The Hunt Begins
"So, this the Citadel embassy building." Ben said as he and the rest of the Avengers followed Shepard, the two Alliance soldiers, and band of aliens to a large building in the Presidium.
After rescuing Tali from those bands of assassins, the group were finally ready to show what ever evidence she had on Saren to Udina. If it proves to be valuable, then the Council will have no choice than to step up and do something about it.
"Yep, it's quite a sight." Kaidan spoke up as they walked up a couple flights of stairs. "This is where the ambassadors listen to grievances of their species, and then they try to make a plea to the council and try to improve relations."
"Key word being 'try.'" Ashley grumbled. "Most of the time they're just looking out for themselves."
"Come on, I'm sure that's an exaggeration." Erik said with a shrug.
"No, she's absolutely right." Wrex said immediately, with a light glare in his eyes. "The only time they'll ever stick their neck out for anyone is if they can get something out of."
'Politics in a nutshell.' Venice thought cynically.
The group eventually made it up the stairs and turned to the door on the right, leading to the human embassy. Udina stood before his desk with his back to them, but he already knew that Shepard was among them. Also standing with him was Captain Anderson, who looked surprised when he spotted the large group that entered with his young protégé.
"You're not making my life easy, Shepard." Udina complained with a shake of his head. "Firefights in the Wards, an all-out assault on Chora's Den, do you have any idea-" Udina finally turned to look at them, but the moment he did, he was surprised to see not only Shepard and the rest of his Normandy squad, but also a few aliens with him as well. However, his biggest surprise came when he spotted the three Avengers standing with them. "It's you...the Avengers!"
"Ambassador." Vince greeted politely with the others giving nods of acknowledgment.
Udina lost his look of surprise and gave each of them a serious look with a slight. "You lot have been giving me nothing but headaches ever since you went public. The Council has been heckling me about you three, demanding to know why humanity has been 'holding out' on individuals such as yourselves."
"Oh, uh...sorry?" Ben said sheepishly, not really sure how to respond to that.
"Don't let his cold greeting get to you." Anderson said, giving them a friendly smile and a salute. "Captain Anderson. Let me just say that it quite a welcome surprise to meet you all for the first time."
"Likewise, Captain." Erik said with a friendly smile of his own.
"Well, it doesn't matter, because I can finally get some real answers from you lot." Udina said.
"That'll have to wait, Ambassador." Shepard intervened, wanting to stay on track, before gesturing to Tali. "She has something she needs to show us."
"A Quarian?" Udina questioned. "What are you up to Shepard."
"You wanted proof Saren's a traitor. This is it." Shepard said.
"Really?" Udina asked skeptically. "Maybe you better start at the beginning, Miss..."
"My name is Tali." Talkie greeted. "Tali' Zorah nar Rayya."
"We don't see many Quarians here. Why did you leave the Flotilla?" Udina asked.
"I was on my Pilgrimage. My right of passage into adulthood." Talkie answered.
"Pilgrimage? Don't think I've ever heard of that." Ben inquired.
"It is a tradition among my people. When we reach maturity we leave the ships of our parents and our people behind." Tali explained. "Alone, we search the stars. Only returning to the Flotilla once we have discovered something of value. In this way, we prove ourselves worthy of adulthood."
"Something of value? Like what?" Kaidan asked curiously.
"It could be resources like food or fuel, or some type of useful technology, or even knowledge that will make life easier on the flotilla." Tali listed off. "Through our pilgrimage, we prove that we will contribute to the community, rather than a burden on our limited resources."
"Well then, tell us what you found out there." Shepard inquired.
"During my travels, I began hearing reports of Geth. Since they drove my people into exile, the Geth have never ventured beyond the veil. I was curious."
"That's right, your people are the one's who created the Geth." Erik remembered, which earned him an elbow to the side by Ben. "Ow!"
"Ignore him, just continue." Ben said, earning a nod from Tali.
"I tracked a patrol of Geth in an uncharted world. I waited for one to become separated from its unit. Then I disabled it and removed its memory core." Tali continued.
"I thought the Geth friend their memory cores when they died. Some kind of defense mechanism." Anderson said curiously.
"If that's the case, how did you preserve the memory core." Garrus asked.
"It is as Erik said, my people created the Geth. If your quick, careful, and lucky, small caches of data can sometimes be saved. Most of the core was wiped clean, but I salvaged something from its audio banks." Tali finished as she activated her Omni-tool, pressed a few keys, before holding it up.
"Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the conduit."
"That's Saren's voice!" Anderson exclaimed. "This proves that he was involved in the attack!"
"What was that he said about finding something called the conduit?" Vince asked in confusion.
"The conduit must have something to do with the beacon. Maybe it's some kind of Prothean technology...like a weapon." Anderson said with a troubled look on his face.
"Wait, there's more." Tali interjected. "Saren wasn't working alone." Tali rewound the audio and played it again, having them hear the exact same message as before, but after it played, they heard a second voice. This time the voice sounded like it came from a woman.
"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers."
For some reason, hearing that woman's voice mention the Reaper sent a shiver down all the room occupants' spines. None more so than Shepard, as his head once again flashed to those images that he's been remembering seeing after he touched the beacon on Eden Prime.
"Yeah, that didn't sound creepy at all." Ben said sarcastically.
"I don't recognize that other voice. The one talking about Reapers." Udina said.
"Are they some kind of new alien species?" Erik asked.
"They have to be, cause I've never heard of them." Wrex spoke up.
"According to the memory core, the Reapers were a hyper-advanced machine race that existed fifty-thousand-years ago. They hunted the Protheans to total extinction, and then they vanished." Tali explained. "At least, that's what the Geth believed."
"Sounds a little far-fetched." Udina said skeptically, not believing it for a second.
"The vision on Eden Prime." Shepard spoke up. "I understand it now. I saw the Protheans being wiped out by the Reapers."
