Strength of Heart
Chapter 10
Citadel
Loki straightened the collar of his dress blues in the mirror. Something, no doubt, his dad would be doing as well about now. Just as they would both be wearing their magbelts with their armor disks and Valkyrie pistol snapped to it. He doubted his dad would add anything else to the belt, but he never went anywhere without those two items. Lokyrian, however, added a few more necessities to his belt. With a grunt, he turned towards his wife and held his hands out to his sides. "Do I look okay?"
She grinned at her husband and smoothed her hands over his uniform. "I have a biased opinion." She kissed his cheek and stepped back, eyeing him. "You are one hell of a sizz man in uniform – but oh, so much more in your birthday suit," she teased.
He barely stopped himself from scooping her up in his arms. "So, I'm overdressed?"
She walked her fingers up his chest and flicked his nose. "Only if you want to stay in this cabin."
He cut the whine off that danced in his throat. "The Council can wait a bit longer."
Her eyes widened in surprise. With a giggle, she dashed out door of their cabin before she changed her mind. She slipped her arm through his when he caught up a moment later. "You do not need to add insult to injury with the Council. Things will be bad enough as it is. Dad's under a lot of pressure right now."
He kissed the top of Rissa's head as they walked. "I know. I'll find a way to go after Saren."
She stopped near the airlock. "I know you will." She kissed his cheek. "I've got to complete the mess order."
David threw an arm around his daughter's shoulders. "We are so very grateful to have you looking after our bellies. I was blessed with wonderful children."
She grinned and kissed his cheek. "Yes, I'm ordering that steak you've been clamoring for."
"I never clamor," he grumbled, following it up with a wink.
Kaidan and Ashley joined them at the airlock. They were in dress blues too; in case they were called before the Council. Kaidan had his magbelt with armor disk and Valkyrie as well. The slight lump under Ashley's jacket showed she was armed as well.
"Let's get this over with." David led them into the airlock.
The Council will have already been given their suit feeds and the reports each of the ground party had submitted. But would they listen if one of their own was being accused? Perhaps not Sparatus. The turian Councilor would want to defend another turian, Loki supposed. But the others? He would have to see. Saren was, after all, one of their own.
They would be meeting up with the human ambassador, Donnel Udina, at the human embassy. He was the man arranging a meeting with the Council.
David stewed through his own thoughts as he walked next to his son. "I won't let Saren get away with this! He hates humanity! He would do anything take us down in front of the Council! Maybe even destroy us as a species!"
Lokyrian frowned at his father. "Look, dad, I know what Saren did to you. He destroyed your chance at becoming a spectre and blamed you for the deaths he'd been responsible for. He's a demon in your past and he may well end up a demon in my past too, after what he did on Eden Prime; but I think this goes beyond any turian – human animosity. Something more is going on – I just haven't figured it out yet. Don't let the past cloud the present."
His words made sense, but it wasn't easy to let go when it felt like he was reliving the nightmare. He wouldn't let Saren get the better of him again. He wouldn't let Saren take down humanity. He nodded at his son absently, on auto-pilot as he led them towards the Human Embassy. "I'll try not to - if it is not warranted." Was all he could promise. There should have been human spectres by now and even a human on the Council. They were still trying to make up lost ground for what Saren had done to him. And damned if he wouldn't do anything to keep Saren from bringing down his family as well.
Kaidan caught the questioning look Ash sent him but he just shrugged. He might be close to Elvie and Loki, hell he'd even married into the family but that didn't mean he was privy to Captain's past. And even if he was privy to that information, it wouldn't have been his place to talk about it.
The door of the Human Embassy slid open and they quietly stepped into the room, trying not to interrupt Udina's tirade. Loki wasn't sure how a man like him could have been made a diplomat.
Donnel Udina stood toe to toe with the holographic council members. So, close he could feel the tingle from the field's energy. "This is an outrage! The Council would step in if the geth attacked a turian colony!" Udina raged.
Valern, the salarian councilor, crossed his arms over his chest, irritated by the upstart human. "The turians don't establish colonies on the borders of the Terminus Systems, Ambassador."
Tevos moderated her voice to try to reason with the loud human. "Humanity was well aware of the risks when you went into the Traverse," the asari Councilor, pointed out. While she would not say so aloud, she was well aware that they had subtly encouraged the humans to settle out there. Even so, it was not Council Space and there was little they could do.
Nothing ever gets done with the Council! Humanity needed justice! "What about Saren? You can't just ignore a rogue Spectre. I demand action!" Udina all but shouted, his hands curled into fists.
Sparatus nearly growled at the human's audacity, but he held it back and slipped his hands behind his back. "You don't get to make demands of the Council, Ambassador," the turian Councilor, responded coldly.
Tevos slid a quick glance over at Sparatus, sensing his hidden anger. For now, he was being reasonable, that was what mattered. Her attention returned to the humans. "Citadel Security is investigating your charges against Saren. We will discuss the findings at the hearing. Not before." The asari Councilor stated before the Council winked out.
Donnel turned his frustrated gaze to David. "Captain Anderson. The Council is not happy about you accusing Saren of treason. Saren is their top agent."
"A top agent who has gone rogue," Lokyrian interrupted. "He needs to be brought in."
Donnel frowned at the interruption and what this debacle was going to cost humanity. "Settle down, Commander. You've already done enough to jeopardize your candidacy for the Spectres." He reprimanded the soldier. "You should have proven yourself on Eden Prime. Instead, Nihlus is dead and the beacon destroyed!"
He should have… No! He would not let his son be railroaded. "That's on Saren – Not him!" David shot back. "Nihlus refused to return, he could hardly force him to! The beacon was overcharged before he arrived! I will not let you pin this on Loki!" A moment after the words left his mouth, he knew he should not have called his son Loki in this situation.
