Vanguard of Vengeance: Chapter 4

The dim, diffuse light of the Normandy's med bay refracted strangely on the convex glass of the tank. Shepard floated gently in the bio-active medigel as miniscule nano-machines that resided in what the marines not so affectionately called "The Tub" worked to repair the damage done by battle and radiation. Down on Eden Prime, she had had no time to stop, no time to think. From the moment her boots had touched soft earth, she had been living completely in the mission. Even after the massive explosion that had thrown her deep underground, her mind had been sharp, focused. Now that the fog of battle had lifted her mind ached from multiple overlapping thoughts that chased each other through her head. Her mission had been a failure, despite the discovery of the Prothean complex beneath the colony.

While Shepard was no stranger to a botched operation, she was afraid this would be the one that ended her career. A colony lost, and along with it one of the most prized repositories of knowledge in the known galaxy. And Kaidan. Shepard tried not to think of the smiling face that she would never see again. Perhaps without that entry onto the list of things lost in that explosion, she'd have been able to shrug off the defeat, as she had in the past. The biotic lieutenant had been there to offer a reassuring voice at her ear, a reassuring hand on her skin. Now all that remained of him was that damned empty folding chair that stared at her from just beyond the glass.

Shepard tried to drive the thought from her mind. The mission came first. That was what her instructors had drilled into her after scooping her out of the gangs. First step: break down the problem. Easy enough when planning to storm a bunker or clear out a pirate frigate, but this situation… Shepard didn't think she'd ever faced down such a looming cliff. However, as Shepard's fatigued mind regained focus, the processes began to click one by one. Her opening move would be to touch base with Anderson. Her commanding officer had been in the service since long before she had stepped off of Earth, so he'd have more of an idea of how to handle the political fallout. Maybe he'd have a few strings to pull.

That only left halting the advance of a civilization-ending plague of mechanical locusts bent on destroying sentient life. Shepard's mind ran away from her as it followed multiple threads: troop displacements and ship designs. Ideas heaped upon ideas until her head rang with them. Eventually she gave up the effort, allowing her eyes to slide shut.


The Hunter looked out across the plains. The Reaper Scourge had come to this world at last. The Hunter had arrived on the last wave of refugees almost a decade ago, and since then the world had been quiet. Unusually so, considering that the War still raged on throughout the galaxy. Certainly, the Governors had continued with their grand breastworks and the militia drilled in the parks and green spaces. But it was a hollow preparation, a parade of form over function. The people of this world had treated the Reaper War as they would have some minor colonial insurrection or Zha'till raid. However, they were now discovering the error of their ways. Massive metal structures descended from the sky, disgorging their hordes of abominations onto the plains before the city. The Reaper's spherical Occuli screamed overhead, dragging behind them red-hot trails of destruction. The Hunter turned to their companion. "We must get you off of this planet, while we still have the chance. The Reapers will not be watching the Relay with their attention focused on the planet." The companion looked uncomfortable. His four eyes blinked uneasily, hands clenched into fists as he roiled just beneath the surface. "Avatar Javik, we must go…"


A freshly decanted Commander Shepard stood at parade rest before her commanding officer's desk, arms held loosely at the small of her back as Captain Anderson read from her prepared report. His eyebrows held their usual deep-knitted frown as he slowly scrolled through. After a while he put down the pad with a sigh.

"I don't know what to say, Shepard, it looks like you're about to be in for a world of trouble. Ha, by the looks of it, I'm about to be in a world of trouble."

"Sir?" Shepard shifted weight, turning ever so slightly to look at her mentor. The older Captain leaned back into his chair and rubbed at his eyes.

"Don't think that I'm about to throw you under the bus. You're a good soldier; Shepard, the Alliance can't afford to lose you to some political bullshit. But this…" he nudged the report, "An irradiated colony, an alien in our custody, loss of our objective to enemy action; this is going to look bad, worse than bad to the Council. They're going to come after you, after you're SPECTRE candidacy, and after your commission. Don't be surprised if they take out all the stops on this one."

"What do you suggest I do, sir?" Shepard asked.

"I've called in a few favours within Alliance command; we're pulling up all of the vid taken on Eden Prime. The scale of this enemy, these... Reapers… I don't think any one soldier can be expected to come out with a victory against those kinds of odds."

"You think I should rest on the defense that this was an unwinnable situation?"

"That alone? No. But it's a good start. If we can get the Council focused on the greater threat, well, they're going to need all the experts they can find, and I do believe all four of them are currently aboard this ship."

"Four of us, Sir?" Shepard said, quickly running through the crew, "You mean me, Chief Williams, and the Prothean?"

