Chaprer 2
"Shepard! Scans show an unidentified object just entered the system!" Joker yelled frantically over the radio!
"Any clue if it has spotted the Normandy yet?" Jane Shepard asked. She stood roughly 5' 7", around average height. She had a body that only years of military work and good genes can give, but then again, so did a lot of women in the Alliance military. She wore the standard N7 armor with a red stripe down her right arm. Her most striking feature though was her vibrant red hair, and striking green eyes. It was no wonder that Jane was the poster girl for the Alliance for so long before her "death". It didn't hurt that she was one of the Alliances strongest biotics!
"I think they have, they're headed right for us Shep! Shit! This thing is larger then the Destiny Ascension and coming in fast! I haven't seen anyti-zzzzzzzzzzzz" The transmission cut off just like that. Great, this was supposed to be just a brief stop to check out a distress beacon coming from this planet on their way to the Citadel! Turned out to just be a trap for Batarian slavers to try and get more 'merchandise'. After Mindoir, she has always hated Batarians with a passion! Now they also have to deal with losing comms with Joker, and a mysterious ship cruising towards them fast! Shit, she zoned out and even more slavers joined in on the fire fight! Her and her team were quickly becoming outnumbered! She had brought down Miranda and Jacob in hopes of three biotics being able to crush them easy and shut down the false alarm, but there was just so many of them! She was starting to tire out and now she was worried about Joker and the Normandy.
"Sh-zz-ard, Shep-zzz, EDI, can you clean it up? Okay, Shepard can you hear me?"
"Oh thank god Joker! What's the situation up there? We might need a hot exfil!"
"Ugh, let me just say this now, cause this is friggen awesome, but yeah, I made some new friends! Look up and you'll see what I mean!" As Jane did what he said she could just barely make out a massive black shape in the cloud laden sky, and it was growing larger by the second! Just then she could spy what looked like four falling stars coming right for there position!
"Miranda, Jacob, get your heads down! We have incoming!"
Both Cerberus operatives ducked behind the sturdiest cover they could find and strengthened there barriers as much as they can. As soon as Jane tucked her head, the four objects collided with the ground right in front of her position! Even the Batarians stopped shooting and wondered what the hell they were! They looked like teeth a little bit, with the four pegs on there top looking like the roots, but she could tell they were pods. As soon as she finished that though, the side facing away from them blew open on each pod. Out of the farthest left pod came a massive gold and purple Alien that charged straight at the Pirates with what looked like blue omni-blades on each wrist, right next to it was another large alien in gold and red armor that looked just as ornate as the first alien, but this one seemed almost lizard like and let out a gutteral roar while holding what looked like a sword of bluish-purple energy in one massive four fingered fist! A insanely loud scream like wail was heard from her right as yet another unknown figure in form fitting black and red armor charged at the Pirates with an ornately carved sword along side a olive drab armored figure with what looked like an assault rifle that boomed away in its hand! The three melee weapons were just cutting through the pirates like they were made of wet tissue paper! That rifle just completely shattered there kinetic barriers like they weren't even there! It was like watching Gods of War descending on them! In a matter of seconds the four unknowns turned around and vaulted over the little cover that Shepard and her team had, the two massive aliens were just so weird! The first one didn't even have a mouth! As she was about to ask who the hell they are, a huge bolt of lighting struck the ground in the center of the pirates! Out of the smoke came a pirate flying with his chest looking like it was struck by something and just smashed!
"Damnit, why does he always have to go for the dramatic entrances!" The tall black and red armored figure, who was obviously a female based off her chest plate and body figure, huffed out over the open comm channel.
"You know how he is, he's always had a tendency to do that, it must be a human trait." The lizard that had FOUR mandibles for its mouth barked out to her left. Just then she heard a crack of thunder and what sounded like a man laughing? Peering over her cover she could see a Large Silver and gold armored figure with a fur cloak and collar swinging around a huge hammer that crackled with electricity! Every time it struck a pirate it either just caused them to explode or crushed them completely! This was an amazing sight, it even had her a little scared! The human like figure just swung around the hammer like it was a toy and was massacring them! Before she knew it, they were all dead and the figure was walking over towards them with the massive hammer just propped up on its left shoulder. The Helmet was a silver Helm with a golden visor, and the armor was mainly silver with gold highlights and edging along with carvings and motifs of what looked like wolves in it. It looked like it belonged in some sort of fantasy vid!