"The Geth revere the Reapers as gods, the pinnacle of non-organic life. And they believe Saren knows how to bring them back." Tali further explained.
"And if they do, then it's obvious what's going to happen next." Erik said with sigh and shake of his head.
"Chaos unfathomed, destruction unparalleled, lives at risk beyond scale; pretty much every doomsday scenario outcome." Vince listed off as if it was common.
"Sounds like everything we go through in life." Ben said with a shrug.
"What kind of life do you guys live?" Ashley said while giving the Avengers a weird look.
"The kind that's hard to believe, but oh so true." Garrus said simply, as he's seen images of some of the threats his friends have faced in their universe.
"The Council is just going to love this." Udina said, as he can already feel the headache forming from all this.
Shepard gained a completely serious look, now understanding the gravity of the situation. "The Reapers are threat to every species in Citadel Space. We have to tell them."
"No matter what they think of the rest of this, those audio files prove Saren's a traitor!" Anderson said strongly.
"The Captain's right." Udina said in agreement. We need to present this to them right away."
"What about her?" Wrex said as he gestured towards Tali. "The Quarian?"
"My/Her name is Tali!" Talkie and Ben spoke up at the same time, which earned Ben a grateful nod from Tali for sticking up for her.
"Please let me come with you, Commander. I know that you haven't seen me in action, but I promise I can fight and I won't be a burden to you." Tali pleaded her case to Shepard.
"But what about your pilgrimage?" Ben asked. "This rite of passage she was on seemed to be a very important part of her culture, so he just wanted to make sure that she was absolutely sure she wanted to put it on hold.
"The pilgrimage proves we are willing to give of ourselves for the greater good. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this?" Tali argued passionately. "Saren is a danger to the entire galaxy. My pilgrimage can wait."
Shepard thought about it, and she was right that he hasn't seen her in action yet, however, she did say that she could take care of herself, and she is very well armed. Besides, she has already proven to be a valuable asset to this squad, without her then they would have never been able to gain the evidence against Saren.
"I'll take all the help I can get." Shepard said with a welcoming smile. "Welcome aboard, Tali."
"Thanks. You won't regret this." Tali said gratefully.
"Anderson and I will go ahead to get things ready with the Council." Udina said as he and Anderson made to leave. "Take a few minutes to collect yourself, then meet us at the Tower."
"So then now what do we do?" Erik asked curiously.
"This could be our chance to take that data pad to that Elcor diplomat Septimus told us about." Ben suggested.
"We also need to talk to Sha'ira. Let her know that Septimus won't be bothering her and spreading lies about her anymore." Kaidan added.
"Do whatever you want, I'm gonna get a head start at the Tower." Wrex said as he walked out of the room.
"Well, I guess I'll take the data pad to the Elcor, while you, Shepard, break the news to this Sha'ira person and tell her that her reputation's all good." Ben suggested.
"I'll come along as well." Tali offered.
"Might as well." Garrus said with a shrug.
"Then the rest of us will go to Sha'ira." Shepard said as they all left the Human embassy.
Ben, Garrus, and Tali walked across the hall to the Elcor/Volus embassy and entered to see a single Volus and two Elcors in a deep conversation. The moment they saw their new guests, mainly the single Avenger amongst them, they had a look of pure disbelief on their faces, well...kind of, it was hard to tell when it came to these two species of aliens. One shows very little emotion, while the other wears a suit all its life.
"Disbelief, are you perhaps one of the famous Avengers I have heard so much about." The Elcor ambassador, named Calyn, spoke in his monotone voice.
"Yeah, that's me, I'm Spider-Man." Ben greeted. "I'm looking for an Elcor named Xeltan, is he here?"
"Strained greeting, I am Septimus, Avenger." The second Elcor spoke up. "This is really not a good time."
"Yeah, I was told that you've been worried because some private information on you got leaked out, but I'm here to help you." Ben said. "The one who revealed your secret was an old Turian general named Septimus"
"Unbelieving, I know this Septimus and he could not learn my secret. The only way he could learn them is from the Consort." Xeltan said.
"Not true, just have a look at this." Tali said as she passed Xeltan the data pad.
Xeltan inspected the contents of what was on the data pad, before looking back at the small gathering. "Confused, this is difficult to fathom. If the Turian could learn this on his own...dismayed, anyone can discover my secret."
"I don't think you have anything to worry about." Ben said with a shrug. "I mean, Septimus is a retired high-ranking general, and this wasn't easy for him to find."
"Relieved, I suppose you are correct, Avenger. Thank you for this information." Xeltan said in a monotone, yet grateful tone, before it changed up a bit. "Startled realization, I must speak with the Consort. She will be most displeased with my actions. Anxious request, please, human, if you will excuse me. I must go now."
"See ya, big guy." Ben said as Xeltan left the ambassador chambers.
Even though you couldn't read his face, Calyn looked at Ben with a grateful look. "Thankful, that was a great thing you did, Spider-Man." Calyn said before looking at the Volus. "Approving, you see, Din, not all humans are as you say."
"I'm sure the Earth-clan seeks to profit from this some way." The Volus, Din as he was called, dismissed.
"Not too fond of humans, aren't you." Ben said as he looked at Din.
"Your kind crave power, ever since you arrived here at the Citadel." Din said in an almost angry tone. "The Volus have worked hard to try and gain the approval of the Council, yet they show up and now the Council favors them, despite how much sacrifice kind have gone through."
"Disappointed, we have been through this many times, Din. The Council favors the contributions your race has given us over the years." Calyn said with a shake of his head.
"It's hard to have anything of our contributions noticed anymore, ever since these 'Avengers' have shown up." Din said as he glared up at Ben beneath his suit. "Humanity just can't help but show its dominance over all of us, trying to display their power by doing these supposed good deeds to show how much power they can offer to the Council."
