Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Shattered Glass. Enjoy the 2100-word chapter. I don't own Halo, Bungie, Bioware, and 343 do.
(Citadel, Serpent Nebula, Widow System.)
The Pelican docked with the Citadel in one of several hangers. Gadge heard over the radio of Lieutenant Benson arguing with the Citadel staff.
Gadge could only hum and sigh. He shook his head back and forth before his ODST escorts swung their M/7 SMGs and MA5C Assault Rifles. Gadge hummed and crossed his arms before stepping out of the Pelican.
'This is going to be a long day, isn't it?' Gadge thought to himself while he stepped out of the craft.
Gadge could hear more chattering from his comm. He was about to speak up when one of his men spoke up first.
"Sir, troops approaching…" Gadge heard from one of the ODSTs which caused him to hum.
There was indeed a group of soldiers approaching, however? They weren't human, but were saurian like as the Elites were. They had paint markings on their face. Gadge could see their jaws flap slightly. Each soldier was 6 foot easily.
"They're like the split lips had babies with the Jackals." One of the ODSTs put in as the group trudged closer.
The ODSTs instinctively spread out into a semi-circle around Gadge. The avian like aliens aimed their rifles as the ODSTs pointed their weapons at the group.
"He's wanted by the council, C-Sec business." One of the birds like aliens said as the ODSTs shared looks.
"We haven't even been here a minute and your already threatening us?" One of the ODSTs questioned. "Damn, it's like Harvest all over again." The ODST stated and looked at the Admiral.
"And what exactly does the council want?" Gadge questioned as he crossed his arms. "We haven't threatened anyone. I ordered my crew to stand down." Gadge put in with a raised eyebrow.
The bird like aliens seemed naturally inclined to violence. They fanned out with a precision that seemed second nature to them.
'Is their species naturally soldiers? Or do they simply have years of training for their jobs here?' Gadge mentally questioned himself before one of the birds like aliens cleared their throat.
"That warship is…" The bird like alien started to say before he heard something coming over the radio. "What, another ship? Send them here? System Alliance…" The bird like alien muttered to himself.
Gadge hummed, he guessed that the Citadel considered his ship to be part of the alliance. Not a hard line to cross. The Systems Alliance had to be the UNSC's equivalent in the galaxy.
"Boss?" One of the ODSTs put in as he turned to the Vice Admiral. "Do you want us to do something or…?" The ODST soldier questioned before Gadge heard the slow whirl of engines.
The ship slowly approached; the backwash was enough to push everyone to their knees as a landing tube slowly extended.
The tube linked to the prowler like ship. Gadge blinked and was the first to reach his feet. The ramp doors slowly hissed open.
"You agreed to start explaining yourself…" Gadge heard before a familiar voice greeted him.
"Yes, that was the agreement." Gadge heard as there was a pause. "Admiral?" Gadge heard as he turned to be greeted by Spartan 087.
"Spartan!?" Gadge questioned and maneuvered around the ODSTs. "What the hell are you doing here?!" Gadge asked and looked at the other arrivals.
One was a dark-skinned man in an officer's uniform, a man in heavy combat armor with a N7 sprayed across the front of it. Gadge hummed and looked at Kelly before looking back at the C-Sec officers.
"Your Vice Admiral Gadge Bardarik?" Gadge heard from the officer as he nodded.
"Did she tell you or did Admiral Hacket do that?" Gadge questioned and looked at the spartan.
"How the hell do you know that…." The man questioned which made Gadge hum. "I guess what he said is true then. You're the commander of that supercarrier, the Goliath?" The man asked which caused Gadge to nod.
"Well, your all expected to see the council…" The C-Sec officer put in which caused the group to turn to him. Considering that supercarrier violates the treaty of Farixen. Or did you forget no ship can be over 1 kilometer?" Gadge heard which caused him to look at the officer.
"There's a treaty which stop ships from being over a kilo?" Gadge questioned the officer. He was greeted by a hum. "Well, the council's going to have a panic attack. Most UNSC heavy cruisers and carriers are a kilo by default." Gadge mentioned as the group walked towards the council chamber.
"Captain James Anderson." The man said as they walked to the council chambers.
"Vice Admiral Gadge of the UNSC Punic Class Supercarrier Goliath." Gadge responded and brushed off his hands. "One of the last good warships capable of fighting… Almost every other supercarrier got destroyed by the Covenant." Gadge said and hummed.
"Your taking it well for someone who got flung somewhere else." Anderson put in which caused Gadge to hum.
"Well? Part of me thinks you believe I'm insane." Gadge said while folding his hands behind his back. "The other part of me is still processing everything upstairs. My first concern is my crew. Whatever sent us here might have spared Goliath, but it sure as hell could have destroyed my other ships. I'll be damned if I leave them behind." Gadge put in and dusted off his hands.
"You sure sound like an Admiral." Anderson put in which caused Gadge to hum.
"Well, if you chose to believe me?" Gadge questioned as the group neared their destination. "I doubt I got my promotion for the normal reasons. I'm one of the few people who didn't end up drifting in space fighting. You want my guess? I either got promoted because they wanted someone to carry morale… Or we're running out of better suited people." Gadge added and sighed.
"Would you like to explain yourself, Captain Anderson?!" Gadge and Anderson heard which got a sigh.
"Udina…" Anderson hissed in the same tone someone would when referring to a leech.
The man approaching them had grey hair but didn't look old. His cold brown eyes seemed to size up every person strategically. But he didn't carry himself the way an experienced soldier would. His folded arms also convoyed that this man cared more about time and his own appointments.
