**Updated**
I do not own Mass Effect or any of the character's. They belong to Bioware.
Warning: Strong Language and Violence
Chapter 5: A True Bar Fight
Of all the things Commander Shepard is known for, perhaps the most underrated aspect of his success was his ability to build a team. When you look back over the individuals he gathered, males and females of every specie imaginable. And with each individual came the problems their specie brought with them.
Looking specifically at Shepard's first team, you can see 2 prime examples in the Turian and Krogan teammates Garrus Vakarian and Urdnot Wrex. Reports from former crew members of the SSV Normandy have noted the initial hostility between the two, as well as the rapid improvement said hostilities.
"The Shepard; Book Two, Hunt for Saren" by Alex Hunter. Year 2208.
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It turns out recruiting a pissed off Krogan is easier than it sounds. Spending hours being detained by C-Sec tends to do that to anyone, regardless of race. Thankfully they didn't need to do any convincing, they were already letting Wrex go when they arrived. Learning that they were going after Fist as well, the Krogan and human had come to an arrangement. Shepard would get to interrogate him first, then Wrex could do whatever he wanted with him.
Ashley and Kaidan had wanted to protest but a quick look from Shepard had silenced them. They may not like it, but they were getting used to the way he worked. Garrus was a Turian, they were a highly militarized species and more accustomed to making hard decisions. Even still, he could tell Garrus was hesitant about this deal. He just hoped the Turian wasn't one of the ones set on law and order, something he had spent the majority of his life ignoring.
Once more standing in that familiar hallway leading to Chora's Den he watched his new team get their weapons ready. He may not know anything about Fist but Garrus had assured him he was not the kind of guy to just let them walk through the door. They were getting ready for a fight and the only person more excited than Shepard was Wrex.
Said Krogan was currently checking over his shotgun and chuckling under his breath. There was a feral light in his eyes Shepard had often seen in the mirror when he was younger and getting ready for a mission. Since those days he had mellowed out some and gotten a lot better at concealing his emotions.
Garrus appeared to be going with his standard issue C-Sec pistol and that single eye screen over his right eye. Ashley and Kaidan were both going with their assault rifles. Unfortunately, all of them had left their helmets on the Normandy so the danger of headshots was much higher.
"Alright so let's go over the plan when we get in there", Shepard said. "Garrus, find cover and start taking out the guards farthest away. Ashley, you and Kaidan will be laying down covering fire. Keep them from advancing and keep them in cover. Wrex, you and I are the vanguards in this fight. We'll be getting in close and taking them out so Ashley and Kaidan can advance. Once we get to Fist I need him alive, so he can tell me where the Quarian is. After that he's all yours. Everyone understand?"
Looking around he received a series of head nods and "yes sirs" from Kaidan, Ashley, and Garrus. Grunt remained silent with that excited gleam still in his eyes.
"Alright then", Shepard continued. "Knock knock, time to see who's home."
The group moved forward and activated the doors motion sensor, causing it to slide open with the usual 'hiss'. There was a brief moment of pause that they used to rush forward before the shooting started. Garrus remained by the door, not entering the room but using the wall as cover. The remaining four rushed forwards, Kaidan and Wrex both using a biotic Throw on the guard behind the bar. He was swiftly launched backwards and crashed into the wall area behind him.
While they took care of him Shepard was dealing with the next target. Letting out a burst from his assault rifle he downed the next closest target before ducking behind cover. Once they had a firm foothold inside the bar they organized into the waves Shepard had prepared beforehand. Garrus downed several by himself thanks to his pinpoint accuracy on long range shots. Kaidan and Ashely kept most guards in cover while Shepard and Wrex advanced. Those that dared to rise from cover and risk a few shots found themselves on the wrong end of a hail of gunfire. Once Shepard and Wrex got close enough they used their biotics and weapons to devastate the nearest person. In a few minutes there were only a handful of enemies left, only a quarter of the forces they started with. Unfortunately, one of those five was a Krogan.
Wrex did not seem concerned about the Krogan bouncer he had been arguing with earlier that very same day. Giving out a roar, Wrex charged the other Krogan, who matched his roar as he too charged forwards. The two mighty aliens met with a monstrous crash. Shepard saw one of Fist's men trying to get a shot off against Wrex, so he quickly rose up and activated a Pull. Rather than launching his target like a Throw would he instead dragged his target through the air towards him. Once his target was close enough he sent out a single blast from his shotgun to put down his enemy. Hearing a loud crack he had come to associate with Garrus's sniper rifle he saw another one of Fist's men go down. Off to his left he heard a round of weapon's fire he glanced over to see Kaidan and Ashley had circled around and were working to flank the enemy.
Another two seconds and two more of the remaining guards were down, leaving only the Krogan, Wrex was tangling with. It was a simple battle of strength, both Krogan locked together and working to push the other down to the ground. It seemed that as inept as Fist's other guards had been the Krogan was the exception. He knew exactly what he was doing and was more than capable as a fighter. Yet as good as he was it was Wrex that was displaying his overwhelming strength. He was slowly but surely overpowering his foe, forcing him onto his knees. Wrex grinned triumphantly as he continued to push down the Krogan before a shotgun went off and Fist's last line of defense went slack. Turning away from the body Wrex noted Shepard pumping his shotgun and getting it ready for another shot.
"Sorry but we don't have all day", Shepard said. "Besides, I think you had him beat."
Wrex kept his glare as he responded to the commander.
"Never steal a Krogan's kill", he said. "Don't you know that Shepard?"
"You get to kill Fist", he responded. "That should be more than enough."