"And, of course, our guest SPECTRE." Anderson responded, "Don't count out his influence. We'll need him on-side." Shepard rankled at the suggestion. "Don't give me that look, Commander," the Captain continued, "I don't like relying on a Turian any more than you do, but I think the guy is genuinely impressed with your skills. Talk to him, get inside his head. It might just save your career."

"Yes, Sir." Shepard said with a reluctant nod of the head.


"This seat taken?"

The Turian looked up from his own copy of Shepard's report. His eyes moved slowly to meet hers, his head cocked in a sign of interest.

"No, Commander, it is not. I suppose you have come to me to discuss my report to the Council regarding what transpired on Eden Prime?" Shepard offered him only a stony face as she sat down across from the SPECTRE. Dropping her tray, and any pretense that she had some motive other than doing that very thing, she spoke quickly and without flourish.

"Yes. That my report?"

"It is; an accurate account of events as could be expected from one in your unenviable position, commander," Nihlus said as he switched the pad off.

"And you'll be writing your own account, I assume?" Shepard asked.

"Already have," the Turian corrected, "it reads much the same. What it lacks is the revelations you have apparently drawn out of the living Prothean." Shepard watched the Turian's face carefully. She was in no way an expert in the alien's body language, but even she sensed a kind of patient observation, not quite predatory, but not quite friendly either. An impassionate observer.

"I would think the Council would want to know about the possibility of galactic destruction," Shepard said flatly. Nihlus' careful control broke down a little and he chuckled darkly.

"Then you do not know the Council as I do. They may not want to hear about these so-called Reapers, but they definitely won't like hearing about a possibly Prothean alien being held by an Alliance warship. And they don't have to, at least not until I can confirm this… Pradhar Javik."

Shepard blinked in surprise. "You're going to hold that from them, why?"

"It may surprise you, but the politicians on the Council don't always see eye to eye with those they empower to keep their shining galaxy spinning. I want you in the SPECTREs, Shepard. A lot of us don't want to let humans anywhere near a position of authority, but I look for talent wherever I can find it. I'd induct a vorcha if I could trust him to hold to his oaths, and I saw some decent raw material."

"I suppose I should be flattered," Shepard said.

"Don't be, much of the galaxy doesn't see you as much better than that vorcha. Aggressive, having ideas above your station. That's going to work against you at your hearing."

"Hearing?"

"Oh, there'll be a hearing. There's a lot of money wrapped up in exploration of Prothean tech. The Asari will be especially upset."

The Turian pushed himself up from the table, giving a nod of respect.


Shepard sat alone in her bunk. In her hands lay an antique pen and paper notebook. A gift from a young lieutenant who had once noted that her biotics often interfered with anything more advanced. She stroked the now faded cover with a sad smile before opening it and putting pen to paper. Words seemed to spill from her pen unbidden as she allowed her mind to float free. She never read what she wrote in this state; she always had far too much floating around her head to add more to the clutter. After filling a page, she felt depleted. She tucked the notebook back into its place in her footlocker and set her mind to her plans.

The meetings with Anderson and Nihlus had done much to put her at ease, at least as far as her status as candidate went. With a SPECTRE on her side and the weight of the Captains contacts, it would take extraordinary action to strip her of rank and mission.

That mission, however, gave her more pause. Making up her mind, she rose and shrugged on her more imposing garrison blues. She strode purposefully towards the cargo bay elevator. With no designated holding areas, Anderson had quartered the Prothean in the bay, under the watchful eye of Marine sentries. At this time, only the Chief, Williams stood guard. The Prothean knelt in a silent meditation of some kind.

"Hasn't moved since he came aboard, Commander," Ashley said after trading salutes, "won't talk to anyone."

"I will speak when those of appropriate rank are present to be spoken to," Javik said in a bass rumble. Four eyes flicked open. "Commander Evangeline Shepard. You have come to speak of the Reapers."

"How did you…" Ashley started.

"It is the only topic worth speaking about," Javik said sternly. "Your commander at least recognizes this fact. I will tell you of the Prothean's fight against the Reapers, but not while you treat me like a common prisoner."

"I'm not really in charge of that," Shepard admitted, "but if you give us some actionable intel I could see what I can do about that."

"Commander?" Ashley interrupted, "I'm all for an interrogation, but Alliance protocol…"

"Irrelevant, my information will not be bartered for promises. I will part with nothing until I am released from this hold."

An alert flashed on Shepard's Omni-tool. She quickly read the message, breaking into a smile. "I've got some good news for you, Javik, we just arrived at the Citadel. Anderson's ordered you released to the Alliance Embassy. I'll be taking that intel now."


Author's Note:

Good news, readers. I'm picking up an editor for this and my other stories. This will probably mean a longer production cycle, but I'm hoping it will lead to an overall improvement in my work. A big thanks to my new beta reader, user Shinigamiryuksan and to my new editor. And, of course, all of my reviewers.