"Hey, the Avengers do good work, not because they want to prove themselves to Council, but because they genuinely want to help." Garrus said in his friend's defense.
"It's okay, Garrus, I got this." Ben said as he looked back at Din. "Look, I get that you're frustrated, I read up on how long the Volus have tried to get a seat on the Council, but me and my friends don't do this for glory or for recognition. Ever since I got these powers, I've lived by the principles my dad instilled within me."
"And what is that?" Din asked with a scoff.
"That with great power, comes great responsibility." Ben said passionately, gaining everyone's full attention. "My friends have these powers, and we're going to use them responsibly, and that means helping everyone. We don't care if you're human, Turian, Asari, or Volus; if you need help, we'll be there." With that said, Ben and his friends walked on out of the embassy office, leaving behind a stunned silent Din, and Calyn who gave an approving look towards the Avenger.
As soon as the three friends walked out the door, Tali couldn't help but give a little laugh. "It's times like these where I wish I could see what's under that suit of his, just so I could see the look on his face."
"You just told off the Volus ambassador." Garrus said with a smirk. "I don't know whether to feel embarrassed, or proud."
"The guy was obviously having a rough day, and was taking it out on any human he came across." Ben said with a shrug. "I just had to remind him that my friends and I aren't in it for the glory."
"Well, now that that's out of the way, we should probably head on off to the Council Tower." Garrus said.
"Yeah, let's go." Ben said as he, Tali, and Garrus made their way out of the building.
/
In another section of the Presidium, Shepard, Ashley, Kaiden, Erik, and Vince made their way to the building where they were to meet up with the Consort. On the way, the Avengers were given details about what it is the Consort actually does.
"So, what, it's like a type of therapy?" Erik asked in confusion.
"I honestly have no idea what it is." Ashely said in exasperation. "All I know is that people come here and talk about their problems and either this Consort or her employees use their 'special skills' to make you feel better."
"What kind of skills are we talking about here?" Vince asked curiously.
"Well, we've talked to some of the attendants who work here. Some use words, others use touch, basically they just use whatever they're good at for those who need it." Kaiden said with a shrug. "I still don't entirely get it, but apparently it's working, because you have to wait months in advance for your appointment."
"Nobody is worth that much a wait." Vince said with is eyebrow raised.
"Funny, that's exactly what I said." Shepard said with a smirk.
As soon as they entered the building, the two Avengers looked around to see many male and female attendants, mostly Asari, speaking with their customers in very comfortable couches and settings. Whatever services the Consort and her employees give, it seems to be very popular around here. They eventually made their way up the stairs and down the hall, until they entered the room of the Consort, Sha'ira, who was an Asari.
Sha'ira smiled when she looked towards Shepard. "Commander, I recently received a lovely note from Spetimus. Thank you for speaking with him. Even the Elcor diplomat has withdrawn his campaign against me." She said gratefully, before her eyes widened slightly at the sight of two Avengers. "It appears I have more guests than I thought I would have. It is an honor to meet the esteemed Avengers I have heard so much about."
"The honor is ours." Eric said as he and Vince bowed slightly in respect.
"And it was my honor to aid you." Shepard said with a bow of his own.
"You are too kind, Commander, but I would not expect you to help me out of the kindness of your heart." Sha'ira said. "I also have one more thing to give you, if you are interested."
"I'd be honored." Shepard said with a nod.
"I offer a gift of words, an affirmation of who you are, and who you will become." Sha'ira said as she stepped close to Shepard and stared into his eyes. "I see you, your uniform fits as though you were born wearing it. You are a soldier through and through. Proud, solitary, alone, but it gives you strength. It is that strength that people are drawn to. It is why you lead and others follow. You will need that leadership in the battles to come. This may be who you are, but it is not who you will become. It only forms the basis for your future greatness, Commander. Remember these words when doubt descends, Commander."
"Thank you, Sha'ira." Shepard said with a slight bow.
Sha'ira smiled before she opened his hand and placed a metal medallion in it. "Here, Commander, in light of your efforts with the Elcor ambassador, I would like you to have this small trinket."
"What is it?" Shepard asked curiously.
"A small mystery. I have never learned its use, or purpose, but I sense it is time to pass it." Sha'ira said, before she set her gaze at the two Avengers. "Avengers, in honor of your contributions to the protection of the Citadel, I would like to offer words of wisdom to you as well."
"That won't be necessary, Miss Sha'ira." Eric said with a smile. "We don't do this for any rewards, but because we want to do good."
"And that is precisely why you deserve to hear these words, as a show of gratitude for all you've done." Sha'ira said with a smile, before she closed her eyes and concentrated. "I see that you carry a great burden over your shoulders, carrying a legacy that you strive to live up to, but in doing so, you will forge your own legacy. There will be those who cry out in pain, but then they look upon you all, and the pain will disappear. The echoes of the past and future will challenge you, and there will be times that you may lose faith, but when all doubt fades away, you will push on with those proud to stand by your side, rising to the challenge."
The two Avengers looked in slight awe by her words, as the first part of her words slightly took them by surprise. Still though, some of it flew over their heads by what she meant overall, but they still bowed in respect.
"Thank you for your gift of words. Sha'ira." Eric said.
"I mean this as no disrespect, and I am by no means insulting your skills, but I just don't see how one could see the future the way you do." Vince said.
"I don't particularly see the future, just read the life that my clients have lived, and what they may go through, and advise them to the best of my abilities." Sha'ira said, before her eyes took on a mischievous glint as she leaned in close and whispered so that only they may hear her. "Besides, you two should be well aware of that there are always mysterious forces at work, whether they are of this universe...or others beyond."
That threw the two Avengers off, as their eyes widened in shock at her words, while the Normandy squad looked at them in confusion from not hearing what was said. Was Sha'ira, this random Asari that they have never met before, hinting at what they think she was hinting at.
