Mass Effect: The Iron Heart of Man

by Apollonir

[AU] The Illusive Man said that salvation comes with a cost. When corruption seeps into the galaxy, when centuries of status quo suddenly breaks in a mere decade, when blood's spilled among the stars like never before, when extinction looms over civilization, when morality is merely a shade... salvation can only come with sacrifice. [AU First Contact War & Reaper War; GRAPHIC]

30. Still Secrets Remain I

NOTE1: Hello everyone! I know I am late to update. I have been really busy and I still am. I had aspirations of writing a big 25k chapter, but I realized – again – that it would take me another month once my schedule clears a bit. So, without further ado, I present thee!

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Chapter 30: Still Secrets Remain I

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"The leading matriarchy of the Asari Republics has never been humiliated publicly. Whoever did it to them would have been crushed under their thumbs. The weight of political and economic sanctions they could bring to bear without sending the economy into a crisis was amazing. That's what 1400 years of scheming and infiltration gave you. And the Alliance was able to pull it off exactly because of similar reasons: they were not small children – they were big players; they were not alone – they had friends; they were not tied to the Citadel economy – they were independent and any fluctuation in Citadel economy was not going to send shockwaves in Human economy. That day, Tevos and her people were given a reminder: what goes around comes around."

(Atelas Razea, former Admiral of Unified Fleet Command, General of the Galactic Foreign Legion, current military dictator of the United Asari Republics, Interbellum: Politics of the Galaxy)

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Citadel, Presidium

Council Public Meeting

"Ambassador Anita Goyle!" Tevos called aloud the representative of Humanity on the greatest political platform of the galaxy. "Why is the Asari diplomatic mission to Arcturus Station not answering our calls?" she demanded. Goyle was where the petitioner would be. Other diplomats, advisors, reporters and public attendees are on the sidelines, following the public proceeding. C-SEC was present to provide security and escort out the people who'd disturb the proceedings.

Tevos definitely did not expect to lose contact with the embassy. And nobody was telling the Asari what was happening – not the Turians, not the Batarians, and definitely not the Elcor. If they actually knew anything. And Tevos would have gotten something from moles if the other governments knew something. But alas, the alien embassies on Arcturus Station were not housed in the same place, but scattered around the Administrative District. So if something happened, they wouldn't know immediately.

"Why have you refused to answer on all official channels?" the Asari councilor demanded from Goyle. The very composed and calm demeanor of the Human diplomat was rubbing Tevos the wrong way. Sparatus and Valern were present as well, though they kept quiet for now. "This is in broad violation of multiple articles of the treaties your state signed."

All attention turned to Goyle. The alien tried to make this public so she could humiliate Goyle and the Alliance? Had she come up with a plan? She lifted her chin up a bit, eyes glaring into Tevos. "Was it us who is in violation of treaties, Councilor Tevos?"

"It is obvious from your disregard of agreed on protocols. You have insisted on guaranteeing lines of communication between the Citadel and Arcturus. And we haven't been able to reach out to our diplomatic mission for hours. Considering the recent actions of the Alliance… I truly hope nothing reckless came to happen."

Goyle glanced around to make sure the cameras were recording. Tevos noticed it. "Indeed, the Asari embassy on Arcturus Station has ceased to function as of yesterday, 5th of March 2181, 20:34 UTC."

Multiple loud murmurs came from the sidelines. Goyle turned her head ever so slightly, catching a glimpse of Ambassador Quentius looking at her expectantly.

"What? That can't be right."

"What does she mean?"

Tevos lifted her hands to signal the people to calm down and let silence reign in. "In what sense did it cease to function, Ambassador?" she kept her authoritative demeanor as she spoke, every word measured.

"The Human Systems Alliance convened an emergency meeting this night on governmental and parliamentary levels," Goyle began, "following the immediate arrest of Ambassador Irissa Myrais and the entire embassy staff, and seizure of all computer systems by Alliance Intelligence."

Tevos was dumbfounded by Goyle's answer. She did not know what to feel first. Anger? Frustration? Respect? Holding back a torrent of emotions that threatened an outburst was only possible due to the extensive experience she has. This threw a dozen sticks into the wheels of the plans they had. Her attention was diverted by Jath'Amon, the Batarian ambassador, walking from the sidelines and standing on Goyle's right side.

"It was convened that all Asari assets in Alliance space will be frozen and seized immediately," she announced the first decision on the list made by Montgomery, Osoba, Harper, the Parliament and the Government. "Furthermore, all travel permits issued to citizens of the Asari Republics will be nullified immediately until further notice; all trade and economic ties between the Human Systems Alliance and the Asari Republics will be severed immediately," she continued, much to the ire of Tevos and the stupefaction of the other attendees. "Our borders will be closed to any Asari ship, economic or diplomatic mission until further notice."

Goyle let that sink in for a moment. Tevos was not flinching. No one had done this to her, to any of her predecessors or to the Asari Republics. Never before had somebody slapped the Asari on the cheek like this. More like bitchslapped. For many, it was like the unruly child strikes its authoritative parent. She stood up there, looking down with hardened eyes. Was she truly used to always having her way? No one truly standing up from time to time?

Now that the consequences have been laid bare, Goyle decided that it was time to share with them the reasons. "This is in direct response to the multiple offenses the Asari Republics have brought on Humanity through its black ops in the recent months. Even though it is grounds for war, we will not lower ourselves to the abysmal level the leadership of the Republics did."

Valern looked at Tevos, his eyes scouring her face for telltale signs of any confirmation. As former STG, he was trained to recognize physiological reactions in all species to various situations. Especially in interrogation. And his quick eyes did not miss the fleeting pupil dilation in her left eye, and the left palm wiping against her dress. Tevos had been caught, and she did not expect it to happen in a thousand years, it seems. If she had expected it, or planned for it to happen like this, she would have been calm.

Sparatus, on the other hand, was just as surprised as anyone else. After the initial shock subsided, his mind focused on the repercussions of his plans. Even if not proven, having this smear on Tevos' and her group's face was going to play down the impact they can have in whatever they say once his coup begins.

"Measures without precedence in galactic politics, if I might say so," Quentius noted from his spot on the sidelines where the ambassadors were. "May I ask what the offenses are?" he asked. An ambassador was taking the lead instead of allowing the Council to lead the session. Again, something rather few did in the past. Subtle move, but one that spoke volumes about the Hierarchy's intents.

"I shall list them," Goyle went ahead. Now to give the press the actual bomb. Hopefully, this will spread like wildfire. "Alliance Intelligence forwarded irrefutable proof for the following: the Republics have directly supported and funded terrorist elements in Alliance territories; the Republics have attempted to undermine the territorial integrity of the Systems Alliance by arming and financing secessionist elements; the Republics have attempted to steal and smuggle away restricted Alliance technology; the Republics have instigated crimes against Humanity; and…" she trailed, looking sideways at Jath'Amon.

"And they have instigated war – armed conflict – between the Alliance and the Hegemony," he claimed. "Councilor Tevos, what do you have to say in your polity's defense?"

Tevos looked down at the Batarian. She straightened her back, the sheer audacity of the Batarian ambassador triggering something inside of her that snapped her back. She was not going to be held accountable by a mere Batarian who had yet to present proof. Proof, however, had already been published. They just did not know it yet.

"On what grounds do you base your outlandish accusations, ambassadors?" she demanded. "The Asari Republics were, and still are, the largest and most vocal advocate of galactic peace. Yet you ambassadors, the representatives of two regimes who have proven themselves as aggressors, come and try to smear our image? You will excuse me and everyone else if we do not take your words for granted," she threw her own punches. "Ambassador Goyle, you who have come here praising and claiming peaceful coexistence with the galaxy not a year ago, have invaded the space of other polities twice: once Hegemony space and once Illium, with military elements launching a surprise attack."

"All proof has been published on the Federal Monitor, the Alliance official webpage for public announcement on legislature and state security as per standard procedures for transparency, all in accordance with federal legislature," she said, already some going on their omnitools to access the webpage. "I don't believe anyone can deny the proof. Only those guilty, they will even pay the press to catalogue the evidence as forgeries," she threw an uppercut at what the matriarchs had been doing for the past hundreds of years.

The press and spectators suddenly became loud. They were demanding something. The reporters wanted more information, since this was breaking news. The people shouted their opinions, ridiculing Goyle and Jath'Amon or the Council. The present C-SEC agents had to make their presence felt in order for the people to quiet down.

"But what irrefutable proof can you present us right now, Ambassador Goyle and Jath'Amon?" Quentius inquired again.

"Ambassador Quentius," Sparatus warned. "You are breaching protocol right now."

