Date: Sunday, February 24th, 2183
Location: SSV Normandy / Mess Hall

It was an early morning for Commander Jane Shepard. There were precious few hours left before the ship reached its destination of Eden Prime. She and her team may not have much to do, but she wanted to be mentally prepared in the event something arose. That feeling she had been having from day one hadn't subsided no matter the distractions she partook in.

The mess hall was nearly full this time of morning, just before shift change. Those around Jane at the mess table had their own conversations running. Albeit most were censored because of her presence.
A half-forgotten ration pack sat before the commander. It consisted of a protein drink, two bars and a "dessert" that tasted like the smell of oil. Her eyes were focused elsewhere. As she chewed absently on a bland nutrient bar, she watched her LC.

Allegra Priestly was a beautiful woman, no denying. Her normally severe expression barely distracted from those high cheekbones and sharp jaw. Her most notable feature were those odd, honey-like eyes of hers. They were bright, and yet nothing about them was joyful or warm. The contradiction was a little more disconcerting than the scowl itself.
Jane had only ever seen such an intensity in a certain kind of person before. One that had been through hell and lived. She wondered how a paper pusher like Priestly could be so pretty and manage to look so damn grumpy. It was truly a skill. Perhaps she could ask for pointers sometime in the future. Jane could make use of looking so standoffish, given people tended to be overly familiar with her.

Jane bit off another piece of her nutrient bar. The LC was talking with someone on the edge of the mess. She looked like she was glaring at the shorter crewman before her. There was a gesture at the datapad in her hand, and the crewman nodded.

Priestly gave a sharp nod and left the crewman standing there. Jane nearly smirked at the abrupt exit. Her fellow officer seemed to never run out of things to do. Only days into their first voyage and Priestly had no hesitation about performing her duties. Jane respected diligence, especially in other officers.

The crewman joined a small group by the pods. Even from their distance, Jane could hear his beleaguered sigh.

"The LC chew you out or what, drama queen?" one of the men in the group questioned. Jane turned her head to better listen. She cursed her own chronic curiosity, but she wanted to know how Priestly operated. How much of her attitude did Jane need to be concerned about?

"No, she asked if I had allergies," the crewman answered, and waved a hand, "Apparently my file didn't have a yes or no checked or something."

Jane was distracted by a familiar lurker across the room. The Spectre was walking toward the lounge, eyes intent on where Priestly had strode away. That tactful walk and focused gaze had Jane's body reflexively tensing up. What the hell was he doing?

Another member of the group spoke up as Jane watched Nihlus round the wall, "What's the deal with the LC, you think? Every time she's around I feel like I'm in trouble."

"Sure she's fucking stiff, but she's an officer."

"I don't know, man. She might secretly be one of those cybernetic creeps. Have you seen her eat even once in here?"

Jane shook her head and resolved to tune them out. She turned back to her food. She had to finish it before she needed to head up to the bridge. She wanted to be up there in time to see the last jump to Eden Prime.

But that Nihlus… Jane gulped down the last of her drink, Should I see what he was up to?

…

Allegra set down the datapad she was carrying as she rounded the terminal desk. It would only take a moment to update Crewman Felawa's allergy profile. Then she could eat. If she remembered the ration pack sitting on the corner of the desk in the time that took. Even as Allegra's mouth watered for the tasteless sustenance, she was listing all that she wanted to get finished for the day.

The office door beeped and slid open, admitting a visitor. Allegra glanced up, assuming it might be the commander or the captain. Instead it was the Normandy's very special guest, Nihlus Kryik. She watched the Spectre cast a glance around the room before approaching.

"What can I do for you?" Allegra prompted.

"I have a few questions I would like to ask of you. May I?" The turian's tone was as lively as she'd come to expect from him. Allegra mentally apologized to herself in advance. She had a feeling that it would be a while before she got to eat breakfast.

"Of course."

"What areas of occupation have you had before this assignment?"

Allegra's brow tensed slightly, "Read my file if you have interest in it. I doubt a Spectre would find issue with acquiring such information."

"Where have you served?"

Allegra wasn't sure what to make of this sudden inquiry. Less so at the Spectre's motivations for it. They had barely spoken to each other. Whatever the case, she wasn't in the mood to expense her life story. Especially if he had the mind to begin asking about her familial information.

"Is there a particular reason you're suddenly beset by curiosity?"

"I need this information, Lieutenant Commander," his murmur was like how she imagined a praying mantis' growl, "If you would be so kind as to cooperate, I would be appreciative."