Wrex was obviously still angry but let it go so they could keep moving forwards. Opening the door to the back room they were met with the sight of three regular looking men pointing pistols at them. Unlike the guards they had just dispatched, these men were clearly no thugs. The way they held their weapons, too tightly with shaky hands, showed that they probably did not have much, if any, experience with weapons before now.
"S-Stop, or we'll shoot", one of the men stuttered in an obviously false bravado.
"Dock workers", Garrus guessed, "we must have taken out all of Fist's real forces."
Shepard nodded his agreement with his assessment. Turning back towards them he once more regarded them with a thoughtful look. He was far from gun-shy, some would go so far as to call him trigger-happy, but this was not a fight he wanted. These men weren't like the ones now laying dead in the main room, they had probably never done anything wrong. This was a job for them, and on the Wards, you took work where you could find it. Being involved in a fire-fight was most likely not in the job description.
"Are you sure you want to get involved?" Shepard asked them, using that dark threatening voice that was so common when he was in a fight. "Look at what we just did to all the men in the other room. And they were real killers, how do you expect to stop us?"
At this the three looked at each other, doubt clear on their faces. Seeing their weakness Shepard made one last push to resolve this peacefully. He wasn't worried about himself or his team, but he had a shot to spare two innocent people and he wanted to take it.
"Leave now and we never saw you", Shepard said. "Stay, and you join the body count in my inevitable report."
Any doubt that was on their faces was erased. The three shared a look and seemed to come to an executive decision. Laying down their weapons the three shuffled past the Commander and his team and making for the exit.
"Smart choice", Shepard said.
Once the dock workers had left Shepard moved through the door to enter another small hallway. There was only one other direction he could go, he assumed it led to Fist's office.
'That last door was a little unnecessary wasn't it?' He thought to himself.
Before he opened the door he glanced back at his team to ensure they were ready for whatever might be on the other side. He was met with nothing but determined looks. Nodding his head he used his Omni-tool to activate the door. The door slid open with a hiss and the party entered Fist's office. There was a short section of wall to his left before it dropped off and the room opened. As soon as he was clear of the wall he was met with the sight of twin turrets, one on each side of the room. Diving back behind the wall for cover he heard the explosion of shots echo behind him.
Looking back to his team he signaled Garrus and Wrex to make their way across the room to use the other side of the rooms wall as cover. It may have been a risk but he was confident their shields would hold up enough well enough for them to make it. Nodding their heads in confirmation they broke from cover and raced across the room, even getting of a couple shots at the turret on the right as they ran. Once he was sure they had made it safely to cover he too left and ran to the middle of the room. Once there he upended a table that was conveniently laying there, creating his very own cover and giving Kaidan and Ashley a little more room to work.
From their it was a simple act of switching shooters and targeting the turret closest to them. Shepard's two teams were working well together, not surprising in the case of Kaidan and Ashley but very surprising in the case of Garrus and Wrex. The Krogan were still pissed at the Turians for the Genophage and the Turians were still mad about the war in the first place.
'Thank God for common enemies' Shepard thought in relief.
The two teams had worked out a good system. One member of each team would step out of cover and unload into one of the turrets. Once their weapon was overheated or their shields depleted they would duck back behind their wall and the other would take their place. This produced an almost constant stream of fire, with Shepard supplementing. He would rise from cover, pick a target and put a few shots into them before ducking back down.
Though most had been working together for a matter of hours somewhere along the way they had become an efficient, deadly team. He could honestly say they were the most competent and complete team he had ever gotten to work with. In a matter of minutes they had taken out the two turrets and Shepard was standing over a cowering Fist, looking anything but like the crime lord he was.
"Wait", he pleaded, "don't kill me. I surrender."
Shepard pointed his pistol at Fist's head and leveled him with his most intimidating glare.
"Then start talking", Shepard said. "Where is the Quarian?"
"She's not here", Fist said. "I don't know where she is, that's the truth."
With a quick flick of the wrist Shepard smashed the butt of his pistol into the man's head. Fist fell off his knees and laid out on the ground, clutching his head in pain. While he may have been trying to relieve the pain in some way he unknowingly opened himself up to even more. Smirking Shepard lowered his pistol's aim and fired into the man's leg. Screeching in pain he now clutched the injured leg. Losing patience Shepard ripped his arm away and kneeled on the open wound.
"I told you I don't know where she is", Fist sobbed.
"Well I didn't like your answer", Shepard responded. "So how about you keep talking before I aim a little higher and more centered."
"Alright, alright", Fist said. "I don't know where she is now, but I know where she'll be."
"Keep talking", Shepard said.
"The Quarian said she'd only deal with the Shadow Broker himself", Fist explained. His face was still tight with pain, it wasn't helping that Shepard was still applying force to his injury.
Wrex gave out a snort of disbelief.
"Impossible", the Krogan said, "no one meets with the Shadow Broker. Even I was hired through an agent."
"But she didn't know that", Fist said. "So I told her I'd set up a meeting. Only it won't be the Shadow Broker waiting for her, it'll be Saren's men. You can still save her. The meetings happening in a few minutes, in a back alley by the markets right here on the Wards."
Shepard searched his face for any trace of deceit. Finding none he nodded and finally got up off his leg. Fist sighed in relief and clutched his injured leg while Shepard talked to his tea.
"Wow Shepard", Wrex said, "you got a quad. I didn't think humans could be so ruthless."
"Stick around Wrex, you might learn something", Shepard responded.
"That Quarian's dead if we don't go now", Garrus said.
"You're right", Shepard replied. "But first, Wrex…make it fast."
Said Krogan grinned at Shepard before taking out his shotgun and moving over towards the still downed crime boss. The human looked up at the approaching monster in fear and tried to plead with the commander.