Before they could speak, Sha'ira turned around and walked to her console. "And now I must ask you all to leave. I have done everything I can for you." Everyone looked at each other curiously, before some of them shrugged and just walked out of the room and made their way to the exit.
"Told you she was a little weird." Ashley said to Eric.
"I wouldn't say she was weird, just different." Eric said.
"Course the guy with the odd sword would say that." Ashley said with a humorous smirk.
"So, what was that stuff she whispered to you guys?" Kaiden asked curiously towards Vince.
Vince didn't answer art first, as he still felt a little put off by her final words to him. "...just other odd words of wisdom that flew over our heads." Vince answered cryptically.
"Well, what matters is that we helped her when she needed it." Shepard said as he stared at the medallion trinket Sha'ira gave him, before pocketing it and giving a more determined look. "Now that that's taken care of, we should head to the Tower. No doubt the Council is about to begin the meeting."
"Right behind you, Shepard." Eric said as they all followed behind Shepard.
/
It didn't take long for everyone to reconvene over at the base of the Council Tower, where they all took the elevator up to the top, where the Council meeting hall was. When the doors opened, the three Avengers looked in awe at the sheer beauty of the large spacious floor, having never seen anything this big, except for their rebuilt Avengers Complex. The light here was a little dim, but it didn't shy away from the beauty of it, as well as seeing what appeared to be cherry blossom trees.
"So, this is where the magic happens." Ben said in an impressed tone.
"Yeah, this is where the Council makes the decisions that affect the entire galaxy." Kaiden said.
"Whether others want it or not." Wrex said with a light glare.
"Kind of too roomy to hold meetings, don't you think?" Erik said curiously.
"Actually, it makes sense if you think about." Ashley said as they all walked up the stairs. "Noticed how we're constantly going uphill? If an attack happened, we can easily have the high ground on whoever's dumb enough to try such a stunt."
"That's a little grim, don't you think?" Erik said with his eyebrow raised.
"You call it grim, I call it military genius." Ashley said with a smirk.
As they continued to walk, Vince noticed Anderson waiting for them and Udina speaking with the Council already. "Looks like we're not too late to the party." Vince said seriously, as they approached Anderson.
"Come on. Udina' s presenting the Quarian's evidence to the Council." Anderson said as he and Shepard walked up to the platform Udina was, with the Commander signaling the others to wait behind. The Council listened closely to the recording of Saren bragging about his victory over Eden Prime, followed up by the woman's voice.
"You wanted proof; there it is." Udina said strongly.
"This evidence is irrefutable, ambassador." Sparatus said, and although he hated to admit being wrong, especially towards a human, even he could not deny that this proved Saren's guilt. "Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes."
"I recognize the other voice, the one speaking with Saren." Tevos spoke up. "Matriarch Benezia."
"Who's she?" Shepard asked.
"Matriarchs are powerful Asari who have entered the final stage of their lives." Tevos explained. "Revered for their wisdom and experience, they serve as guides and mentors to my people."
'Sounds like my grandmother Frigga, from what dad told me about her.' Erik thought with intrigue.
"Matriarch Benezia is a powerful biotic, and she has many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren." Tevos continued.
"I'm more interested in the Reapers." Valern said with intrigue. "What do you know about them?"
"Only what was extracted from the Geth's memory core." Andersen answered. "The Reapers were an ancient race of machines that wiped out the Protheans, then they vanished."
"The Geth believe the Reapers are gods, and Saren is their prophet for their return." Shepard continued.
"We think the Conduit is the key to bringing them back. Saren's searching for it, that's why he attacked Eden Prime." Anderson finished with absolution.
"Do we even know what this Conduit is?" Valern asked curiously.
"Saren thinks it can bring back the Reapers. That's bad enough." Shepard answered.
"Listen to what you're saying!" Sparatus said with a scoff, showing he did not believe it in the slightest. "Saren wants to bring back the machines that wiped out all life in the galaxy? Impossible. It has to be. Where did the Reapers go? Why did they vanish? How come we've found no trace of their existence? If they were real, we'd have found something!"
Shepard glared slightly at Sparatus before speaking up again. "I tried to warn you about Saren, and you refused to see the truth. Don't make the same mistake again." Shepard said strongly.
"This is different. You proved Saren betrayed the Council." Tevos said, not really sure if she could believe it either. "We all agree he's using the Geth to search for the Conduit, but we don't really know why."
"The Reapers are obviously just a myth, Commander." Valern spoke next. "A convenient lie to cover Saren's true purpose. A legend he is using to bend the Geth to his will."
'Wow, not even going to even consider the possibility that it's all true?' Ben thought as he and the rest of his friends glared at the Council for their disregard of the evidence of Reapers.
"Fifty thousand years ago, the Reapers wiped out all galactic civilization! If Saren finds the Conduit, it will happen again!" Shepard exclaimed angrily.
"Saren is a rogue agent on the run for his life." Sparatus said skeptically. "He no longer has the rights, or resources, of a Spectre. The Council has stripped him of his position."
"That is not good enough!" Udina exclaimed with great anger at the Council for still seeming to protect the rogue Spectre. "You know he's hiding somewhere in the Traverse, send your fleet in!"
"A fleet cannot track down one man." Valern quickly shut down.
"It can, I just don't think they want to put in the effort." Garrus whispered top the others, still glaring at the Council.
"Damn politics." Wrex whispered in a snarl.
"A Citadel fleet could secure the entire region, keep the Geth from attacking any more of our colonies." Udina continued to argue.
"Or it could trigger a war with the Terminus Systems!" Sparatus retorted. "We won't be dragged into a galactic confrontation over a few dozen colonies!"
His words caused Erik to glare up at the Council, as he was about to storm up and give his own opinion, but was stopped by Ben and Kaiden. They may not have liked where this was going, but causing a scene wasn't going to make it all better.
"Every time humanity asks for help, you ignore us." Shepard accused, his patience waining thin, just like everyone else.