Allegra had to physically swallow down her sigh. Control, she told herself. Letting her temper run wild was the last thing she should do on the Normandy. Let alone in the company of such an esteemed guest.
"You must have a reason to ask. What are you after, Spectre?"

The turian stared at her for a long moment. Allegra glanced at her knife, awaiting her to fidget with it. She refrained, despite wanting to. It helped center her. Gather her emotions and bottle them up so she could think. But Nihlus didn't need to know anything more about her than necessary. He already seemed to know too much.

Nihlus crossed his arms demurely, "Why are you the head of personnel?"

"Why are you asking?"

"I've heard of what you've done. The things you've accomplished. Why are you working an administrative position when almost all of your qualifications lie elsewhere?"

Allegra unclenched her jaw in what was likely a vain attempt at appearing calm, "That is none of your business."

"Perhaps," yet still, the turian stood his ground, "You're experienced mainly in areas of operation that require the highest discretion, Lieutenant Commander. The missions you've been on, the schools you've gone through, all point to a very different picture from the one you present to your crew."

Why the hell did he bother asking if he already knows?

Allegra would have been affronted from this presumptuous conversation if she hadn't been asked the same things before. Anyone that knew official or public history seemed to believe they knew her. People tended to make their own assumptions and theories no matter what she really did. Being reminded that she didn't belong at a desk was just as aggravating as it always had been.

The blonde crossed her arms to match the Spectre's posture, "I was offered an administrative position and I took it. What is your goal, Spectre, by needling through my career history?"

"I want to know why you're not a part of the ground team," Nihlus clarified evenly, "There is no reasonable constraint in your file for this. You expect me to believe that an untested recruit is better suited to the ground team than you are?"

Jenkins, Allegra realized. Nihlus was on about Jenkins. Did he not feel comfortable around such an inexperienced soldier? Or had he found out about Allegra and drew his own conclusions, thinking she was supposed to be where Jenkins was?
Whatever his reasons, Nihlus would have had to request to see Allegra's file for some Spectre-approved purpose to know what he claimed he knew. She wasn't a headliner like Shepard was. At least not by her given name. Finding out her public moniker would take at least some effort. He would have had to dig for a reason.

"Jenkins is where he is meant to be, just as I am. Surely, you saw I'm perfectly qualified to hold this designation."

"You only recently took the certification course for this position," he rebutted immediately, "Before your last command, you dealt only in special operations deployments. I wasn't given detail beyond your professional expertise; namely your ability to manipulate biotics. One can extrapolate from there that you were either forcibly put on break or you chose to move. I'm inclined to believe the latter, for you had no outstanding medical complications in your file."

Allegra had dreaded that he would want to know why she stopped going aground. She wasn't going to tell him. If he hadn't been given details on the missions that she had actually gone on, all the better for her. The less everyone knew about her, the better the chances she had of avoiding excess attention.

"You're making a larger deal of this than necessary. Jenkins is on the ground team whether you or I like it or not. I wanted a change of scenery. As a Naval officer, I have more leeway in that respect than Marine officers do. Nothing more."

Those damned mandibles clicked and clacked against the turian's jaw in consideration, "Why choose that when you did? The timing of it was abrupt, and holds a rather interesting correlation with a series of events I am certain you were a part of."

In the first moment, Allegra had the urge to lie. To say just about anything to sate the turian's curiosity so that she would finally be left alone. The more questions he asked, the more she felt as if she was being needled. But, Allegra reminded herself, lies begot more lies. She was certainly cagey, but she had given up the dishonest lifestyle she formerly had. She was trying to in any case.

Allegra affected a nonchalant shrug, "People change."

"Yet you retain those old habits, Lieutenant Commander," Nihlus glanced down her body as if sizing her up, "You place yourself at a reactionary distance to everyone possible. You limit interaction and watch me with the same caution that I watch you. You must understand why I'm skeptical regarding 'people change' coming from you. It's obvious that you would better fit within the ground team."

Why in the nine hells was the turian still concerned about her versus Jenkins? What did it matter if a scouting vessel had rookie marines? The Normandy wasn't meant for battle. Nihlus had to know that. Pestering her about files that didn't matter was illogical.

Allegra maintained her composure despite the incessant burn of anger in her belly, "The position wasn't offered to me. Why, may I ask, are you so deeply concerned?"

Nihlus stared at her for an uncomfortable amount of seconds. Allegra met his eyes, challenging him to continue his crusade for information that he had no business knowing. She would remove him from her office if he was anyone else. This behavior was less than professional, and keeping her from her work.

