Chapter 8
Council Reserved Docking Bay 117 - Presidium - Citadel
It had been a quick few days. A light vacation in the middle of a crisis. But the lovely stay on the Presidium couldn't last, and she knew it was over as soon as she was summoned to the Reserved Docking Bay 117 by Ambassador Udina. As she entered the bay, she found the man standing outside of the airlock of her new ship. And when she saw it, her eyes widened. The smooth surface of the hull curved back into flexible wings. The ship was smaller than most Alliance frigates, but it packed no less firepower given that it was co-created by the turian Hierarchy as a way of promoting a truce and mending old wounds.
As she stepped up to the man, she nodded as her eyes scanned the name on the side of the vessel. "I'm being assigned the Normandy?" she asked curiously.
"Not giving per se. But the Alliance and Hierarchy both believed it would be best used in your hands given your experience with it," he said, smirking at the pleased look on her face. "Just, try to keep it in one piece, Shepard. I know how much fun Lieutenant Moreau tends to have behind the wheel."
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Moreau is the pilot?"
Nodding, Udina looked at the gorgeous ship and continued. "All of the crew from the Eden Prime mission will be joining you aboard the Normandy. They were chosen initially because of their skills, and the Council, as well as the Alliance agree that they would be best used assisting you. So, they are on temporary duty assignments to help you along. The Hierarchy has even sent some of their own to assist, so try to play nice," he said as he looked at her with a stern gaze. "The only member who will not be joining…"
"Would be me," came the voice of Captain Anderson as he stepped out of the airlock and onto the dock.
Shepard's stare hardened as the captain stepped up to the pair. "They're taking you off the case?" asked Shepard curiously as she crossed her arms in annoyance.
"Afraid there was no choice. The Ambassador was right. I'm too close to this Commander. My presence could be seen as the Alliance trying to get revenge for the Council canning me a ways back. But I don't see it as a bad thing," the man said as he gave her a grin.
"How do you figure?" she asked, finding it odd that the man was letting go of the reins so easily. The man's status and resources would likely be of immense help to their cause, making his statement an even bolder claim.
"I can do the work that I'd do aboard the Normandy from right here on the Citadel anyway, making my presence on the ship not necessary at all. But," he said drawing himself to his full height in military fashion. "Me being on the ship would only be a hindrance to you, Jane. Despite what you may think, I am not, nor ever was I, as good a leader as you. I've seen you work many times. I saw your files on Shanxi, and Amaterasu. And I've seen the video feeds that a very big fan of yours spliced together of Elysium, as well as gotten a firsthand recommendation from now Admiral Armstrong about you. You were never meant to play second fiddle to a by the books Alliance lifer like me."
Her eyes widened, every word entering her mind and making her more and more dumbstruck. "Captain…" she muttered before straightening herself in return. "I think you're selling yourself a bit short sir," she said as she mimicked his rigid stance.
"Perhaps I am, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong about you. You're a born leader, Commander. Were you born in the medieval ages, I have no doubt that we'd be hearing about Jane the Great rather than Alexander. All this…" he said, waving to the Normandy. "I don't think it happened by chance Shepard. I think you were born for this role, and I expect a lot of good things in the future when I hear people talking about the first human Spectre," he finished with a smile.
She had to force herself not to melt on the spot from all the praise he had just rained on her. From the time she was a girl in high school to this very moment, she'd had to earn every ounce of respect she got from most male counterparts, especially those wearing Alliance Officer bars. Almost every time she met a new male NCO, or commander, she was often greeted with that same pompous smirk, which quickly vanished once they spied her documentation.
Anderson was one of the few who she had met out of uniform and he immediately greeted her with respect before he knew anything about her. It was something she highly appreciated but kept to herself. After what he just said, however, she was considering filing for him to adopt her. She was curious how her mother would take that. "Sir...thank you," she said, giving him a bright grin.
"Not sir anymore, Commander. You don't work for me or the Alliance now. You're on your own path. Feel free to call me David," he said, holding out his hand to her respectfully. She nodded, and reached forward, shaking his hand solidly.