"Shepard's right!" Udina exclaimed in full agreement. "I'm sick of this Council and it's anti-human bull-"
"Ambassador." Tevos stopped, her tone becoming more firm than usual. This was a place where civil matters could be debated and discussed, not for mindless yelling and anger, not since the time of the Krogan Rebellions. "There is another solution. A way to stop Saren that does not require fleets or armies."
"No! It's too soon!" Sparatus instantly denied, having a good idea what his fellow Councilor was suggesting. "Humanity is not ready for the responsibilities that come with joining the Spectres."
"You don't have to send a fleet into the Traverse, and the Ambassador gets his human Spectre. Everybody's happy." Shepard gave a good argument. If this was the only way for them to pursue Saren without starting a galactic incident, then it's something that needs to be done now.
Tevos and Valern seemed to be in agreement for the idea, as they just waited for Sparatus to concede. Sparatus, at first, seemed pretty against the idea, but after internally debating the situation, they were in, it did seem like the only viable solution to take. After a few seconds of more thinking, Sparatus eventually conceded and nodded in approval of the plan.
"Commander Shepard, step forward." Tevos ordered, which Shepard did.
Up in the balconies above them, the entire crew and Avengers could see multiple dignitaries and politicians looking down, whispering amongst themselves about this historical event in galactic history. Everyone above whispered amongst themselves and each other, knowing that because of this, everything may change in the future.
"Wow, this must be a pretty big deal." Ben whispered, slightly in awe by seriously everybody was taking this.
"You have no idea." Garrus whispered back, before the Council began speaking.
"It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel." Tevos began.
"Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the fires of service and battle; those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file." Valern continued.
"Spectres are an ideal, a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will." Tevos spoke again.
"Spectres bear a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold." Sparatus spoke next.
"You are the first human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species." Tevos said with a hint of pride.
"I'm honored, Councilor." Shepard said humbly as he gave a slight bow of respect.
"We're sending you into the Traverse after Saren. He's a fugitive from justice, so you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him." Valern stated.
"Any idea where to find him?" Shepard asked curiously.
"We will forward any relevant files to Ambassador Udina." Sparatus stated, before set his eyes right behind Shepard and gave a light glare. "Until then, there is another matter that needs to be discussed." All eyes turned to where he was gazing at, and it seemed to be focused on the three Avengers standing amongst the crew.
"Well, guess we should have seen this coming." Ben said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"Surprised it took them his long to notice us." Vince said with a shake of his head.
"Would you please step forward." Sparatus ordered, rather than asked.
"Better do what he says." Garrus advised. "The sooner you get this over with, the better."
"Might as well." Erik said with a shrug as the three of them stepped forward to the podium, with Shepard, Udina, and Anderson stepping back so they can take center-stage.
"Avengers, might I say first that it is an honor to meet you." Tevos said respectively.
"The honor is ours, Councilor." Vince said respectfully.
"You are very hard men to track down, Avengers." Valern said as he looked at the three heroes with fascination in his eyes. "We have been hoping to speak with you for quite some time."
"For good reason." Sparatus said as he gave a hard stare at the three heroes. "For nearly a month now we have been wanting to speak to you, to have you explain your actions to us, and whether or not to have you arrested."
"I really don't see why you should arrest us, Councilor." Erik said with a curious shrug.
"Really now?" Sparatus asked sarcastically. "Vigilantism is a very serious offense. By all rights you should have been arrested on sight the moment you entered this tower."
"Councilor, please." Tevos interrupted, wanting Sparatus to remain civil in this matter. "I wouldn't have said it in such a matter, but Sparatus does make a valued point. We have no records of you in C-Sec database, so you are not officers of the law, nor are you military, so we must understand your actions."
"Our actions are very simple, Councilor. We have these abilities at our disposal, so we decided to use them to help those in need." Ben said.
"Very admirable." Valern said with a hint of respect.
"But that still doesn't excuse that humanity has withheld information about you three, or about the abilities that you have displayed." Sparatus argued.
"I have not withheld anything, Councilor." Udina retorted. "As I stated before, I was just as in the dark about them as you were."
"While your deeds have been proven to be noble and honest, the fact of the matter is that you are not Spectres, therefor acting outside the law should bring you repercussions for your actions." Tevos said, though by her tone, it sounded like she wasn't all for it.
"Councilor, if I may speak?" Shepard offered.
"You are a Spectre now, Shepard. You have that right." Valern acknowledged.
"These three men have aided us in our investigation against Saren, and have proven to be valuable asset to me and my crew." Shepard argued his friend's case. "They managed to fend off assassins sent by Saren to try and tie up loose ends. It stands to reason Saren may have found out about their interference and will be after them next."
"That is a valid argument, but by all accounts, we cannot accept vigilantism, despite the circumstances." Sparatus argued.
"I think I may have a suggestion that benefits all of us." Shepard offered.
"We are open to suggestions, Commander." Tevos inquired.
"The Avengers have proven to be valuable allies in helping us against Saren's assassins, so why not have them aid me in apprehending Saren personally?" Shepard offered.
"So instead of giving due punishment for their reckless vigilantism over the Citadel, you want us to grant them permission to accompany you on a highly important mission?!" Sparatus asked in complete disbelief.
"Think about it, Councilor. You've seen the vids, I've seen them in action; wouldn't you rather have them use their unique talents for a cause that can benefit all of us." Shepard continued.
"Hmmm...these Avengers could be the wildcard Saren would never expect." Valern said with intrigue.
"You cannot be serious about this?" Sparatus asked his fellow Council members. "These Avengers are more than just wildcards, they are complete pariahs, unknowns! We have no idea where they came from or the nature of their abilities, so then how can we trust them with such a vital mission?"
'This guy needs to have a day off if he's this cranky.' Ben thought to himself.
"I will personally take responsibility for them, Councilor." Shepard declared, standing at attention.