"Please Shepard, I told you everything I know. I cooperated."
"Yes you did", Shepard acknowledged. "Which is why I'm not killing you. Wrex however, well he has a job to do. And since he is not part of the Alliance I have no control over him. You're an asshole Fist, and when you spend years pissing people off eventually someone's going to get you. Goodbye Fist."
Shepard turned his back and ignored any more pleas coming from the downed man. He did not even react when the loud blast of a shotgun filled the room and the pleas stopped. Without turning he addressed the Krogan.
"All set?"
"I'm good Shepard", Wrex replied.
"Then let's move."
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Tali'Zorah nar Rayya had been having a really shitty day. At first she had been thrilled having been able to retrieve information from the Geth yesterday. Who'd have thought, Geth outside the Veil? Things had quickly taken a turn for the worst. Whoever this person she had found a voice recording of was, he was clearly powerful. It had quickly become clear she had unearthed something she should never have found.
She knew her only hope was to trade the information for safety, and the Shadow Broker was he best chance at that. She was very grateful to the kind human doctor that had patched her up and told her how to get in contact with the Broker. She had set up a deal with Fist, one of the Broker's agents and he had set up a meeting. However, when she arrived she found herself facing a dangerous looking Turians and a pair of security mechs. Something told her this Turian was not the Shadow Broker, putting an uneasy feeling in her gut.
"I told Fist I would only deal with the Shadow Broker", she said sternly. "Where is he?"
"Don't worry, he'll be here", one of the Turians said in what she assumed was meant to be a reassuring tone. If anything, it just served to reaffirm her suspicions that something was wrong. "Now why don't you show me this evidence you want to turn over."
As if the couldn't get any creepier he actually reached out a clawed hand and stroked her faceplate. Feeling her anger bubble over she slapped his hand away and stepped by him.
"Forget it, the deals off."
As she went to leave the Turian grabbed onto her arm and turned her back.
"I don't think so", the Turian growled. "Why don't you give me the information and maybe I'll let you live."
They were interrupted by the sounds of someone approaching and shouting out. Tali didn't waste time looking to see who it was. Shaking the Turian off she threw a grenade and ran for cover behind one of the crates. She heard the resulting explosion and the signs of shooting but she didn't rise from cover. Drawing her pistol she waited to see what would happen. After a few moments the shooting stopped and she risked a peek around the crate. What she saw was a human male standing over the body of the downed Turian. Standing behind him was two more humans, one male one female as well as a Krogan and Turian. Deciding that they weren't here to kill he she stood up and went over to them.
"Fist set me up", she exclaimed angrily. "I knew I couldn't trust him."
"You don't have to worry about him anymore", the lead human said. "Were you hurt?" She thought she detected a trace of concern in his voice but she couldn't be sure.
"I know how to look after myself", she responded, "not that I don't appreciate the help. Who are you?"
"My name's Shepard", the human responded. "And I think you have something I need. I'm looking for evidence against a rogue Spectre named Saren and I think you have it."
'He must mean the voice I got from the Geth recording' she thought.
"Well then, I guess I have a chance to repay you for saving my life", she said. "But not here, we have to go somewhere safe. I've had more than enough people trying to kill me today."
"We could take her to the Human Embassy", Garrus suggested. Shepard nodded in agreement.
"Good idea", Shepard agreed. "Udina and Anderson are going to want to see this anyways."
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Shepard could tell Udina was pissed the second he entered the room, no matter that the ambassador had his back turned.
"You're not making my life easy Shepard", Udina complained. "Firefights in the Wards, an all-out assault on Chora's Den. Do you have any idea…" Udina trailed off as he noticed the aliens that had arrived with him. "Who's this?"
Shepard nodded towards each one as he introduced them.
"The Krogan is Wrex, a bounty hunter who shared a similar interest as us. Garrus you know, he was the C-Sec agent investigating Saren. And this is…I'm sorry I never got your name. Anyway, she has information linking Saren to the Geth."
"Really", Udina said, his tone changing immediately. He was, dare he say it, friendly. "Why don't you start from the beginning miss…"
"My name is Tali. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya", she explained.
"We don't see many Quarians here", Anderson commented. "Why did you leave the Flotilla?"
"I was on my Pilgrimage", she explained, "my right of passage into adulthood."
"I've never heard of that before", Kaidan commented.
"It is a tradition among my people. When we reach maturity we leave the ships of our parents and venture out into the galaxy. We search the stars, only returning when we have discovered something of value. In this way we prove ourselves worthy of adulthood. It was in my search for something that I came across a group of Geth outside the Veil. I waited for one to separate, then I took it down and accessed its memory core."
"I thought the Geth wiped their memory banks when you try to access them?" Shepard asked.
"They do, but my people created the Geth. If you are fast, careful, and lucky small caches of data can be recovered. In this instance, I recovered an audio bank that might have some interest to you."
Tali activated her Omni-tool and brought up the file in question. The scratchy, smug voice of Saren filled the air.
"Eden Prime was a major victory. The Beacon has brought us one step closer to the Conduit."
"That's Saren's voice", Anderson commented. "This proves he was involved in the attack."
'Well, now we have a firm grasp of the obvious.' Shepard thought.
"He said Eden Prime brought him one step closer to finding the Conduit", Kaidan commented. "Any idea what that means?"
"The Conduit has got to have something to do with the Beacon", Anderson responded. "It may be some kind of Prothean technology…like a weapon."
"Wait, there's more", Tali interrupted. "Saren wasn't alone."
Tali activated her Omni-tool again and the message played once again.
"Eden Prime was a major victory. The Beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit."
Then the new voice cut in, this one unmistakingly female.