"Councilor Sparatus is correct," Valern said. "The ambassador of the Hierarchy will be escorted outside if he interferes again during the initial Council – petitioner dialogue," the Salarian was quick to state. Tevos looked at him expectantly. "However, curious myself. Please answer Ambassador Quentius' inquiry."

'Salarian bastard!' she cursed. 'Of course he was not going to be of any help. The STG was always against the ruling order,' she remembered. Being a former STG, Valern had been trained and tutored by the military of his species. However matriarchal the Salarians were, they never got the military fully under their control after the Turians joined the Council.

Tevos could see the reason why the military was like that. Like the Hierarchy, the Salarian military was a meritocracy rather than a monarchy. According to Asari Military Intelligence, the high ranking officers were anything but subservient to the dalatrasses. Many incidents had been avoided because the military refused to obey dalatrass orders.

Of course, no dalatrass would try to join the military and risk herself. It was the job of the males to die protecting the few females of their species, those who were leading the Union. They tried to plant loyal men in the military, politruks, to try and subvert the rebellious military. But they had always been identified and marginalized by the rest of the officers, thus having little to no impact.

It was an age old feud of the Salarians, one that could be better described as a Mexican standoff. It had always been there, but this movement in Salarian military circles grew exponentially in the closing years of the Krogan Rebellions. The Turians organized multiple interspecies training with the Salarians and the Salarian officers that participated have seen something else – something different than the nepotism and servility they were used to.

A new door was open to them. Their time among the Turians seeded the meritocracy and a moderate level of equality among them. Ever since, old military leaders nearing the end of their lives have actively tried to reform Salarian society and culture to resemble something akin to the Hierarchy – one where you were rising in society based on your merits, not solely on your gender or how closely related or subservient you were to the ruling dalatrasses. That would have marginalized the role of the dalatrass class and taken their powers. They would not tolerate such change.

Valern was of that breed of Salarians that were not tolerated. And he made it to the position of Councilor due to the support of the STG. One of the few of his kind to maneuver just enough in the political home arena and reach his spot. In his eyes, his mere presence in the office of councilor saved the galaxy for just a few more years.

Goyle looked at Valern. "I assume you have all heard or read about the tragedy at Ilsia?" she asked. Valern gestured a positive answer. She looked at Quentius and the other attendees. Recognition was visible in their eyes. Her gaze lingered a second too long on Quentius and she observed... worry? "Councilor Tevos would be most acquainted with the tragedy," Goyle stated as her attention was back again on her target. "Were you ever planning on telling the truth, matriarch?" she demanded from her.

Tevos' back straightened a bit more, her head rising just a little bit higher. No self respecting diplomat or analyst has missed how she addressed Tevos as matriarch instead of councilor. "Am I to understand that the Alliance is behind this?" she coolly asked. "For some reason, I see this being another crime you commit on the galaxy now that you raise the issue."

"A crime? Us?" Goyle mocked.

"Illium, Torfan, the violation of Batarian borders... I don't believe I need to explain more. All our findings indicate at a gamma ray burst from a local supernova. Something very unlikely, but not impossible. So please, enlighten us, Ambassador, what else could it have been?" Tevos returned.

"We," she said the word as she exchanged looks with Jath'Amon and Quentius, "are confident you have all the details about Torfan. But this is not about any of the shenanigans this galaxy has been throwing now and then. It is about the polity you represent, Councilor. And what it did to us." Goyle's eyes scanned the other councilors. Sparatus looked stern and upset. Valern was harder to read. Her feeling was that he was interested. "Ilsia is not irradiated because of a supernova. It is just a very convenient cover up story the perpetrators of the tragedy released to the public. The Asari Republics have stolen a disabled, old FTL drive from the Alliance and tempered with it. Of course, there is a reason one does not mess with disabled hyperspace drives. The worst case scenario was just witnessed at Ilsia."

"Preposterous!" Tevos dismissed her. "If you truly had a hand in this tragedy, then come out clean, Ambassador Goyle! You who've shattered the peace we have enjoyed."

"Proof, Ambassador!" Valern prompted.

"The Republics, or a group with the backing of the Republics, has been funding a separatist and terrorist group known as the Blue Suns in Alliance space. The Blue Suns salvaged that FTL drive from the wreck of a ship destroyed during the Insurrection," Goyle clarified. "Then, they smuggled it to Shanxi, where it exchanged hands. The ship of the Blue Suns transferred all cargo to an Asari freighter! And your freighter, on its way to wherever it was headed, has disappeared in a hyperspace anomaly!" she said the version of the story invented by Harper.

The Blue Suns had been intercepted by Alliance Intelligence – by Cerberus – before they left port. They did not carry an FTL drive, but a NOVA bomb. But that was not important. Few knew the truth. The people and the galaxy only needed to know whose bright idea it was to go around, causing trouble. Tevos was now in the sights of many people.

"We detected that anomaly all the way from Arcturus!" Goyle further stated.

"And what proof do you present for the accusations?" the Turian councilor finally said. "Of course, assuming your proof is genuine. With the existence of artificial intelligence in your society, I do not discard the prospect of a very convincing forgery."

"As I said, all proof was published on the Federal Monitor," she re-iterated. "Everybody can access it. And there is such irrefutable proof that only those guilty would deny it feverishly. Proof discovered and forwarded to us by a most unexpected and well intentioned polity," the Alliance delegate looked at Quentius.

The Hierarchy Ambassador took a step forward, a move to make sure he was visible by all and he had the attention on him. "And lucky we are that we have discovered it," he began. "Hierarchy Intelligence was very busy recently, monitoring the whole spectrum of activities. An odd set of transactions that originated from Illium. A total sum of money in excess of three billion credits has been paid to various groups. According to our officers, whoever did it tried to hide it in layers of transactions. But not sufficiently well hidden or laundered in such way that it will be untraceable."

Tevos' heartbeat intensified. Matriarch Sel'nola was not careful enough. Self control kicked in. She remembered that, at worst, it will be traced back to a ghost company that was used to transfer the necessary money to pull off the past months' operations. They can cut the link to Sel'nola if it even came to that. But it will not come to that. It will end with the ghost company. An entity that existed only in papers and only used to make things look legit - in layman terms.

"1.5 billion credits ended in the pockets of Aria T'Loak!" Quentius exclaimed. "800 million in known… questionable hands. I am talking about pirate outfits from the Nemean Abyss most recently, and about warlords in the Terminus that have been recently taking up arms against the Hegemony and the Alliance. 200 million have been paid into Eclipse bank accounts," Quentius' tirade gave no sign of halting. "200 million have been given to Batarian terrorists and to bribe Batarian officers to hijack Hegemony military assets from Anhur. And 300 million to Human terrorist separatists! You," his talons pointing at Tevos, "have financed organized terrorism, piracy, bribery, armed insurrection!"

"Ambassador Quentius, this is outrageous!" Sparatus exclaimed. "Are you even aware of what you are doing right now?"

"I know that Primarch Fedorian, for reasons known only to him, does not hold the Council in high regards," Tevos cut off Sparatus. "But to hate the idea of the Council and what it stands for this much… it is appalling how far he would go to come up with this," she mocked in a hurt voice. If all cards were on deck by the opponent, then she would place some cards on deck as well. It was time to put some weight behind her punches. This was all out war now. "Has he promised you something in exchange, Ambassador Quentius? Perhaps a promotion to the rank of Primarch for a colony? What do you have to gain from spreading all the lies, the forgeries? Why do you wish to divide the Council so much!?"

The whole room, save a few people who were wise to the old dog's tricks, were stunned by her accusations. Goyle recognized the tactic: best defense is offense. Such an exchange had no precedence in history – for such dialogue to unfold in the Council's public chambers.

"The transaction from Illium was followed," Quentius said unfazed. "It all leads to Janusi Consulting, a company established on Thessia! One that exists only on paper!"

"How did you establish that, Ambassador?" Valern asked. "That the company is a ghost company?"

"This is ridiculous. A full investigation will have to be sanctioned to determ-" Tevos wanted to conclude it, least it drags on longer. She knew that every second meant more resources lost on her end. She and her peers in the Armali Council will have to bring their full might to control and contain this incident. Quentius spoke over her, ignoring the Asari.

"We've analyzed all its contracts – purchasing and sales – as registered in the Chamber of Galactic Commerce. They all bear the trademarks of a front company, a fake one. Its only purchases was a short list of weaponry and body armor. Almost 100 years ago! And it had multiple contracts for perimeter defense, biotic training and bodyguard escort for obscene amounts!" Quentius explained. "Contracts with the same two entities: with Aseyna Logistics – another extremely dubious company that activates on the freight market; and with House Ledayne – the same family of Matriarch Lysertia Ledayne. I remember her being a common occurrence throughout recent history at banquets of highly important people in Asari public world. And has many connections to certain other matriarchs, you included, Councilor."