"Are you sure about this, Shepard?" Udina asked cautiously. "I may not always see eye to eye with the Coucil, but he makes a valid point that we know next to nothing about these people. How can we simply trust them."
"I've personally battled alongside them, Ambassador, and I can guarantee that these people can be of great help to us. And if they do anything that warrants them to be dealt with accordingly, I will personally see to it myself." Shepard said confidently.
The Council looked towards each other with various looks, before they came to a decision and Tevos spoke. "Avengers, are you willing to risk your very lives in this mission to apprehend the rogue agent Saren?"
"This Saren guy is a threat to not only humans, but to all species of this galaxy, and we will stop him." Erik said strongly.
"Whenever innocents are threatened, we'll always be there to protect them." Vince said just as strongly.
"We'll help stop Saren, you can count on us." Ben said with a smile beneath his mask.
"Then we will put our trust in your aid, and permit you to to join Commander Shepard in the search against Saren." Tevos said with a nod.
"Do not make us regret this decision." Sparatus said with his eyes narrowed.
"This meeting of the Council is adjourned." Tevos said as all three Council members left their positions.
After they left, Anderson walked up to Shepard and shook his hand. "Congratulations, Commander." Anderson said with pride, before giving a nod of approval the three heroes. "And let me officially welcome you aboard, Avengers."
"Happy to help." Erik said.
"We've got a lot of work to do, Shepard." Udina said. "You're going to need a ship, a crew, supplies..."
"You'll get access to special equipment and training now. You should go down to the C-Sec Academy and speak with the Spectre Requisitions officer." Anderson continued.
"Anderson, come with me. I'll need your help to set all this up." Udina said before giving a hard look to the Avengers. "We're putting our faith in you. Don't let us down." With that said, Udina and Anderson made their leave.
"I thought the ambassador would be a little more grateful." Tali said in slight surprise. "He didn't even thank you."
"Until we've found Saren, I haven't done anything." Shepard said with a sigh before giving each of the ones who weren't part of the Normandy a determined look. "Gather up any belongings, supplies, or personal affects you'll need for this mission. After that, meet up at the Normandy at Docking Bay 422."
"You got it, Shepard." Ben said with a nod. "Me and guys just need to pack up some stuff we'll need back at our place and we'll meet you there."
"Need us to give you a lift?" Kaiden offered.
"No need." Vince said as he twirled his hand and summoned a portal to their place.
"Keelah!" Tali exclaimed in shock at the portal.
"Right, forgot you haven't seen them do that." Kaiden said as the Avengers stepped through the portal.
"We'll meet up with you soon, Commander." Vince said before he closed the portal.
"I should go to." Garrus said as he started to walk off. "There's something I need to take care of before I can join you officially."
"I need to pick up some extra supplies, and I'll be on my way." Wrex said as he walked off as well.
"I actually don't have much with me, so I'll just stay with you until we get to your ship." Tali said.
"Alright, let's head to the Normandy." Shepard said as he, Kaiden, Ashley, and Tali made their way out of the Tower to head back to the Normandy.
/
"Alright, don't pack heavy, just pack what you need." Ben said as he, Erik, and Vince started gathering some their belongings. They didn't have much, but Ben did mostly pack all the equipment he needed to create more web fluid for his web shooters.
"You know, helping out the Citadel is great and all, but it's gonna be nice to get out into space and see what's out there." Erik said with a grin.
"Remember, this isn't a vacation, we're just going out there to track down and apprehend a criminal." Vince said. "So, it's basically just another job for us."
"A criminal that has an army of robots at his disposal that may be connected to another race of robots that want to commit genocide." Ben added before he gave a slight chuckle. "Wow, fighting robots. Guess we really are following in our parents' footsteps."
Vince looked down in thought with a frown on his face before speaking up. "I know what we're doing is the right thing, but do you guys think it should be our main concern?"
"You're talking about getting back home, are you?" Ben asked with an understanding look on his face.
"Don't get me wrong, guys, I am all for traveling through space and hunting down an alien maniac, but each passing day I wonder if..." Vince paused as he wasn't sure if he should finish that sentence.
"If we'll ever find our way back home." Erik finished with his face becoming solemn.
Ben couldn't help but wonder that as well. It may have only been little more than a month since they arrived in this universe, and they've been making the most of it, they still wonder how, or if, they are going to get back home.
"Look, I know that this whole adventure may be a little out of left field for us, but guys we have conquered so much in our time as a team." Ben said with a smile as he patted both of their shoulders. "We stand strong, we help those in need, and we face danger head on. That's what makes us Avengers."
"Careful, you're starting to sound like Captain America." Erik said with a smirk.
"I wouldn't go that far." Ben said with a slight chuckle. "All I'm saying is that, yeah, this is a slight detour on our plan to get back home, but even if it wasn't we know we would do this, because we know innocent people would get hurt if we don't. That's just what heroes do."
"...Wow, you really are sounding like Captain America." Vince said with a smirk.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." Ben said as he gave a light shove to Vince.
"I honestly thought it was a pretty good speech." Erik added.
"A little too preachy, but you got your point across." Vince added as well.
"Okay, enough with the rifting, let's get all our stuff and get moving." Ben said as he holstered a pack of his things.
"Right, cause we're going on a space road trip." Erik said with an eager grin as he held up his sword.
After gathering up the majority of their belongings, Vince created a portal that led to C-Sec Academy, as it was the quickest way to get to the specific docking bay they were told about. They rode up the elevator for half a minute before it opened up, revealing the Normandy ship they heard about.
Ben and Vince looked in awe at the size and majesty of the ship, as this was technically the first time they had seen an actual space ship before, but Erik, while still impressed, didn't have that exact same look as his friends did. The ship was slightly curved, and not as bulky as most other ships, indicating that it was mostly built for speed. It was silver-white in color with black stripes on its sides and engines, with the words Normandy SR-1 on the side.