"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers."
Everyone in the room looked at each other, looking to see if anyone had any idea what to make of this new information.
"I don't recognize the other voice, the one talking about Reapers", Udina commented.
"Are they some kind of new alien species?" Ashley asked.
"According to the memory core, the Reapers were a hyper-advanced machine race that existed 50,000 years ago. The Reapers hunted the Protheans to total extinction and then they vanished. At least, that's what the Geth believe."
"Sounds a little far-fetched", Udina commented.
"Maybe not", Shepard jumped in. "The Geth have spent centuries behind the Veil, an area Council species won't even go. We have no idea what they could have found in there during that time."
"Shepard…your vision", Anderson said excitedly. "You said you saw machines murdering organics. Maybe you saw an image of the Reapers wiping out the Protheans."
"The Geth revere the Reapers as gods", Tali responded, "the pinnacle of non-organic life. And they believe Saren knows how to bring the Reapers back."
"The Council is just going to love this", Udina said with a shake of his head.
"Then don't tell them", Shepard said. "They'll never believe it anyways. They'll deny it just out of fear alone."
"No matter what they think about the Reapers, those files prove that Saren's a traitor", Anderson said, once more bringing the discussion back to the rogue Spectre. Shepard was beginning to think he had an unhealthy obsession with that Turian.
"The Captain's right", Udina agreed. "We need to present those files to the Council right away."
"What about her?" Ashley asked pointing to the Quarian.
"My name is Tali", she said in annoyance. Shepard chuckled, she had fire. He was starting to like her. "You saw me in the alley commander, you know what I can do. Let me come with you."
"I thought you were on your Pilgrimage", Shepard asked. "Why would you want to come with us?"
"The Pilgrimage proves we are willing to give of ourselves for the greater good", Tali explained. "What does it say about me if I turn my back on this. Not to mention the information I might gain on the Geth to take back to my people."
"Well, if you want to sign up to fight Geth, who am I to say no", Shepard commented. Anderson had a frown on his face. Sure, Shepard was his second in command as XO but the final decisions regarding things such as a ship's crew should be made by the Captain. He wasn't sure he liked Shepard making decisions without consulting him first. He knew the commander had a problem with authority, that was well documented. He had never regarded it as a major problem because Shepard always got the job done. But now that he had to deal with it, he was starting to understand the complaints he had heard.
"Thanks", Tali responded. "You won't regret this." After saying this Tali moved over and took a spot standing by standing by Shepard.
"Anderson and I will go ahead and get things ready with the Council", Udina said. "Take a few minutes then meet us at Citadel Tower. Should only be a half-hour or so."
Udina and Anderson went over to the terminal message the Council about the new information. Shepard turned to his team and shrugged before asking.
"Anyone up for a drink?"
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For the second time that day, or not that day since it was after midnight, Shepard found himself late to a meeting with three of the most powerful individuals in the galaxy. He had spent the time downing different kinds of alcohol with perhaps the most diverse team the Citadel had ever seen. Garrus and Kaidan, as it turned out, got along great. They were both really into modifying and caring for their own weapons. They spent most of the time debating which mods would best improve the performance of a Level 4 Avenger. Tali and Ashley seemed to have struck up a conversation though he was too far away to hear what they were talking about. Shepard had found himself talking to Wrex about some of the things they had seen and jobs Wrex had pulled. The way the Krogan talked made it seem as though he wanted to join them in their fight as well. Jenna and Rita had insisted on serving them, even going so far as to buy a few of Shepard's drinks. Only Shepard though. They had been having such a good time they had lost track of how long they had been there, hence them once again being late.
The strange group rode the elevator headed towards the top of Citadel Tower. This trip was so different from Shepard's previous one. The elevator was still just as slow, which Shepard still thought was ridiculous, but the company made the ride so much more interesting. Several people had switched partners, Wrex now talking with Kaidan while Garrus spoke with Ashley, leaving Shepard to speak with the newest member of his team. He was enjoying learning more about Quarian life and culture, and Tali was interesting too. One thing that hadn't changed from his days as a kid, he enjoyed learning new things. Plus, he couldn't help but be curious about the young woman underneath the helmet.
Once more the doors opened to the familiar stairs leading up to the Council's Chamber. Familiar for some, but for Wrex and Tali this was their first time being here. Wrex kept his usual non-caring expression Shepard was beginning to place as him concealing his emotions. He may not have been able to see her face but Shepard was still able to identify the obvious awe in the Quarian as she beheld the impressive sight.
The group proceeded up the stairs and across the two levels. Once more Anderson was waiting for them at the bottom of the last set of stairs before they reached the Council. He didn't seem to be mad, despite their tardiness. Nor was he angry the first time they were late to the meeting.
"Udina is presenting the Quarian's evidence to the Council", Anderson said.
Walking up the stairs Shepard heard the familiar sound of Tali's audio file being played. Just as he stepped onto that podium behind the Ambassador the file ended, and he looked at the faces of the Council. The Salarian and Asari Councilors were doing a good job of guarding their expressions. Shepard had to imagined they were surprised but they gave no sign of it. The Turian Councilor was not managing as well. There was shame and embarrassment written all over his face as he stood there digesting the irrefutable evidence. Sparatus had been very open in his defense of Saren. The proof of his betrayal made him look bad in multiple aspects. It showed the Turians were not as perfect as they liked to say they were, and Sparatus had been one of the loudest supporters.
"You wanted proof", Udina said smugly, "there it is."
"This evidence is irrefutable", Sparatus said resignly. "Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status, and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes."
"I recognize the other voice", Tevos said, "the one speaking with Saren. Matriarch Benezia."