'Those idiots!' she cursed her colleagues. Aseyna Logistics was one of the companies they used to transport various materials or mercenary outfits to where their plans were spinning. However, what was most crippling was the fact that they discovered that Ledayne – one of the associates of the Armali Council – had ties to the events. She is an important public opinion influencer that Tevos and her peers use to further their plans and make sure the public approves of what they need them to approve. She was also predominantly in the business of law practicing – basically law firms that hire groups as lawyers and legal advisors. One of her larger law offices just recently began advising the new Asari-loyal Anhur government that was preparing to take power from the government Aria T'Loak had put in charge.

"The Batarian Hegemony corroborates with the findings forwarded by the Turian Hierarchy and the Human Systems Alliance," Jath'Amon supported them.

"Ridiculous!" an Asari voice from the sidelines shouted. "Go home with your propaganda, Batarian!"

Goyle's eyes darted in the direction from where the shouts came. An Asari that looked in her middle ages was being escorted away by a C-SEC officer under her own protests. She then looked again at Tevos.

"Surely you would not insult the peoples' intelligence by denying objective proof from three different sources who had little in the way of gaining and quite the animosity to concoct," Goyle said out loud. Another subtle punch. Everybody knew that the Asari press and higher ups will deny it. This was just a way of saying to the people 'hey, they will take you for stupid, you just wait and see'.

"I don't believe it is necessary of any of us," Quentius' voice sounded again, "to say that the Hierarchy expects the full cooperation of all organizations that deal with the matters of law and order within the Republics in an investigation to further uncover this treacherous plot that threatened to break galactic peace for megalomaniac reasons."

"As does the Human Systems Alliance," Goyle continued with the plan they had agreed upon.

"And the Hegemony!" Jath'Amon exclaimed.

Tevos looked down at them from her elevated spot. 'You don't get to make demands from us,' her tongue wished it could roll out. A more formal approach was preferred. "Oh, an investigation will be underway," she promised. "Today's session is adjourned! We have much to review," she put an end to the session and left the chamber. Tevos was angry and frustrated. Time to make calls.

Behind her, Sparatus was making his own calls.

Valern stayed behind. The Salarian was engaging in dialogue with the ambassadors who did not partake in the previous exchange. He was happy with the knowledge that the single supporter of the dalatrass faction against the reformist faction he was part of was busy with more important matters.

Quentius, Goyle and Jath'Amon were giving statements to the press that had encircled them.

---

Citadel, Presidium

Asari Embassy, Private meeting room

"How could you let them track you down!?" Tevos thundered to Sel'nola. "The Turians were able to link the money to Ledayne! HOW!?"

It was not the entirety of the Armali Council, but enough of the matriarchs were present. Sel'nola, the one in charge of the Anhur operations, looked at Tevos with both anger and frustration. "Am I the only one who had a hand to play in it!?" It quickly turned into a shouting session over thousands of light years. "You, Tevos, handled Aria's payments! It was your idea to bring her in this! I could have handled it just as well in our original plan. But you thought you were the wiser! Your love for that traitor is what caused this!"

"You dare insinuate I still have connections to Aria?" Tevos seethed with anger, built up from the previous exchange with Quentius and Goyle, and now with Sel'nola.

"Arguing will not help! Sel'nola, Tevos, both of you stop passing fault on each other," one of their peers advised. "We must acknowledge two facts: we have been sloppy and we have underestimated the Humans."

"Underestimated?" Tevos questioned. "You mean to say overestimated."

"The truth of the matter is that we were careless. We took their ignorance for granted and left ourselves open. We forgot Tyraeus, and Fedorian is just like him," the oldest of them,Matriarch Arteana, offered her conclusions. She did not speak often. "The Humans have been both underestimated and overestimated. Underestimated in the sense that we thought our plan too good, their covert intelligence and backdoor dealings too weak. Overestimated in the sense that we thought they'd have the proper etiquette to confront us the proper way – not in the open for the public to see it."

'She is right' Tevos conceded to herself. Her fury deflated. She could now think this more rationally. She mustered the discipline of years of political experience to reign in her fury on her way here.

"What do we do?" one Asari asked. Tevos recognized her as one of the newer additions to the Armali Council. "Aside from the obvious actions of denying everything, how do we put everything back on track?"

Matriarch Arteana shifted her old, rigid posture. It was not often she had seen the oldest of them nervous..? Or is it frustrated? "We wait," she answered. "Time is always on our side. We have always endured. We have always outlived momentary… popular opinion shifts. Give them some time and in ten years at most they will forget about this whole episode, like it never ever happened. Their association with the Batarians is enough ammunition for us. Our loyal press will never let go of this until the average person on the street will think of Batarians when they hear the names Fedorian and Quentius," she instructed.

She was right again, Tevos had to admit. They always outlasted problems of this kind. The more fleeting races had, sometimes, been under the tutelage of nonconformist leaders. But those leaders died, and their generation aged and faded. The newer generations tended to be much more moderate and reconcile what their elders strained with the rest of the galactic community. That answered the question of the Turians.

"What of the Humans?" Tevos brought it up.

"They will come into the fold sometime in the near future," Arteana assured her. "Right now, they are in the center of attention and they want to make the most of it. Their 'Humans first' generation will go and new people will take their place. It is the same as with the Turians. The Quarians will be happy with whatever scraps they will get. They are all the same – children in need of guidance."

One Asari would beg to differ in their place. But that Asari had no voice now. She was gone, they'd seen to it. Or was she? Could they take for granted the statement of the Alliance spokesperson about her demise on Shanxi, at the attack on Fenli resort? Tevos was starting to second guess everything she'd been told by them.

"We must look forward to the future instead of squabbling with minor upsets," matriarch Arteana reminded them. "Once we finish ruling in the Fledgling States and the space between Omega – Anhur – Illium we can focus back on the rest of the galaxy. Hopefully, Sparatus' revolt will be successful. Your plan is most sound, Tevos," she praised the councilor. "Make sure to lend all the support to him. The sooner we get rid of Fedorian, the better for everyone. We isolate the Humans from any meaningful support within Citadel space, we force the Elcor back into the fold, and the Batarians soon. The Hegemony is already on shaky legs after we evicted them from Anhur and the Nemean Abyss. We only need to give them a last push and they will fall over."

Every word spoken by her was decorated with authority, a demand of respect and a no nonsense tone. Yet, their newest colleague thought to challenge the wisdom of their eldest. "Should we not expect the Hegemony to fight more fiercely now? Instead of falling into complacency?"

Tevos scoffed audibly. She allowed it in the presence of her fellow matriarchs. "We'd be overestimating them. They have no more teeth to bite us here. Any quarrel they have, they will take it up to the Turians down in the Traverse."

She looked at Tevos, unconvinced. "Aria will not stand by idly when she finds out we were never going to keep our part of the deal on the topic of Anhur. She delivered us Ka'hairal Balak's network – which we used to great effect – and we stab her in the back. I would want revenge if I was in her place."

"A valid concern," Sel'nola beat Tevos to a response. "But what will she do? I've bought off the loyalty of the remaining pirate and mercenary outfits in the Nemean Abyss. We are taking over Anhur from her. What would the… pirate queen," she spat the title, "do other than take it up? Muster some warlords from the Terminus? We will have Anhur petition for Citadel support and dispatch naval forces to the region of space. No Terminus warlord can stand up to a Republican cruiser. Yes, I did say Republican because I do not trust the Turians now. An Asari and Salarian peacekeeping force will suffice if Aria thinks herself too brave."

"Besides," Arteana chimed in again, "we will keep them off balance in the Attican Traverse, in the region of space around the Phoenix Massing. I understand," she glanced at Tevos, "that one of our associates is already hoping to infiltrate the Alliance, as well as distract the Batarians and the warlords on the other side of the galaxy."

Tevos nodded. "Matriarch Benezia is using the distraction caused by SPECTRE Arterius and help him lock down the sector of space between the Phoenix Massing and the Perseus Veil," she began her explanation. "Eclipse was greatly upset by the Alliance and they are preparing to actively resist them, fight them even, in the Traverse and in the Terminus if the sisterhood ever meets them."

"What about infiltrating the Alliance? Related by any chance to her daughter being chosen by the Humans to lead the faux expedition to this Prothean dig site on one of their colonies?" somebody inquired.

"Indeed," Tevos confirmed. "She has informed us that she intends to infiltrate assets in Alliance space via this open door. What assets exactly… she never said."

"Have we uncovered anything new about Ilsia? Any new developments?"

Tevos shook her head. "Other than the Humans confirming they had something to do with it? No," she provided. "Is there literally nothing we can do to reclaim the planet?"