"Ha! That's another twenty-seven! How many did you get before I got here, brother!" joyously yelled out the approaching figure. What happened next was the strangest thing she had ever witnessed in her life! She thought he was talking to the other green armored humanoid, but the massive purple alien with no mouth RESPONDED, with telepathy! That everyone could hear!
'I only managed another nine before you crashed the party!'
"Ha! I win again, Atricor!" The big man just seemed to be a happy go lucky kinda man. It bothered her. "Agh, and you must be Shepard, I've been looking for you for quite awhile now, you wouldn't believe the things I've been hearing about you lately!" How can a man sound so happy while telling her people have been gossiping about her!
"Who is asking? We don't need some low life merc tailing us." Wow, Miranda does not seem happy about this at all. I now have her attention. Turns out, when I came to this world Shepard had just been killed by the collecters. I was not happy about that at all. No sir, I wanted to avoid that, for this reason alone. Cerberus is ran by an evil man, I did not want to be forced to deal with him in any other way then pointing a gun at him. Oh well, gotta live with what you got! So in that two year span, me and my council did everything we could to keep our existence unknown to as many people as possible. We bought out and forcibly took over a lot of the richer and big money making companies, and more or less used them as a front to hide us. I had started a "Mercenary Company" that was extremely camera shy and only did suicidal jobs, which means we could leave no witnesses for our more alien brothers and sisters. We had bought an older Alliance Cruiser to use to get around the galaxy. Now though, we're ready to enter the galactic scene. As we are sitting on this backwater planet right now, my Council of Advisers is on its way to the Citadel, aboard the Spear of Adun with the two supercarriers we possess as heavy escorts and the Infinity herself leading fifty of our largest and well armed combat ships right behind them. Each ship is outfitted with Forerunner style slipspace drives, as well as a Mass effect core just big enough in each ship to allow them to use the Mass Relays. I'm having Johnson record the whole thing for me! I wish I could see the Councilers faces when my boys roll into town! We're also keeping me a secret. To the galaxy, my Council of Advisers is the head of our people. I'll reveal myself in due time, but for now, it's best to lay low. Right now I even have my own personal fleet jumping in system behind my Flagship, Undying Loyalty, a Infinity class starship. My own fleet sounds pretty awesome, but to everyone outside of it, Rtas Vadum is the Fleetmaster, which he is, but he secretly answers to me as well. Anyways, back to what I was doing! Oh, yeah, the smoking hot bitchy lady was being an ass!
"I would watch your tongue, Lawson, before I get the need to go to Illium." I went from my happy go lucky and aloof self, to Iron Lord Mode. Oh yeah, that's my title, Lord Hood and the others agreed Iron Lord had a nice ring to it. That and I thought it sounded cool... With that part said, her eyes almost bulged out of her head and she activated her biotics in anger, as soon as she did though, my big old Lizard pal, Karn, and my blood brother Atricor, both had there blades to her throat as my Eldar companion, Leanne had her sword positioned across Jacobs throat, and Michael had his M6D at his temple ready to fire. Shepard looked surprised, she didn't even see them move, and none of them targeted her. She did notice, however, that the man in front of her kept his helmeted gaze on her the entire time.
"Okay! Time to calm down, Lawson, watch your mouth around people, don't piss off the man with a giant hammer. And why did you guys go after Jacob? He didn't even twitch!"
"Meh, he looked like the kind to play hero." Spoke the woman in armor, nonchalantly.
"Guys, come back and sit down for a second, we need to have a chat with the Commander." I ordered, still in Iron Lord mode. I was not about to ease up the tension yet now that the two Cerberus members know what can happen to the at the drop of a hat.
"Joker, you getting this?" asked Jane on the comms.
"Ugh, yeah boss lady, and you're not going to believe what is up here!" Joker sounded like he was gob-smacked. Which he probably was guessing with whats probably up there with him right now.