Donnel straightened his jacket. Captain Anderson was too close to this situation. He'd best reign in his mouth in front of the Council. He sniffed, wrinkled his nose and glared at the young soldier. "Then we better hope the C-Sec investigation turns up evidence to support our accusations. Otherwise, the Council might use this as an excuse to keep you out of the Spectres. And we don't need history to repeat itself, do we, Shepard?"
"It's okay, Captain," Lokyrian reminded him pointedly. He didn't want or need his father to take the heat for him.
"No, it's not...Commander."
Donnel frowned between the two. "Come with me, Captain. I want to go over a few things before the hearing. Shepard – you and the others can meet us at the Citadel Tower. Top Level. I'll make sure you have clearance to get in." He motioned the captain to the door and walked away.
"And that's why I hate politicians." Ashley sighed.
When they left the Human Embassy, Avina, a virtual guide, explained where the Council Tower was located. They located a taxi that took them close to the entrance. Every one of them glad they did not have to make that walk.
"What the hell is that bug-thing over there and what is it doing?" Ashley asked, when she spied a large creature that appeared to working at a terminal.
Lokyrian glanced over to where Ash was pointing. "Ah, it's a Keeper; it takes care of the Citadel. I think. I'm not sure if anyone really knows what they do or even what they are.
Ashley watched the creature, a frown on her face, until it disappeared from view. She could see no good reason for it to be allowed to have access to the Citadel's grid. She followed the others into the elevator and watched as the Commander hit the holobutton for the top floor. "They're not going to ask me any questions, are they?"
"I doubt it," Kaidan told her with a shake of his head. "We made our reports. Now we just have to trust Ambassador Udina."
"No, we don't, sir," Ashley replied.
Loki grunted. "My sister calls him a 'damned oily ass-weasel'. After what I just saw… I think I might agree."
Kaidan's eyes popped open, a smile spreading over his lips. "I can see her doing that."
Ashley barked out a laugh. She had been surprised by the Commander's words. But they were words she could stand behind. "I see we agree, Commander. And that's a picture I won't soon forget...I will never be able to look at Udina the same again."
As soon as the door slid open, they hurried towards the Council chambers, eventually overhearing two turians arguing.
"Saren's hiding something! Give me more time. Stall them." The lighter turian all but demanded.
"Stall the Council? Don't be ridiculous! Your investigation is over, Garrus." The darker turian shot back and walked away.
Interesting. The lighter turian was called Garrus. And even stranger, he was investigating Saren…the very man they were after. He needed a moment. "Go ahead, Captain. I'll catch up in a moment.
David's brows drew together but he sighed and nodded at his son. "Don't take too long," he warned.
Garrus wanted to shake Executor Pallin so bad he could taste it. An alarm bell went off in his head and his senses went on high alert. He swung his head towards the trio of humans nearby. All three in dress blues and armed, which was unusual in itself. Outside of C-Sec, most people were not openly armed on the Citadel. The man at the head of the trio drew his attention. Something was familiar about him. Where had he… Spirits! He was the Commander Shepard. Butcher of Torfan! And…he was going after Saren, if what he'd heard was correct. He needed to speak with him!
"Commander Shepard?" he called out, motioning him over. "Garrus Vakarian. I was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren."
He moved in closer to the turian. "So, I overheard. I was hoping you'd have found something I could use. It is unfortunate that they will not allow you to continue with your investigation."
Garrus folded his arms across his chest and nodded. "I don't trust Saren. Something about him rubs me the wrong way," he admitted. "But he's a Spectre; everything he touches is classified. I can't find any hard evidence." Frustration laced every word.
That was disappointing. "If you do – find me."
Kaidan nudged his shoulder. "I think the Council's ready for us, Loki."
His mandibles jerked; he had wanted to talk a bit longer. He wanted to find out what Shepard knew. "Good luck, Shepard. Maybe they'll listen to you," Garrus responded.
He felt the heat of a stare drilling into his back and turned his head to look back at the turian, only to see him striding away with a determined step. He wondered briefly what he was up to. No doubt, he'd find out in due time. He suspected it would not be the last he saw of the turian.
David hurried back towards the stairs and motioned for his son to hurry. As soon as they reached him, he spun around. "The hearing has already started. Come on."
They walked out onto an extended platform and faced the Council.
"The geth attack is a matter of some concern," Tevos acknowledged. "But there is nothing to indicate Saren was involved in any way."
Sparatus kept his mandibles tight to his face, holding back a smile. "The investigation by Citadel Security turned up no evidence to support your charge of treason," he stated matter of fact.
Donnel's brows drew together as his anger rose. "An eyewitness saw him kill Nihlus in cold blood!"
"We've read the Eden Prime reports, Ambassador. The testimony of one traumatized dockworker is hardly compelling proof," Valern pointed out.
Loki slipped his hands behind his back at military rest. "Dr. Manuel saw him too. Described him perfectly. How could he have described him if he hadn't seen him first hand?"
"Ah, yes…Dr. Manuel. I've read his file. He is…of a delicate mind," Sparatus quoted with his fingers.
His brow lifted. That was it? "Have you talked to him recently? I have. He knew exactly what he was talking about. You need to speak to him, not rely on outdated files. Two different people saw Saren there. Two accountings you have refused to consider. Two people you are determined to malign, just so you don't have to face the truth about what really happened. One Spectre killing another."
"Your droll accusations are pointless," Sparatus shot back. "Nihlus was simply preoccupied with other matters," the turian Councilor pointed out with a cold glare. "He didn't give the mission his full attention." It seemed the turian had been more interested in befriending his protégé than paying attention to what was around him.