"Speaking of the Alliance, Shepard, I have your paperwork here," said Udina as he pulled up a datapad. Offering it to her, she looked over it as he continued. "Commander, from this point forward, you will no longer be recognized as Alliance personnel. Starting today, you are Jane Shepard the Spectre, rather than Lieutenant Commander Jane Shepard. This, of course, means that nobody in the Alliance has any power to order you to do anything with any authority. As a matter of fact," he said as he gave Shepard his direct number. "I'd prefer if you reported them to me. I'll have them handled quickly."
"This says here that it's not a permanent separation from Alliance Military," said Jane as she looked up from the datapad.
"That is correct. It's a clause in the contract that states that should you so choose to give up your role as a Spectre, you are to be allowed back into service to continue your career without the heavy paperwork and time-consuming process of reenlisting. Alliance High Command practically begged me to add that in," he said with a sigh. "I do hope you don't intend to give up your role, Shepard. It took humanity a long while to earn this."
"Not for the foreseeable future, Ambassador," she said as she turned to him. "What about the crew?"
Nodding at the question, Udina continued. "The crew have a very similar status on their careers as well. While they still work under the Alliance, their status is a bit different. You have been given an immunity to all but Council Law from the UNE, as per the Council's request. However, they do not have the same diplomatic immunity, Shepard. Which means your actions could very well cost them their future," he said, eyeing her sternly. "If they were to be ordered by you to attack a civilian population for example, they would all be withdrawn from your crew and charged with war crimes."
"Understood," she responded as she finished reading the document, signed it, and handed it to him.
"The same applies to the Normandy. She is under loan from both the Human System's Alliance and the Turian Hierarchy. At any point where either government feels your actions may cause harm or shame to either side, it will be taken back. Do I make myself clear?" he asked sternly.
"Crystal, Ambassador," she responded with a firm stare.
"Good to hear. Oh, and so you're aware the Council's new trainer is aboard as well. As requested, all of your belongings are now in the Captain's cabin, and your armor in the armory. So, is there anything else you need to take care of before you go?" he asked dutifully.
"Nothing I can think of. I've already dotted all my i's and crossed my t's here on the Citadel and with the Alliance," she said as she looked to her left and noticed Garrus getting off the elevator. Seeing the talks, the turian halted and waited politely.
"Good. Your first payment from the Council is on your new account, and your Spectre information terminal is in your quarters. Make us proud Commander," he said as he held out his hand.
She looked down at it strangely. In all the times she had ever met the man, this was the first he'd ever tried to shake her hand. While she still didn't like the man's tendency to use others for his own agenda, she still respected the fact that he put faith in her. "I'll do my best, Ambassador," she said as she took his hand and shook it firmly.
"I hope so, Commander. I hope so," he finally said before turning to leave, not even acknowledging Garrus's presence as he did.
"He may be an ass, but he knows you're the best one for the job, Shepard," Anderson said as he patted her on the shoulder. "I know you'll get the job done," finished the man proudly before turning and leaving himself, nodding to the turian on his way out.
Finally, Garrus approached the woman, his steps almost excited as he did. "Good to see you Shepard, and thank you again for having me aboard," he said with a respectful nod of his own. Then, he looked to the side briefly, his mandibles twitching. "Uhh...just so you're aware, the krogan we worked with the other day is giving C-Sec a hard time because they refused to let him up here."
Shepard raised an eyebrow as she looked at the turian. "Wrex? Why would he want to come up here?" she asked curiously.
"I can't say, Shepard. He shouted at me to...erm…'get Shepard's pyjack ass down here before I make a mess,'" he finished uneasily.
Shepard sighed and rubbed her head as she moved towards the elevator. "Alright, let's get this over with." The turian nodded and followed her down, both of them taking the elevator to the northern wing of C-Sec headquarters. As soon as the plasteel shield opened, she had to chuckle to herself as she saw Tali staring in shock nearby as the krogan growled menacingly at the men and women of C-Sec surrounding him. The reaction to her stepping off the elevator was startling to her. For so long in her life, her work had been secretive, kept in the dark and classified. She was known in the Alliance for her exemplary work and training of special forces soldiers, but everything else was only speculation, which got her eager salutes and rapid handshakes from those who had heard of her.