An Asari's holographic projection gestured in a negative manner. "Forget about it, Tevos. Ilsia is as dead as it can get. If we even approach the soil for more than a day we risk lethal radiation doses. I've already lost more than 50 on damage assessment on the ground. They died of radiation poisoning within the day. No medicine could help them. I've never seen such a thing. Whatever hit Ilsia… it was very powerful."

She sighed heavily in return. "Don't worry, Tevos," Arteana encouraged her. "Sometime in the future we will reclaim Ilsia. Mayhap the beacon will provide us with the necessary technology to reclaim it sooner. Otherwise, it is too expensive."

She stood up, her holographic image taking its time to stand up. They said that an Asari is its most opulent in her matriarchy years. But all that charm and beauty come at the cost of an older organism. Outwards, they present a few signs of aging while keeping a fresh appearance. On the inside… a different story. Arteana once more redirected her attention to the attendees.

"See? That was not too hard. Stop tumbling over when confronted with multiple consecutive unpleasant developments. Get the press going, start denying everything and twist their every word against them. Give the Turians and Humans their investigation, but make it find nothing useful. We'll make a few arrests, frame somebody up to arrest, and everything will be fine." She looked over every attendee before her ending words. "I have raised you all better than this. Do not disappoint me again," with a pointed look at Tevos and Sel'nola. "Our goal is of the noblest kind. Everything we do, we do for the galaxy. There is no civilized galaxy without a strong Asari leadership. We are the chosen of the Protheans. Start making order in the house."

---

Athena Nebula, Parnitha System

Thessia, Armali

In an apartment, at the outskirts of the largest city of Thessia, an Asari stands in front of a recording camera, her computer online and three screens projected like a hologram from it.

"It is exactly as I've told you, people," she spoke as she looked into the camera, "Ilsia was not a natural disaster! The Humans confirmed it!" her voice was filled with pride to a degree, one that was also betraying sorrow. The kind of emotional state where you were right about something bad but nobody acknowledged you before it happened. "Look at the news! It is the exact same modus operandi of the tyrant establishment!" she streamed her thoughts on the extranet.

"The Armali Council has been planning this for the whole time..." she trailed off as she read a comment on her live stream. "Kalina asks how do I know that it is the Armali Council... they were a conspiracy theory..." she reads and then focuses her attention on the camera again. "Ok, let me explain this for the thousandth time..." she almost sounds tired.

"The Armali Council is as real as you and I," she started her explanation. "They are no mere conspiracy theory, they are reality. The only reason so few know about them is because nobody speaks about it in the press. The press is owned by the Armali Council. They have no interest in their own press talking about themselves and what they are doing. No, instead you see all kinds of stupid news or fake news in the Asari press. Every single time the Turian media spoke of another stupid action undertaken by the Republics in galactic politics or economy, the only thing you see in our press is how the Turians overreact, how they are hot headed and how they know nothing about the galaxy, how they always need guidance."

"Look a year back – unprecedented slandering of Primarch Tiberius Fedorian, of Ambassador Octavius Quentius, slandering of the Hierarchy in general and even worse slandering of the Humans," the speed at which she spews the words increases by every second. "And not even one and a half years ago, when the incident with the element zero deposit shared by the Elcor and Quarians, when a skirmish ensued between the Hierarchy and the Migrant Fleet, the whole press praised the Turians! Now, after Primarch Fedorian aligns himself with the Humans more and more, the Turians and Humans are evil incarnate. And why would they not want to distance themselves from the Council? Right now, Tevos and her group are doing no service to the galactic community! The proof is there, they are only doing their best to deny it. Why would you put so much effort in denying something so actively if it is not true? You must ask yourselves these questions, people."

She looked at one of the screens and read the comments, scrolling through them. "Somebody else asks, 'why don't you stop the circus and get on with life?'. Hmm..." she looks further in the chat of her live stream. "Oh, same person, another interesting thing to say. Hear this, my dears," she prompts her viewers to pay attention. "Why are you not talking about the unwarranted arrest of Ambassador Irissa? Are you a traitor?" she read the question and then laughed a bit.

"What unwarranted arrest?" she asked through a laugh that told the watchers how stupid she thought the question is. "Look! Go on the extranet, search up the Federal Monitor webpage of the Alliance. There's all the proof that it was not an unwarranted arrest," she sent the particular user to the source of information. "But what am I saying? You're just another useful idiot or deliberately trying to distract the public opinion by posing as a legitimate person. I bet that if I have a look at your account it bears all the tell-tale signs of a fake account used simply to spread propaganda on the extranet. Your kind I've seen long ago," she dismissed the user.

"Everyone, let me explain why we should not talk about Irissa Myrais'," she held her hands intertwined by the fingers and close to her mouth. "The fact that she was arrested is a signal. Yes, it is a major milestone in the struggle for getting rid of the current oligarchy. It is the signal that we are not alone in our struggle. It is also proof that we are right. What we should talk about is how the elite, probably with Tevos in lead, almost started a war! How they instigated war! How they preach peace by day and pay terrorists to murder innocents abroad by night!" her voice was fiery at this point. "Proof has been posted that links at least one of their group – Matriarch Ledayne – to the funding of terrorists abroad! They are using the mass media to make us forget about this whole dossier. They are talking only about Irissa so we forget about the bigger picture," she explained. "Do not fall into their trap."

She scrolls again through the comments and stops again to read it aloud. "Even if it were true, would you not approve of them? Are they not furthering the whole of the Republics?" she read before pausing for a few seconds. "I find it… extremely… hard to understand why you would think that is a good idea – why you think that we should approve of the crimes and acts they commit. Besides the fact that, saying it again, they commit crimes! Crimes!" she stressed the word. "Against all common sense laws, actions recognized in every republic as a crime, actions recognized by Hierarchy law as crimes, actions recognized by Citadel laws as crimes! They do it and you want to be fine with it? That's outrageous!"

"Besides this fundamental fact that they are committing crimes of huge scale while at the helm of such a multitude of institutions and organizations? It goes against the constitutional articles of every Asari democracy in this galaxy! It creates the illusion of having a say in our lives. Every election for official positions is a run between the puppets of the same masters – between two faces on a coin. It does not matter which face wins, the master of the puppets wins either way and we lose everything. It does not matter what we vote because they control all runners. The fact that a …a group of very rich and influential people can undermine the constitutional articles of the Republics and every other governmental organization in the galaxy has me up in arms!" she preached.

"I want to determine our future by our own hand, not allow a few to do their political games for whatever obscure purpose. I believe in direct democracy! I believe even in the representative democracy of the Humans! Our democracy has been hijacked by a shadow government that is not held accountable before anyone! And I will continue to fight their huge monster that keeps them in power, that keeps abusing us and denying us our rights, and jails us for speaking out and for our audacity to publicly oppose them. I want to return the power to the hands of the people, in your hands," she points at the camera, to her virtual public.

"Until I can, I will fight them. And we are not alone in this fight anymore. We're fighting the good fight. I'm Arihsa. Stay vigilant!" and disconnects the live stream.

Arihsa sinks into her chair with a loud sigh. Her palms reach out to her face and she rubs her face and eyes. When the hands come down, she looks like she aged a hundred years.

---

Palaven, Cipritine

Palaven Command HQ

"Spirits be good…" Fedorian prayed to whatever was listening. He was reading the summary of the outcome of Ilsia and the implication of what Goyle said during the… he could only call it arguing with the Council, and the follow up statements given to the press. "Spirits be good…"

General Auvus Corinthus was in his office, reading similar reports. "The military implications of this…" he said aloud but talking with nobody in particular.

"The Humans surprise us again," Primarch Fedorian noted. "To think that they have such a weapon…" he lowered the datapad and walked to a window. "Madness!"

"It can't be a weapon, Primarch!" Corinthus tried to find an explanation. "Nothing could inflict that level of destruction, no weapon… if it truly is an FTL drive the Asari tried to smuggle and set off… I can understand, hyperspace is not something to play with when you know nothing about it. But a weapon? I find it hard to believe."

Fedorian's eyes took in the cityscape of Cipritine, Palaven's most important city and capital. Trebia was bathing the city in its warm light. Tens of millions of Turians were going about their daily business. The city stretched as far as his eyes could see from his office. The tall skyscrapers were soaring towards the heavens further away, in the newer districts of the city. The historical center was composed of shorter buildings. And, just like the people of Ilsia, this city's people too could die in a moment's notice, bathed in lethal radiation. Nothing and nobody was safe anymore from the destructive force intelligent beings could unleash. There is danger in knowing, he was taught when he was a child. Nothing can bring more ruin to civilization than the laws of nature bent by the sapient.