"You should tell your pilot to send a shuttle to us, and then dock with my ship." I feel like I should at least tell Shepard what I really am. As my squad finds places to rest close by, Shepard has Joker do just that. She turns towards me after he responds to her.
"He wants to know which one is yours?..." She is clearly confused by what she heard him say, whatever it was. I wasn't paying attention to her conversation. My bad...
"It's the big one, I'll contact the Fleetmaster and tell him to meet him at hanger six. Tell him to go with him to the Bridge and await our arrival." With that said I go to contact Rtas. "Fleetmaster Rtas, can you hear me?"
"Yes, Iron Lord, what would you have me do?"
"Please, Rtas, this is a private channel, its just Johnny or John when we're not around any of the others, and go to Hanger six of the Undying Loyalty to meet a guest. He's a very frail human, so he's going to be slow. But he is one of the best pilots there is here. And don't let anyone off that ship besides him!"
"I will see to it at once." Rtas was a very loyal man... Lizard... well just go with man. If you prove to him you have what it takes to lead and you have personal strength and honor, he will follow you to the end of the Universe. "Lenny, you get all that? Make sure nothing try's to scan the ship, and do play nice with EDI, she is a guest as well."
"You got it big man!" Lenny is my ships main AI. He's modeled after an old cowboy, and acts much the same as Roland on the Infinity. I like it, it adds a bit of relaxation to my day. As I was finishing all that up, Shepard's Shuttle descends towards us to pick us up.
"Huh, maybe I should have called for a Pelican, this is going to be a tight ride." And a tight ride it was, between three fully armored beings over 2 and a half meters tall, and another one that was just barely shorter, plus Shepards' crew, it was cramped! After a fifteen minute flight, we finally landed inside hangar six, next to the Normandy, when we stepped out, Shepard and co eyes were wide open in shock, the Hanger I had picked was one that could fit my personal frigate in, plus some, in fact, it was my personal hangar for the ship, ha!
"How big is this ship?" Jacob breathed out while looking around at all the different species running around the hangar doing there jobs.
"5.7 kilometers if you want to be exactly on the dot." Spoke Lenny from a terminal a few feet away. Shepard and her crew jumped and drew there weapons out. Before they could do anything, I drew Last Word and leveled it at Shepard's head. She was looked down the sights of her rifle and at me at the same time with a questioning glare.
"Yes, my ship has a fully functional AI, in fact, it has three. I do not take threats to my people or my ships lightly, Shepard, and you just threatened both in one go."
"AI's are illegal all across the galaxy!" Miranda all but screamed out.
"Is that why your very ship has one? It is primitive yes, but with enough work, it can be as functional as our own. Lower your weapons, or you will be killed!" I yelled out angrily, no one, and I mean no one threatens my people! Shepard was the first to see sense, and lowered her rifle. "Jacob, Miranda, go back to the ship, and wait for me there."
"But Shepard, I sho-"
"Now, Miranda, that's an order!" With a solemn look, Jacob and Miranda both went back to the Normandy, looking like two kids that just got berated by there mother.
"Finally, they're gone, come on Commander, I'll take you to the bridge." Looking at my team next,
"You guys are dismissed, I'll call for you when I need you." With a nod of there heads, they all go off there separate ways.
"Is this ship really that big? How do you have enough eezo to make a corp big enough to power this!?"
"It doesn't use eezo as a power source, there's just enough to use the relay system when it's needed, though. The Undying and all the ships under my command use either nuclear power reactors or there own races version of it to power it."
"But, how? Everything is eezo powered, everything!" Shepard was confused completely by what she had just been told! A ship that isn't ran by an eezo core? Unthinkable! Chuckling to myself, I can't help but find her reaction funny! "I assure you, It's possible, now, i'm sure you have questions about my Friends, no?"
"Yes, what are they? I've never met either of those two species before!"