Was the turian blind? "Is that so? Nihlus was a respected Spectre, one of the best. He dropped his guard because he trusted Saren, not because he was preoccupied." The Council knew his record and that should have spoken volumes.
"I resent these accusations. Nihlus was a fellow Spectre. And a friend," Saren responded, knowing he was safe and would never be tied it to what happened at Eden Prime.
"That just let you catch him off guard!" David retorted.
Saren's mandibles flared, but there was little give to the hardware he now had. "Captain Anderson. You always seem to be involved when humanity makes false charges against me…And this must be your protégé… your son, Commander Shepard. The one who let the beacon get destroyed," Saren scoffed snidely. "Your son…aboard your ship…standing at your side. Interesting, wouldn't you say?"
While the brass had allowed his placement, it wasn't often done and it was definitely time to steer this conversation in another direction. "The Eden Prime mission was top secret. The only way you could have known about the beacon was if you were there," Lokyrian pointed out.
"With Nihlus gone, his files passed to me. I read the Eden Prime report. I was unimpressed. But what can you expect from a human?" Saren sneered.
Loki pursed his lips and then curved them up into his most charming smile. "Must we really resort to insults? I thought we were adults."
Saren felt the pull on his mandibles as they tried to jerk downwards in irritation. "Your species needs to learn its place, Shepard. You're not ready to join the Council. You're not even ready to join the Spectres!" he scoffed.
"He has no right to say that! That's not his decision!" Udina flared.
"Shepard's admission into the Spectres is not the purpose of this meeting," Tevos reiterated with a pointed look at Saren.
"This meeting has no purpose," Saren bit out. "The humans are wasting your time Councilor...and mine."
Lokyrian remained calm and centered. But the turian was right. With the Council blinded, this meeting had no purpose. "It is unfortunate that your eyes are wide shut."
"Our hands are tied. What we need is compelling evidence. So far, we have nothing but the word of two traumatized survivors, which are circumspect at best," Valern stated. Though, in truth, it had been alarming to hear one of the witnesses describe Saren in such an exact manner.
"There is still one outstanding issue," David said, bringing the Council's attention back to him. "Commander Shepard's vision that was triggered by the beacon."
Whatever the beacon showed the human – it must not get out. "Are we allowing dreams into evidence now?" Saren scoffed. "How can I defend my innocence against this kind of testimony?" Sarcasm dripped from every word.
Sparatus' mandibles spread. "I agree. Our judgement must be based on facts and evidence, not wild imaginings and reckless speculation."
Valern inclined his head to Sparatus in agreement. "Do you have anything else to add, Commander Shepard?"
"There is nothing I can say that you will hear."
"The Council has found no evidence of any connection between Saren and the geth. Ambassador, your petition to have him disbarred from the Spectres is declined. This meeting is adjourned," Tevos stated matter of fact. Though enough speculation had been brought to light, there was little she could do.
"I'm glad to see justice was served," Saren replied smugly.
"I will be seeing you again, Saren." Loki's smile was relaxed but eyes bore the promise of intent.
"You will try…my friend." Saren responded snidely and cut communication.
Sparatus gave a visible start. He shot a thoughtful look at Shepard. There is only one way Saren could know about the 'my friend' reference. This was unreleased information. He'd only have known of it if he had been there to hear it. "If you find that evidence..."
"You'll be the first to know." Loki inclined his head and left with the others.
"That could have gone better, son. But you kept your cool under pressure. Better than your old man."
He winked at his father. "But I wasn't fighting for my child. No matter – they want more proof? I'll get it. First, I need to locate Garrus, the C-Sec officer that was in charge of the case. He wants to take down Saren too."
"I have a contact in C-Sec, Harkin," Donnel informed him. "He can track Garrus down."
"Forget it," David growled. "They suspended that loser last month for drinking on the job. I won't waste my time with him."
"You won't have to," Donnel shot back. "I don't want the Council using your past history with Saren as an excuse to ignore anything we turn up. Your son can handle this." Donnel cast a narrowed glance at Shepard, turned and sauntered away.
"I'll take care of it."
"I know you will, son. Harkin's probably getting drunk at Chora's Den…a dingy little club in the lower section of the wards. You can also talk to Barla Von, a volus over in the financial district. He's an agent for the Shadow Broker, an information dealer that sells secrets to the highest bidder – but his information will not come cheap – not sure why I even brought him up."
Loki shrugged. "If all else fails, maybe I can barter information with the Volus."
David nodded. "I'll be at the Embassy if you need me."
With a motion to his team, he headed out of the Tower. It was time to pay Harkin a visit.
"Not sure how you stayed so calm in there, Commander. We had a witness that gave an exact description of Saren." Even if he was a cracked nut. "Those aliens are just protecting their own."
"Even if that's true, Chief, they won't be able to for long."
They talked quietly about everything that had happened so far until he drew them to an abrupt halt outside of Chora's Den. Two men attacked them on sight. He nearly went for his pistol. Instead, he grinned. Whipped his arm out, and yanked both men over the partial wall with a biotic pull, dropping them through the open floor.
Once inside the bar, they met with no further resistance, though they couldn't help but overhear an argument.
"This is Fist's only chance. If he's smart, he'll take it," the scarred krogan growled.
The bouncer lifted his hands as if trying to calm the Krogan down. "He's not coming out, Wrex. End of story."
"This story is just beginning," Wrex replied and turned to leave. "Out of my way humans. I have no quarrel with you." Wrex rumbled as he pushed his way past his group.
"What was that all about?" Kaidan asked.
"Who knows…let's just try not to get caught in the middle," Ashley responded with a quick look back at the krogan to make sure he was leaving.
Kaidan looked around the bar, it had never been his scene but he could see its appeal to others. "I think I see why this place is so popular."