But when she stepped towards the small crowd, instead of telling her to stay back, the C-Sec officers parted the way for her, almost biblically so. Each of them had a look of awe on their face as she passed, holding their hands up as if she was untouchable. Their compliance in allowing her through was extremely uncomfortable. However, when she finally stepped up to the krogan, he focused his blood red stare on her. "Shepard."
"Wrex," she responded with a glare. Lashing out, she punched him again. His head snapped to the side, getting a gasp from the audience at the action.
But Wrex turned to her with a smirk on his scaly lips. Jerking forward, he slammed his plated head into her forehead, causing her to stumble back and groan in pain. Immediately, every officer around drew their weapons and aimed at the chuckling krogan. "Your head's pretty hard, Shepard. That normally knocks a human out."
"I've been told I have a thick skull," she responded as she shook the pain away and stared at him, raising her hands to make the officers lower their guns. "Care to explain why you're making an idiot of yourself?"
"All I wanted to do was go up to the dock so I could talk to you. But they made a big deal out of it, saying that I wasn't allowed up there because I didn't have clearance. So, I punched the guy and they got all offended…" he growled as he stared at the human with a fat lip. "C-Sec is always so eager to resort to violence," the krogan said sarcastically.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked impatiently.
He lowered his arms and stared at her. "I have a lot of respect for you, Shepard. You helped me do my job, and you had a big enough quad to hit me for breaking our deal. Even these sacks of varren piss didn't dare touch me, and it's their damn job," he said as he glared at the officers around him. "So, now that you're doing your own private thing away from the Citadel, C-Sec, and the Alliance, I wanted to request to go with you."
She stared at him oddly for a moment. "But, aren't you a mercenary? Why would you want to go onto a ship where you have to follow rules?"
"As I said Shepard, it's about respect. You can take as much as you give, and more. You've proven yourself, so I have no problems following your rules," he said as he once again stared at the officers around him. "If any one of these cowards did what you did in Chora's Den, I might actually abide by their rules."
Shepard stood stock still for a moment, staring at Wrex with a contemplative stare before Garrus spoke up to her. "Shepard, you can't seriously be considering taking a krogan aboard the Normandy…"
"You fine sharing a room?" asked the commander curiously.
"I don't mind, but I snore," he said with a chuckle.
"Alright, let's go," she ordered before turning to the elevator, motioning for Tali to follow on the way. Garrus sighed and shook his head in dismay. The krogan smirked and walked past the officers, eyeing them with a predator-like gaze. As he passed the one he had punched earlier, he jerked forward as if he was going to hit the man again, and the man fell backwards in reaction. Wrex chuckled as he finally walked towards the elevator with the rest of C-Sec glaring at him.
Combat Information Center - SSV Normandy SR1
As she entered the ship through the main airlock, she was immediately greeted by Joker. "Hey Commander, remember when I said Spectres are trouble?" he asked, getting a nod from her as she turned to the cockpit. "You're the exception," he said with a grin as his chair spun towards her so that he could talk to her face to face.
"You may change your mind in a few seconds," she said with a smirk. As Garrus walked onboard the ship, the pilot eyed him curiously. But when the krogan stepped onto the deck, Joker went wide-eyed in shock.
Waiting until the giant, armored figure walked out of hearing range, he finally spoke to her in a hushed whisper. "See this?" he asked, holding up his hands as if he were holding a piece of paper. "This is me taking back what I just said up!" he said as he pretended to tear the invisible parchment to pieces.
Shepard chuckled as she leaned against the doorway to the cockpit. "Told you," she said in a friendly tone. "Still wanna stay aboard?"
Finally, Joker just shrugged. "Hey, as long as he isn't wanting to pilot, it's whatever. Having a living battering ram might come in handy," he said as he turned back to the pilot controls. "I'd never give up this baby. She's the best ship in the Alliance Fleet," he said, then turned to her with a grin. "Besides, we also get our own parking space. And that's a luxury worth bunking with a thousand krogan," he said as he turned back to the controls. "We're ready to go whenever you are, Commander."