"Fair enough," Nihlus conceded, "I would like to be better acquainted with those I am on deployment with. Perhaps you would be willing to tell me about Commander Shepard."

Allegra's eyes narrowed at his word choice. Deployment implied that he was serving a more active mission than observation. Was she being paranoid, or was that he showing his hand? His observation was officially Council requested of course, which explained why the Captain was so readily accommodating.
It was possible that the turian councilor specifically was the one to request Nihlus' presence. To see how the shakedown would go, what the human crew was made of. A simple representative engineer or politician- even a turian officer- would work for such a goal. Just because the Council had say over the Spectres didn't mean they didn't use other officials when called for.

Nihlus was digging into the business of two of the highest-ranking officers on the frigate. It couldn't be that both Allegra and Shepard were under some kind of clandestine investigation. But what other reasons could there be?

The more I think about this, the more I think Shepard's bad feeling is justified.

Before more thought could be put into her response, the door to the office slid open. There was the aforementioned commander herself. Allegra's body lost most of the tension it had accumulated at the sight of her. The relief she felt could hardly be overstated in that moment.

"Shepard," Allegra greeted, hardly thinking to hide the happiness in her voice, "I'm glad you came by."

The commander's eyebrows shot up at the greeting. Thankfully, she didn't comment on it. A glance at the Spectre proved the woman might have picked up on the tension between her and Nihlus.

Nihlus considered Allegra yet again. She thought he might continue, but instead he relaxed, "Thank you for your time, Lieutenant Commander."

Just like that, he left the office without a backward glance.

Allegra let out a tired sigh and sunk into her chair. Her eyes fell closed and her hand blindly felt out her knife. She snatched it up and began fidgeting, allowing the following silence to soak up her irritation.

"Priestly? Everything okay?" Shepard approached curiously, cocking her head as if to see Allegra's face more clearly, "I could swear that you're feeling an emotion."

A bubble of laughter was tugged from Allegra at the statement. Another little chuckle followed it. Maybe it was the relief, or the obviously friendly way that Shepard said it. It was accurate enough. Allegra didn't suppress the small surge of humor as she normally might. It felt good.

"Enjoy it while it lasts," Allegra replied, earning a smirk from the commander, "If you have a moment, I'd like you to sit with me."

Shepard took the invitation with impressive grace. She inclined her head agreeably and took a seat across from her. Ever the picture of calm confidence. Allegra had only seen that specific demeanor in one other person before. That effortless, charismatic personability. Allegra rubbed her thumb along her knife's worn grip absently, imagining a scenario that might change that manner.

"Mind if I ask about what just happened?"

"Not at all," Allegra flicked her hand, hoping to banish Nihlus even after his departure, "I was prepared to tell you, anyway. Nihlus has been looking into my files. Career history, qualifications. After lengthy back and forth, he began to ask about you."

A dark look had Shepard sinking into seriousness. It was a little regrettable to see that smile fade, "Did he say why?"

"Not specifically, no. His main concern seemed to revolve around the ground team, however. Those who are on it and those who should or shouldn't be. In his opinion."

Allegra couldn't quite say how or why, given they were headed for Eden Prime. There was no danger there to justify ground forces or a full crew. Yet the Spectre, who had come on board practically at the last minute, was very concerned. Likely there was going to be a drop to Eden Prime. One that involved enough risk that Nihlus didn't want inexperienced- however qualified- soldiers dropping down to the surface. It was a large assumption, but one that Allegra felt comfortable enough to make.

A thought occurred to Allegra, and she glanced to the terminal. Perhaps a search of recent headlines would shed some light. But surely if there had been an attack on Eden Prime, or something related, they would have already been notified. She didn't doubt that any real answers weren't public.

There was that terribly shrewd look again. The commander eyed Allegra, "He thinks you belong on the team. But you're naval admin. I'm missing some context here."

Allegra was almost embarrassed at how quickly her coworker began to question her prior stations. The unfriendly persona she kept on seemed less effective against Shepard than it was for most. Annoyingly. Nihlus may or may not have realized how troublesome he was even after he was gone from the room.

A swift few commands were put into the terminal. Allegra turned it around so that Shepard could read what she had brought up. It was her own profile. More specifically, a listing of her command history. It showed many serial numbers and acronyms, but Shepard would recognize at least a few of them.

"Full designation from ICT," Shepard said first, surprised "ACEM? You were on the Vienna? Priestly, what the hell are you doing at this desk? Why were you allowed to become admin at all?"

