Kaiden felt the pull of the beacon. At first he assumed it was nothing, just something the beacon had been triggered to do. By the time he realized the strength of the pull, it was too late. He was being sucked in.
Somewhere behind him he heard his name being called.
He couldn't turn to look.
His feet came off the ground.
A moment later he felt a pair of arms circle him and he was pulled away. He hit the ground and rolled. Looking up he could see Ash grab him as he tumbled and Shepard . . .
She was being lifted into the air.
She had pulled him away.
She'd saved him.
"Shepard!" He cried as he tried to rush to her.
Ashely held him back.
"No!" She shouted, "Don't touch her! It's too dangerous!"
Before he could get away there was a feeling, like thunder with no sound. It exploded out past Shepard and toppled them to the ground.
His head hit the metal floor of the spaceport and bounced violently.
He would have one of his migraines later to be sure, but right then he had bigger problems. He got to his feet as quickly as he could.
Shepard was lying motionless on the ground in front of what was left of the beacon. All it was now was a smoking pile of rubble. He rushed to her. It was obvious right away that she was still breathing. Something he was incredibly grateful for.
"Shepard?" He asked frantically, checking her pulse. "Shepard can you hear me?"
"Alenko?" Anderson's voice boomed over the comm. "What's going on down there?"
"The beacon exploded!" He shouted, not sure why he was yelling. "Shepard's down. We need evac now!"
"We're on our way. Sending the nav point for extraction now," Joke cut in.
"On our way," Williams replied.
Kaiden lifted the Commander off the ground as carefully as he could, and together he and Ashley rushed to EZ. He'd never been so happy to see a shuttle in all his life.
"What the hell happened down there Alenko?" Anderson demanded as the LT carried the Commander off the shuttled and started rushing toward the elevator. "Who is this?" He asked eyeing Ashley as she jumped out of the shuttle.
"Gunnery Chief Ashely Williams, sir," she stated saluting the Captain. "Of the 212."
"Captain I can explain everything once we get the Commander to the med bay," Kaiden assured him as he stepped into the elevator.
"Fine," Anderson agreed as he stepped up next the LT and punched the button on the wall. The door slid closed as lift began to rise.
"Come on," Kaiden whispered urgently. "Why is this thing so slow?"
"Just hold on, we'll get there."
The elevator stopped and the door opened. Kaiden rushed forward, around the lift and toward the med bay. Thankfully the doctor was looking out the door as they approached.
"What happened?" She asked as the lieutenant and the Captain came rushing in.
"The beacon grabbed me, I got too close . . . I don't know," Kaidan started to explain. "Shepard pulled me back and it got her instead. It lifted her in the air and then exploded. She's been out ever since."
"Put her here," the doctor instructed. Nodding Kaidan lowered her onto the bed and stepped back so she could work.
"Alenko," Anderson stared. He watched the young man. His face was drawn and he was clearly completely wrapped up in what the doctor was doing with Shepard. He understood. Shepard had always been enigmatic and charming. Even as a dirty orphan on the street.
He had seen greatness in her that day. Not just in the way she fought a battle she knew she couldn't win. But also in the way she carried herself afterword. She could be downright enthralling.
"Kaidan," Anderson whispered sympathetically. "You've done all you can for her. Now I need you to tell me what happened down there."
"Of course, Captain," he nodded sheepishly.
Over the course of the next ten or so hours Kaidan explained and explained again to the Captain what had happened. Each time Anderson had different questions. At first he had tried to speak with the LT in private, but the young man refused to leave the medbay.
After the tenth hour rolled around he had started to doze.
By the time they were within Citadel space he was fast asleep in a chair next to the Commanders bed, with his head resting on the mattress beside her.
Anderson walked in, hoping for a progress report and stopped.
Dr. Chakwas saw him and walked over.
"Captain?" She asked pleasantly.
"Any change?" He asked.
"None yet, sir," she explained. "Her vitals are strong and her brainwaves are within normal range. As far as I can tell the Commander is in perfect health."
"Well if she isn't up by the time we get to the Citadel we can have the doctors there run tests," he decided.
"That would be best," she agreed.
"What about Alenko? Has he left her side?"
"Not even for a moment," she sighed. "The poor thing. I think he blames himself for what happened."
"Do you think that's all it is?" Anderson kept his voice light and conversational, but there was a distinct edge hidden under the pleasantries. An edge not lost on the doctor.
"I'm certain that's all it is, Captain."
"Good," he nodded.
"Captain, if I may ask?" Chakwas ventured.
"Of course, doctor," he replied. "What do you need?"
"Are you asking me about Alenko's emotions in this as their CO? Or do you have some kind of personal stake in this?"
"Doctor," he started to explained.
"Forgot I asked," she said quickly. "I'll let you know if anything changes."
"Thank you doctor." He turned and headed back through the door.
Kaidan stirred. Somewhere nearby he could hear his name. At first he ignored it, thinking he was still dreaming. Then the thought that it might be Shepard waking crossed his mind. His head snapped up and he looked around.
She was still asleep on the bed in front of him.
Checking over his shoulder he confirmed the doctor was still at her desk. He reached out and took the Commanders hand. As though the contact were a shock, she started to sir.
