Shepard

Shepard leaned back in his couch as Garrus pondered what he had told him.

"I don't know how the council will take this." Garrus finally said leaning back himself.

"What me coming back from the dead, working with Cerberus, or all the weird shit of the last couple days?" He replied dryly.

Garrus snorted dryly and shook his head. "Yes."

He sighed as he rubbed his face. "Fuck! I don't really know how I'm handling it honestly. It's just so… So surreal. I mean, am I even alive?" Shepard half muttered.

Garrus grunted. "You seem quite alive to me, if we're being honest, I thought you were one of those… What you call them Valkyries?"

Shepard snorted and then laughed. "Valkyries are women Garrus. I don't think I can pull that figure off."

Garrus chuckled. "No, I don't see you pulling that figure off." Then he got serious. "Shepard. The Council is going to want you to present them no matter what they or anyone else wants."

Shepard sighed. "No, not if no one tells them. Unless the Council has done anything over the last two fucking years, I don't feel like I owe them any favors in this front. If Priscilla wants to meet them, she can tell me. I won't force her." He said sitting up.

Garrus nodded. "I'll keep my mouth shut, but if you tell Anderson he may be obligated to tell the rest of the Council."

"Good. Cause you're coming with me when we see Anderson."

Garrus groaned. "You're making me visit with the Council? And here I thought we were friends…"

Shepard laughed. "You'll live."

"Head up Commander. We'll be hitting the relay for the Citadel in about half an hour." Joker said over the intercom.

"Thank you, Joker." He replied as he collapsed the data pad which held everything they had on Pricilla and Yorshka.

He trusted Anderson. The problem was he didn't trust the rest of the council, not when they had so clearly tossed him and his warnings under the proverbial bus before he was even cold. He grimaced as the knowledge that he likely had been cold the moment his life support died didn't help.

After Garrus left, he dressed in a set of stock Alliance blues. His omni-tool pinged him letting him know that Chakwas was lifting the quarantine on their guests. Clearly their immune systems had gotten to a point she was comfortable with. He finished fixing his cuffs and walked to the intercom next to the door.

"EDI. I need something broadcasted to the crew."

The holographic avatar popped up. "Of course, Commander."

Pricilla

She sat quietly as Chakwas fussed and scolded lightly in turn.

"I haven't cleared you yet! First it was Shepard then Jenkins, Alenko, Ashley…" Chakwas muttered, as she ran her instruments over her. "And don't get me started on Wrex!"

Finally, she stopped, took one more look at her omni-tool, and sighed. "You're still a bit lower than I like, but I'm clearing you to walk around the deck if you wish. The port and starboard lounges are currently free."

"Grammercy doctor. However, I would liketh to stay hither, withal mine sister." She said.

Chakwas nodded. "I understand that but I may need to ask you to leave, if I have to perform some surgery."

"I understand." She said as she picked up a data pad and began reading. It amazed her at just how much information the humans had at their fingertips. Entire libraries worth of knowledge easily accessed.

She was jerked away from her reading, as a voice began emitting from a nearby wall.

"This is Commander Shepard to the crew. As you are all aware, I ordered a communications lockdown shortly after I returned from Alchera. I am certain most of you either know or have heard rumors as to why. As of this moment we are heading for the Citadel to both pick up one of our recruits and so I can touch base with Counselor Anderson. I don't expect you to remain out of contact with your families. However, I do expect you to exercise discretion as to what you tell them. Our guests are not to be discussed with anyone outside of this ship until I have informed Anderson. This is for their safety. On another note. If there is anything you think would make our job easier, that can be gotten on the Citadel make sure either EDI or Maranda is informed, I don't know when we will next be here, so now is the time to make requests. That is all for now. Shepard out."

She stared at the spot on the wall Shepard's voice had come from for a long moment, but she didn't see anything which could be responsible before returning to the data pad.

Not long afterward the hiss of the door told her there was a visitor, the voice told her who it was.

"Pricilla. Do you have a moment?" Shepard asked.