"Hey, Lieutenant, put your tongue back in your mouth before you trip on it," Ashley chastised him and then shook her head in disgust. "A million light years from where humanity began and we walk into a bar filled with men drooling over half-naked women shaking their asses on a stage. I can't decide if that's funny or sad."
"What?" Kaidan inhaled. "You don't think they came here because of the food?" Kaidan asked innocently.
"Can I hit him, Commander?" Ashley inquired. She caught Shepard's hard look and wondered what she'd done to earn it. She knew the pair were tight, but come on.
Kaidan frowned at the chief. "You didn't let me finish." He inhaled. "It's popular with a certain type of crowd – that doesn't involve me." He dragged his hand through his thick hair. "You don't know me, so I'll let it slide. But I'm NOT that man. There is only one woman for me and she is not here."
Ashley's brows rose. She'd jabbed a sore spot for sure. "Touchy." She sighed and wrinkled her nose. "Hellafter," she grumbled. "You're right. I don't know you. I see places like this and it just pisses me off and I took it out on you." She inhaled sharply. Here goes nothing. "Sorry, LT."
She hadn't said it very loud, but Kaidan decided not to push the matter. She was trying and that's what counted. He nodded in her direction, only looking at her long enough to say, "Accepted." He couldn't expect her to know the kind of man he was but it still stung that she'd thought so little of him.
"Over there," Loki directed with a motion of his head when he spotted a man that fit Harken's description. His stride lengthened. He wanted to get the information and get the hellever out of this place.
Theodore smiled hoping today was his lucky day when he saw the stunning woman approaching him. "Hey there, sweetheart. You looking for some fun? 'Cause those dress blues looks real good on that bod of yours…Why don't you sit that sweet little ass down beside old Theo? Have a drink and we'll see where this goes…" he winked at the woman hoping to get laid. Hell, even a smile would be nice.
Lokyrian stepped between the drunk and Ashley, before the chief could shove a gun up his ass. "You do a disservice to men everywhere. Have you no pride? No shame?"
Harken looked up at the man who'd stepped in front of the woman and cock-blocked him. "Pretty, but not my type." He lifted the bottle and poured out another tumbler full of whiskey. "And no… No pride and no shame. But maybe if old Theo is lucky, I'll find something at the bottom of this bottle."
He was pretty sure the man would find nothing at the bottom of that bottle but a wicked hangover. "You Harkin?"
"That would be me. Theodore Alister Harkin. Such a prestigious name and look at me now," he grumbled, taking another swig from his glass.
Once Ashley calmed down, she stepped out from behind the commander. She hid behind no man. But at least his intervention gave her a moment to collect herself. She frowned at the disgrace of a man and bit her tongue to remain quiet. This was the commander's shtick.
He was certainly everything his father said he'd be, but right now that wasn't important. "I'm looking for a turian C-Sec officer named Garrus. I was told you might be able to help me with that."
"I know where Garrus is. But you gotta tell me something first. Did the captain tell you he used to be a Spectre?" Theo asked. "No? Well, it was all very hush-hush. He screwed up his mission so bad they kicked him out. He blamed Saren for setting him up. The hero's fall. Classic tragedy. Ha!"
"Garrus?" he asked pointedly.
"He was sniffing around Dr. Michel's office. She runs a med-clinic on the other side of the wards."
"What else can you tell me about the turian?" Anything at all could prove useful. It wasn't like Loki had time to run a background check on Garrus.
"Damn hot-head is what he is. Still figures he can save the world. Always bucking heads with the executor. Now… if that little lovely isn't gonna come sit on my lap then null off – the lot of you."
"That we will. Come on, my fellow nulloids. We should go." He aimed his finger like a gun and brought down his thumb, sending a small burst of power at the bottle. He blew off the tip of his pointer and grinned when the bottle fell over on the table, spilling the rest of its contents on Harken's lap. The old man's sputtering curses made his smile widen.
"Did you just..." her words faltered. Who had that kind of biotic control?
"He did, Chief. If you thought that was amazing, you should see his sister, Elvie. Fnest biotic ever." Kaidan inhaled and shot an apologetic look at his friend. He hadn't meant to downplay the bottle shooting. "She's a damned fine woman and we were lucky enough to have trained under her."
"I thought I had it rough…" she mumbled under her breath. She lived under her grandfather's shadow. But his sister… first human Spectre, hero of the Skyllian Blitz, earned the Star of Terra, successful inventor, IQ nearly off the charts and now the finest biotic ever. How had the commander survived under the weight of his sister's shadow? "It's hard to live under someone else's shadow."
He could understand why someone might think that. And maybe he did hear, 'you're Elvie's brother' more times than he could count but it wasn't like that. "I've never really felt like I had something to prove – at least not with her. She has brought so much into my life – to every life she touches. She doesn't cast a shadow – she absorbs them."
That was not what she expected to hear. "Then you are lucky."
Loki glanced at Kaidan, but his friend only shrugged. Whose shadow did the chief live under? Perhaps, one day, she will feel comfortable enough to talk to him. For now, he wouldn't push her.
-BREAK ONE-
He cut through the lower markets and headed up the stairs. At the top of the stairs a man waved him down.
"Is that really…wow! It's you!" he said. "You're Commander Shepard, the hero of Eden Prime! I'm so honored to meet you!"
Hero? He wouldn't say that. "And you are…?"
"My name is Conrad Verner. They say you killed more than a hundred geth on Eden Prime!"
"Do they? Damn, that's impressive of me," he said with a grin. "Actually, I spent most of my time just trying to stay alive and help the colonists, along with the rest of my team."
"You're too modest. Look, I know you're probably busy… but can I get your autograph?" Conrad didn't even realize he'd been holding his breath until the commander spoke.