"Wow, that is impressive." Vince said in approval.
"Not bad." Erik said with a shrug. "Seen bigger, but a pretty nice design."
"I don't know what you're comparing it to, but that is just plain awesome!" Ben exclaimed with glee, feeling like a kid again.
They eventually came up to the bridge connecting to the ship where they could see Shepard and the rest of the now founded Normandy squad waiting for them. "Avengers, welcome to the SSV Normandy." Shepard said.
"I gotta admit, Shepard, it's a pretty nice ship." Vince said.
"Your ship is amazing, Shepard." Tali said in awe as she gazed at the ship. "It makes me proud to be a part of its crew."
"I heard that this ship was created in coalition with Turian and human designs, as a show of cooperation, am I right?" Garrus asked.
"That's right. That's why our last mission was being supervised by the Turian general, Nihlus, to see if we can handle the design of this new breed of ships." Kaiden said.
"You care about too much how a ship looks; you'll miss the most important part." Wrex said with scoff. "All I care about is if it can blast stuff."
"I'm sure we'll test that out on this mission." Ashley said with a shrug.
"Alright people, let's get aboard and get ready." Shepard said as they were about to get on, but Shepard stopped when he heard someone call out to him.
"Shepard!" The Commander looked behind to see Anderson and Udina approach him with the former calling out to him. "A word please." Shepard nodded and walked up to the two of them.
"I've got big news for you, Shepard. Captain Anderson is stepping down as commanding officer of the Normandy. The ship is yours now." Udina informed.
"She's quick and quiet, and you know the crew, perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well, Commander." Anderson said in approval.
Shepard nodded at that, but couldn't help but feel like there was something else to all this. "I want the truth. Why are you stepping down, sir?"
"You needed your own ship. A Spectre can't answer to anyone, but the Council, and it's time for me to step down." Anderson answered.
"Come clean with me, Captain. You owe me that much." Shepard urged on.
"I was in your shoes twenty years ago, Shepard. They were considering me for the Spectres." Anderson confessed.
"What happened?" Shepard asked, a little put off that Harkin was actually right.
"I failed. I couldn't make the cut. It's not something I'm proud of." Anderson with forlornly, before wanting to get back to business. "Ask me later and I'll tell you the whole story. For now, all you need to is I was sent on a mission with Saren, and he made sure the Council rejected me. I had my shot; it came and went. Now you have a chance to make up for my mistake."
"I won't let you down, sir." Shepard said confidently. "Where do you think I should start to find Saren?"
"Saren's gone, don't even try to find him, but we do know what he's after, the Conduit. He's got the Geth scouring the Traverse looking for clues." Anderson said in thought.
"When we hear about any Geth activity, we'll inform you so you and your crew can investigate." Udina said.
"The Reapers are the real threat." Shepard reminded.
"I'm with the Council on this one, Shepard. I'm not sure they even exist." Udina said skeptically.
"But if they do exist, the Conduit's the key to bringing them back." Anderson rebutted. "Stop Saren from getting the Conduit and we stop the Reapers from returning."
"Anything else?" Shepard asked curiously.
"We managed to find a lead that may prove helpful." Udina informed. "Matriarch Benezia, the other voice on that recording? She has a daughter, a scientist who specializes in the don't know if she's involved, but it might be a good idea to try and find her, see what she knows. Her name's Liara. Doctor Liara T'Soni."
"Seems like a good source to follow up on." Shepard said in agreement. "Where can I find her?"
"We have reports that she was exploring an archeological dig on one of the uncharted worlds in the Artemis Tau cluster." Udina answered.
"It might be best to look for the worlds that have Prothean ruins to find her at." Anderson added.
"Well, it sounds like we have our heading." Shepard said.
"It's your decision now, Shepard. You're a Spectre now; you don't answer to us." Anderson said.
"But your actions still reflect on humanity as a whole. You make a mess and I get stuck cleaning it up." Udina retorted with a light glare. "And another thing, keeep a very close eye on those Avengers people. They may say they are allies, but they are unknowns, and I don't trust anything I have no knowledge of."
Shepard didn't like the way Udina spoke of his new crew members, but he doubts anything he said would placate the ambassador's paranoia. "I really do believe that they are here to help, but I will keep an eye on them."
"Good. Remember Shepard you were a human long before you became a Spectre." Udina said before walking off. "I have a meeting to attend to, but I wish you the best of luck, Commander."
Anderson gave his young protégé a pat on the shoulder before speaking. "I should be going to. Have a lot of paperwork to do in order to finalize my retirement."
"I really wish you didn't have to do this, Anderson." Shepard said with a sad look in his eyes.
"It may not be how I pictured my retirement, but it needs to be done. Just do me one favor..." Anderson before giving Shepard a smirk. "Take Saren down for me."
"Count on it, sir." Shepard said with a smirk of his own while he saluted.
Anderson saluted back before walking away from the docking bay. Shepard gave one final look towards his mentor before walking across the bridge connecting to his now new ship. After walking through the hanger doors, Shepard noticed some of the crew members were talking amongst themselves in both confusion and awe. He could tell that they were put off by the aliens he accepted into the crew, as well as the superheroes joint them as well.
Still though, as the now Commanding Officer of the ship, he should address the crew about the situation they were in. Making his way to the pilot deck, he stood next to the ship's pilot, Joker, on his chair.
"Hey, Commander, I heard what happened to Captain Anderson." Joker said with a sad look in his eye. He respected Anderson to a high degree, and now the politics decide to bench him? That was just not right. "Survived a hundred battles, and then gets taken down by backroads politics. Just watch your back, Commander. Things go bad on this mission, you're next on the chopping block."
Shepard gave a soft look from those words before speaking. "Captain Anderson should be the one in charge. It's like I'm stealing the ship from him."