"Doctor?" He called. "Doctor Chakwas? I think she's waking up." He dropped her hand and stood.
Shepard felt a hand in hers, leading her away from the darkness of her sleep and dragging her toward the light. As she struggled to get her eyes to open, she could hear voices around her. She sat up slowly and looked around. Alenko was to her right, looking like he hadn't slept in a week, the doctor was coming around the other side of her bed. She sat up and hung her legs off the side, taking a mental stock of her faculties.
"You had us worried there, Shepard. How are you feeling?" She asked smiling kindly.
The Commander finished her quick mental assessment of her state of health. She seemed fine, although now her hair was braided as opposed to its normal bun.
"Minor throbbing," she replied. "Nothing serious. How long was I out?" She could tell by the looks on their faces it had been a while.
"About 15 hours," the doctor replied as she eyed the clock on the wall. "Something happened down there with the beacon I think." She shot a look at Alenko.
"It's my fault," he replied guiltily. "I must have triggered some kind of security field when I approached it. You had to push me out of the way."
She could see how much the knowledge that it might be his fault weighed on him. So she smiled at him kindly and said, "You had no way to know what would happen."
He met her eye and smiled, genuinely relieved.
"Actually we don't even know if that's what set it off," Chakwas sighed. "Unfortunately, we'll never get the chance to find out."
Shepard looked at the doctor confused.
"The beacon exploded," Alenko explained as he walked around in front of her. "A system overload maybe. The blast knocked you out cold. Williams and I had to carry you back here to the ship."
She felt her cheeks redden slightly. "I appreciate it."
He nodded and smiled, clearly not missing her blush.
"Physically you're fine," the doctor explained as Shepard slid off the bed and onto her feet. She wobbled for a moment but managed to right herself before she could fall. "But I detected some unusual brain activity, abnormal beta waves. I also noticed in increase in your rapid eye movement, signs typically associated with intense dreaming."
Images from before flashed in her mind, over and over again. "I saw . . . I'm not sure what I saw," she tried to explain. "Death. Destruction. Nothing's really clear."
"Hmm. I better add this to my report. It may . . . oh Captain Anderson," the doctor started.
"How's our XO holding up, doctor?" He asked as he walked around to see her.
"All the readings look normal. I'd say the commander's going to be fine."
"Glad to hear it," he smiled. He turned and addressed her directly. "Shepard, I need to speak with you . . . in private."
A look passed between the three other people in the room. Dr. Chakwas nodded to Shepard, Kaidan and the Captain before she turned and headed out of her sick-bay.
"Aye, aye, Captain," Kaidan replied with a salute. Then he turned and addressed her. "I'll be in the mess if you need me." He flashed her a brief smile and then left as well.
As soon as the room was empty, Anderson visibly relaxed. He was her commanding officer, but in a lot of ways, he was more than that. She had never said it aloud, but she thought of him as a father figure. Or the closest thing she had to one anyway.
"Sounds like that beacon hit you pretty hard, Commander," he stated, looking her over. "You sure you're okay?"
"I'll live." She replied. Knowing that the details of how and where she hurt would only pain him.
He could tell there was more. But he knew better than to press her for more than she as willing to give. He had learned a long time ago just how private she could be.
"I won't lie to you Shepard," He sighed, "Things look bad. Nihlus is dead. The beacon was destroyed and geth are invading. The Councils going to want answers."
She nodded. The same thought had already crossed her mind, a few times. She had hoped to catch up to the other turian, Saren, but after the beacon exploded, she'd lost that chance.
"I didn't do anything wrong Captain," she said finally. "Hopefully the council can see that."
"I'll stand behind your report, Shepard," Anderson reassured her. "You're a damned hero in my books.
"That's not why I'm here. It's Saren, that other turian. Saren's a spectre, one of the best. A living legend. But if he's working with the geth it means he's gone rouge. A rouge Spectre's trouble. Saren's dangerous. And he hates humans."
She heard what he was saying. Saren certainly wasn't the only alien out there who didn't like their kind. Definitely not the only turian. Still something he was saying didn't add up in her.
"He didn't come to Eden Prime because he hates humans," she stated finally.
Anderson nodded, "You're right. Saren has allied himself with the geth. I don't know how. I don't know why. But it had something to do with that beacon.
"You were there just before that beacon self-destructed. Did you see anything? Any clue that might tell us what Saren was after?"
She hesitated. Yes she had seen something. But how could she possibly describe what she had seen to him when she couldn't make heads or tails of it herself. And what if it turned out it was just some dream? A freak reaction the beacon or the stress of a new position.
Shepard looked up to find her captain looking at her in a way that suggested he knew there was something she wasn't saying.
With a sigh she said, "Just before I lost consciousness, I had some kind of . . . vison."
"A vision? A vision of what?"
"I saw synthetics," she explained as she struggled to put the pieces together in her mind. "Geth, maybe. Slaughtering people. Butchering them."
Anderson didn't hesitate, "We need to report this to the Council, Shepard."
She dismissed the idea right away. "What will we tell them? I had a bad dream?"
He waved such notions away. "We don't' know what kind of information was stored on that beacon. Lost Prothean technology? Blueprints for some ancient weapon of mass destruction? Whatever it was, Saren took it.