"Give me a minute. I want to get a feel of the crew first," she remarked as she turned away from the cockpit with a wave. As she stepped into the CIC, the main combat center of the whole ship, she saw a familiar face step up to her immediately.
"Commander!" greeted the man as he stood straight. But he relaxed when she dismissed the gesture with a hand wave.
"You can call me Commander if you like, but I'm no longer Alliance affiliated. So, no need for formality," she said as she crossed her arms staring at him curiously. "Pressley, right?"
"Charles Pressley at your service, Shepard," he said eagerly as he straightened himself proudly. "The best navigator in the Alliance!" he claimed, before shrinking slightly, "Or so I'm told. In any case, if anyone is going to take over the Normandy for Captain Anderson, I'm glad it's you. Though…" he said slightly quieter as Tali passed. "I'm not so sure about having non-humans on the ship…"
She sighed at the statement, realizing that Williams wasn't the only one with reservations on the other species of the galaxy. "We're all on the same team here Pressley."
"With all due respect sir, that's what they said about Nihlus. And look how that turned out," he said as he gazed back at her passively.
"Nihlus was betrayed by another Spectre," she said before tightening her crossed arms. "Speak freely Pressley, I want to know if you have a problem with non-humans."
The balding man shook his head. "It's not that Commander. Humanity has always handled its own problems. Saren attacked one of our colonies, so we should be the ones to stop him. We don't need their help," he said defensively.
"Turians are no different than humanity in regard to its wants and needs Pressley. They were just as betrayed as we were when one of their Spectres were killed by this traitor, and them offering help is them wanting to help us take him out. And on top of that, Saren isn't just a threat to humanity, he's a threat to every species in the galaxy. Turning away their help over human pride would be idiocy via hubris," she said firmly.
He sighed and nodded. "I guess so. Maybe I'm just stuck in the old ways of thinking. But don't worry Commander. This won't be a problem," he said as he straightened again. "You're the boss, and I'll work with whoever you tell me to."
She sighed again, knowing that he was missing the point. But she had more people to meet before they left. "Alright Pressley. I still want to talk about this later, but for now you're my XO. And I expect you to treat all of the crew equally."
"Understood, Shepard!" he said, turning back to his console as she stepped away from the CIC and down the stairs into the mess hall. Both Williams and Alenko were here, chatting amiably at one of the tables set up in the area. But her attention was immediately grabbed by a curious figure sitting by himself and eating what looked like an MRE. He was salarian, and his skin was as dark as ebony. And despite his voluminous eyes having no pupils, she could tell that he was staring at her as well.
Moving over to the table, she sat down and looked at him. "I'm Jane Shepard-" she started, but was cut off immediately.
"I know who you are, Commander. It'd be very odd for the Council to send me to gauge a potential Spectre candidate without sending me everything they have on you," he said in a fast clip as he set his meal down.
She smirked at his attitude. He obviously wasn't pleased to be here, but was ordered by the Council, so he had no choice. "So, Spectre, what do I call you?" she asked curiously as she rested her elbows on the table.
"I suppose if we are to be associates, exchanging identities would be efficient," he said as he leaned forward slightly. "My full names is Lanis Tol Vura Vassos Zellin Casso. Most who I speak with just call me Zellin, so you may as well."
"Alright Zellin, what's your specialty?" she asked curiously. Despite everyone's drive to be good at everything, all special ops soldiers had specialties. And she was betting that spectres were no different.
He stared at her for a moment before tapping the table impatiently. "Just because we work together does not mean we have to be friends, Shepard. I examine your capabilities; you try to impress me. That is to be the extent of our relationship."
She smirked at the fellow spectre and shrugged. "Alright. Then is there anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable?" she asked as she stood up.