"You know better than that. I know that it is a frightening truth to acknowledge, old friend," he told Corinthus. "I wager everything I have that it was a weapon of mass destruction that did that. They must have got a hold of the Asaris' whereabouts and paid them back for all of it."

"They wouldn't have the gall to do it. Not considering what they were aiming for – cooperation, not destruction."

"It was them. They've proven as daring as an Asari, as shrewd as a matriarch when they put their mind to it," Fedorian noted. "Even despite my aforementioned, we know very little about this hyperspace. They could have fed us anything they wanted and we would have to take it for granted because we know nothing about it. They used the ceremony on Shanxi to scan me… 'if we can't bring the scanner to him then we'll bring him to the scanner'" he quoted what Flavian was told by Ryder. "What an interesting people, are they not?"

Corinthus was not sure what to say. "Interesting? Yes. Give them a few more years and we will get to know them better," he reasoned. "What should we do next, Primarch?"

Fedorian's eyes were still on Cipritine's skyline. He took note of how Corinthus addressed him. "Project PATRIA will proceed unhindered. In fact, make sure the time table is accelerated. It is clear we need it now more than ever, with the Humans dropping their big bombs like that. We will also use this opportunity to extort as much information from the Humans about hyperspace," he added.

Corinthus' attention perked up at that. "If they even bother to offer information instead of fabrications. We know next to nothing on the topic. You've said so yourself," he addressed the Primarch. "They can give us the works of a fantasy writer for all we know and we'd have to trust them on their word."

"It won't hurt trying," Fedorian concluded. "So many things are happening these days… So much is still yet to happen. How protocol and façade is thrown out the window when the status quo is shaken…" he thought aloud. "The Asari are throwing protocol and decorum out the window, the Elcor are no longer what we thought them to be, the Batarians are actually reasonable, the Krogan have found a reason to come together and live instead of wasting themselves forever… and the Quarians actually grew a quad to get where they are now."

Corinthus hummed in agreement. "Change is a difficult thing to adapt to after so little variation since the Geth have driven the Quarians out. And if what the Humans are telling us about these… Reapers is true," he tried the eponymous name of their new enemy, "then we can all bid our farewells to anything of the current world. And make way for whatever the chaos will bring."

Fedorian finally turned from the window and had a contemplative look on his face. "One more reason to see PATRIA finished and production started," he reminded Corinthus. "We must ensure the continuity of our people and of the Hierarchy. Whatever the cost of it."

"Do you think the others will believe the threat of these Reapers as real?" Corinthus questioned. "I, personally, hold my reservations on this. It's… still hard to believe."

A good question, Fedorian had to admit. He had a hard time believing it himself. If there were not multiple clues gathered from independent sources that corroborated what the Alliance was proposing… he would have dismissed it as outlandish claims. And he had undeniable evidence with a handful of high ranking officers showing signs of this foul indoctrination.

"They have to," he said more for his own self assurance. "Otherwise they could very well be swept aside. Honestly, Auvus…" Fedorian trails off while his words were getting intertwined with something Corinthus hasn't seen in Fedorian for a long time, "I am scared."

Corinthus follows Fedorian as he sits back down in his chair and gazes into nothingness. Neither said anything. Fedorian was busy contemplating and Corinthus was busy analyzing him.

"Only a crazy Krogan would say he's not afraid of such prospect," Corinthus finally broke the silence. "We can be assured that at least the Humans are taking precautions on this front. General Ryder, from the Alliance Embassy, let us in on something," he stated, gaining Fedorian's undivided attention. "Two, actually."

"What are they?"

"First, he recommended we continue building more dreadnoughts. The current number is criminally low in the Humans' opinion. They are already building new warships in the eventuality of their concerns actually coming to life."

"Understandable… and concerning…" Fedorian thought aloud. They can start building up to five new Impera-class dreadnoughts at any moment. And have them finished in one and a half years, and in active service in two years. The Impera-class was the most recent class of dreadnoughts the Hierarchy designed and fielded. But all those shipyards would be in the open. And the other races would see it. 'Bah! What does an opinion matter now?' Fedorian asked himself. "We will go ahead and lay down the hulls for 5 more dreadnoughts in the next two years. I will start making the necessary amends to the budget and contact the Volus," he decided.

Five dreadnoughts in the next two years… In times of war, this would be expected. But during peace time? Corinthus was disillusioned enough to see how this will paint them as warmongers in the eyes of the more lenient races.

The Volus will be upset for the sudden change. Ever since Fedorian's financial reforms transferred more and more of their finances control from the Vol Protectorate back to the Turian Hierarchy, the Volus became uneasy. The Volus viewed the control they had on the Turians' finances as a guarantee from the Primarch that he will defend them and show favors to the Volus, while the Volus maintained the protectorate status under the Turians and backed them up in Citadel politics. For more than a thousand years this has been a symbiotic relationship. Only once did this happen in the past: when Primarchs Tyraeus and Hortenraka came about, the most controversial Primarchs Palaven ever had. Throw in the expansion of the Hierarchy Navy with so many capital ships in such a short time and you paint a possible bleak future. One not necessarily of cooperation.

"The Asari and Salarians-" Corinthus was about to bring forth something he had on his mind when Fedorian cut him off, not wanting to hear another word, of the Asari especially.

"I don't care about what they will say or do. After the episode in the Council chambers, they will think we are preparing for a war with them. The Salarians won't be foolish enough to do something stupid. And the Asari will complain about it for the next hundred years. I don't even want to hear it. I don't care. Everybody will curse us if worst comes to pass, and some will curse us anyway. Either way, it is better to be safe. We'll also increase the numbers of heavy cruisers and transport ships. What is the second item the Humans told us?"

"What is the second item?" the Primarch questioned when Corinthus was thoughtful and did not answer immediately.

"A very interesting one, to be honest," Corinthus stated. "One nobody expected." He hands over a datapad to Fedorian.

Fedorian takes it and looks at it. A strange ship model was depicted on the page where Corinthus had left it. It looked like nothing he had ever seen. It resembled a freighter, but not of any kind he's seen. And the summary of its size left Fedorian double taking the numbers. 'Five kilometers in length?' he questioned what he was seeing. On the hull the letters AI of the English alphabet were interwoven a bit into each other. His eyes went to the upper left corner and read aloud.

"The Andromeda Initiative?" he asked Corinthus. The latter just looked back at him. Fedorian looked back at the datapad. "Turian – Quarian Ark? What is this?"

Corinthus gestured to the Primarch to scroll on the page and read on what is available. "From what General Ryder told Vakarian, it is a Human project to colonize the neighbor galaxy of Andromeda," he said. Fedorian looked up at him with a look on his face that was asking Corinthus 'are you serious about this?'.

"Andromeda? The costs in materials to build this monster…" Fedorian trailed off. "Why in the Spirits..?" he continued to read in the hopes of finding answers.

Corinthus gave him the brief run down. "According to General Ryder, this is a backup measure to conserve the species in the eventuality of their worst fears coming true. With the Reapers theory."

"Why not a galaxy closer to home?" Fedorian inquired. If it was closer, they could keep communication channels open to a relative good degree. The Milky Way has many satellite galaxies. But they are within reach of the danger.

"Too close to home. Too close to danger," Corinthus confirmed. "I suggest we join them on this project of theirs. Especially considering that they'll be building the ship for us."

Fedorian perked up from the datapad and looked at Corinthus. "I assume there is something they want from us, don't they? They are not that generous."

"They demand that we provide the materials necessary for it. And the Alliance will provide the materials for the Quarians' due."

"Fair enough," Fedorian conceded. "What else is there about the ship?" he asked as he scrolled again through the datapad. "Capacity to carry materials and supplies for two small cities…" he read aloud the summary, "can accommodate ships in the dock bay… stasis pods for 50,000 people… machinery…"

"They've even identified a set of planets in the outer rim of the galaxy," Corinthus added. "A sector called the Heleus Cluster is the most promising – rich in natural resources, at least 7 habitable planets, hidden by a black hole and the nebula it formed around the stellar cluster. More than sufficient to provide a foothold in the galaxy."

"I don't really like that black hole part," Fedorian commented.

"There are other locations identified," Corinthus was quick to assuage him, "that will be considered. Currently, they are in the backup plan. Heleus is the primary target of the Humans. They claim extensive, detailed spectral analysis show the Heleus as the richest in natural resources, including element zero, which makes it the primary target of the Humans."

Fedorian put aside the datapad and looked at Corinthus. "What do you think, Auvus? I am tempted to agree to this as well," he said and looked expectantly at Corinthus.

The latter did not speak outright. He could not help but feel that Fedorian was throwing himself a bit too much forward head on. He considered what the reasons for that might be. Corinthus could guess, not like he had too many guessing options.