"But I know Saren. I know his reputation, his politics. He believes humans are a blight on the galaxy. This attack was an act of war! He has the secrets from the beacon. He has an army of geth at his command. And he won't stop until he's wiped humanity from the face of the galaxy." He slammed his fist into his hand. He was heated, down right pissed if she was being honest.
"I'll find some way to take him down," she assured him, not sure she like how angry he was suddenly.
"It's not that easy." Anderson sighed. "He's a Spectre. He can go anywhere, do almost anything. That's why we need the council on our side."
"We prove Saren's gone rouge and the council will revoke his Spectre status," she reminded him.
He nodded, looking in better spirits. "I'll contact the ambassador and see if he can get us an audience with the Council. He'll want to see us as soon as we reach the Citadel. We should be getting close now. Head up to the bridge and tell Joker to bring us in to dock." He glanced at her pale face and the way she was leaning against the wall for support. "Whenever you're ready, of course." He smiled at her and headed out of the room.
Finally alone she carefully checked herself out. Her head was killing her and she could feel her brain thumping where her implants were. She created a small biotic barrier around her hand and then transferred it to the other. Pleased her biotics seemed intact, she turned her attention to her left shoulder. It stung sharply as she rotated it.
Bruised she guessed.
Satisfied nothing else seemed to be damaged, she headed out the door.
Alenko was standing a short ways away from the med bay, leaning against the wall that separated the mess from the hall. She could also see Williams over by the lockers next to the Captains quarters and the doctor was a small ways away from her.
"Glad to see you're ok, Commander," Alenko called as she approached. He looked around awkwardly when he realized how loud he had been. "Commander," he restated quieter when she was only a few feet from him. "I'm glad to see you're okay. Losing Jenkins was hard on the crew. And I'm glad we didn't lose you too." He smiled shyly.
"Things were pretty rough down there," she agreed quietly.
"Yeah," he replied grimly. "You never get used to seeing dead civilians. Doesn't seem right, somehow. But at least you stopped Saren from wiping out the whole colony."
She felt her cheeks color slightly. "I couldn't have done it without you," she told him truthfully.
"We're marines," he replied as his cheeks colored. "We stick together. I'm just sorry we lost Jenkins."
She nodded sadly. "Yeah . . . I wish I could've done something to save him." She hadn't meant to say the last part aloud. She wasn't usually so sociable about her feelings.
He shook his head adamantly. "I was there. You did everything right. It was just bad luck.
"It's been a hell of a shakedown cruise. Our first mission ends with one Spectre killing another. The Citadel Council's not gonna be happy about that. Probably use it to lever more concession out of the Alliance."
She completely agreed with him, and if she was being honest, she was a little impressed. "You've got a good grasp of the situation, Alenko. You a career man?"
He smiled again. "Just Kaidan, ma'am, and yeah. A lot of biotics are. We're not restricted, but we sure don't go undocumented. May as well get a paycheck for it.
"Besides my father served. Made him proud when I enlisted. Eventually. But is that why you're here? Because of your family?"
She blanched slightly. "I never met my parents. If they wanted to see me they'd have contacted me after that mess a few years back." Again she was saying too much. She never told people that she was an orphan. She hated the way they looked at her when she did. That look of sympathy made her skin crawl. Shepard had fought all her life to be able to stand on her own two feet and not be reliant on others.
She was sure they would all wonder then too. Wonder why her parents had given her up.
Wonder what was wrong with her.
Kaidan could tell her family was a sensitive subject so he moved on to something he thought she would like to discuss.
"Ah, that's right. The blitz. I imagine that bought you any post in the fleet." When he saw her face go even paler he knew he had just made things worse. "Word is we're headed to the Citadel, ma'am. Can you tell me why?" He grasped for a different topic.
She looked instantly better with the conversation change. "The captain hopes the Ambassador can get us an audience with the council. Tell them what Saren's been up to."
He nodded. "Makes sense. They'd probably like to know he's not working for them anymore. Whatever happens, we'll be ready. Commander." He saluted her and she returned the gesture.
She knew she needed to get to the CIC and talk to Joker. But she could see Williams fretting in the corner, watching the other marines walk by. With a final nod to Kaidan she headed over.
Williams saw her coming and smiled, looking relived. "I'm glad you're ok commander. The crew could use some good news after what happened to Jenkins."
"Jenkins was a valuable part of the crew," she replied.
"Part of me feels guilty over what happened," she admitted. "If Corporal Jenkins was still alive, I might not be here."
Shepard shook her head. "You're a good soldier, Williams. You belong on the Normandy."
"Just call me Ash, Commander. And Thanks. That means a lot from you. I've never met anyone who was awarded the Star of Terra."
Not wanting to discuss the blitz again, she nodded to Ash and said, "I need to go speak with Joker."
"Who's Joker?" She asked, a confused.
"Our pilot."
"Odd name for a pilot," she observed.
"From what I understand, it suits him."
She nodded, consideringly. "Goodbye, Commander."
Shepard nodded and moved off.
Around the mess tables and past the elevator. Then up the stairs and across the CIC floor. A lot of the navigators and other marines on deck stared at her as she walked past. Whether or not they were looking at her because she was finally awake, or because they blamed her for Jenkins, she couldn't tell.