"Sure. I can do that." He motioned for the man's pad, signed it and handed it back.
A smile lit up his face. He had Shepard's signature! "Thanks. My wife is going to be so impressed!" he gushed with absolutely no shame.
He nodded at the odd man, though doubted his wife would give a damn, and hurried on to the clinic. The clinic door slid open and he stilled to catch what was being said. He silently motioned the others in, directing them to remain hidden for now. He spotted Garrus and joined him behind the half-wall.
"I didn't tell anyone, I swear!" Dr. Michel wasn't usually one to pray, but right now, she prayed they'd leave without hurting her.
"If Garrus comes around, you continue to stay smart," the thug warned. "Keep your mouth shut or we'll –"
When he saw the man's hand reach out towards the woman, Loki stood up. He motioned Garrus to stay and made his presence known. The thug grabbed Dr. Michele. "Please go on – tell me what you'll do?"
How had he and his men not heard the stranger come in? "Who are you?"
"Commander Shepard. You have one chance to let her go. I suggest you don't waste it," he warned.
With the thug focusing on Commander Shepard, Garrus knew he wouldn't get a better shot. He jumped out from behind the wall and put a bullet into the thug's head.
Chloe screamed when warm blood splattered the side of her face. Her body shook, unable to move, even as captor fell to the ground at her feet.
Lokyrian was astounded by both the shot and the audacity he had for risking the doctor's life. But there was no time to deal with the turian. The enemies regrouped. With several of them in close proximity, he flung out a wave of power. It struck two men Kaidan had yanked forward with his power and their bones shattered, the others slammed into the far wall. His hands shot forward, using his biotics to pull the guns and send them flying toward him. While he caught the rifles, the others made sure they didn't get back up. After they were all down, he rounded on the turian.
His mandibles widened in a small smile. "Perfect timing, Shepard. Gave me a clear shot at that bastard."
"You don't take chances with a hostage's life! The slightest movement or distraction at the wrong time and this would have ended very differently! There is always a better way."
Garrus was stunned by the harsh and swift reprimand. Had he acted impulsively? "There wasn't time to think! I just reacted. I didn't mean to – Dr Michel? Are you hurt?"
Though her body still trembled, she shook her head. "Scared out of my mind, but otherwise I'll…I'll be okay. Thanks to all of you," Chloe responded gratefully. Right now, she could not bear to look the bodies that littered her clinic. She was a doctor – she was meant to save not kill. And these deaths would haunt her. Still…she was grateful.
With the doctor's face drained of all color and her eyes dazed, it was obvious the woman was still in shock but he needed information from her. "We are here to help," Lokyrian assured her gently. "Will you tell us what happened?"
"They work for Fist," the doctor responded nervously, wringing her hands. "They wanted to shut me up so I wouldn't tell Garrus about the quarian."
The quarian? If the this was about Garrus then this was about Saren or at least could be. "Did the quarian mention anything about Saren or geth?"
The doctor glanced at her turian rescuer and then the others. It was the angelic looking man with the startling eyes that appeared to be in charge. "Yes…Yes, she did. She mentioned she had information regarding the geth."
"Thank you, doctor. Please take some time to recover – a shower, perhaps. Garrus here," he motioned towards the turian, "will get some more men out here. They can wait a bit for your statement." He looke4d at the rest of his team. "It's time we paid Fist a visit – we need to locate that quarian."
"Wait!" Garrus darted in front of the commander before he could leave. He was more than aware that his teammates were watching him suspiciously. Ready to shoot. It's what he would have done in their place. "Shepard, I want to bring down Saren as much as you do. I want to be a part of this."
"I appreciate your assistance but your investigation was shut down. Rather hard, I might add."
His mandibles jerked downwards. "Saren's a traitor to the Council; and a disgrace to my people!" Garrus responded in outrage. He tugged at his collar and cleared his throat. That had come out a little harsher than he intended. This time he controlled his tone. "I want to work with you to bring him down."
He studied the turian and noted the fire of determination that burned in his blue eyes. "If you intend to join my team, then you will be under my command. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Commander." At this point, he didn't care if C-Sec fired him. His father would care, but that was a battle for another time. Right now, Saren was the only thing on his radar and if anyone could find him it was the Butcher of Torfan. "Fisk is going to be waiting for us. We need to take him down hard," Garrus said, slamming his fist into his palm, a gleam in his eyes.
"Hard?" Ashley grinned. "Then we should head to C'Sec and see if Wrex wants to join the party."
"Good call, Chief."
They left the clinic and went down the stairs to C-Sec. As they entered, they heard a commotion off to the left.
The turian glanced over at the commotion and frowned. He wasn't sure getting the krogan involved was a good idea, but it was not his call to make. "I'll be right back, Shepard. I need to send some men to the clinic." At the Commander's nod, he hurried away. He probably should have made the comm when Shepard had mentioned it.
"Witnesses saw you making threats in Fist's bar. Stay away from him," the officer warned Wrex.
"I don't take orders from you," Wrex stated plainly.
"Will you take them from me?" Lokyrian interrupted.
The krogan turned a red eye towards the man. Large for a human. "Should I know you, human?"
"Shepard. And I'm going after Fist. Thought you might be interested."
"Shepard? Commander Shepard? I've heard a lot about you," Wrex acknowledged. "We are both warriors, Shepard. Out of respect, I'll give you fair warning. I'm going to kill Fist."
"Fist will know we're coming. We need to work together," Kaidan pointed out.
He could take Fist down himself but it never hurt to bring more guns. "Seek the enemy of your enemy and you will find an ally," Wrex quoted.
Loki inclined his head. "Ally it is."
Wrex eyed the humans critically. "I thought you'd have more guns."