On one hand, he felt like Fedorian was acting too much based on fear of this Reaper threat. Perhaps he was getting too paranoid now that he'd seen what shadow works had been unfolding, initiated by another Council race nonetheless. Corinthus could not deny that the Humans' case is a very well presented one, with proof discovered both by them and by the galactic community. But he did not truly take it as seriously as Fedorian is. Such a threat… it sounded a bit far fetched to him, against almost everything that they've been taught about the Protheans. Then again, what did they know about the Protheans? Next to nothing.

On the other hand, he felt like Fedorian was doing this because of the current geopolitical and economical circumstances. The Asari did the unimaginable. Corinthus did not expect them to pull such a thing, for it was they who preached peace and understanding and protection for the weak. Yet, they did attempt to overthrow the Hegemony a few times in the past. 'The Batarians are an exception,' he thought, 'and it was for the better'. Yet, they never jumped to the Quarians' aid during the Terminus Insurgencies, for all the benefits the natives of Rannoch had as an associate species of the Citadel. Yet, they only became power hungry oligarchs who are not giving two shits anymore about what does not impact them negatively. To Fedorian, he knew it was a betrayal on behalf of the Asari.

Yes, the Humans have showed the galaxy how vicious and manipulative they can be. But they also showed restraint and understanding. Corinthus did not see much interaction with them, other than some formalities face to face on high level, and some calls to offer additional briefings about Torfan. He, Coronati and Fedorian had a few sessions with Hackett, Montgomery and, most recently, Dominic Osoba. The Humans' democracy felt way more convoluted than the Asaris' and he stopped trying to understand all the quirks of it. And, from what they noticed, when it came to talks with a tangent to the eponymous Reapers… the Humans had a much somber tone, they weighed their words more carefully before voicing them. They were afraid.

"I…" he hesitated. "Tiberius, I don't know everything that's going inside your mind. But whatever you do, don't simply do it because of fear or because of resentment," he advised him. Fear of the unknown, resentment of what he's supposed to call trustworthy allies. "You've always been more skeptical, put more thought into your actions. You know my opinions on the topic of the Reapers – I find it hard to believe. I'm not dismissing the possibility, I'm considering it but I have my own doubts."

"And?" Fedorian prompted him to speak. "Would you take the chance to save your species, with all the costs involved, if you don't truly believe in this threat?"

"I won't deny that the costs are substantial," he said as he reached for Fedorian's datapad and jumped right at the requirements in metals. "We're looking at three Impera dreadnoughts worth of metals here. Maybe four."

"But would you do it? A chance to ensure the continuation of your people?" Fedorian pushed.

"They could just as well die in an accident in dark space," Corinthus countered. "Or, Spirits forbid, the whole mission a bust from the start." He looked at Fedorian. The latter was looking expectantly at Corinthus. He relented in the end and decided to ask Fedorian the actual question. "Why are you even asking me if I'd do it? You're already set on your decision. You don't wish for my advice, really. You want to feel better if I say 'yes', so you don't feel bad. Right?"

The Primarch's gaze faltered. "Yes," he admitted. "I already made a decision."

"Then we will do as the Primarch of Palaven commands," Corinthus assured him. "If you truly believe this is for the Turian Hierarchy's best interests, then you should not hesitate. Take the decision you feel it's the best one," Corinthus advised him. "Don't discount hearing some advice, though."

"I did ask for your advice, Auvus," Fedorian reminded him.

"I know, which honors me. I am talking to you both from a friend to friend perspective, as well as advisor to Primarch perspective. Do what you feel is best. But don't do it on a whim, without thinking it through. Don't throw yourself ahead," Corinthus said. "Don't throw every one of us ahead without good thought."

Fedorian looked at Corinthus a second more after he finished speaking. Then, he shifted his eyes just enough so that he's gazing at the wall behind Corinthus. "If the Humans are wrong, then we have ended up with lots of new warships and an even worse economy. It would drain even more of our finances. But if they are not wrong… then this might not even be enough," he reasoned. "What a horrible gamble, indeed."

Corinthus' attention skyrocketed at the mention of one word: gamble. "Gamble!?" he questioned.

"Is it wrong of me to wish these Reapers wreak havoc on the Republics if they invade our galaxy?" Fedorian asked out of the blue, words that struck Corinthus.

"Why?"

"Think of how much they can hurt us – the Asari policy makers like Tevos and the other matriarchs – if we do anything that they don't agree with," Fedorian explained. "They can financially cripple us over night if they can get away with it. Right now, everything we do must receive the tacit approval of the Republics. Or, at the very least, don't anger them sufficient enough that they'd crash galactic economy just to get at us. They've shown what they can do and how vicious they are with the Alliance. Had it not been our vast military power keeping peace and guaranteeing safety in Citadel space – safety that they are using to trade freely and gather more wealth and influence – we'd have literally zero leverage against them. But them? I don't see the Republics requiring anyone's approval for anything."

"So you are saying that if these Reapers – or any conflict in general – were to hit the Asari Republics space in a significant manner…" Corinthus caught up to what Fedorian was saying.

"-then everything is erased," the Primarch comcluded. "Like wiping a file on your omnitool – select and delete. The Turian Hierarchy would no longer be conditioned like we are now."

He made a good point. If sufficient infrastructure is destroyed, and if planets are sieged for sufficient span of time, the damage would nullify the weight behind Asari politics – weight that comes from the economy, money, military might and the infrastructure of a society to back literally everything up. In almost every respect it is similar to how the underground organizations work, just a bit more civilized. There is a big old criminal organization that exerts influence over the smaller ones by various means, as well as on society. But when that organization loses its main income, like its main drug producing laboratories blow up or are seized, when your enforcers and thugs are gone and dead, and when your influence is waning… others will usurp you and replace you. And nobody will listen to anything you say – because you can't follow up on your intentions with nothing. A toothless dog good only for barking.

"Let us not dwell on such thoughts," Corinthus advised. "Least I believe you've been spending too much time thinking about the Humans' and the Asaris' methods."

"Indeed," Fedorian agreed. "Let us not."

---

Citadel, Zakera Ward

C-SEC Academy, Armory

Chellick was preparing to begin his shift at C-SEC. He was in the armory. His clothing was still the one that he used during civilian life, not work. He opened the weapon and armor racket with his badge. He was greeted with the sight of his duty light armor and pistol, with all the auxiliary gear.

This was going to be the day, he remembered. Pallin had decided today was going to be the day C-SEC is moving against Hierarchy Intelligence. If his instinct was right, it was also going to be a bloody day. He discarded his civilian clothes and put on his C-SEC uniform. While changing his clothes, he remembered the general plan.

Pallin dispatched 500 officers to secure Naval Base Arx on the Kithoi Ward, the Hierarchy administrated docks where a small garrison is also stationed. The aim there was to secure the base, disarm the soldiers and have them confined to their barracks, while all Hierarchy Intelligence employees are placed under temporary arrest for questioning and confiscate computers, hard drives, etcetera. Chellick inwardly cringed at the sheer stupidity of this idea. 500 C-SEC officers against 5,000 of the Hierarchy's Naval Infantry soldiers could only end in clusterfuck. General Septimus Oraka, the Hierarchy military attaché and commanding officer, will not stand by idly to this.

500 constables might be small numbers, but of the 200,000 that are part of the organization, Pallin stretched enough to muster the present force. Out of the 200,000 constables, a good part of them worked in night shifts. Then there were the patrol units that secured the streets, their numbers inflated since the unrest and shootings in the wards – shootings between the traffickers and Intelligence officers of all people. It was hard to assemble a force like this without calling in officers from their free time or from leave.

Then, teams had been dispatched to visit the apartments where known Hierarchy Intelligence employees are living to take them in for questioning. And last of all, a strike team to descend upon the apartment from where the team that killed so many Salarians and their thugs operated. Chellick knew Pallin was not telling him many things.

As he donned his light body armor, he thought of the mysterious Lucius Vextus that had visited him again a night prior. He came by Chellick's apartment and left him another small flash drive with information.

On it, Chellick found the last details about how the Salarian ring came on the station, who helped them through the customs check, who financed them, who protected them. And what their goals were. It was so detailed that Chellick could hardly believe it. But it all made sense. At least to some degree. Hierarchy Intelligence could not afford to leave them be at large. Not if their work contributed to the sabotage of galactic transportation and… bringing about an era of war that saw even the Protheans gone. Whoever this Lucius Vextus guy was, he trusted Chellick with the information. To use it, to act on that information accordingly, to exercise caution without spreading it like wildfire. And the higher ups in the Hierarchy felt the same way. Otherwise, he would not have been allowed "leak" the information. That much Chellick could read between the lines.