By the time she entered the cockpit she'd never felt so happy to be in a room with just one other person.
"Good timing, Commander," Joker noted as she walked into this field of view. "I was just about to bring us into the Citadel. See that taxpayer money at work."
She nodded but kept her eyes focused on the windows.
A few seconds later they slowed down and passed through the Citadel's relay. Through some of the purple haze of the nebula, Shepard could just make out the strangely floral shape of the seat of government for the entire galaxy.
Bootsteps behind her pulled her attention.
Kaidan and Ash were both headed up the walkway toward the cockpit. They seemed to be exchanging some polite conversations as they walked.
"I didn't think any of you had seen the Citadel first hand," Joker explained quietly. "So I thought I'd invite everybody up." He looked at her with a smile that she knew meant something more than it did on the surface. But what it meant was beyond her.
"Look at the size of that ship," Ash exclaimed coming up beside her.
Outside the window was the largest ship she'd ever seen. It was clearly asari, you could tell by the architecture. The way it made a cross with a large opening at the center. It looked like it could house an entire army if it needed too.
"The Ascension. Flagship of the Citadel Fleet." Kaidan stated knowingly.
"Yeah, well size isn't everything," Joker muttered under his breath.
Ash laughed. "Why so touchy Joker?" She asked mockingly.
"I'm just saying you need firepower too," he replied defensively.
"Look at that monster!" She exclaimed. "Its main gun could rip through the barriers on any ship in the alliance fleet."
"Good thing it's on our side then," Kaidan observed with a smile toward the commander.
Joker rolled his eyes at the lot of them and tapped a few buttons on his virtual command board. There was a click that signaled a comm line was now open. "Citadel Control, this is the SSV Normandy requesting permission to land."
As he waited for a response, Shepard watched as they flew through hundreds of ships. Turian cruisers, asari frigates, even an Alliance patrol ship or two. So many of them all in one place. The fact they weren't crashing into each other seemed like a small miracle to her.
The comm line clicked. "Stand by for clearance Normandy. Clearance granted. You may begin your approach. Transferring you to an alliance operator."
"Roger Alliance tower. Normandy out."
Shepard looked at Joker. He was talking with Kaidan as he waited for the operator. His hands moved up and down his controls without him even having to look. It was like he was controlling the ship with his mind instead of his hands.
She was impressed.
The comm clicked again.
"Normandy this is alliance tower. Please proceed to dock."
Joker turned his attention back to the controls before him as he swept the ship around in a graceful arc. He pulled up to the set of docks marked "Alliance" and easily parked the ship into one of the large openings protected by mass effect fields.
There was a strange sound as the docking platform extended out and connected with the ships main door, just behind the cockpit.
"Are we good to go, Joker?" Anderson asked as he walked into the room.
"Docked and ready, Captain," he assured him. "Any orders while you're away?"
"Yes. Run a full diagnostic on her. Pay special attention to the stealth systems. I want to know they can handle everything we were promised. Shepard, Alenko, Williams, I want you three to suite up and be ready to go in no more than five minutes."
"Sir?" Ash asked confused.
"I'm taking you three with me to report to the Council. As the ground team they may have questions for you."
"Yes sir," the three chimed as the moved off to change.
"I've never been to the Citadel before," Ash commented quietly as they made their way toward the stairs.
"Neither have I," Shepard admitted.
"Really, Commander?" Kaidan asked, sounding surprised. "I would have thought with your service record . . ."
"I was stationed at colonies with my unit," she cut in, not wanting to hear about the blitz again. "We bounced from planet to planet in the Terminus system. Going where we were needed."
"Oh," Kaidan remarked quietly.
"I thought they had some big ceremony for you after the blitz?" Ash asked, not catching Shepard's grimace.
"They did," she confirmed. "But that was held on Elysium."
"Oh, that's right," Kaidan nodded as they stepped onto the crew deck. "I remember now."
"What about you Kaidan?" She asked, looking for a subject change. "Have you ever been?"
"Uh, once," he stammered. "Back when I first enlisted. We pulled in, docked the ship and waited for our CO to return. Then we left."
"So you've never been here either." Ash countered.
"Not really, no." He admitted sheepishly.
"Well it'll be the first time for all of us then," Shepard observed as they stopped outside the barracks. "See you on the bridge," she said to Kaidan as she and Ash headed in to change.
"Yeah," he whispered as he watched her go. "See you there."
"So what's up with you and the LT?" Ash asked as soon as the door hissed closed behind them.
"Kaidan?" Shepard asked confused. "Nothing is up with us. I just met him today . . . er well yesterday technically. Why do you ask?"
"Because of the way he looks at you," she stated matter-of-factly. "The whole walk from the bridge to here he didn't take his off of you once!"
She waved away Ash's words. "Kaidan is just worried I'm still hurt from the beacon. He feels responsible. That's all."
"If you say so, Commander," she said in a way that told Shepard she didn't believe her at all.
A few minutes later the three were standing on the bridge waiting for the Captain. He was talking quietly to Joker and stopped abruptly as the three came entered.
"Commander," he addressed her respectfully, and not at all the way she was used to. "If you and your squad are ready, the Ambassador is waiting."