"Yeah, the Captain got screwed, but it's not like you could've stopped it. Nobody's blaming you." Joker said in Shepard's defense. "Everyone on this ship is behind you, Commander, one hundred percent." Joker pressed a button on the controls before speaking again. "Intercoms open. If you've got anything you want to say to the crew, now's the time."
Shepard took a deep breath, before leaning in and speaking into the intercom. "This is Commander Shepard speaking."
Everyone in the ship looked up and paid very close attention to the Commander's voice. They knew that he was going to address the mission that they were assigned to, and most of the crew were anxious about what they would be facing. Among the crew listening in were Garrus, Ashley, Wrex, Erik, and Ben, who were in the cargo hold; Tali, who stood in the engine room; as well as Kaiden and Vince who were near the medical ward with the ship's medic Doctor Chakwas. Each of them gave the Commander's speech their undivided attention.
"We have out order: find Saren before he finds the Conduit. I won't lie to you, crew, this mission isn't going to be easy. This began with an attack on a human settlement in the Traverse, but we know Saren won't stop there. His Geth armies aren't going to stay on the far fringes of Citadel space. For too long our species has stood apart from the others, now it's time for us to step up and do our part for the rest of the galaxy! Time to show them what humans are made of! Wherever Saren goes, we'll follow. Our enemy knows we're coming. When we go into the Traverse, Saren's followers will be waiting for us, but we'll be ready for them, too. Humanity needs to do this. Not just for our own sake, but for the sake of every other species in Citadel Space. Saren must be stopped, and I promise you all...we will stop him!"
Ben looked towards Erik and gave an impressed smile. "He's pretty good at that." Ben said with an approving nod.
"Right." Erik said with a grim.
"Well said, Commander." Joker said with a confident smile. "Captain would be proud."
"The Captain gave up everything so I could have this chance." Shepard said with full conviction as he turned and walked off. "We can't fail."
"Yes, sir!" Joker said before getting back to the controls.
The Normandy unlatched from the docking bay, before moving out of range and taking off into the distance. Watching all of this from a viewing window was Anderson, who gave a look of pride as he watched what was once his ship fly off into the void of space.
'Good luck, Shepard.' Anderson thought as he gave a salute. 'We're all counting on you.'
/
Hey everyone, been awhile since I've updated this story, but after the massive amounts of MCU content we've been getting lately, I've just had the urge to get back into writing this.
Now, I'm sorry that it took me so long to get this out, but the reason why is because that there was so much talking and dialogue in this chapter that it really slowed me down. I love fast-paced action and that is where I most accel at, in my opinion, but these slow and steady dialogue moments are necessary for the story, so I had to push on through. Now, during the next chapter of this story, we will be seeing plenty of action, which I am excited for.
Now, some of you may be wondering why I've slipped some of the smaller side details during the beginning part of Mass Effect, that being the interaction with Admiral Kohoku and Conrad Verner. Well trust me when I say that those events will play out, in fact, I have biog plans to put my own spin on them, and trust me, you will not see them coming.
Now, this next part of the AN is concerning the amount of MCU content that we have been receiving. So, I am going to give out a list of what we have received, my thoughts on it, and whether or not they shall have an impact on my story. I know that I said that the cutoff date for my story was No Way Home, but Marvel has just brought out so much stuff I had to incorporate some of their content into this story.
Black Widow: It was okay, in my opinion. I don't love it, but I don't hate it, honestly. The only thing that I was really upset about is what they did with Taskmaster, as I think they didn't do the Marvel character justice. Still though, my favorite parts were with Natasha interacting with her family, as I loved their chemistry.
-Will it play a part in my story: Majority of it won't, but I will have some of the events and characters remain canon in my MCU timeline.
WandaVision: Really loved the direction this show went. Elizabeth Olson and Paul Bettany really shined with their acting in this show, and I love how it gave small characters like Darcy and agent Wu a chance to shine as well, as well as introduces Agatha Harkness and more magic into the lore.
-Will it play a part in my story: only certain aspects of it.
Falcon and Winter Soldier: This one is the one I watch the most out of the MCU Disney+ shows because I have such a blast whenever I watch it, with Bucky and Zemo being my favorite parts out of all of it. I also really love how Sam stepped up to the plate and took on the mantle of Captain America.
-Will it play a part in my story: Yes, but few things about it won't play a part in my version of the future MCU timeline.
Loki: Oh my God, this show was absolutely amazing, of course, I would expect nothing less from our favorite god of mischief. Really opens up brand new possibilities with what the MCU can do in the future, plus it teases the possible next big bad the Avengers will face in the future, Kaang the Conqueror.
-Will it play a part in my story: I am honestly not sure. It's a complicated situation with the aspect of the multiverse, the TVA, and the fact that it isn't finished yet with season 2 on the way. Maybe I'll have one or two aspects of it play a part, but that's a pretty big 'maybe.'
Shang-Chi: This was an EPIC movie! I absolutely loved it with all my heart. It's no 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' but the kung-fu was still amazing and very fluid. Finally, we get the Mandarin done right, after so many failed attempts to bring him into the MCU, now he that made a grand re-emergence in the best way possible.
Will it play a part in my story: Absolutely! Nothing about this movie contradicts what I have planned, in fact, it only adds more into the grand scheme of things of what I have planned for this story.
Eternals: ...Meh. That's all I really have to say about it. Meh.
Will it play a part in my story: Absolutely not.
Hawkeye: I really love this show so far, as I think it finally gives Clint Barton a chance to shine as his own character, as he is a favorite character, but they haven't really done much with him. Katie Bishop is pretty enjoyable as well, and am I right to assume that everybody wants to have an actual Rogers: The Musical?!
Will it play a part in my story: By the time I've updated this, it'll be the day before the new episode premiers on Disney+, so until I watch the final episode I will have made my decision of whether or not I will include any part of it into my story.
That's all I really have to say, so I'll see you all next time everyone. Stay healthy, stay safe, and I'll see you all next time!