"Who's she?" Shepard asked.
"Matriarchs are powerful Asari who have entered the final stage of their lives", Tevos explained. "Revered for their wisdom and experience, they serve as guides for my people. Matriarch Benezia is a powerful biotic, she had many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren."
"I'm more interested in the Reapers", Valern jumped into the conversation. "What do we know about them?"
"Only what was extracted from the Geth's memory core", Anderson responded. "The Reapers were an ancient race of machines that wiped out the Protheans. Then they vanished."
"The Geth believe the Reapers are gods", Shepard commented. "And Saren is the prophet for their return."
"We think the Conduit is the key to bringing them back", Anderson said. "Saren's searching for it, that's why he attacked Eden Prime."
"Do we even know what this Conduit is?" Valern asked.
"Saren thinks it can bring back the Reapers, that's bad enough", Shepard responded.
"Listen to what your saying", Sparatus interrupted. "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'd they vanish? And why haven't we found any evidence of their existence? If they were real we would have found something."
"Just because you don't want something to be true doesn't mean it isn't", Shepard commented with a mocking tone. "Shouldn't you have learned that with Saren."
The Turian Councilor glared at him, hate clearly evident in his eyes. He turned to the Asari to his left only to find her eyes shining with concealed laughter.
"You already doubted me once when I tried to tell you Saren was a traitor", Shepard continued. "How many times do I have to prove you wrong before you start trusting me?"
"This is different", Tevos said. "You proved Saren betrayed the Council. We all agree he is using the Geth to search for the Conduit, but we don't really know why."
"The Reapers are obviously just a myth", Valern said. "A convenient lie to cover Saren's true purpose, a lie he is using to bend the Geth to his will."
"Or so you hope."
The voice was unmistakable but seemed to come from nowhere. As everyone looked around and searched for the owner, the holographic projector came to life and a smug looking Turian was once more in full view of the room.
"Saren", Anderson snarled angrily. "We've proven what you did, there won't be a place left for you to hide."
While he spoke, Shepard turned and ordered his team to track down where the signal was coming from. Tali spent a few seconds tapping on her Omni-tool then raced off with the rest if his team to track down her lead. Shepard turned back to watch as the former Spectre responded to Anderson's declaration.
"So, you really think you've won?" Saren asked smugly. "Being disbarred from the Spectres has merely been a minor setback. You can not stop what is coming, nor can you stop me. Who could you send that would stand a chance against me."
The Council members all looked at each other, doubt clearly visible on their faces. There was a reason Saren was their best agent. There was no one else in the Spectres that they could send against him, the closest thing they had was Nihlus and Saren had already taken him out of the equation. They could always send multiple Spectres after him but that wasn't a favorable option either. Spectres may be the best agents in the galaxy but they generally did not play well with others. Any team they sent after him had just as good a chance of killing themselves as getting killed by Saren or his Geth. With nowhere left to turn they were willing to latch on to any potential savior they could find. And lucky for them that savior was standing right in front of them, ready to announce himself.
"Send me."
Every head in the room turned to look at the confidant looking human standing tall and proud before the Council. One by one he met the gazes of the most powerful people in the galaxy, daring them to find a better alternative. He had already proven he had the ability to beat the Turian by uncovering evidence of his treachery.
"I can find Saren and bring him down", Shepard continued. "Send me after him and I'll stop his plans, whatever they might be."
The Turian in question laughed at the declaration.
"You're not seriously considering sending a human against me, are you?" He asked, disbelief clear in his voice. "I've already proven he's no match for me on Eden Prime. Are you seriously going to put the safety of the galaxy in his hands?"
"This shouldn't be left to one person to handle", Udina interrupted. "You know Saren's hiding somewhere in the Traverse, send your fleet in."
"They won't risk open war with the Terminus Systems for a few dozen human colonies", Saren responded with a knowing grin. "Sending in their fleets is not even a possibility. They're predictable…that's why they will never be able to stop me."
Tevos, the Asari Councilor had heard enough. A cold look of resolve came over her face as she stepped up to deliver her own opinion.
"In case you have forgotten Saren, Shepard may not have defeated you on Eden Prime but neither did you defeat him. You may have gotten to the Beacon first, but he still got there. I doubt you had anything to do with it's destruction. You obviously intended for it to be destroyed in the blast alongside the rest of the colony. Perhaps Shepard is the right man for the job."
Sparatus looked over at his fellow Council member with a look that mixed disbelief and confusion.
'She can't possibly be thinking what I think she is. Can she?' He thought.
One hard look from the Asari confirmed that, yes. That was exactly what she was thinking. Turning his gaze to Valern he hoped to find him about to oppose this idea as well, but he would find no support there. He couldn't be the only one opposing it, not after how wrong he had been in regards to Saren just yesterday. Giving a resigned nod of his head, he locked in his approval for what was to come.
"Commander John Shepard, step forward please", Tevos said. "It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel."
"Spectres aren't trained, but chosen" Valern continued. "Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle, those whose actions elevate them above their rank and file."
"Spectres are an ideal", Tevos cut back in, "a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will."
"Spectres bear a great burden", this time it was Sparatus to cut in. "They are protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold."
"You are the first human Spectre commander", Tevos congratulated. "This is a great accomplishment for your entire species."
"Fools", came Saren's irritated hiss as he disconnected the image. So many things had happened many had forgotten he was even there, an impressive feet considering he was at the time a thirty foot tall hologram.
Behind him he heard the sounds of his team coming back. Glancing behind him he saw Tali give a dejected shake of her head. Apparently they weren't able to find anything as to how Saren bypassed the security protocols or where the call was coming from.