"We're ready sir," she assured him with a nod.
"Then let's go." He walked past them and opened the exterior door of the ship. There was a loud hiss as the area beyond pressurized to match the atmosphere in the ship, and then the door slid up and away. Anderson walked out and punched a code into a pad near another door.
"Equalizing interior pressure with exterior atmosphere," the ships VI announced. "Logged: The commanding office is ashore. XO Pressley has the deck."
A third door parted open revealing a large docking bay, empty aside from the Normandy. Anderson walked out and headed right to a large elevator, completely ignoring the view to their left. Shepard walked out and stopped.
To the left the whole bay opened up out to space. Beyond the kinetic barrier that kept the atmosphere from escaping, a whole arm of the Citadel opened up before them.
Buildings, lights and skyscrapers stretched on for what felt like eternity. Everything twinkled in a way that made it look more like a dreamscape as opposed to a vast floating city. Before she knew what she was doing, Shepard had started forward, walking up the boarding plank toward its edge. She stopped at the bars and looked out over the beautiful city.
"It's quite the view," Kaidan commented.
She turned to see that he had followed her up to the edge and was also taking in the sight of the Citadel.
"You can say that again," she confirmed, turning back. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?"
She hadn't meant for the question come out sounding rhetorical. She was genuinely curious if the LT had ever seen anything so magnificent in his travels. But being in awe as she was, the question had come out sounding completely different than she intended.
Kaidan glanced to the commander. He took in her blonde hair, piled behind her head in a sloppy bun. It was long, impressively long for a marine. He had found this out while carrying her back to the ship after the bacon. It had come lose as he ran and cascaded down his arm like a sheet of pure gold.
He estimated it had to be down to her hips, at least. When she was being treated after Eden Prime, Chakwas had pulled it back in a braid to keep it out of the way and to keep her from pulling it while she slept.
His eyes moved to the freckles that dusted the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. He found them endearing somehow. Finally he looked to her eyes. Dark green with a ring of blue around the outside and ring of gold around the inside. He'd never seen eyes like hers before.
"I think I have," he said quietly and without thinking.
Suddenly the eyes he had been admiring turned and met his.
For a moment neither spoke.
Shepard knew that she should turn away and follow Anderson. He was no doubt waiting for them. And what would he think when he saw her standing staring at the lieutenant this way? Not only was it not the reason she was there, but it was a serious violation of the regs regarding fraternization.
"I remember the first time I saw this view," Anderson commented as he walked up next to them.
Shepard and Kaidan looked away, both coloring slightly. Anderson, having not notice the moment going on between the two, stood between them looking out over the vast span of the arm.
"It took my breath away to see such beauty here. But this only one of many impressive things to see," he sighed and stepped away. "But first we have to meet with Udina. Come on, he's not a man who enjoys being kept waiting."
"Of course, sir," Sheppard responded.
"Yes, sir," Kaidan added simultaneously.
They walked down and met Ash who was looking nervously around. When she caught sight of Shepard and Kaidan being led back down, blushing like teenagers caught making out behind the gym, she had to clap her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
Shepard met her eyes and glared at the smiling woman.
"Nice view, Commander?" She asked as they headed for the elevator.
"It was spectacular," Kaidan answered for her, his cheeks still red.
"I bet it was," Ash muttered under her breath. She nudged Shepard as she walked past and smiled at her in a way that made the commander want to punch the chief in the arm.
The four piled in the elevator and Anderson hit the button. A strange and upbeat song played lightly over the speakers. The elevator itself was mostly glass. Shepard looked around, trying to see if she could catch a glance of wherever they were headed.
"Where are we headed, Captain?" Ash asked as she glanced round the elevator.
"This lift will take us down to C-Sec academy and then we'll grab a sky car to the embassies. Ambassador Udina is waiting for us in his office there," Anderson explained. "Then hopefully we'll be off to see the council."
"Do you think they'll listen, sir?" Ash asked, sounding doubtful.
"They'll have too."
After another moment or so they passed beyond the wall they were traveling next to, and the floor below became visible. At once Shepard was struck by how large the area below was. She could see trees, doorways, stairways, and more turians than she had ever seen in one place.
But not just turians. There were asari, salarians, elcor, a few volis, and even a human or two. All wandering around, going about their lives as though being on this magnificent space station was just a part of everyday life. Although she supposed, for them anyway, it was.
The elevator stopped and after a second's pause, the glass door slid up and Anderson walked out, headed to the right. Clearly he had been here so many times the view didn't faze him anymore. Shepard wanted to stop and stare open mouthed at all the aliens just coming and going. She knew that it made her seem like a tourist to do so. But everything was so amazing.
Keeping herself in toe with Anderson, they headed to the right and stopped at an orange screen attached to a podium. Next to that there was a red skycar with a banner that read: "Rapid Transport Taxi Service. The Citadel's fastest way to travel". He punched a few buttons into the screen and waited. A second later the door hissed and opened to the side and the windshield lifted up. Anderson stepped in and settled into the driver's seat.
Before Shepard could take the seat next to him, Ash rushed past her and took the seat up front. Leaving her to the back with Kaidan.
"Problems, Commander?" She asked as Shepard scowled down at her.