He also left Chellick instructions on what would be happening today. It looked like the mysterious Lucius knew that Pallin had issued the order for C-SEC against the Hierarchy. General Septimus Oraka had been briefed. Somehow, somebody had hacked into C-SEC servers and got a hold of the information. Or they had been peering into their systems for longer than this.

"Detective, come on!" Chellick heard the voice of Sidonis. "We're going to be left behind."

"Go to the skycar! I'm right behind you!" Chellick instructed him. He looked as Sidonis walked away. Chellick waited a moment longer for him to leave and glanced around while arranging his gear on his body armor. Noticing that nobody was looking at him, Chellick attached a small device on his person and turned it on.

---

Citadel, Zakera Ward

Close to Chora's Den

Archangel closed his omnitool and signaled the team to go. "Alright! Chellick just activated the tracker. They will be here in 5 minutes tops! We must be in and out in less than 3," he informed the ragtag team. Then, he switched to the radio and spoke to his other friends. "Archangel here. I received the signal. Inform the General."

"Are you sure we can trust this Chellick?" Nihlus asked from the driver's spot. He was in his armor with the SPECTRE coat of arms in multiple places.

"Yes," Archangel confirmed. "He is the kind of Turian you can trust to do the right thing. And he knows our cause is the right one."

The figure to Garrus' right shifted in his seat. "Well, you do sure have a lot of faith in him for a Turian cop," he commented.

"How so?" Garrus asked.

"Well, you Turians are supposed to be all honest from what I gather. Never lie and that," First Sergeant Igor, alias Viper Two, answered. "Plus, he's a cop. Can we really trust him to not be all perfect and by the book for this? Like you. You guys seem rebellious enough to go against the stereotype of your people," he added. "Though, I think I'm more on edge with this Avitus guy in the other car."

Garrus turned to look at him, but he was beaten to the punch by somebody else. "What's that supposed to mean, Human?" SPECTRE Rix inquired on the radio.

Avitus Rix is a long time friend of Nihlus, having both been inducted and trained by Saren. And he was the only other person who actually seriously considered what he, Wrex and Inira had been raving about after they escaped the Collectors all those years ago. Nihlus was not sure if it was more because of him also being a young Turian back then, interested more than it was healthy in the occult and unknown.

"We're here," Metiana, Garrus' remaining colleague after Casius was shot dead, informed them. She was sitting in the second skycar with Avitus and Hellas, a.k.a. Viper Four. "Get serious. We have 4 minutes and 20 seconds!"

They entered with the skycars into an area that was meant for vehicles to stop a few seconds while the passengers get out. Given, this was the terminal designated for the automated Citadel Transit system and they were not meant to stop there, but it was the closest they could get to Chora's Den.

Metiana stayed in the car to watch their rear and coordinate the flow of information. "Alright, activating the drone. Move it!" she said and turned to her omnitool.

A feed from the miniature drone they sneaked in via Fireteam Viper was displayed. Igor and Hellas paid a visit one evening to the bar, their goal being to scout the terrain and familiarize themselves with it. The Turians were already familiar with Chora's Den.

Metiana looked at the feed and counted the guards. "You have one Krogan watching the entrance to the warehouse," she began laying out the information. "Turian bartender in black has a gun under the bar, with the bottles. Looks like a modified Stiletto."

Nihlus, Avitus, Garrus, Igor and Hellas walk off the skycar terminal and into the alleyway to Chora's Den. They clear the alleyway and, just to their left, Chora's Den is visible. They walk along the walkway and approach the entrance.

"Two Turians armed with pistols at a table between the entrance and the door to Fist's office," she continued to report. "Two Batarians just walked into the warehouse. Assume that they are armed. In rest, six scattered patrons around the bar and outside the shooting lanes."

"Updating HUDs," the voice of Noblesse, Viper Team's assistant dumb AI chimed in on the channel. Armed people were highlighted on everyone's heads up display, along with the civilians. Thanks to the drone that's inside, the AI can track them in real time and make it look like they can see through walls.

The first to step in was Nihlus. His kinetic barriers were up at maximum capacity. He was followed by Garrus who was also in light armor. The latter was also using the cybernetic implants in his skin to change his face completely. Igor and Hellas were in light body armor and had helmets with polarized dark glass on the face to conceal their identity and, hopefully, make them look like a Batarian and an Asari. After all, the Humans would not be so brazen, would they? Avitus entered last and secured the door.

The group immediately piqued the attention of the people present. Fist's thugs masquerading as guards tensed and a few hands reached to the weapons they carried on their persons. Igor and Hellas pulled their Locust submachine guns and trained them on the two Turian guards and the Krogan. Avitus and Nihlus both had HMWP pistols accessible only to SPECTREs. Garrus had the heavy hitting M-11 Suppressor pistol.

Avitus took an angle that covered the left side of the bar from the entrance. Nihlus moved ahead towards the warehouse that leads to Fist's office, his gun aimed at the Krogan. Garrus aimed his weapon at the bartender.

"Nihlus Kryik, Office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance!" he declared loudly. "Everybody stand down! I am here to take Fist in for questioning!" He hoped that he could discourage them from doing anything stupid. If he could avoid any bloodshed he would sleep better tonight.

"Updating HUD! Two additional armed individuals identified," Noblesse updated them.

Avitus and Garrus noticed the updated tags first and turned their pistols on the Asari and Turian that were sitting together. "Don't do it!" Garrus warned them.

"SPECTRE investigation! Stay out of this," Avitus further advised. "Nobody touch your weapons!"

"Open that door!" Nihlus ordered the Krogan guard at gunpoint.

The Krogan seemed to laugh from his throat as he stepped closer to Nihlus. "Make me, Turian!" he taunted him while his shields flickered for a moment. He just powered an additional kinetic barrier generator.

"Everybody, stand down!" the Asari from the table shouted, the one tagged as armed. "We are from C-SEC! What you are doing now is not even remotely legal! You are not making a move before I check with the higher ups that you two are on assignment."

She stood up and activated her omnitool. "Don't move!" Garrus threatened her further. "Turn your omnitool off!" he ordered her before glancing at Nihlus. "SPECTRE, come on!"

"You are making a huge mistake!" the Asari cop stated more as a threat than anything else.

"Alright, you heard him, tough guy!" Igor joined in with his SMG pointed at the Krogan. "Power down those barriers and stay put."

"Communication intercepted! Origin: Chora's Den. Receiver: unknown," Noblesse stated. "Detecting additional communication channels being opened from an adjacent room."

"I bet he's called his hired guns!" Metiana added on the radio. "C-SEC will be here faster than anticipated, two minutes at most! I will delay the thugs for as long as I can. Move now!" she advised.

Nihlus started to move in the direction of the door while his gun was still on the Krogan. No matter if the Krogan does not cooperate, he expected it. He can circumnavigate the electronic lock. But the large alien would have none of it. His right arm reached out to grab Nihlus. The SPECTRE fired two shots from his high power pistol; but it was not sufficient, for the Krogan's secondary shields were not penetrated. All hell broke loose while guns started to fire and the few patrons jumped to the ground, some letting out cries of surprise or insults.

Igor opened fire on the Krogan, but did not get to do much damage before he used Nihlus as a shield. Viper Two halted his fire. The Krogan roared while charging Igor with Nihlus lifted in his right hand. Nihlus anchored himself in the hand that held him by the throat and used it to deliver a kick with his legs into the Krogan's face, thus throwing him down from the sheer power behind the kick.

One of the two Turians that were between the Krogan and the entrance door jumped Igor and tackled him to ground. The N7 soldier did not have sufficient time to dodge due to the proximity. Hellas adjusted her aim to the thug that tackled Igor and only got to fire a burst that depleted his shields before she found herself under attack by his partner.

Igor cursed when he hit the ground with noise. His foe was preparing to punch him with his right hand while the left one was clutching Igor's SMG arm by the wrist. Due to the additional augmentations he received as an N7, his reflexes were quicker and he could put more brute force behind his own punches than regular Marines or Army troopers. Before the Turian's arm connected with his helmet, his left fist delivered a punch to his foe's throat. It was sufficient to throw him off for him to push him off, jump to his feet and put him out of the fight by twisting both his arms the wrong way until they snapped.

He looked in Hellas' direction to see if she required assistance, but she had her assailant in a strangle hold. While his eyes were still on her, something wrapped in a blue haze flew just above his head. According to his HUD, it was Nihlus flying through the air. Shifting his head to the left, he saw the Krogan wrapped in biotic glow. "Ah… pizdetz!" he cursed when he was thrown backwards through the air by the same biotic fury.