"Three, the woman, she wasn't human either. But to answer your question, The mouthless ones are called the Protoss, they feed off light, and communicate telepathically. They have a strong Psionic power in each of them, in fact those blades of his are pure Psionic energy, and Psionic energy is sort of like your Biotics as in they can physically manifest a piece of there power. Like you can your barriers, they can make those blades and more or less shoot lighting. The bulkier ones, are called Sangheili. They are a proud warrior race! Each and every one is trained from a young age to be the most effective fighter they can ever be, even the females. As they get older, nowadays, the also can choose a 'path' to follow. That leads us to the Eldar, the woman with my team is in an Eldar. They resemble humans very closely. They also remind me of the old legend of elves! Normally, they are larger then humans, the shortest Eldar I've ever seen was around two and a quarter meters tall. All three of them live extremely long lives, the elder able to go on to tens of thousands of years. The Sangheili are able to make it to a couple hundred easily, and the Protoss, well I've yet to hear of one dying of old age!"
"That is almost unbelievable!" Shepard was absolutely enthralled by this! Each of those species can live so long it was amazing! "Well what about the ones in the hangar? Are you and the others just as human as I am as well?"
"Far from it commander, our oldest one human is Ambassador Clayton! He's at a ripe old age of two hundred and twelve! To answer your questions about the hangar species as well, the little ones with tanks on there backs are call Unggoy, they breath methane, hence the tanks. They only reach around 1.52 meters. They aren't the smartest, but they do enjoy working and for some odd reason pleasing the higher races. The floating purple ones are called Huragok, they don't care about anything but fixing and upgrading tech, and they don't seem to age at all. At least, not to what anyone else can tell!"
"All of you work together? What about those big worm like ones with the blue armor and spikes?" Agh, yes, I forgot that the Mgalekgolo have made themselves guardians of the ships.
"Those are called Mgalekgolo, or Hunters for short. They are actually colonies of little worms that the more of them are together, the smarter they get. Each Hunter comes with a 'bondmate', or what we guess is the other half of the colony. They are our Shock troops as well as ever vigilant guardians!" Shepard was absolutely perplexed as we neared the Bridge.
"Once we get in there, you're going to meet a few of my most trusted people, please play nice, a couple of them are very aggressive sometimes!" I couldn't help but grin at Shepard when she paled as the doors opened. The Bridge as always was bustling with activity. People running this way and that delivering and filing reports, and making sure the ship is in tip top shape as well as the fleet.
"Iron Lord, Admiral Hood is trying to reach you on the comms, should I patch him though?" Asked a young Ensign standing by the Holotable.
"Well of course, put him on!" I happily rattled off as I walk up to stand next to Jim and Rtas. The two were arguing as always...
"I'm tellin ya, Rtas, The Ravens are going to win the tournament this year!"
"They most absolutely will not! The Guardians will take the lead, human!"
"Are you to seriously arguing over Grif-ball?" These two are my closest military advisors along side Johnson, but he's leading the security detail with the Council of Advisors at the Citadel. The three always got into arguments over either sports or game shows that the Allied Species put on for entertainment when we finally got organized as a Nation.
"Ah, Johnny, you're here buddy! It's about time, I though I was going to have to become the next Iron Lord if you didn't show up!" Jim was always in a good mood now that Sarah was completely free of the Zerg, it did wonders for his health.
"As if you could take the mantle, it would be I that would replace him!" Rtas had gotten married not even 8 months ago to a commoner Sangheili female, but she had turned the gruff and short tempered war veteran into the pleasing and fun person currently in front of me.
"I am not going anywhere for awhile you two ass-holes!" I say in good spirit.
"Sir, I have Admiral Hood on the line, He does not seem happy at all!" The same Ensign from earlier told me, I'll have to keep an eye on the young man, he always performs his job well.
"Alright, Lenny, bring Hood up at the table please." Just as I said that, a life size bust of the man appeared in the center of the table.
"Iron Lord, we have a bit of a problem." He spoke bluntly. I always like that about him.
"What's wrong? Did you make it to the Citadel Council alright?" I was kind of worried, with Hood on the job, we never had problems, and with all four of the Council there, we definitely should not be having any problems what-so-ever!
"The Citadel Council, is wanting to declare war on us, or have us destroy all AI and hand over our Technology, Artanis had to physically hold back Thel when the Turian Councilor declared us liars." That, was not good...