'Oh well, it's not like I really expected them to find something. Not like I really need to ask but might as well anyway…' he thought to himself.
"What's my first mission?" Shepard asked.
"We're sending you into the Traverse after Saren", Valern responded. "He is a fugitive from justice, so you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him."
'And that's why I wanted to become a Spectre' he thought to himself gleefully. 'No one telling me how I need to do things. Just give me a mission and stay the fuck out of my way.'
"Any leads on how I might find him?" Shepard asked.
"We will forward any relevant files to Ambassador Udina", Sparatus responded. Shepard wasn't so sure he liked that answer. Normally Spectres get their intel directly from the Council, regardless of their race. The fact that any information would go through Udina reminded him that while he may be a Spectre he still didn't have their trust. It wouldn't take much before he was thrown away as a failure, further demoting humanity in the eyes of the galaxy.
"This meeting of the Council is adjourned." Tevos said in farewell. With that all three members of the Council left their podiums and exited the room, probably headed back to their offices to prepare for the next point of business. As she was leaving the podium Shepard quickly caught Tevos' eye. It was only a moment, but he was able to pass along his message before she turned away and left. Unfortunately for him it seems Ashley was more observant than he gave her credit for.
"What was that?" She asked suspiciously. Shepard was momentarily surprised that she was able to pick up on that however he did not let it show, recovering quickly and feigning ignorance.
"What was what?" He asked.
"That look you just gave the Asari Councilor", she responded.
"What look?" He asked again, still with that confused look and sound to his voice. Say what you will about him, if he ever retired from the Alliance he could probably go into making vids. It was good enough to make Williams stop her interrogation and question whether she actually saw anything.
'I'm going to have to be more careful' Shepard thought to himself. 'Williams could end up being a problem otherwise.'
Leaving the stage Shepard saw Anderson and Udina already speaking to each other on the level between sets of stairs. The men looked up at him as he approached, Anderson moving forward to congratulate him first.
"Congratulations Commander", the Captain said.
Anderson may not be Shepard's favorite person, his problem with authority made sure of that. Still, he could respect the man. When he had been a guest instructor at Shepard's institute he had been much more easy going than all the other instructors. He may have called Shepard out on his shit but he didn't flip out over it.
"We've got a lot of work to do", Udina said thoughtfully. "You'll need a ship, crew, supplies…"
"You'll get access to special equipment and training", Anderson cut in. "You should stop by C-Sec Academy and check in with the Spectre requisitions officer."
"Anderson", Udina said, "come with me. I'll need your help to set all this up."
The two men left, leaving Shepard with the five people he had been working with.
"I thought he would be a little more grateful", Tali wondered.
"He's a politician", Shepard said as an explanation. "A pre-requisite for the job is forgetting how to say thank you."
This generated a small round of laughter from the group. Now Shepard needed to speak with them about their thoughts moving forward. As a Spectre he would be getting command of his own ship, meaning he could choose his own crew. Every being in front of him had proven themselves capable in combat, though he still had some doubt regarding Tali. He wouldn't mind taking them with him but that was their choice. Well, all except Kaidan and Ashley. That decision lay in the hands of Udina and Anderson.
"Alright everyone", Shepard said, calling their attention back to him. "From here on out each of you have a decision to make. Alenko…Williams, this decision lies in the hands of Anderson, so you can ignore this. Each of you have proven yourselves capable and more importantly, I can tolerate you. It would be cool to have you join me on my mission to take down Saren but obviously that decisions lies with each of you."
His gaze moved across the aliens standing in front of him, waiting for the first one to give him their answer. It only took a few seconds for him to get his first answer. Tali stepped forward and looked him head on, or at least he assumed she did. He couldn't really tell where it was her eyes were looking.
"I told you before Shepard", the Quarian began, "I'll stick with you to end this threat with the Geth. With any luck I'll pick up something during this mission that I can bring back to the Flotilla."
Shepard gave her a nod and a small smile. He figured she would join but it was good to hear. Her knowledge of the Geth will probably come in handy at some point. And who knows what else she could do. He had heard Quarians were good with tech and several were skilled hackers, but he wasn't sure what she was. He would need to look into that. Tali gave him a way he could contact her and left to do who knows what. The next one to step up was Garrus, the Turian had a determined look on his face.
"I'll join you Shepard", he said. "Saren's an asshole that needs to be taken down. I'll resign my position at C-Sec and be ready to head out in an hour's time. Here's how you can get in touch with me, just send word where to meet you and I'll be there."
With that said he turned around and left to get his affairs in order. Again, this wasn't really a surprise to the Commander. He hadn't even known Garrus for a day and he had already heard the Turian bitch about C-Sec on multiple occasions. Garrus was a lot like himself in a lot of ways, they both hated having to deal with red tape instead of getting the job done. Now there was only one more he was waiting on an answer from. Said Krogan had a smirk on his face as he stepped towards Shepard.
"Alright Shepard, I'm in", Wrex said with a chuckle. "Something tells me you've got a whole lotta fight coming your way and I'll be damned if I'm gonna miss it. Here's how you can get in touch with me. Just let me know when you've got your ship."
And with that the aggressive Krogan stomped away, following the others. With no one left Shepard turned to the two humans still standing there.
"I want to go with you Shepard", Ashley said. "Saren's a threat to all of humanity and he needs to be taken down."
"I'm with Williams on this one sir", Kaidan agreed. "There's no way we can go back to our normal duties when we know you'll be out there tracking down one of the most dangerous fugitives in the galaxy."