"None, Chief," she grumbled. She stepped into the back and sidestepped so she was now sitting directly behind Ash. Kaidan smiled slightly as he took the seat next to her.
"You can fly this thing inside?" Ash asked.
"Of course," Anderson replied with a laugh. "We'll fly straight up and out past the elevator shaft toward the presidium."
"Flying cars inside," Shepard whispered.
"Pinnacle of fancy," Kaidan replied just as quietly.
The car lifted up and carefully the Captain flew up and over to a second elevator shaft, directly across from the one they had just come down in. Also completely glass, there was some kind of light filtering down from the top. Around the back side there was a large double door hatch that opened as the car rose toward it.
The light was so bright compared to the dark of C-Sec that Shepard had to look away. And who should be looking away in her directions.
Kaidan.
Their eyes met again and just like before, she found it hard to look away from those amber eyes. He stared at her and she stared back.
"Look at that?" Ash stated in awe.
They both looked away and out the windows.
There was a lake.
An actual lake.
Of water.
Spanning the center of the Presidium as far in each direction as she could see. It even followed the curve of the ring up. It was amazing and just a bit miraculous. There was sunshine up above them and what looked like clouds and sky.
"What is that?" She asked.
"The fake sky," Anderson answered. "A lot of people find the lack of sunlight and sky disheartening. Hundreds of years ago the Council found a way to implement a kind of screen that constantly shows a sunny sky. The clouds even move."
"That's incredible," Kaidan commented.
A second later they were descending again. Anderson shut the taxi off and opened the doors. The four got out and found themselves at the Citadel Embassies. There was some kind of asari shaped AI directly across from them. Across from that there was several areas with seats and a board displaying several different languages worth of information. Then there was an actual asari sitting at a desk looking very busy. On either side of the desk there was a flight of stairs that lead off somewhere Shepard couldn't see.
Anderson started forward, once again ignoring the area around him. He nodded to the asari and headed off to the right of the desk and up the flight of stairs. He waved a pass at a green pad near the door and it slid open with a hiss.
He kept walking.
Up the walkway and through a door on the right.
As soon as the door opened Shepard could hear someone yelling.
Once she stepped in she saw quite plainly the owner of the voice.
A short man with grey white hair was shouting at a red holographic display of three figures.
One turian.
One asari.
And one salarian.
The Council.
"This is an outrage!" The man shouted as he waved his arms around. "The council would have stepped in if the geth attacked a turian colony!"
"The turians don't found colonies on the boarders of the terminus systems, ambassador," the salarian councilor stated, sounding agitated. Quietly the four walked in and waited for the ambassador to be done.
"Humanity was well aware of the risks when you went into the traverse," the asari councilor added.
"What about Saren?" Udina shouted. "You can't just ignore a rouge Spectre. I demand action."
"You don't get to make demands of the Council, Ambassador," the turian councilor warned.
"Citadel security is investigating your charge against Saren," the asari councilor stated. "We will discuss the C-Sec findings at the hearing. Not before."
Together the councilors each reached forward and pushed a button they couldn't see. At once their images waved and disappeared. Anderson stepped forward at once.
"Captain Anderson," the Ambassador said condescendingly. "I see you brought half your crew with you."
"Just the ground team from Eden Prime. In case you had any questions," he explained.
"I have the mission reports. I assume they're accurate," he commented as he regarded them with clear disdain.
"They are," Anderson assured him, biting back the words he wanted to say to the disrespectful man. "Sounds like you convinced the council to give us an audience."
Udina walked over to his desk, clearly angry. "They were not happy about it. Saren's their top agent. They don't like him being accused of treason."
Shepard had enough of the man's belittling tone. "Saren's a threat to every human colony out there. He needs to be stopped. The council has to listen to us!"
"Settle down commander," Udina said, not pleased by her convictions. "You've already done more than enough to jeopardize your candidacy for the spectres. The mission on Eden Prime was a chance to prove you could get the job done. Instead, Nihlus ended up dead and the beacon was destroyed."
"That's Saren's' fault, not hers!" Anderson shouted, instantly on her side.
"Then we better hope the C-Sec investigation turns up evidence to support our accusations," he stated. "Otherwise the council might use this as an excuse to keep you out of the spectres. 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."
Anderson nodded to Shepard before walking off with the Ambassador.
"And that's why I hate politicians," Ash commented dryly after the door had closed.
"I'm starting to come around to that kind of thinking," Shepard commented.
"Should we get going then?" Kaidan asked.
"We might not want to follow them too closely," Ash observed.
"Agreed," Shepard sighed. She leaned against the railing on the balcony, overlooking the presidium below. For a moment she just watched the people go on about their day, heedless of the danger that Saren posed to them.
For a moment she worried she might not be enough to protect them. If the Council denied their request, or refused to believe them because they were human; who knows what could happen.
They had to believe her.
"You okay, Commander?" Ash asked.
"Yeah," she replied, waving the concern on the Chiefs face away. "I think that's a good enough head start. We should get going."
"Right behind you, Commander," Kaidan assured her.
Together the three set off out the door they had entered through and down the steps again. They had to side step a salarian who seemed to be in too much of hurry to say excuse me. They fell back against a wall as another three salarian's plowed through.