She looked up and set the data-pad she had been studying aside. "What is't thee needeth Shepard?"

He sat on the bed across from her and sighed. "We're likely going to be arriving at the Citadel within the next hour. There are things we need to talk about. I don't know how far you and Chakwas got, but does SPECTRE mean anything to you?"

"A dram, Chakwas hath said those gents w're did connect to thy galactic -" She paused. "I apologizeth I'm still trying to und'rstand the scale. Thy galactic council as soldi'rs." She frowned. "Haply they're clos'r to Gwyn's knights…" She muttered. "Those gents doth specific tasks f'r the council to keepeth 'rd'r."

Shepard chuckled. "Not sure how to take being compared to a knight, but the SPECTRE's do answer to the Council directly. They tend to be the best and the brightest of the Council's operatives. With a few exceptions…" He muttered darkly.

He pulled out the data pad and handed to her. "This contains everything we have learned about you and your sister. I am letting you see this so you can decide what you want me to leave out. I have an obligation to tell the Council you exist, so I'm going to tell someone I trust who happens to be on the Council. If you want to come you can, but I'm not forcing you."

She looked at the data pad and bite her lip. "Couldst t beest possible f'r thee not to bid those folk? I can handleth myself but I'm w'rri'd about mine own sist'r."

He sighed again. "No, I'm sorry. I can promise that the person I'm telling can be trusted, but this is over my head. There are rules and protocols for this, by that I mean first contact situations, and I've broken a lot of them." He got up. "I can try to delay this if you really want, but sooner or later I will have to inform them. On another note, if you want to be in the cockpit when we approach, let me know."

With that he left.

She powered up the data-pad and began viewing its contents. The first thing was a something called a video file. Touching it she got the odd experience of seeing what Shepard must have witnessed from his point of few. His bantering with someone named Joker.

What kind of a name was that?

Sorting through a large something for small pieces of metal hanging off of chains.

Amulets perhaps?

All the way through his assault on the beast, and her being placed inside of the odd box like thing she had seen in the courtyard. She managed to pause the screen and looked at herself.

How fragile she had looked unconscious.

Shivering slightly, she kept looking It didn't take her long to go through the rest some of it was documents she had trouble understanding, others were a few more sections of video, some parts she was sure had been removed, one moment she had just mended her gown the next she was wearing it.

Small things like that.

Finally, she finished and managed to go back to the moment he had fired on the beast.

It had been a very, very, long time since anyone had defended her.

Aside from the oddity, she didn't really have a problem with him giving this to his Councilor, and she didn't really want to get him into trouble.

She looked at Yorshka again. Her main concern was her sister. She could take care of herself but Yorshka?

Yorshka needed her to keep her safe.

Shepard

"E.T.A. to Citadel relay is five minutes Commander." Joker stated.

"Thank you Joker." Shepard sighed as he readjusted one of his cuffs as the lift headed to the crew deck.

He entered the med-bay to find Chakwas fitting Priscilla with a headset.

"Now this is temporary until I get what I need to make you a proper one. It will work while you're on or close to the ship. Get to far or forget to charge it, and it will stop working."

"I understand Doctor. Thank you." Priscilla said as she adjusted the headset a little.

"Commander." Chakwas greeted as she looked up.

"Doctor." He answered as he sat across from Priscilla.

"I've given our guest a temporary translator. I'll get the supplies I need for a more proper one once we reach the citadel. I'll probably get a set of spare implants just in case."

Shepard nodded as Chakwas settled at her desk and began typing on a data-pad before he looked at Priscilla.

"This device feels strange…" She muttered as she adjusted it again.

Shepard shrugged. "The implants feel even stranger to be honest. Most people get those and become used to them eventually, but some people for various reason don't or can't get them." He replied.

"Chakwas said as much." Priscilla replied as she picked up the data-pad he had brought her earlier.

"Have you made your decision?" He asked, and she nodded.

"I have. You say you trust the person you plan on giving this too?"