While he didn't technically need a weapon, it was good to have one if his biotics drained him too much. He dropped his hands to his armor disk and Valkyrie. "I have everything I need."
"If you say so," Wrex scoffed in disbelief. It would seem the Butcher of Torfan was crazy. But crazy had its uses.
With Garrus' return and subsequent nod, Lokyrian nodded back. The doctor would be taken care of. "Wrex this is Garrus. He wants to take down Saren and that means going through Fist – so let's pay the man a visit."
"I've been waiting all day for that," Wrex grumbled. "Let's go. I hate to keep Fist waiting."
They headed up out of C-Sec and grabbed a taxi to Chora's Den. As they approached it, they noticed it was eerily quiet. Chora's Den was closed…obviously because they were expecting…company. The door opened as they approached. The room swarmed with armed men. Garrus took down the one hiding on a platform above the bar.
Lokyrian started yanking guns. It gave his team a few moments while Fist's men went for their holdout weapons. Right now, he envied his sister's singularities. His own were far too unstable and were likely to do more harm than good. But damned if he didn't love tossing people about like ragdolls.
When the initial wave of men was taken down, he headed towards the backroom. Two more men were guarding the door. He used her power to yank the gun out of one of their hands. It landed in his hands and he turned it back on them. The shotgun took out both of them at the same time. Their bodies flung away from each other, smoldering masses of ruin.
"You having a bbq and didn't invite me, Shepard? I'm hurt. Smells good," Wrex grinned as he made his way into the back room.
He glanced back at the krogan. "Just human, Wrex. Probably stringy and gamey."
"You're right. Turian is tastier. Real tender and flakey if cooked just right." Wrex gave Garrus a good once over.
"Seds, Wrex. Garrus is off the menu."
"Way to spoil my fun, Shepard," the krogan groused.
Garrus was more than thankful the commander stepped in. He could have handled the krogan so long as he kept out of range. Probably. But he certainly hadn't intended to take one for the team. The downside was, the talk of being eaten had left him riding a burst of energy and he needed an outlet.
Shepard opened the next door and two men pulled guns on them. That'll do, Garrus thought.
"Stop right there! Don't come any closer!" one of the men shouted.
"Warehouse workers?" Garrus asked in surprised. "All of the real guards must be dead."
"Stay back or we'll shoot!" the other man shouted.
Loki grinned at the two men. "Gentleman, I think now would be a real good time for you to get the hell out of Dodge."
The worker looked at the armed trio that had just taken down a dozen men out front. He nodded. "I couldn't agree more. Besides, I need to clean the mess out of my pants before I go home." the warehouse worker complained.
"Do you have an extra pair of pants I could borrow?" the other one asked as they were heading out the door.
"It would have been quicker to just kill them," Wrex grumbled.
"Shooting people isn't always the answer," Garrus explained to the krogan.
Wrex shrugged. "It's more fun."
They wound their way through a crap-ton of crates, he stopped to pillage some omni-gel from a locker, and then they made their way through two sets of doors before they heard a very disgruntled man say, "Why do I have to do everything myself? Time to die, little soldiers."
Two defense turrets popped up, with accurate sensors and a deadly spray of fire. Loki pulled the shotgun he'd taken from a corpse because it had been loaded with high explosive rounds. You never know when you're going to need a little extra kick. It took two shots to bring one of the turrets down. By the time he turned his attention to the second turret, his team had already taken care of it. With a nod, he held his fist up to halt his team, amped and charged Fist. He pulled up just enough not to kill the man. But he quite enjoyed the sight of the man bouncing off the wall in a clatter of armor.
"Wait! Don't kill me! I surrender!" Fist shouted. He quickly dropped his gun and kicking it away.
"Where is the quarian?" he demanded.
"I don't know where the quarian is, but I know where you can find her. She said she'd only deal with the Shadow Broker himself," Fist explained.
"Face to face? Impossible!" Wrex growled.
"Nobody meets the Shadow Broker. Ever. But she didn't know that. I told her I'd set a meeting; it will be Saren's men waiting for her," Fist admitted.
That meant the quarrian didn't have much time. "You nullard!" Lokyrian's hand shot out and he lifted Fist into the air with his power. "I want the location. Now!"
The vice that felt like it swirled around him gripped tighter. Unable to move, he swallowed his panic and tried to focus on the words that were said. "She - she's in the back alley by the markets. They're meeting now," Fist divulged, fearing more for his life than he had earlier.
With a fling of his wrist, Loki released the energy. Fist tumbled and rolled to a stop. A shot rang out and blood dripped from a wound in Fist's head.
"What are you doing?" Garrus yelled.
"The Shadow Broker paid me to kill him. I don't leave jobs half done," Wrex said simply.
With a growl, Lokyrian shot a powerful blast that slammed the krogan against the wall with a harsh clash of armor. "He surrendered! We don't shoot unarmed prisoners!"
"How many people died because of him? He brought this on himself," Wrex pointed out, though his voice held a deep respect this time. Few caught him off guard. And even fewer were capable of taking him down.
"That was not your call to make!" The wall began to cave behind the krogan who could do nothing to save himself.
"I think you've made your point, Shepard. Killing Wrex isn't worth it. That quarian's dead if we don't go now," Garrus reminded him.
He clenched his fist and dropped his hand, the krogan falling heavily to his feet. "Move out!" he barked and the men fell into line silently behind him.
Kaidan had never seen his unflappable friend this angry before. He'd not been with Loki on Torfan, but he could imagine the unleashed fury now that he'd seen it up close. For a moment it brought back memories of the fury he, himself, had unleashed on Vyrnnus at Jump Zero. The difference between him and Loki was the fact that Loki was in complete, precise control. Regardless of what Garrus thought, Loki would not have killed Wrex. No, this display had been one of dominance. Wrex had needed to respect who was in charge.