"A heater would be a pleasant addition," he said as he stared up at her with his large eyes, getting a curious look back from her. "I know of your studies into turian and asari cultures and biology. And I respect your eagerness to learn about new cultures, so remember this. Salarians are easily bothered by temperature. When it gets too cold, around ten degrees by your human Celsius scale, then our bodies begin to shut down and go into hibernation. We become sluggish and our psyche is out of sorts. However, we are high function creatures in heat. So, I would like something to help keep the chill of the cabin out."
She nodded with her arms akimbo. "Easy enough. Anything else?"
"I highly doubt you would be able to get a heated pool onto the ship, so I'll leave it at that," he said as he picked up his meal again. "Now, I wish to finish my food in peace. Please leave me be," he requested as he began eating again.
She turned away from the man with a head shake as she gave both of the human soldiers a nod and decided to head down to the cargo bay. In her contract, there was a list of personnel that told her she had a requisitions officer on board. So, she'd have to establish a connection with him as well as engineering. Hopping onto the elevator, she slowly descended into the depths of the ship.
After a slow ride down, she stepped off and found her rec officer checking cargo containers on his datapad. Stepping over, she noticed that he still had his Alliance ACUs on with a matching cap. "Hey, you the supply chief?" she asked curiously as she stepped up to the shorter figure.
Looking up, he smirked at her from underneath his cap and lowered the datapad. "Well well, Commander Shepard! Long time no see!" he said happily as he stepped up to her.
She eyed him in shock for a moment before the realization of who he was slammed her in the face. "Corporal Tyson?" she asked incredulously.
"It's actually Service Chief Tyson now. Then again, considering I'm working with you, I suppose it's just Chris," he said with a smile.
"I haven't seen you since Amaterasu! Where have you been?" she asked as she stepped closer, a smile growing on her face at seeing her former trooper again.
"Well, after all that went down, I kinda had issues. Seeing all those bodies and seeing that man die...it affected me pretty hard. So, I requested a post away from front lines. It turns out they had an opening for a supply logistics specialist. I applied, and Command agreed, so they switched me over. Ever since, I've been in logistics and supply," he said as he patted the crate next to him.
"Very nice," she responded, scratching her chin in thought. "So, your role here is…?"
"Anything you need to order, I'm your man. Weapons, armor, food, water, booze, fuel…" he said, then stepped closer so the others in the area couldn't hear. "Even if you're looking for company, my wife knows a few gents who'd jump at the chance with a hero like you," he said with a grin.
"Very funny, Tyson," she said with a smirk. Unfolding her arms, she put her hands on her hips. "It'll be handy to have a delivery crew like that aboard."
He nodded, "Yes it will. Jokes aside, I was serious about the other stuff though. I've got a few licenses outside of your normal buying markets so I can get you good stuff. However, it's a bit more expensive, and usually for a reason," he said shrugging.
"So, I have to pay for all the imports?" she asked curiously. She wasn't against it but thought that the Council would cover most costs.
"According to what I was told, Spectres get budgets they can work with. The budget depends on the Spectre of course. But most Spectres work alone and fly their own ship, so they get a cheaper budget. You're a special case however, and your funds are enough to keep the ship, and the crew going stable. That doesn't leave much for recreation however…" he said dutifully.
"So if I want a bit extra, like better weapons and armor, then it has to come out of my own funds?" she asked, getting the gist of what he was saying.
"They said some Spectres do jobs like mercenaries for a few years before getting a budget big enough to work on their own. Some of them are already well off enough that they don't need to. So, it's really up to you how you want to go about it," he replied as he finished the work on the datapad and set it aside.
"I don't think I'll be doing that," she said with a grin. "But there are a few things I've been meaning to do that I wasn't able to during my career. We'll see if I can't get us some credits to spare."
He chuckled lightly. "Can't wait to see that, Commander. In the meantime, let me know if you need anything."
"A small heater for one of the cabins," she said immediately, getting a shocked look from him. "We have a salarian aboard, and they aren't too fond of the same temperatures us warmies are used to. So, I thought I'd make them more comfortable."
"I...I'll put it on the list," he said incredulously before picking his datapad up and tapping at it with his fingers.