He nodded once. "Anderson is a good, man, a good friend; I trust to have my back."

Priscilla fiddled with the data-pad before handing it to him. "I don't wish to cause problems for you, but I would rather that this wait until Yorshka is at least awake before your council is informed."

"That's fair." He said. "Now do you want to be in the cockpit when we approach the Citadel? It's quite impressive."

She looked at Yorshka.

"Chakwas will let us know if anything changes." He pointed out.

"Very well Shepard. I think I'd like that." She finally said.

The short walk to the lift was uneventful, and he held the door mindful of Pricilla's tail, before tapping the holo-pad for the elevator.

The ride to the C.I.C. was quick and quiet, but there was a world of difference compared to the silence which descended on the C.I.C. when they stepped off the elevator. Most of the crew outright stared as he led their guest towards the nose of the ship. A few sharp looks and everyone went back to work, but they still snuck glances.

"Sorry about them. They've been curious since we found the two of you. The communications lockdown only made them more curious." He said.

"I've suffered worse stares." Priscilla muttered.

"Hitting the relay in T minus thirty seconds." Joker stated.

Priscilla

The command deck as Shepard had called it was strange. Glowing panels shone around the oddly shaped room, with a vortex like item in the center of a raised section. Various humans milled about after they had taken a moment to stare. It wasn't the first time she had been stared at but they were merely curious.

Not hostile.

The voice which spoke from ahead of them was familiar.

"I taketh it that this art Joker?"

"Guilty as charged." The man in the throne they approached said as the ship rushed towards an object floating in the black.

She saw the craft move to fly alongside the object before energy sparked off of it to encompass the ship. Then she got the odd sensation of both weightlessness and watching the stars stretch…

Then it was over and they were flying through a violet cloud. She stumbled for a moment and Shepard steadied her with a small movement. As they broke through, she something floating silhouetted by a bright light. It looked almost like a giant metal flower which had barely begun to open.

"I bethought t wouldst beest larg'r…" She commented.

"Well, we're over three million kilometers out. It's gonna get larger." Joker replied as he touched the glowing panels before him.

She didn't know exactly what that meant but suddenly she felt very, very small.

"Are you alright?" Shepard asked.

"Aye... I just didn't expect something so grand; it is greater than Anor Londo." She whispered. She was so engrossed with the looming station that Joker's next words snapped her out of her awe.

"See the Destiny Ascension is still here." Joker commented.

"Hope they upgraded that ship since the last time I saw it." Shepard muttered.

At her look he elaborated pointing out the vessel in question. "The Destiny Ascension is both the largest, and longest serving asari dreadnaught, along with being the flagship of the citadel defense fleet."

"How many ships art th're?" She asked.

"Alliance intel said the CDF was about fifty before the battle of the citadel. Likely at least doubled since then." Joker stated before speaking to someone else. "Citadel tower this is the Normandy SR-2 coming in to dock." Joker said.

She was about to ask who Joker was talking to, before a voice emerged from the glowing panel in front of him. "We read you SR-2."

Shepard

He sighed as he stepped off the docking bay platform, Garrus and Mordin at his back. Given everything they were the best choices he had. Showing up with a pair of high-ranking Cerberus operatives would only make this more awkward.

He would still have rather had Mordin in the lab, but Zaeed would likely be almost as bad.

"Come on Kasumi's meeting point isn't far." He said as they headed for customs.

They found the clearly hacked advertisement with little trouble. "Not very subtle." Garrus noted.

Shepard shrugged. "Can't imagine her too just be out in the open." He commented. "Silence is golden."

"Ah Commander Shepard! I'm a fan." A cheery voice stated from the advertisement.

"Kasumi Goto I presume?" He replied.

"At your service."

He nodded as a car droned past. "I assume you've been briefed."

"Alien bug men kidnapping people in the Terminus systems."

He nodded again. "Yes, that's close enough. I'm aware you've been paid however I have some concerns."