"That isn't the issue right now," Allegra put up a calming hand at the commander's incredulity, "Please, Shepard. Nihlus and his questions have given me an idea. Given we are almost to Eden Prime, this is more time sensitive."

For the first time, Shepard seemed a little frustrated not to have answers. To her credit, and Allegra's deep appreciation, she held back the slew of questions. They both knew the conversation wasn't over.

"I thought you were the type to wait and see. Now you're giving me theories?" a little of Shepard's unrest reached her voice. That pinched expression of discontent reminded Allegra of someone else she knew.

"You aren't incorrect, commander," Allegra admitted, "I tend to brace for impact when the alternative is to endlessly stress over the situation as is. But I prefer to have information. Would you like to hear what I have, or not?"

Shepard sighed quietly, but nodded, "Please. I'll take anything that makes me feel less crazy at this point."

"Your bad feeling might be more on point than either of us know. As I see it, Eden Prime is going to be seeing your team's boots."

"I don't follow. Our shakedown is at Eden Prime because it's considered a secure location. Far from any conflicts."

"Maybe it was," Allegra shifted, restless with all of the possibilities popping into her head, "But now? I'm not so sure. This is what I know: we were specifically requested to pick up a Spectre. That Spectre is investigating me and asking questions about you- showing obvious interest in the level of experience of those on the ground team. Coincidentally, around the time of his arrival we got orders to do a shakedown run at an out-of-the-way colony planet. Yet that run will almost exclusively test the stealth drive."

Shepard nodded along, her gaze hard on Allegra as she took in the information, "So we can guess that something is happening on Eden Prime."

"Exactly," Allegra agreed, "Something that requires a Spectre accompanied by highly qualified ground forces. A small force with a lot of punch indicates a high value target or asset."

"And possibly an objective that has a lot of strings attached. Rate of arrival being one of them," Shepard's eyes brightened, "That might also explain why this shakedown has such specific emphasis on the stealth drive."

"Therein lies the real mystery, Shepard," Allegra rubbed at her neck, feeling a headache coming on, "Eden Prime is peaceful because of its location. It's out of the way, entirely average regarding rare resources, and human owned. Who or what could reach it despite Alliance patrols? There is no strategic value in it."

Too many threads weren't tying together. Allegra felt like she had the whole picture but no context or meaning. She saw all of the pieces, but they didn't fit together in any conceivable way. Like an abstract painting, she was left grasping at what it all might be referring to.

"The Council interest is worth note as well. I've never seen them so eager to protect human colonies before."

Both women thought for a couple minutes, occasionally bouncing ideas off of each other only to talk them out of the realm of possibility. It couldn't be pirates, wasn't likely mercenaries and definitely wasn't a Council-affiliated military. If it had been, more people likely would have been sent.

Eventually, Allegra threw her hand up in exasperation, "I must be delusional. There is nothing I can think of to connect all of this together."

"Not so fast, Priestly," Shepard gave her meaningful eye contact, "Nothing about any of this has been standard so far. We can't assume that you're wrong just because we don't have all of the pieces yet."

"What piece could possibly make sense of this?"

"Like you said before, we need to be patient. I'm grateful enough that you shared all of this with me. If anything does go sideways, I will have a clearer heads up about it."

Allegra grunted softly, "Your positivity is alarmingly boundless."

Shepard smirked back at her, "I do my best. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to get the team together. There's no harm in performing a small readiness inspection."

"Prudent," Allegra approved, "If I learn anything more, I will inform you at the earliest convenience."

"I'll do the same," Shepard began to leave when she paused, "And Priestly?"

"Yes?" Allegra wondered what that look on Shepard's face was, as she gazed at her from the office doorway. Her hand hovered by the access panel, not yet opening the doors.

"Could I circle back to that bit about your history sometime? I don't want to pull a Nihlus, but I'm interested in getting to know you better."

Allegra had assumed the question would return sooner or later. Between Shepard or the Spectre, she would prefer that the woman she worked with was the one to know who she was. It was kind enough that the commander thought to ask rather than interrogate her. More personal history could be side stepped with a little effort.

"I appreciate you asking. You can," Allegra's eyebrow quirked, "As long as you share your history with me as well."

Satisfaction gleamed in those expressive eyes, "I'll bring the drinks."

The commander stepped out and the doors hissed shut behind her. Allegra stared at the spot where Shepard had been. Laying forgotten on her desk were her datapad and ration from earlier. After a moment of hesitation, the blonde decided to eat instead of continuing her work. She could afford a small break.