They ran out of Fist's office and into an ambush. As ambushes go, it was pretty weak. Only about six or seven goons. Loki threw both arms out in a wide arch, sending a burst of power that sent the attackers flying. Leaving the mop up to his team, he darted out the door and located the alley Fist had told him about.
He hurried up the stairs and tucked in behind a stack of crates. He put his hand up to halt the others when they joined him. He motioned for them to be ready. He had no intension of risking the quarian's life but he wanted learn what he could before he jumped in.
A turian walked up to the quarian. "Did you bring it," he asked.
"Where's the Shadow Broker? Where's Fist?" the quarrian demanded.
The turian ran his hand along her arm. He'd love to tear that suit off and see what she looked like beneath it…or beneath him. His mandibles widened in a grin. "Where's the evidence?" he purred.
"No way," she growled, shoving his hand away. "The deal's off."
The turian backed away and nodded to his cohorts, who pulled their guns. Knowing this would be overkill, he threw out a barrier bubble to protect the quarrian, threw another to cover him and his team. The quarian fired at the salarian troopers, sending them sprawling backwards. They regained their footing just as the quarian ducked behind cover. Thankfully, the barrier still protected her as well as the end of the hall, so that no one else could stumble into what he was about to do.
With a grimace, he threw a singularity into the middle of the room. It warped and twisted, drawing in both enemy and large, heavy cartons alike. Bodies smashed against the hard containers repeatedly until the writhing monstrosity died out. Because of its instability, it hadn't lasted long. But it didn't need to. All that was left was shattered containers and bags of goo being held together by armor.
"Interesting solution, Shepard," Garrus mocked him, eyeing the walls that were bulging outward, though not too badly. Perhaps it would go unnoticed.
Loki shrugged and drew the barrier bubble energy back into himself. "What can I say, I don't get the opportunity to practice very often. It's not like I can practice on the ship."
Kaidan's eyes widened in alarm. "Please don't."
"Seconded!" Ashley added quickly. Whatever that was would have torn the Normandy apart. No thank you.
Lokyrian waved off his squad and approached the agitated quarian.
Tali gave the human a side glance, frustration giving way to anger. "Fist set me up! I knew I couldn't trust him!"
"Fist won't be hurting anybody anymore. Are you okay?"
Those words were like a weight lifting off her shoulders. "That's good to know. And I'm fine. Who should I be thanking for the assistance?" the quarian inquired curiously.
"I'm Commander Shepard. Loki." He quickly introduced her to the rest of his team. "I'm looking for evidence against Saren. I was told you might be able to help me with that."
The quarian looked over the odd group and knew she wanted to be a part of it. "I'm Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. You were told correctly. It will give me the chance to repay you for saving my life."
"We don't need to be repaid," Lokyrian assured Tali, "but I would like it if you shared whatever information you have that might help."
"Of course, I will. I need to do this, Commander."
"Loki's fine, Tali. We must get back to Udina, the human ambassador."
"Yes," Garrus agreed. "Your ambassador needs to see this information. Hopefully, it will get Saren's Spectre status revoked."
They made their way out of the back alley and took two taxis to the Human Embassy. Udina was waiting for them when they arrived. "You're not making my life easy, Shepard. Firefights in the wards? An all-out assault on Chora's Den? Do you know how many - "
"Actually, your source is inaccurate. We did get attacked at Chora's Den but my team didn't fire a single bullet in the wards – biotics only."
A flush crept up the Ambassador's face. "That's not the point," he stated coldly. He paused a moment when he noticed the quarian. "Who's this? What are you up to?" he demanded.
Did the ambassador seriously think he'd stop by just to be treated like something the man scraped off the bottom of his shoe? "Exactly what I've been tasked with, if you would be nice enough to hear her out. This is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya and she has information linking Saren to the geth."
Donnel ignored Shepard's subtle jab and focused on the quarrian. "Right. We don't see many quarians here. Why did you leave the flotilla?"
"I was on my pilgrimage, my rite of passage into adulthood. I cannot return to the flotilla until I can bring back something of value to prove I can contribute to our community. I was investigating reports of geth outside the Veil. When I found a patrol, I disabled and removed the memory core of one of them," Tali explained.
David frowned as he approached the group. That didn't sound quite right to him. "Don't the geth fry their memory cores when they die?"
Tali's brows lifted behind her mask. "I know what I'm doing. Much of the core was wiped, but I was able to salvage some data, particularly from the audio banks," Tali explained. She flipped on her omni-tool and called up the audio logs.
"Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit," Saren declared with satisfaction.
"That's Saren's voice and it proves he was involved with the attack!" David exclaimed, unable to hide his excitement.
"There's more," Tali told him. "Saren wasn't working alone." Tali replayed Saren's message and then the part they hadn't heard.
"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers," a female voice stated.
"Reapers…" Memories from the beacon flooded his mind.
"According to what I could pull from the memory core, the Reapers were a hyper-advanced machine race that wiped out the Protheans 50,000 years ago and then vanished," the quarrian informed them.
"Sounds a little farfetched," Donnel snarked.
Loki held up his hand and shook his head. "No, she's right. That is what the beacon showed me. I saw the Reapers wipe out the Protheans."
"The geth revere the Reapers as gods, the pinnacle of non-organic life," Tali explained. "They follow Saren because they believe he knows how to bring the Reapers back."
Donnel wasn't sure about the Reaper propaganda, but this was their chance to take Saren down for what he'd done at Eden Prime. And just maybe the Council will start taking humans seriously. "We need to present this to the Council right away."
Tali stepped in front of the Commander. "Let me help you, Loki."
He had been surprised by her request. "What of your pilgrimage?"