"Sometimes I can't tell the aliens from the animals," Ash muttered angrily.
"Chief!" Kaidan exclaimed.
"Sorry," she muttered, not meaning it at all.
Shepard made a mental note to discuss Ash's comments later.
"This way," the Commander said as she started toward same sky car they had arrived in.
The doors hissed open and Shepard jumped in. The car hummed to life as she sat in the driver's seat. Ash sat behind her, pointedly nudging her in the arm as she went. Kaidan took the seat next to her and laughed as she tried to acquaint herself with the controls.
"Need some help?" He asked.
"No," she told him scowling. She hit a button and a screen popped up in the center of the dashboard.
"Welcome to Freedom Sky Car Taxi Services." A VI image of a female turian popped up on screen. "Please select a destination from the list below." The screen changed to show six location. The presidium and each of the five arms was listed. Shepard looked around for a moment and then touched the presidium button.
The list changed to reflect more places than she thought could exist on this small ring. Thankfully at the top of the first page was the Citadel Tower. She touched the button and the car lifted into the air on its own.
"VI driven sky car," she muttered. "Wave of the future."
Kaidan and Ash chuckled as they headed off toward a large white town she hadn't seen before. The way the ring curved it was hard to see things more than several hundred feet before you.
It was only a second later the tower came into full view.
It shot up into the "sky" so far that the three were craning their necks to get a better view of the top.
"That is a big tower," Kaidan mumbled as the car started to climb. A few floors from the top the car slowed and large door slid open. The car flew in slowly and parked itself in one of the few open spaces available.
"Thank you for using Freedom Taxi services. A fee of thirty credits has been charged to Commander Jennifer Shepard's account."
"Your first name is Jennifer?" Ash asked with a laugh. "I thought I got a bum deal with Ashley."
"Chief," she said with a frustrated sigh. "You are under my commander. Don't force me to make you regret that."
Both Kaidan and Ash laughed at her obvious displeasure. She was struck by how odd they must look. She was their commanding officer and she should be doing more to keep them in line like any other commander would. Still as they sat in that sky car, chuckling about her name, she felt less like a commander with her subordinates and more like a woman with her friends.
She didn't have a lot in the way of friends.
This was a little new but good.
Definitely good.
"Let's get going," she grumbled, even though she too smiling.
The three got out of the car and headed for the large white door marked elevator. They pushed the button and filled in. There was only one button for the floor above them. Shepard pushed it and the doors hissed closed.
As the lift climbed, slowly, she could feel Ash fidgeting behind her.
"The councils going to ask us questions, aren't' they?" She asked.
"I doubt it," Kaidan replied. "We've made our reports. Now we just have to trust Ambassador Udina."
"No, sir. We don't," Ash sighed in a way that made Shepard think she had a long history with politicians or perhaps just bureaucrats in general.
As the doors slid open, Shepard forgot the question she was going to ask the Chief.
"My god," Kaidan exclaimed.
"It's beautiful," she said.
From the elevator the room extended out in a long a somewhat narrow path. High walls on either side supported beautiful cherry blossom trees. Their delicate pink petals were in full bloom and some where even drifting slowly down to the floor.
Across from the elevator, where the room opened up more, there was a beautiful fountain. A few people were leaning against the railing talking in quiet whispers. The whole area seemed to shimmer in a way that made her wonder what they were putting in the air in here.
As they walked around the fountain and up the first set of steps they started to hear shouting. It seemed so out of sorts for a place like this that at first, Shepard thought she was hearing things.
Up the first set of stairs and she could see that she was not, in fact, imagining the voices. A few feet away in front of a large tree, shrouded by several large rocks, stood two turian males, both arguing quite heatedly.
"Saren's hiding something!" The one to the left shouted. He was dressed in the blue armor of a C-Sec officer. "Give me more time. Stall them." His face and mandibles were a warm grey color and the paint on his face, the little there was, was the same blue as his uniform.
"Stall the council?" The other turian shouted. He was older than the one in blue and from the look of his uniform to the white paint on his face, Shepard was sure she was looking at the Executor for C-Sec. "Don't be ridiculous! Your investigation is over, Garrus."
The Executor turned and walked away, leaving Garrus to stare after him in anger. As he passed by Shepard his eyes fell on her. Blue like so much of the rest of him, and piercing in a way that was almost uncomfortable.
"Commander Sheppard?" He asked her, not looking away.
"That's me," she confirmed.
"Garrus Vakarian," he introduced himself as he extended his hand. "I was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren."
She clasped his hand and asked, "Who were you just talking to?"
He sighed, frustrated. "That was Executor Pallin, head of Citadel Security. My boss. He'll be presenting my findings on Saren to the Council." He was clearly still upset.
An odd thought cropped up in her head. Why did this turian want to bring Saren down so badly? He was, after all, one of his kind.
Knowing that asking that aloud would make her seem racist and not the least bit ignorant, she said, "Sounds like you really want to bring him down."
Garrus looked away from her finally. He took in her crew and appraised them with hard eyes. All human. He could tell where this conversation was headed.
"I don't trust him." He explained as he crossed his arms defensively in front of himself. "Something about him rubs me the wrong way. But he's a Spectre; everything he touches is classified. I can't find any hard evidence."