Gadge sighed in the same tone Anderson did as the man approached them. He could tell EXACTLY why Anderson hated this man.
"A Turian Spectre dead!" Udina hissed and jabbed a finger at Shepard. "A Prothean work of art destroyed! Dozens of dead and Eden Prime attacked! Now the alliance has a 4-kilometer supercarrier hovering outside the citadel!" Udina roared which made Gadge shake his head.
'God this guy makes me want to slug him in the face. I think I'd have taken the Covenant.' Gadge thought to himself before Shepard spoke up.
"We did what we could." Shepard responded, stepping up to Udina. "I would have done more if I could, but I was too busy trying to save survivors and find out what they wanted." Shepard stated which caused Udina to back off.
"Hmm…" Gadge said with a slight smile crossing his face before one of the officers spoke up.
"Commander Shepard and them…" The soldier said and pointed at Kelly. "Need to make a report to the council. You both will come in after that." The soldier added which made Kelly turn to Gadge.
"We're be here when you get back, Sierra." Gadge stated and nodded. "I don't intend to leave anyone behind." Gadge added as Shepard and Kelly nodded and followed the officers and Udina.
Anderson looked at the ODSTs and their in-tune movements. Each slowly lowered their weapon when it was clear there was no threat.
"God, I hate politicians." Gadge finally put in which caused Anderson to chuckle. "Scum sucking leeches. They send people into the fire while sitting behind desks. They ride the sacrifices of real soldiers like they've been there." Gadge hissed out which caused Anderson to smile.
"Special forces?" Anderson questioned as Gadge crossed his arms. "I think we're going to get along fine, Admiral." Anderson put in as Gadge chuckled.
"Seems like it." Gadge put in as he looked around the citadel. "Do they seriously have a treaty where they get prissy over how massive warships are?" Gadge questioned and got a nod from Anderson.
"More on how many dreadnoughts we can have." Anderson put in while crossing his arms. "The Goliath makes the entire citadel fleet look like a bunch of toys. It dwarfs even the Destiny Ascension. The council is going to lose it, their want it for 'security reasons'." Anderson added which made Gadge huff.
"Their not touching my ship." Gadge responded before looking at where Kelly and Shepard had gone.
(With Kelly and Shepard)
"They have technology that makes ours look obsolete." The Turian councilor put in which caused Kelly to bristle.
She studied the other councilors, interested in seeing the other species. One looked similar to a frog with rubbery skin, piercing black eyes and what looked like horns on the back of their head. The other had tendrils towards the back of their head like hair, bluish skin which seemed much softer, and facial markings.
Kelly was glad that none of them could read her face, it gave her a slight advantage…. However? She didn't function well in the political battlefield.
"A Spectre dead." The Salarian stated which made Gadge hum as he and Anderson entered the room.
The Vice Admiral looked at Anderson. The Alliance Captain stayed silent as both looked at each other.
"And now humanity has a dreadnought that eclipses the entire Citadel fleet." The Turian ambassador put in which made Gadge shake his head.
"Eden Prime being saved isn't what's important?" Kelly questioned which made the council turn to her.
"Do you think losses of life is funny?" The Turian councilor put in which made Gadge to hum.
"No, but I'd take people being alive and well first." Kelly responded as she crossed her arms. "From what I've seen? The civilians are alive, the colony can recover…. That's a pyrrhic victory in my case." Kelly put in and turned to Gadge.
"Tell me, Vice Admiral…" The Turian councilor started as Gadge stepped up to the plate. "Do you let all of your subordinates say whatever they want? Regardless of the consequences?" The Turian questioned as Gadge crossed his arms.
"I do if you want to focus purely on the negatives." Gadge put in and turned to Shepard and Kelly. "All I heard over the comm was arguing with my crew. I left the Goliath at the edge of the system so the citadel fleet didn't suspect violence. Your first reaction is to send armed soldiers and get surprised when I have soldiers escorting me?" Gadge questioned as he brushed off his uniform.
"I expected humanity to have more tact." The blue skinned councilor put in.
"And I expected the galactic government to be more focused on results." Gadge responded and brushed his cap off. "I don't know what happened on Eden Prime… But I do know that if it was attacked? I'd be madder if my forces picked preserving replaceable infrastructure over lives." Gadge stated while and looked at Udina.
The man was waiting for the exact moment to speak up. He wanted to pounce on the chance to spin this to his own agenda. Gadge wouldn't allow it.
"Moving on from the mission that I had no oversight on…" Gadge stated and turned to the council. "Would any of you care to tell me why your frothing at the mouth? Because I'm in command of a supercarrier? You have dozens of ships from what I saw, one warship shouldn't scare you, nor should it justify having armed guards greet us instead of an intermediary." Gadge stated and turned to Shepard.
"Now, unless the soldier and Sierra 087 wish to debrief me?" Gadge questioned as he crossed his arms. "Then I can't give my input properly." Gadge put in and sighed.
None of the group realized that they were now in a war against a monster beyond their own understanding.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter done! I want to point out to the person who said it? Yes, council vs UNSC… I'm still trying to figure out Titanium A and energy shielding vs Mass effect weapons and kinetic barriers if someone wants to help. Next chapter will be in 2-10 weeks and will show Gadge learning about Saren, Anderson, Gadge, Kelly, and Shepard's plans to fight him…. And the starting of recruiting the Normandy crew and the war against Sovereign. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!