-An hour Earlier-
'Coming out of Slipspace in 5...4...3...2...1...Exiting now' Spoke the Navigations officer on board the Spear of Adun. Admiral Lord Terrance Hood had lived through all the horrors of the Human-Covenant War, but he still would rather deal with that then the politicians and political hell storm he had just ignited by showing up with these massive ships of war and a fleet ready for a fight. Immediately he could see the many ships of the Citadel Fleet scrambling to get between his fleet and the Citadel itself.
'Prelate Ecarion, send a message of peace on all comm bands, I want them to know we mean no harm, yet' Spoke the giant of a Protoss next to Hood. Artanis was absolutely enormous, even among his brethren!
"It's about damn time we make it hear, I was worried we had gotten lost!" Grumbled Sgt Major Avery Johnson, he was the acting head of security for this diplomatic mission. Hood and Thel could not help but chuckle at his gruff attitude towards all this.
"You and me both, Human, I personally want to get this done and get back to my personal projects." Agh yes, the Phoenix Lord himself reminds everyone he was here, Maugen Ra matched Johnson pretty well with his attitude, at least compared to other Eldar!
'Lord Hood, they have responded and asked to send an unarmed emissary ship to follow there vessel to a docking point.'
"Inform them we do not have any unarmed vessels, we will take one of our Frigates to the meeting place. Come Council, to the Midsummer's Night." They'll take the smallest ship that came along for the journey. Even then it was larger then some of there "cruisers". It could probably outmatch there so called mighty Dreadnoughts as well. After a few minutes of taxing the frigate into the docking bay. The council prepared to leave the ship.
"Alright, alright, you all know the drill, stay behind me and in between the honor guards." Johnson said almost sounding bored with this. Hood couldn't blame him. The Honor Guard Consisted of two Golden armored Sangheili with there high crested helmets and extremely ornate armor, two gold Hunters, which were just absolutely titanic now due to age and there colonies growing in size, they were there for extra protection and intimidation. There was also two silver armored Marines in the Terran Powered Armor, behind all them was a pair of Protoss Storm Callers in there gold armor and robes, and following them all was a pair of Eldar Autarchs. Each honor Guard member was actually a high ranking member of the military. The Two marines were both Sgt Majors, The Hunters were the oldest Bond Brothers they had, the Protoss Storm Callers were with Artanis since the beginning, the Sangheili were both Field Marshals, and the Eldars were both thousands of years old, and considered just underneath the Phoenix Lord himself! Johnson was at the front of the procession in a modified Mjolnir/ODST armor set plated in chrome to add to the Regal effect of the Guard. The Counselors themselves were each wearing there best! Artanis in his white and gold armor, Thel in his bronze and silver Arbiter armor, Hood in his freshly pressed and fitted dress uniform, even Maugen Ra had put on a set of silver and gold armor and robes! As they marched forwards, a shaking c-sec officer stepped out in front of them.
"I-i-i-im sor-r-ry, but you'll ha-v-v-v-e to leave your weapons." Hood had to give the young man credit, even he didn't know how he would react to all this. With the officers words though, The Honor Guard readied their weapons! The Hunters charged their Cannons, the Eldars started gathering warp energy, the Protoss started crackling with Psionic lightning, the Sangheili lowered their pikes, and Johnson and the Marines cocked there rifles and shotgun, respectively. In the midst of all this, the Counselors weren't even fazed as the on looking civilians started yelling and the scared C-sec officers drew there weapons! Hood was honestly getting a little excited at this, finally, some action, as unwanted as it was.
"Wait! Wait! Officers lower your weapons! Good people, there is no need to raise such weapons against anyone here, you will be safe without them!" Came the frantic voice of an Asari. The Iron Lord had informed them of all the council races and what there purposes and uses were. The Asari were the longest living, and the politicians of the galaxy. He guessed that this was the Councilor Tevos, based off the pictures he had been provided. Pushing Johnson aside, Hood stepped forward.
"I'm afraid my men can not do that, Councilor. As you can see, they took offence to that, and we will not be without protection in unknown territory." Hood spoke confidently.