She wanted to ask him why Saren rubbed him that way and see if he had any other information on him. But before she could, Kaidan stepped up and put a hand on her shoulder. Not an intimate embrace, but also not exactly appropriate.
"I think the Council's ready for us, Commander," he explained before he stepped back.
Garrus seemed to relax a little. "Good luck, Shepard," he sighed, locking eyes with her again. "Maybe they'll listen to you." He nodded to Kaidan and Ash before heading down the stairs and toward the elevator.
Knowing she'd delayed too long already, Shepard shook all thoughts of the turian away and headed up the next set to steps, toward the Council chambers.
Now the area opened up to a large flat landing filled with trees, benches and two wings on either side with more seating. Most likely for private conversations. Then there was another set of steps, split in half by a large planter with another tree.
At the next landing she could see Anderson looking for her, impatiently. They rushed forward, taking the steps two at a time.
"The hearings already started," he explained as he ushered them forward. "Come on." Together they all but ran up the last narrow set of steps.
Once at the top she almost paused again.
The room was enormous.
Huge ceilings and a wall made almost completely out of glass on one side. Then below that a platform where the three councilors stood. To the left there was a giant holographic projection of Saren, leering down at them. Directly across from the stairs the walk way extended out into another platform that hovered over a glass atrium of some kind. Through the glass she could see another garden like area and wondered if people were ever allowed down there.
"The geth attack is a matter of some concern," the asari councilor was saying. "But there is nothing to indicate Saren was involved in any way."
"The investigation by Citadel Security turned up no evidence to support your charge of treason," the turian councilor added, looking seriously displeased. It took her a moment but she was certain she knew their names.
Sparatus! That was the turian's name.
"An eyewitness saw him kill Nihlus in cold blood!" Udina shouted, his face going red.
"We've read the Eden Prime reports, Ambassador," The salarian councilor, Valern, countered "The testimony of one traumatized dockworker is hardly compelling proof."
"I resent these accusations." Saran scoffed. "Nihlus was a fellow Spectre. And a friend."
"That just let you catch him off guard!" Anderson shouted, madder than she'd ever seen him.
"Captain Anderson," he sneered, his words dripping with disdain. "You always seem to be involved when humanity makes false charges against me." His image turned and looked down at her. "And this must be your protégé, Commander Shepard. The one who let the beacon get destroyed."
She was floored!
How dare he talk to Anderson that way! Let alone drag her into it.
"The mission to Eden Prime was top secret," she stated, thinking she'd caught him in a lie. "The only way you could know about the beacon was if you were there!"
"With Nihlus gone, his files passed on to me," he explained, waving her accusations away. "I read the Eden Prime report. I was unimpressed. But what can you expect from a human?"
Her temper, something she always managed to keep in check, boiled over.
"Saren despises humanity!" She shouted to the Council, completely forgetting her place. That's why he attacked Eden Prime!"
Saren glowered at her as his red image flickered and waved. "Your species needs to lean its place, Shepard," he chastised her like a child. "You're not ready to join the council. You're not even ready to join the Spectres!"
Before she cold scream something else, Udina stepped up, putting himself between her and Council. "He has no right to say that!" He shouted. "That's not his decision!"
The asari councilor, Tevos, Shepard thought her name was, if she was remembering right, looked up to Saren and said, "Shepard's admission into the Spectres is not the purpose of this meeting." Something about the way she said it reminded the commander of the way an overly indulgent mother spoke to a spoiled child.
"This meeting has no purpose," he declared as though he was suddenly the authority on the matter. "The humans are wasting your time, Councilor. And mine."
Shepard scowled at him. "Saren's hiding behind his potion as a Spectre!" She cried, pleading with the council. "You need to open your eyes!"
"What we need," Valern cut in, "is evidence. So far, we have seen nothing."
"There is still one outstanding issue," Anderson said. He stepped forward, looking like a desperate man. "Commander Shepard's vision. It may have been triggered by the beacon."
She baulked.
Anderson had never mentioned his intent to bring this up here, today.
"Are we allowing dreams into evidence now?" Saren scoffed. "How can I defend my innocence against this kind of testimony?"
"I agree," Sparatus nodded. "Our judgment must be based on facts and evidence, not wild imaginings and reckless speculation."
"Do you have anything else to add, Commander Shepard?" Valern asked, looking doubtful and not the least bit board.
Yes, she had many things she would like to add to this meeting. Many things she would relish saying to all four of them. But as she looked around the room she could see in indifference in their eyes. Nothing she said had mattered, and nothing she would say could change that.
"You've made your decision. I won't waste my breath," she stated at last.
Tevos looked to Sparatus who shook his head, he was unconvinced. She nodded and turned to address the humans before them.
"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 denied."
"I'm glad to see justice was served," Saren gloated triumphantly. His hologram faded out.
"This meeting is adjourned," Tevos intoned. Without another glance their way, the three Councilors turned and headed off to an unseen door to the right. Shepard watched them go, feeling more defeated than she had in three years.
It was her worst fear come to light.
Not only did they not believe her about the visions, but they completely dismissed any connection between Saren and the geth. If she was going to stop that crazed turian, she would have to do it alone.