"Oh, a test! How fun. You're worried about how someone with my skills will be an asset in this mission? I can tell you that I have lots of experience moving about unseen in highly secured areas and have disabled multiple different kinds of digital and physical security. I can also handle myself if things get sticky, and my things are already on board your ship."

"I see." He stated but there was something else. The background noise from the add and the cars going past was just too close together. She was nearby.

One of the many rules of spec-ops work.

No one looks up.

"Well then if there's nothing else?" He asked as he began scanning the rafters over the customs area.

"Well, there is one thing. A small bit of personal business I need a hand with."

"Which I am sure you told whoever contacted you." He said.

"Of course. They said it wouldn't be an issue. An old partner of mine was killed and I need help recovering some of his belongings." She said and he almost missed it. A car passing a little higher than normal illuminated a set of rafters and a humanoid figure standing on them for just a moment. On the add Kasumi's face broke into a grin.

"Very good Commander. I see this is going to be a lot of fun."

"So, what is it you need recovered Miss Goto." He said as she refocused on the add.

"Please no need to be so formal just call me Kasumi. I'm looking for a piece of neural-tech, a greybox to be exact. It's sort of like a data storage device, for your memories."

"I assume you know where it is?"

"Of course. I even have a plan to nab it. It should be fun, you might not have to even draw your gun."

Beside him Garrus snorted with a barely suppressed bark of laughter. He spared the turian a mock glare before responding. "That would be a nice change of pace. Why don't you get yourself settled and talk to Chakwas about a physical. You can send me the details later today."

"Got it Shep. You might want to move on yourself, people get odd looks talking to advertisements."

"If you'd seen my week so far that's not even a blip." He said just before the advertisement returned to normal. "What are the odds my SPECTRE statis has been revoked and I can't just use that to get around a mountain of paperwork.

"Probable. Less without Cerberus rumors. Being reported dead not unheard of for STG operatives." Mordin commented.

"Let's get this over with." Shepard sighed.

"Well, that was easier than I expected." Shepard said as they put Captain Bailey behind them and headed for the presidium.

"I always knew C-Sec would change while I was away but I didn't expect that much." Garrus muttered.

"Good or bad? Hard to say." Mordin said as they flagged down a taxi.

About half an hour, and one double take from a secretary, later they strode into the human councilor's office.

"Shepard. It's good to see you, and Garrus as well." Anderson greeted them as they walked to the window, he was standing next to. "Glad to see all the rumors weren't totally wrong."

"Sir. This is Doctor Mordin Solus former STG." Shepard said introducing the one stranger in the room and waited as they both sized each other up and shook hands.

Once that was out of the way Anderson looked at him, really looked at him, and frowned. "I have to say Shepard you've looked better."

He sighed and ran his hands over his scars. "Yeah, I bet I have, but things need doing. Not going to lie in bed over a few angry red lines." He said provoking a chuckle out of Anderson.

"Good to see you're still you in that regard at least." Then he got serious. "The council's been waiting since you arrived on the station. They want an explanation."

"I bet they do." He sighed again. "Let's get on with it."

"I don't know why you kept that weasel around." Shepard commented once Udina was safely out of earshot.

"He does all the boring diplomatic functions I would rather avoid. Plus, he understands the game and the players better than I do. So, he has his uses." Anderson commented as he leaned on the windowsill.

"Least you're officially a SPECTRE again." Garrus drawled.

"Confined to the Terminus systems which don't respect the office. So, it's just as much of a token gesture as it was two years ago." He grumbled. "Thank you Mordin, for convincing Valern." He added. "I wasn't sure he would believe the story."

Mordin shrugged. "I have a reputation of my own. Would like more in-depth knowledge of your implants. Will bother Miranda about them later."

Shepard nodded. "And you can fill me in on some of them as well." He commented getting the salarian equivalent of a raised eyebrow in response. "I haven't really had time to go over this yet." He explained and Mordin nodded.

"Been busy. Understandable."

He looked at Anderson. "There is something else." He said as he handed over a plain wooden box. "Well, several things really."

Anderson took the box with a sigh. "You found them all?"