"Look, it's not up to me", Shepard said. "If you wanna go you need to talk to Anderson. He's probably with Udina in his office. Tell him I'm willing to take the two of you with me and to transfer you over to my command. If he decides to put you somewhere else I'll go talk to him but there's won't be much I can do. I may be a Spectre but you're still Alliance personnel. I may be able to go my own way if I wanted but you can't."
Seeing the looks on the two human's faces he sighed and placed a hand on their shoulders.
"Like I said, go talk to Anderson. He probably won't have a problem with it. I'm not planning to leave until tomorrow anyways. There are some things I need to take care of here and then I need some sleep. And so do the rest of you. If you join me on this mission this could be the last solid sleep you'll get for a while, maybe ever."
Having said that he too walked away. There were a few people on the Citadel he needed to meet with then he should find somewhere to stay. Maybe Jenna and Rita would let him crash on their couch for the night.
-Line Break-
Beep…Beep…Beep
Shepard awoke to the sound of his Omni-tools alarm going off. It wasn't one he set, instead it was one signaling an urgent message coming in. He glanced at the time and saw it was roughly 5:30 in the morning. He looked around him groggily for a second as he waited for his mind to wake up as well. Finally, he was able to remember. He was in Jenna and Rita's apartment on the Wards. He had become a Spectre the day before and that was most likely Anderson or Udina saying they needed to meet with him. Going to sit up he was stopped by the arms that were draped over his chest. Looking to his left and right the remainder of yesterday came back to him.
It had only taken an hour or so to finish the things he needed to on the Citadel, including one or two things he hadn't needed to. Such things included talking to an overenthusiastic fanboy with a hero complex. He had then gone to Flux and gotten permission from Rita to stay at their place for the night. He had left them to finish up their shift and headed there. He had spent a while talking to the sister's mom for the first time in years before they got home. From there things had spiraled. He remembered talking to them, drinking with them, and finally falling into bed when they refused to let him take the couch.
Rita, to his left, let out an agitated half-asleep mumble and latched her hand onto his arm. He looked down to find her looking up at him in confusion, sleep still noticeable in her eyes. He leaned down and gave her a long kiss before getting out of bed and going in search of his pants and armor.
"I've gotta go." He told her. "Urgent message from Anderson, they need to see me right away. I'll probably be leaving the Citadel in about an hour and so, I have no idea when I'll be back."
"I know", Rita said. She had turned over to watch him as he got dressed. She stretched out on the bed, back arching in a way that perfectly highlighted her chest area. She was no doubt tempting him into staying, something she knew he couldn't do but he couldn't say he wasn't tempted.
"We know the way you are Shepard", this was Jenna's voice coming from the other side of the bed, alerting them to the fact she was now awake. "Just be careful and let us know the next time you're here."
"You know I will" Shepard responded. Finished dressing he ensured he had all his weapons in their rightful place and went back to the bed, giving each sister a long kiss before heading out and leaving them to get some more sleep. He was slightly surprised to see their mom, Sara, up and on the couch. She appeared to be waiting for him and her eyes held a note of mischief in them. Shepard felt himself flush up remembering where he had just come from and what he had done the night before.
"Ah…Sara. I was just…", he said awkwardly.
"Don't bother John, I've known", she cut him off with a small smile. Despite her illness she still looked good and lively. He had always known her to be full of life, she was one of those people that enjoyed life to the fullest. She was also one of the only people in the galaxy he let call him John. To most it was Shepard, less familiar that way.
"I figured you'd be getting out of here early mister Spectre. I wanted to be sure I saw you before you left. Thank you again for watching out for my girls." Sara said, slight tears in her eyes as she stood to embrace him. "Take care of yourself, you hear me. You'd better not die before me."
Gone was Shepard in that moment, instead he was John. The fun loving, caring kid he used to be rather than the battle-hardened soldier he was now. He embraced her back, letting the hug last for a long time. Finally, he felt her release him and step back. She was still sniffling and crying even as she gave him another smile.
"Don't worry Sara. I'll be back", he said. "And don't you die either, you're gonna beat this thing and go on to live for a long time. Who else is going to look after Jenna and Rita while I'm gone."
Shepard gave her a smile and another quick hug before turning and walking out the door. As he closed it behind him he took a deep breath and that was it. John was gone again, leaving Shepard to face what was to come.
-Line Break-
Shepard met Anderson and Udina at the docking bay in front of the Normandy. He had sent word out to his teammates to meet him there as soon as they could, so he was expecting them in a few minutes. As he exited the elevator from C-Sec he noticed Ashley and Kaidan standing next to them, talking to each other. It seems he was right, Anderson had no problem transferring them over to him. He was slightly confused when he looked around and didn't see his new ship. He figured it would be here by now. He approached the group as they turned to greet him.
"I've got big news for you Shepard", Udina said instead of a greeting. "Captain Anderson is stepping down as commanding officer of the Normandy. The ship is yours now."
"She's quick and quiet", Anderson said, "and you know the crew. Perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well Commander."
"So, you giving up command voluntarily or is this asshole making you?" Shepard asked. He payed no attention that said man's face turned red and was sputtering out the beginning to some fairly nasty words.
"How dare you Shepard", Udina finally managed to get out. "Just because you're a Spectre does not mean you can speak to me like that."
"Actually, that's exactly what it means", Shepard responded. "So, what about it Anderson."
"You need your own ship" Anderson said before things could turn into a big issue. "A Spectre can't answer to anyone but the Council, so we loaned it to the Citadel for the duration of your mission. It was time for me to step down anyways."
Anderson paused before forging forward.
"I was in your shoes twenty years ago Shepard. They were considering me…"
"For the Spectres, yea. I know." Shepard interrupted. "Harkin already told us. So what happened?"