"I assure you, good sir that C-sec is more then capable of protecting you in any event! There is no need for such hostility!" She was taken back a bit at being identified so quickly as a councilor
"Either way, we will not part with our weapons for multiple reasons, so they either join us, or we walk right now and leave." Hood was not going to budge, his two marines walked forward to flank him along with Johnson.
After a long pause, with a thinking pose on her face, Tevos came to an inner agreement with herself, "As you wish sir, they can accompany you into the chamber, but please, walk with me." She gestured invitingly towards a massive building on the other side of a grass and fountain filled lawn. Hood nodded and looked at the other Councilors who joined him in walking along side Tevos towards the Citadel Council building. Inside, Hood could see that the stands surrounding the council chamber were packed full with Species of every kind and what he guessed were news cameras everywhere. He also noticed the council members on the raised dias. He did not like the though of them looking down on him and his allies. Looking back towards the Hunter pair he motioned them forward. Tevos stood off to the side curiously watching the pair as Hood pointed towards himself and his allies and then at the raised dias that the rest of the Citadel council was on. Nodding there great heads, the enormous creatures reached out there shield arms and let the Council of the Assembly members climb on top of them so they would be level with there Citadel counter parts.
"A cheap trick having a higher position councilors, good thing my boys care about me." Hood rattled off with dry humor in his voice. As Tevos took her position back next to her cohorts she decided she should introduce each other.
"We do not intend it to insult, good sir, but please, we should exchange names, and proceed with these peace talks." She motions to her right to the Human to start.
"I am Councilor Anderson, former Captain of the Alliance navy. It is a pleasure to meet you all." Anderson says with honesty and warmth, and a genuine smile on his face. Always like the guy!
"I am the Turian Councilor Sparatus." The Turian speaks quickly and with an air of dismissal in his voice and stance.
"As I am sure you guessed, I am the Asari Councilor Tevos, like Councilor Anderson stated earlier, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Tevos introduces herself with that ever present smile on her face.
"I am the Salarian Councilor Valern, pleasure to meet you." Rattled off the Gecko.
"The pleasure is ours Councilors, I will allow my fellows to introduce themselves." Pointing to his left, Maegan was on the far end and had to start.
"I am Phoenix Lord Maugen Ra, I lead the Eldar people." Standing straight with his head held high, Maugen does look every bit a lord. Next up is Artanis.
'I am Hierarch Artanis, of the Protoss people.' With there weird thought speech, everyone starts clamoring and talking, which quickly becomes a roar in the chamber.
"Order, Order! Silence everyone please!" Tevos manages to take control back and hush the crowd, motioning towards Hood, "Please, continue." Hood looks to his right, where the Arbiter stands.
"I am Arbiter Thel Vadam, former Surpreme Commander of the Covenant. I lead what remains of the Species of the Covenant and the Sangheili!" Thel spoke with absolute authority in his proud voice. Hood could not blame him for it.
"Finally, I am Admiral Lord Hood, I lead the Human faction of the Assembly." With that said, an uproar began in the crowd again! The Asari councilor was forced to remove all but a few of the watchers this time.
"What do you mean Human, Lord Hood? Are you not part of the Alliance?" Asked Valern.
"No, I am not, in fact, we are almost an entirely different breed of humans."
"What do you mean by that?" Asked Tevos, but before Hood could respond, Sparatus, interrupts him.
"Surely you don't believe they came with peace in there hearts, Tevos, have you seen that giant ship they parked right outside the citadel!? They didn't even come unarmed!"
"Sparatus was it? Hmm I had hear your people were honorable warriors, but now all I am seeing is a sniveling wretch!" Barked out Thel. With no way to hide his surprise at the accusation, Sparatus physically recoiled at his words!
"Come now, Arbiter, let them speak, they're just scared." Piped up a voice from Admiral Hoods communicator. He lifted his arm to the wrist mounted device and pressed a button, and out popped the AI Roland.
"Roland? Why are you listening in on these talks?" Asked Hood curiously.
"What is that!? Is that an AI? Lord Hood, I demand you destroy that abomination this instant! We have out-lawed AI's in the whole of the Citadel space!" Sparatus demanded, expecting his words to be followed.
"We do not take orders from you, Sparatus!" Spat out Thel in response.
