarred."
"Meiou."
Jarred felt his throat close a little as he said her name, and he swallowed, still looking down. His heart felt like it was pounding too hard, and he tried to breathe. Meiou took another step closer.
"Are… aren't you going to look at me?"
Her voice was a whisper, like she was confused. Jarred closed his eyes as he bent his head again, "I… I'm sorry. I… don't know what to say. I thought you were dead… I felt your last breath. You… you died in my arms…"
Jarred heard a small sound, as Meiou shook her head, "I… I did die. For a few minutes, but I… I fought back. I wanted to live. I wanted to stay alive. Thanikah and Nicholas fought so hard to keep my heart beating. I owe them my life."
"I thought I'd lost you. I grieved for you." Jarred said, still keeping his eyes closed.
"And I came back." He heard her say, "Do you remember what you told me back in that base? You told me I was your light? Well… you were my light too, Jarred. Something happened to me when I flat-lined…"
"Which is?"
There was a moment of silence, "When I… died… I thought I saw a light before me…" She said, "It was so… warm and comforting, like I wanted to go into the light and stay there. But then… then I saw another light behind me… and it was blue, and pulsing. Like it was beckoning me to go with it instead. And I… heard your voice, calling me… telling me to come back." He heard her footsteps again, "When I heard your voice, I couldn't dare leave you. So I went into the blue light instead. The next thing I knew, I was on a hospital bed."
"You… were the reason I wanted to live. The reason I fought. The reason I returned." She said, and Jarred heard her footsteps again, and he shivered when he felt her breath on his neck. "You told me to come back… it took a month, but I am here now. And I'm never leaving again."
"I… I'm afraid that you're just a dream…" Jarred said finally, "I saw you in my dreams so often… I'm afraid that if I open my eyes, you'd disappear."
Meiou giggled, "Then… open your eyes and find out if this really is a dream."
Slowly, Jarred opened his eyes, seeing the hands on his chest armor, the slim fingers grasping his collar. His eyes moved up to the leather-encased chest that was pressed against him, the straight white hair on slim soldiers, up the smooth white neck. He swallowed and continued to raise his eyes higher, to the smiling red lips, the delicate nose, and finally, to the violet eyes.
Their eyes met, and Jarred felt like his breath stopped entirely. Meiou smiled, and pulled at his collar, bringing his face to hers, and soon, their foreheads touched, and Jarred felt a jolt of electricity as her hands reached behind his head to caress the back of his short fringe.
The feeling of her hands on the back of his head woke him, and he suddenly pulled her into his arms, as her own arms wrapped around his neck. The feel and warmth of her body finally convinced him, and he buried his head on her neck, "Oh Spirits… you are real… you're alive. You came back…"
Meiou buried her face on his shoulder, and Jarred felt hot tears running down his neck even if it sounded like she was laughing, "That's what I've been telling you, you big goof."
Jarred chuckled as he tightened his hold on her a little, "Next time, smack me on the forehead when I don't believe what you're telling me."
Meiou's head threw back as she laughed, and Jarred couldn't help but laugh back. It was so good to hear her laugh again, to see her smiling face again. "I'll keep that in mind, though I might get in trouble for smacking a Spectre."
"No, you won't." Jarred said, "I'm a Spectre, I don't have to abide to Alliance rules to do my mission." He smirked down at her, "Which means I can pretty much do… this!"
Jarred bent over, holding on to Meiou's legs, and he lifted her up, slinging her like a sack on his shoulder. Meiou shrieked, but she was laughing as Jarred walked towards the elevators. "Jarred! No! Put me down…!"
"Ye-nope!" Jarred said as he pushed a button, "Councilor Alenko told me to orient you on your duties. So I am going to 'orient' you."
"Orient me?" Meiou said from Jarred's back, "On what duties?"
Jarred shrugged, making Meiou shake from his shoulder, "Well, as an Adept, you'll help us on battles, of course. On the Normandy… hmm… normal crew duty, I guess… cleaning the CIC, calibrations… the works." He smirked again as he smacked her bottom playfully, "As my woman, you'll have to… 'pop my heat sink' from time to time…" At this Meiou laughed again, and Jarred lowered her back down to her feet, and held her to his chest, and he lowered his lips to her ear, his breath tickling her, "And as my lover… as my light… you will guide me, help me… comfort me… and love me until my last breath. And I will do the same for you…"
Jarred licked her neck, and her breath hitched at her throat as she moaned, and he growled in wanting. Meiou pulled back a little, and put her hand at the back of his head as she kissed him, his mandibles flaring as he held her tight. She pulled back a little and smiled, "I will do all those and more for you… Spectre Vancair."
He grinned and put his forehead to hers as he ran a hand through her hair, "I love you, Meiou."
She smiled and kissed his mandible, "I love you, too, David Jarred Vakarian."
Jarred blinked at her, "Wait… what…? How did you…?"
She grinned at him as she reached back to her pocket, "I had some… heart to heart time with your mother, while you were taking a bath before the mission." She said, and she bit her lower lip… rather seductively, as she took out a keycard from her back pocket, "She also mentioned that you have an apartment in the Tiberius Towers… the one that she got from Anderson… where she and her crew had their shore leave before the Reaper Wars… and where you sleep alone… and… in her own words, where we can be… 'creative'."
Jarred blinked at her again, acknowledging the innuendo, "You've… changed, Meiou."
She shrugged, "I got a little… braver, I guess. Having a life and death situation does that to people." Her face turned pink as she looked at him, "Is the change… bad?"
Jarred shook his head as he smirked down at her, grabbing her wrist as he pulled her inside the elevator, "No. I love it."