Nodding, Shepard turned away from the man and entered the engine room at the back of the cargo hold. Opening the door, her eyes widened slightly at the sight of Tali surrounded by some of the engineering crew. There was an excited buzz about them as they watched her slide her alien fingers along the panels made for human hands as if she had practiced for years.
As she approached, the head engineer, Lieutenant Adams, turned and saw her. Immediately, he went stiff and shouted, "Captain on the deck!" As quick as a whip, the four other engineers did the same as Tali stared in confusion.
Shepard waved away the formalities. "At ease men. Remember, I'm not Alliance, so no salutes, no attention or at ease and all that," she said as she approached the panel. "So, care to tell me what's going on here?" she asked curiously.
Tali immediately began to shrink as Adams stepped up and showed her the display on the holographic monitor. "Your quarian friend was just tinkering with the engine's output of energy. She taught us that by adjusting the lightning arc reactor's power output to two percent lower, we get the same results and end up extending the life of the equipment that holds the core. That means maintenance won't have to change it out every month and will instead only need to replace parts every six months!" he said excitedly.
Shepard cocked an eyebrow as she looked at the quarian, who was staring at the ground and fidgeting once more. "I'm sorry Shepard, I know I shouldn't be messing with the engine on your ship. I just-" she started, but Shepard put a finger to the glowing indicator on her mask, silencing her.
"It's alright Tali. You don't have to worry about me getting angry," she said, seeing the girl calm slowly. "I'm happy that you're already contributing to the crew. Would you like a position here in engineering?" she asked as she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"R-Really? I could? You would let me?" she asked, breaking her timid appearance and becoming giddy with excitement. "I would love that Shepard! I've never had the chance to work on a ship other than...well, Fleet ships. Also, I've never seen an engine like this before, the core is massive!" she almost squealed.
"Never seen it before but you're already working to improve it. You've impressed me Tali," she said as the girl slowly started to go back to her timid nature as the compliment sunk in. "Are there any other talents I should know about?"
"Well, I'm pretty good with a shotgun and cyber engineering. So, if we run into more geth, I could be helpful on the ground," she said hopefully.
"Consider it done. If the situation calls for it, I'll bring you along," said the commander cheerily.
Tali placed her hands behind her back to hide her fidgeting once more but couldn't help but look down at her feet. "Thank you, Shepard. You don't know what it means to me to be treated as an equal member of your crew. Most humans I've met either avoided me like I was a walking petri dish, or flirted with me, hoping I'd show them what I looked like under the suit," she said with disdain.
Jane glared at the girl after her statement. "You will always be an equal to me Tali, just as long as you keep being who you are now. And if anyone tries to get into your pants again, then tell me. I've got a right hook for their jaw," she said as she clenched her fist and held it up for the young woman to see.
Tali giggled at the motion and shook her head. "It's alright Shepard. I usually just give them a zap with my omni-tool and send them running. But thank you for the offer. It would be interesting to see."
Shepard smiled at her attitude and nodded, "Alright. I've got one more group to visit before we take off. I'll see you all in the mess in a bit!" she said loudly as she headed for the elevator again.
Main Battery Control – SSV Normandy SR1
As she stepped into the main battery control that was responsible for most of the Normandy's firepower, she saw a squad of five turians all turn to her in surprise, and then stand straight before slamming their tightened fists over their heart. The highest ranking according to the pinned feathers on their collars stood closest to her. She was a tall woman with a light-grey carapace and colony markings of Galatana, making her look like she had a violet letter V painted on her face.
"Captain, we didn't expect you down here," the turian woman said as she towered over Shepard by a full head.
Shepard immediately waved off the formalities. "I understand the Hierarchy has specific regulations on formalities. But they aren't necessary here."
The turians all looked at one another and dropped their salutes. The leader stepped forward and nodded to Shepard. "I am Praetor Zannia Gavos. We were instructed to assist you in any capacity as your fire team squad."
Shepard smiled at the group and nodded. "I'm happy to have you. I hear from your reports that you're some of the best the Hierarchy has to offer." The spectre reached forward with one hand.