"If you do not destroy it, we will have no choice but to forcibly remove it and do it ourselves!" At those words, the Hunter pair pulled back there arms and cradled there cargo and raised there other arms and started charging up there cannons! The Sangheili roared in outrage as the rest of the guard made themselves ready to take action!
"Councilors! Wait, please there is no reason for this action!" Anderson was trying his best to calm down both parties. Sparatus had pulled his own pistol out of somewhere and Valern had readied his Omni-tool. While this was going on, Hood thought it would be a good idea to contact the Iron Lord.
"Helmsman! Set a Rendezvous with the Council of the Assemblies fleet at the Citadel! Make all haste now! Rtas, as soon as we get there, return to your ship and take command of the combined fleet! Bring all ships to high alert and make sure all weapons are primed and ready! I also want a hot Exfil prepped and ready for me and the council when you get there!" I angrily barked orders to my Fleetmaster.
"For you when we get there? Are you not traveling with us?" Curiously asked Rtas.
"No, I'm going to see if I can transmat to Hoods position," Storming away, I was vaguely aware that Shepard had turned to follow me.
"What do you mean by transmat?" She asked fast. All she knows right now is she is technically on an enemy vessel, with what would appear to be the head of said enemy storming down a hall right in front of her!
"Sparky, you're up, we've never tried one of this distance before, but don't fail me buddy, and I mean I'm going there right now before anything escalates without my presence!" Holding out my hand, my old Ghost, Sparky, comes to life in my hand.
You got it, Guardian, lets do this!
"I suggest you grab on now or you'll arrive after me with the rest of the fleet!" Just as Jane touches his arm, they both start to glow and what looks like pixels starts floating off of them. With a sudden woosh the next thing Jane knows, she's stumbling backwards from the angry man and lands on her but confused about what just happened. I ready myself and prepare to slam my hammer down. No one has noticed my presence behind the Citadel Council yet, but in a few seconds they're going to! I get ready to yell out over the yelling of the councilors on both sides.
"Enough!" With that one word I slam the end of the shaft of my hammer on the platform next to my feet, and a shockwave of Arc energy rushes out in all directions and temporarily stuns all electronics in the immediate vicinity! With a start, everyone quiets down quickly and all eyes turn around to view the site of a tall man in resplendent silver and gold armor with wolf motifs carved into it. I seem like an Avatar of Anger with the Solar flames licking the edges of my armor and fur collar and cape.
"Councilors of the Citadel, I present to you the leader of our Assembly, Iron Lord John Marcus!" Hood yells to the hushed crowd that had gathered in the chamber.
"I did not want to have to reveal myself so soon but you have forced my hand Councilors! I had heard great things about you all, I did not expect for it to come to me having to become a part of what I trusted to my Advisers!" I sound absolutely furious, and to add more to my effect, I crank up the Solar power around me a bit more till the flames are actually roaring out behind me! God this feels awesome! I think Sparatus just shit his pants! Ha!
"We are terribly sorry, Iron Lord, it is just a big misunderstanding with what Sparatus has declared with what we actually can and can not do!" Anderson was the only one brave enough to approach me and try to tell me what is happening. My Council is letting this play out it seems. I look over towards Anderson and give him my reply.
"Fair enough Councilor, but I do want to hear why Roland interrupted this meeting." As I say that I look over at Hood, with Roland still on his wrist.
"Okay, well first things first, your Fleet had shown up and asked for an update, I told Rtas you had it under control but he is still sending your ship to sit right above us anyways, and secondly," Roland starts looking at Valern, "It'd be nice if you're people stop trying to hack our ships and comm lines Councilor." Roland stated with a smile. I look over at the Salarion.
"You had better do what he asked or we will have issues." And without missing a beat, the Undying Loyalty comes into sight through the massive window to our backs. "Now, Councilors," I huff out while reaching up towards my helmet, "What do you say we continue these peace talks?" As I finish that sentence, I pull my Helm off and set in on the pommel of the hammer since it is now standing upside down next to me. To finish it off I give the Council a warm smile, "I do believe Councilor Sparatus will need to change his breeches first though!" At that, Anderson and I both start chuckling. Did I mention I really liked that guy?