Tali smiled behind her mask. "I think saving the galaxy is a tad more important than my pilgrimage. My pilgrimage can wait."
He offered his hand to the quarian, she'd only hesitated a moment before taking it. "Welcome to my team, Tali." He probably should have asked his father first but he couldn't see him turning down help to take down his enemy. David obviously agreed with the choice or he'd have spoken up.
They made their way out of the Embassies and took taxis to the Tower. It was time to confront the Council again. The Council better prove to be a whole lot more accommodating or he would get a leave of absence and go after the turian himself.
The Council had, apparently, already heard the evidence by the time they arrived. They agreed the evidence was damning and that Saren would have his Spectre status revoked and they would make an effort to bring him in to answer for his crimes. Tevos recognized the female with Saren to be Matriarch Benezia, a powerful and revered asari matron. Unfortunately, they considered the Reaper threat no more than a hoax perpetuated by Saren to bend the geth to his will.
Udina…being Udina…demanded the Council to send their fleet after Seran. The Council…being the Council…flat out refused. They would not risk war with the Terminus System over a few human colonies.
Tevos glanced at the other two Councilors. "There is another solution. A way to stop Saren that does not require fleets or armies."
"No! Send in the sister!" Sparatus growled at the asari. "We do not need any more humans in the Spectres!"
"We cannot pull Elvie off her mission. You know that better than anyone, Sparatus," Tevos admonished gently.
Enough! This was not a debate for him. He breathed out, calm and centered. "If you do not believe my career and abilities meet Spectre qualifications…fine. I will accept the Council's judgment on that. But know this…I will go after him regardless. It is up to you if it is under your command or on my own. The damage he has already done and the damage he is still capable of doing is astronomical. He cannot be ignored. He will not go away. He is a danger to us all."
Garrus couldn't keep his mandibles from spreading wide. Shepard would not be going after Saren alone, even if the Council denied him. This was one ride he was determined to be on, one way or another.
The Council members stared at the turian councilor until he nodded, and then typed commands into their consoles.
Tevos looked over at the human. "Commander Shepard please step forward. 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. You are the second human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for your species."
He inclined his head respectfully. "I am honored, Councilors."
"We are sending you into the Traverse after Saren. He's a fugitive from justice, so you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him," Valern explained.
"This meeting of the Council is adjourned." The Councilors quit the room and they were given leave until the ambassador called for them.
The second human Spectre. He couldn't wait to tell Rissa and Elvie… and even his genetic father, Cole. Though, he wouldn't be surprised if that man already knew.
Before they had even a moment to relax, they were pulled into drama after drama, fixing wrongs all over the Citadel until Loki finally called a halt so they could sit down and eat a meal.
Not long after their bellies were full, Udina finally commed him and told him to join him down at the docking bay. They took a moment to finish their drinks and headed down to C-Sec to take the elevator to the docking bay.
Udina and David were both there, in front of the Normandy's berth.
Donnel nodded sharply at Anderson and then looked over at Shepard and his motley crew. He frowned at the number of aliens but let it go. They had their uses. "I've got big news for you, Shepard. Captain Anderson is stepping down as commanding officer of the Normandy. The ship is yours."
Lokyrian took a step back in shock and shook his head. "No. Thank you, but I would rather not take his ship from him. I will find another."
David's gaze searched his son's. "Nonsense, Commander. The Normandy is the most advance ship in the Alliance. Her stealth drives will get you in and out of places no other ship could. You need her to help you take down Saren. She's quick and quiet and you know the crew. Perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well, Commander."
Why was he encouraging him to take his ship? "If you are sure, Captain. I'll take good care of her."
He knew his son would want to talk to him, but for now, his hands were tied. "I'm sure, Commander. If she is to go to anyone else, I'm glad it's you."
He turned to his team. "Go on ahead and get settled in. Kaidan can show you where you'll bunk. I'll meet you onboard." They nodded and entered the ship's airlock.
"We had reports of geth activity in the Feros system and around Noveria, you may also wish to talk to Dr. Liara T'Soni, she is Matriarch Benezia's daughter; a Prothean archeologist at a dig in the Artemis Tau cluster," Donnel informed the commander before giving him a harsh look. "You might be a Spectre, but you're still human and your actions still reflect on humanity as a whole. You make a mess and I get stuck cleaning it up."
He inclined his head to the ambassador. "I would not intentionally make your job more difficult." He watched the older man walk away and then turned to his father. "Why are you stepping down?"
David felt his cheek tick. "I was in your shoes twenty years ago, son. Now you have a chance to make up for my mistakes. Do as the Council and Alliance request. This is a big step for humanity - to show their appreciation, they are giving you the Normandy. Don't make light of it, son."
He never intended to steal his father's ship. It didn't sit well with him. "Hellafter, this isn't right. You deserve to captain the Normady."
"Honestly? This isn't how I pictured my career coming to an end. Pushing papers really isn't my thing. But you're the one who can stop Saren. I believe in you, son. If that means I have to step aside, so be it." His gaze drifted to the Normandy. He could feel the burn of her loss. But there was a small point of relief as well. Hannah and their kids would be able to join him on the Citadel whenever she took leave.
He pulled his father into a brief hug. "I do not think your career is ending. You have never been one to quietly slide into obscurity. That is not the end you will have. This is only a small… vacation."
"I hope you're right, son." He released Loki and took a step back. He really was proud of the boy.
"In the meantime, I'll talk to Tayln – work something out to get a ship of my own."
"No need for that. The Normandy is yours, son. Now, you go take Saren down hard– and give him a swift kick for me."
Lokyrina nodded. "Straight in his cyborg balls." He blinked. "I'm sure they have them somewhere. Just means I'll have to kick harder."
David watched his son board the Normandy without him. It was a bittersweet moment.