"I did. They deserved that much." He said and Anderson nodded.

"I'll make sure they get back to their families, but what's the other thing?"

Shepard sighed and laid out the whole incident on Alchera from beginning to end. By the time he had finished Anderson had returned to his desk and was resting his chin on his hands. He stayed silent for several moments before he sighed.

"I won't lie Shepard it's a lot to take in. Cities and people appearing out of nowhere, magic, and a first contact. You really jumped into the deep end didn't you..." Anderson said shaking his head.

"Agreed, but results don't lie." Mordin commented. "Won't have believed myself if I hadn't seen Garrus's recovery."

Anderson shook his head again and stood up looking out his office window. "This would be much simpler if it wasn't the Terminus systems." He said before looking back at Shepard. "You've kept this completely quiet?"

"For now. The cat's likely coming out of the bag soon. I'm not willing to keep the crew from contacting their families forever, and I can't guarantee TIM won't learn of their exitance before dusk. Since he hasn't contacted me about them, I believe he either doesn't know yet or doesn't want me to be aware he knows."

Anderson nodded before he frowned. "TIM?" He asked.

"Joker came up with it." Shepard replied and Anderson snorted with amusement.

"Why am I not surprised." Anderson muttered. "I trust your judgment Shepard, and I'll do what I can, but I hope your other guest recovers swiftly, because the longer I keep this quiet the worse this will look."

"I understand Sir."

"As for the planet." Anderson shrugged. "I hate to agree with a Cerberus operative, but this Miranda is correct. A planetary quarantine of Alchera is unlikely, I doubt Aria would be willing to humor such a request even if she had the fleet's necessary to do so."

"It was worth asking, but I knew it was unlikely." Shepard agreed. "I'm just worried about what someone else might find or have turn up on that planet. As I got the impression that Priscilla herself isn't really sure what she did."

"I'll see what can be done but it's a very delicate situation." Anderson paused as his omni-tool beeped at him. "And that's another meeting." He sighed before making a shooing motion. "Go on Shepard do what you need to do."

Shepard saluted; before replying. "Yes Sir."

Illusive Man

He was mid-way though a report on an up-and-coming technology firm which looked like it could use a little investment when one of his screens blinked at him. He paused before accepting the incoming transmission.

"Lang. What did you find?"

"Nothing in orbit, but we did find this." Lang answered before he panned his omni-tool giving him a good view.

A city half encased in ice.

"Well now isn't that interesting." He mused. "Lang; hold position." He instructed as he pulled up a series of dossiers, cycling through them he found on which could be promising. The asari had most of the prothean experts in the galaxy, those who weren't asari tended to be employed by their own governments, but there was the odd freelancer who entered into the profession.

"Lang I'm going to send you another squad and an archeologist who should be willing to do the work no questions asked. However, she isn't a Cerberus operative, so keep an eye on her."

"If she gets in the way?"

"You know what to do." He replied.

"Understood."

As always constructive criticism is welcome.

Carre: Thank you.

Guest: That's a fan theory. While it is possible that his name really was Faaram, it feels odd given that there was a clear naming convention going on. Why would Gwyn's first born be different. Nothing says he didn't take up Faaram as a name after he was banished, but we don't know.

Slaggedfire: Yeah, love him or hate him Gwyndolin didn't deserve that.

As to your second point, I miss spoke, miss typed, whatever. It's not a plot point at this moment because no one has commented on it. Yet. Six feet was a number most people can fairly easily visualize. Which is why I picked it. Nothing says she many not get taller as she regains some of her power. We will see.

Jcthereble: Thank you.

Jebest4781: Thank you we got some time before the Nameless King gets off world but he'll get there.

Also thank you to Peppyclown for beta reading.

Authors note

Another chapter done, yay. Hopefully we'll move away from the old English soon. Likely a few chapters at most until Yorshka wakes up.

Not much to say about this chapter. Shepard's a Spectre again, TIM knows somethings up. Pricilla gets her first real look at the world she's now.