"I failed", Anderson said bluntly. "That's all there is to it. Ask me some other time and I'll tell you the whole story but for now you need to be on your way. All you need to know is I was sent on a mission with Saren and he made sure the Council rejected me. Simple as that."
'Well at least that explains the obsession', Shepard thought to himself.
"Well Saren's gone, I'm not gonna even try to find him", Shepard decided. "Any leads?"
"We know he's searching for the Conduit", Anderson answered. "He's got the Geth scouring the Traverse searching for it."
"We had reports of Geth in the Feros system but nothing concrete so far", Udina said. He had apparently gotten over his anger from moments ago and was back to being somewhat helpful.
"Saren can't be allowed to get to that Conduit", Shepard said. "If he does he'll bring back the Reapers, the real threat".
"I'm with the Council on this one Shepard", Udina said. "I don't believe the Reapers exist. However, there is one more lead you may want to check up on. The Asari talking to Saren, Matriarch Benezia, she has a daughter. Dr. Liara T'Soni is her name, she's a scientist that specializes in the Protheans."
"Now that can't be a coincidence", Kaidan commented. Shepard nodded his head in agreement.
"Unfortunately we have no clue where she might be", Udina continued. "We know she set out some months ago to study some Prothean remains however we don't know which ones. There are several dozens of them spread throughout the galaxy, most in remote locations on unsettled worlds."
'Let's see, how can I find the daughter of a powerful Asari Matriarch. One with powerful connections.' He thought. After a second his eyes widened. If anyone would have more information, it would be her.
"I may have a lead on that, but I'll have to get back to you", Shepard said. Anderson and Udina looked at him quizzically but didn't press the issue.
"Whatever you decide to Shepard this is your decision. You're a Spectre now, you don't answer to us", Anderson said. It appeared as though Udina was thrilled with that statement because he jumped in with his own shortly after.
"But your actions still reflect on humanity as a whole", the Ambassador said angrily. Anderson looked at him with a mixture of annoyance and aggravation. "You make a mess and we're the ones stuck cleaning it up."
"That's your job isn't it Udina", Shepard said with a smile. "If I'm gonna be out there protecting humanity and the rest of the god-damn galaxy the least you can do is clean up when things get a little heated."
Udina didn't seem to like this answer either because he stepped forward and opened his mouth for no doubt another angry retort. He was stopped by a hand on his arm. Looking to his left he found Anderson giving him a slow shake of the head, telling him to let it go.
"Well, I'll get going in a minute", Shepard said. "My team should be getting here soon."
"That reminds me", Anderson said. "I'm sure you've guessed but Lieutenant Alenko and Gunnery Chief Williams will be accompanying you on your mission."
Udina however was still caught on Shepard's words.
"Wait a minute. What team?"
As if on que the elevator opened behind him and the trio of aliens came strolling towards them. Garrus was in the middle with Tali to the left and Wrex to the right. Shepard gave them a direction with a quick nudge of his head and, without a word, they loaded onto it. Shepard gave Anderson and quick handshake and Udina a mocking pat on the head before he and the other two humans headed aboard as well.
Udina watched them go before turning to address the Captain next to him.
"They're going to be a problem, aren't they?" He asked.
"Probably", Anderson responded, a small smile pulling on his lip.
-Line Break-
Shepard had sent the members of his team to get set up somewhere on the ship. He didn't know where, that was something he check back up on later. Right now he walked to the front of the ship and the sarcastic pilot that would be flying in.
"I heard what happened to Captain Anderson", Joker said as a greeting. Seriously what ever happened to hello. "Survives a hundred battles but gets taken down by backroom politics. Better watch your back Commander. Things go bad on this mission, you're the next on the chopping block."
"I appreciate the concern Joker", Shepard responded with a wry tone in his voice.
"Everyone on this ship is behind you Shepard, one hundred percent", Joker replied. "Intercom's open. If you've got anything to say, now's the time."
A grin made it's way onto his face. This was going to be fun.
"This is Shepard speaking", he said into the intercom. "As you all know, Saren, the Turian we're chasing, was behind the attack on Eden Prime. Originally the Council was protecting him, well not anymore. Now we take him down and we take him down hard. This isn't the Alliance anymore. This is now my ship and we'll be doing things my way."
He paused to take a breath before continuing his speech.
"Neither the Alliance nor the Council are going to help us. This is our mission and if we get in trouble, there's not gonna be anyone riding out to rescue us. We're all we've got. There's not a place in this galaxy that Saren can hide. No world too remote, no area too dangerous where we won't follow. We will hunt him down and rid this galaxy of him. Now…let's go hunting."
Giving a nod to Joker the pilot turned of the intercom. Said pilot stared at Shepard for a moment, respect clearly in his gaze.
"Anderson would be proud sir", Joker commented.
"Anderson's not here Joker, I am. Now get this bird in the air", Shepard responded.
"Yes sir", the pilot responded. "Where are we headed?"
Shepard smiled, a gleam in his eye that made Joker nervous. It wasn't threatening, instead it had the look of someone that was about to do something crazy.
"Omega."
Author's Note:
Thanks go out to everyone who came back and read this chapter. For all those who just started reading, welcome. I appreciate the interest this story is getting. Keep reading and giving me that feedback. Next Chapter will completely diverge from the storyline but we'll get back to it, promise.
As you can tell I changed parts of this story up. Like I said this will stick to canon for the most part but there will be changes made to make this story my own. Please remember to Follow, Favorite, and Comment. I got more feedback after last chapter than the first three combined, let's keep that up. Again, your interest in this story is what makes me want to update faster. Feel free to message me with any questions or comments or simply write them in the comments section. I read all so if you want me to respond I probably will.
Until next time, thanks for reading.