Gavos stared down at it, her mandibles twitching slightly before she reached forward. And the surprise on her face as Shepard clasped her wrist was easily noticeable. "You do us great honor with your words, Spectre," the turian woman said as she grasped her wrist in return.
Shepard stared at them all as she released the traditional turian greeting. "I know you aren't used to working under a human. I know that our people have a lot of vitriolic history. But I want you to know that on my ship, you are my crew and your concerns will never be dismissed because of this. We are one unit, one team, one spirit."
Once again, looks of curiosity and surprise appeared on the faces of the turians. Finally, Gavos nodded and gave what she could guess was a turian smile. "I was unsure about working under the command of a human. But if you are true to your word, Spectre, then consider those worries dissolved. It's good to serve with you."
"You as well," said the spectre with a smile as she turned and waved them off. "Prepare everything for takeoff. We're leaving soon."
CIC Galaxy Map - SSV Normandy SR1
"The mic is ready Commander," said Joker through the intercom to her station. Shepard looked over the galaxy map, her green eyes scanning the intricate details of the map while her mind raced. The key that Saren was looking for was somewhere out there, and she had to find it before he did. If not, her visions, her nightmares, would become reality.
Leaning forward on the rail of the map station, she activated the mic that opened intercom to the rest of the ship. "This is former Commander Jane Shepard, your new leader and current captain of the SSV Normandy. I want to welcome you all aboard and thank you for contributing to helping me stop a lunatic from unleashing hell upon the galaxy," she said, hardening her stare. "We know what he's after. Whatever this key is, wherever it is, we'll find it."
Tali looked up as she heard Shepard's voice, her heart slightly pounding at the excitement she felt in being included in such an important mission.
"I won't lie to you guys; this isn't going to be easy. This began with an attack on a human settlement in the Traverse. But that wasn't his first attack, and it sure as hell won't be the last. Whatever he has planned, we will be there to put him down before he can pull it off!" she snapped, getting a rousing, but not too loud cheer from the crew around her that could be heard over the intercom.
Garrus looked away from the team of turians in the gun battery and raised his head to the ceiling as he listened with the others.
"That coward knows we're coming. When we go into the Traverse, Saren's followers will be waiting for us. And who knows what they will have in store? But one thing I know for sure is that we'll be ready for them. The geth, his flunkies, all of them had better pray to whatever deities they can find. Because when we get our hands on them, it's game over," she said with a smirk.
Even Wrex had to smile at the last statement as he looked up from his current location in the armory. He was never one for speeches, but he liked the sound of this one already.
Shepard stayed silent before letting out a sigh. "We need to do this. For the sake of everyone in the galaxy. Saren is a danger to every species in Citadel Space and beyond, and he must be stopped," she said, then paused again. "He will be stopped, that I promise you," she finished, her voice much more confident than before.
As she turned the comm off, she heard the echoes of a cheer from across the ship, which in turn put a much more visible smile on her face as she pulled up the galaxy map. "Joker, take us out," she ordered as she stepped away from the map and headed to her quarters with the same glowing smile.
CODEX ENTRIES
UNE | Government | Earth
The UNE, which stands for United Nations of Earth, is a coalition of countries that was hastily put together during the First Contact War. Having realized that there is alien life, and having seen the hostility on Shanxi, the countries of Earth quickly put together a ceasefire with each other and focused on the imminent threat from space. While it is known as the United Nations of Earth, not every country signed the treaty, and a few have decided to opt out after the threat of the turians was over. Despite this, the United Nations of Earth is the largest and most powerful government body on Earth.
Heated Pool | Culture | Salarian
Salarians, being one of the only two species in the galaxy that are cold blooded, need constant and subtle heat in order to stay active. If they are exposed to temperatures less than 15 degrees Celsius, their body becomes sluggish and their mind clouded. If temperatures drop below this mark, their bodies begin to shut down and go into hibernation. Given this necessity of heat, salarians, who have never truly left the ocean from whence they were born, build small pools similar to a human hot tub that regulates their body. These pools are extremely common in salarian households all over the galaxy and are even built in public for community get togethers.