While all this was going on, Avitus kept a watch on the two C-SEC cops. He had loaded an electrical shock discharge from his omnitool beforehand. He aimed his omnitool at the Krogan when he saw him sling Nihlus ten meters through the bar. The brute was reaching for his holstered shotgun. Avitus let out his discharge and struck him directly in the chest. If the Krogan's reflexes were a clue, he was in thorough pain now.

Garrus was just as caught off guard by the sudden burst of weapons fire. When he turned his head right to take a hold of the situation, the bartender used the distraction to pull out his own pistol. Garrus was quick to react at the threat; he rotated his upper body just enough to aim at the bartender that was still pulling the pistol out from under the counter and loosed three shots from his M-11 Suppressor. The first two shots drained his kinetic barriers and the third punched a hole in his chest. He was not dead, but had a serious injury. With a thumb, the bartender hit the rows of bottles behind him due to the momentum the third shot passed onto his body.

After that, Garrus felt something swipe his feet from underneath him and fell hard sideways on the metal floor. When he looked, it was Viper Two. His attention fell on the Krogan that threw him. He cursed when he spotted the biotics behind the crazy throw. He had been electrocuted by Avitus. The second SPECTRE was closing in on him to neutralize the Krogan and then move on to the next door.

Garrus stood up. His shields were suddenly flaring from the rear. Training kicked in and he ducked behind the counter. When he was no longer visible, Avitus came under fire. "They're C-SEC! They're Pallin's men! They're here to protect Fist!" he announced. Garrus stood up just enough to start shooting at the two cops. They were using an overturned table as cover. 'What a stupid idea,' he thought, knowing the M-11 can punch clean through that. Against other firearms, the table was thick enough to protect them. The two C-SEC officers, the Asari and the Turian, were in simple clothes.

Their table was being peppered by sustained fire from Viper Four's SMG. Garrus took advantage and he moved to get a better angle. His next shots pierced the table top and struck the Turian officer. Seeing the cover was not sufficient, the Asari cop resorted to her own biotics.

"Fancy, another one with biotics!" he heard Viper Two shout as he dodged the Asari's charge.

She was using the table as additional cover. "The assassins are here! I need reinforcements right now!" she shouted into her comms. When she was close enough to Garrus, she used her biotics to launch the table at Viper Four. He did not know if she dodged or not. The Asari was upon him. Garrus' eyes widened just a fraction more. His M-11 was putting shots into her biotic barrier. Yet, a trained Asari could hold a barrier against a pistol any moment of the day. A singularity was produced to keep him suspended and unable to move anymore. Time slowed for him ever since the whole thing began. He looked around for help. A glance behind the Asari and Viper Four was moving ahead with Avitus. Nihlus was recovering from the horrendous surprise flying lesson, coming out of a pile of ruined bottles and broken shelves. The Asari was preparing another singularity to immobilize Avitus and Viper Four.

'Wait! Why are they just going ahead and not doing something for us here?' he asked himself. His answer came not a moment too late when a bottle slammed into the Asari's head with enough force to violently yank her head sideways. Her head dragged the rest of her body with her and she struck another table on the way down. Purple blood was seeping slowly from a crack in her head. Garrus looked at Viper Two drop the ruined bottle. He reached out a hand to pull Garrus from the singularity with no success. If he got any closer, the tidal force would drag him in the same awkward spot. That's when it hit Garrus.

"Oh, crap!" he cursed. The singularity collapsed upon itself and the shockwave had him fly through the bar for three meters before making contact with the floor.

"I think I'm starting to learn how to fly…" Viper Two muttered as he was also recovering from another impact with the bar.

"Spirits… that Krogan went all out…" Nihlus grumbled while standing up. He had a big dent in his armor. "I forgot what it was like to go against a biotic Krogan."

"I'm moving ahead! Stay here and cover our rear," Garrus instructed them. He threw Viper Two the Locust SMG he'd dropped and went ahead.

Avitus and Viper Four had breached through the door that links the bar to the warehouse. Garrus caught up with them. There were multiple crates in the warehouse from what he could see. He was preparing to cover them and move in to clear the room, but Viper Four halted him with a hand sign. She unplugged a grenade from her belt and threw it in the room. Instinct kicked in and they all turned away. The flashbang detonated.

With fluidity he'd never seen in a Human, Garrus watched as Viper Four pushed through, the Locust SMG at the ready. She checked the corner first. Avitus followed and checked the opposite side. Garrus was the third through.

"Clear!" Viper Four announced.

"Clear!" Avitus confirmed.

"Breaching through!" Four announced and placed four breaching charges on the door's corners. Garrus knows that on the other side of the door is Fist's office. The explosives were small and they stuck to the wall with glue. "Clear!" Hellas instructed, to which Avitus and Garrus hit the wall. "Breaching!" and four consecutive explosions, distanced at milliseconds, blew the automated door's connections clean off. The central part of the door, roughly shaped like a rectangle, fell on the floor.

"Target is in the presence of at least two possibly armed Batarians," Noblesse reminded them.

Another flashbang, another loud bang, another breach. Garrus glanced behind them to check if Nihlus and Viper Two had the situation under control.

"Don't come in!" a voice shouted. "There are automated turrets in place!"

"Fist, this is Avitus Rix, Office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance!" Avitus announced. Garrus noticed he was preparing another electrical discharge to fry the turrets. "You've got nowhere to go! Surrender and we'll take you in for questioning! If you resist we'll take you in by force!"

They waited with halted breath for a moment until Garrus whispered. "That does not sound too much like Fist."

"Call them off! Now!" another Batarian voice ordered. He slowly stood up from behind the central table and sofa. He held a pistol to the head of his hostage – another Batarian.

Hellas reacted immediately and had her SMG aimed at his head. "Drop the weapon!"

"Fist! That's Fist!" Garrus recognized the hostage. As they closed on them, Avitus aimed at the third Batarian.

The third Batarian reached for a small microphone he had attached to his head and ear. "Abort! We have Fist! Wait for us at the extraction point."

"Who are you!?" Avitus demanded.

"First, lower your guns," the Batarian that held Fist hostage instructed them. "And dissipate the electric charge, SPECTRE."

"That's not how it works, friend," Viper Four reminded them. "You are outgunned and outnumbered."

"C-SEC is 30 seconds away! Move it!" Metiana stated on the radio.

"What's the status?" Nihlus inquired.

Garrus was the one to reply. "Fist is here. Somebody else beat us to him. They're holding Fist hostage."

"…ay, blyat!"

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NOTE2: Well, I hope you have somewhat enjoyed this chapter. I had plans to include more scenes with tension, include one more fight. I wanted to advance the plot more. In a way, I also feel like I am letting the quality go down (I have rewritten half of this chapter twice and I'm still not convinced). After the disaster that was Game of Thrones I really fear of writing something stupid and I keep double guessing myself. I keep thinking if I am not leaving out the other polities too much, thinking of hastening their more, knee-deep involvement in the plot. Right now, it is only the big boys arguing. But the others are there too, you know – the Elcor, the Hanar, the Quarians, the Fledgling States, the Volus. I am already pushing the plot more and more in the direction of the Elcor and Fledgling States having a heavier presence. But I also feel like I have to compromise between trimming down many details in favor finishing this story sometime within the next 3 years. Yes, it might seem long, but with the rate of updates, I am lucky to finish it in 3 years if not later. God knows about my other two stories – The Lost Civilization & First Contact: Colonial War. And I am already drawing the foundations of my 4th story – another Mass Effect AU story but set in 12th century Earth. The fact that I am spending playing too much Third Age Total War Divide and Conquer doesn't help either. Or the fact that I got into amateur astronomy and astrophotography as my childhood hobby (now I can fund it with me own salary and enjoy it more :D finding the galaxies and a few other deep space objects is a b1tch tho). Also, my next update might be delayed again by the job.

Author's take: In this chapter, I wanted to illustrate, besides the Asari being confronted, the existence of a civic resistance in the Republics. They will make an impact on the future events that I hinted at about the politics of the Asari Republics. I know what how I am portraying future Atelas, as military dictator of the United Republics, but you should read between the lines. Her title is not as big a spoiler as some of you might think. Fedorian and Corinthus represent the Hierarchy discussing and considering the major threats and lanes of approach to developing events. I try to keep them as realistic as possible in behavior but give them their own personalities. I kind of find it harder and harder to keep their personalities unique and evolving in their own unique way. I also consider species stereotypes/general attitudes as a template. For Turians, duty and rigidity is their must have; Asari are generally pleasant but also shady (they just rub me the wrong way even in the games). Little plot moved forward this chapter. Like, at best, half of what I intended. The biggest parts are the confrontation in the Council and the attack on Chora's Den. How will Garrus get out of that one, you wonder?

Thank you for reading!

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A STORY BROUGHT TO YOU BY Apollonir