Chapter 36
"This is a disaster." Sparatus slammed his datapad in the center of the Council room's table.
The Admiral Board of Parliment, every last flight admiral in Vancouver, stood around the table still blinking sleep from their eyes. Sparatus, Ilk, and Tevos faced them across the glass table. From the head of the table, Shepard had a good view of both sides. She leaned forward on the table and stray strands of burned hair escaped the bun knotted at the back of her head.
"Councilor Mason - put him under house arrest, not in a detention cell," Shepard said.
"We're not talking about him right now." Ilk raised a hand. "The Summit's set to open in eight hours."
"Postpone it," Kaidan said. He stood in the back of the room against the wall. It was the first thing he'd said in the last hour of the Council-Alliance bickering. All the blaming, panicking, and finger pointing was growing old.
"Impossible!" Ilk snapped. "It's all arranged. Been arranged for over a year. Why should any of this change that?"
"This is the biggest scandal in Alliance history," Flight Admiral Sheng said.
"The media fallout ..." Flight Admiral Montgomery shook her head. "Twenty-four hours and this hits all the news stations."
"The start of the Summit will wash it out," Sparatus said. "Going ahead shows strength. Terra Firma's plans have been exposed, leaders removed. We've won, haven't we?"
"Agreed," Tevos said. "Continuing undaunted shows that we are above it. It focuses the attention back to the real issues, not Terra Firma's cause."
"Or draws the attention to their cause instead of focusing on the real issues," Kaidan said.
The admirals turned in on each other arguing. It was a huge embarrassment. Even now, they were still analyzing all the plans and information from the chip. Shepard caught Kaidan's eye, but he looked down at the datapad in his hand.
"The Summit will go on," Sparatus said finally. "This is not a decision the Alliance has any say in."
"What about subduing the rest of Terra Firma?" Tevos looked to Shepard.
"From the chip, we know their targets - the nuclear power center in north Vancouver and the Comm Hubb downtown. At 1800 tonight, they'll be centralizing to strike. We'll be ready."
"When Councilor Mason doesn't appear at the opening ceremony, they'll be talk," Sheng said.
"His son died. No one needs to know more for now," Montgomery said.
"The death of his son though …" Flight Admiral Abadi said. "That has to raise some alarms for Terra Firma."
"As far as we know," Shepard said. "No one in Terra Firma knew he or Flight Admiral Dumas were Terra Firma leaders."
"Let alone that their Scorpion was Lieutenant Mason," Tevos said.
The admirals stirred across the table.
"Not proven!" Montgomery said.
"All but proven," Ilk said. "His involvement is extensive from those files on the chip. It fits. The Spectres believed the Scorpion would be a biotic, someone set to be onstage in opening ceremonies. Not a long list. His relationship with the Alliance and Council, the terror attacks mirroring his deployments. A personal grudge for his mother's death – possible motive for using the Normandy to target petty mercs. It makes sense."
"And Councilor Mason? Science Officer Alicia Mason?" Abadi said.
"Alicia Mason was on duty at the Veteran's hospital all evening," Tevos said. "It's been confirmed by witnesses and video surveillance. We released her after questioning. The Councilor, unfortunately, was home alone."
"He wasn't at the meeting we broke up," Shepard said. "That's not proof he's not involved?"
"Perhaps he hadn't arrived yet. Maybe he'd left already. He could have been on speaker phone," Sparatus said. "We've no way of knowing since everyone's dead."
He gave Shepard a pointed look.
"I offered arrest," Shepard said.
"I don't believe Councilor Mason's involved," Tevos said. "It's just a precaution until we've investigated." She leaned forward catching Sparatus's eye and then Ilk's. They nodded, and Tevos turned back to Shepard. "We should have an alternate take his place. Shepard?"
Shepard shrugged. "By all means, have all alternate."
"You, Shepard," Tevos said.
The Alliance heads snapped her direction, and she could feel Kaidan's eyes weighing on her from the back of the room, but she pressed on unfazed.
"As everything sits now," Shepard said. "We have no reason to think Anthony Barrus planned any further communication before the strike. As Long as Terra Firma isn't alerted to what happened here, they'll prepare for the strike. We'll be there to collect them. It's a lot cleaner, and we get all of them in one swoop. We go for them now, root around through the city, they'll escape and civilians will get hurt."
"Shepard?" Tevos asked again.
Shepard only glanced briefly at her before continuing. "We need Alliance troops, C-Sec, Spectres. The Scorpion and Alliance moles are removed, but we take out all their best people that they've gathered right here, all their other leaders - Terra Firma as a threat will be essentially eliminated. The relay will be back up, and we'll be in the clear."
"If the relay can even be repaired," Sparatus said.
"We've plans for another shard from an Arcturus relay," Montgomery said.
"What?" Ilk said. "You must approve this with the Council. Deactivate an active relay? That's permanent."
"We know the gravity of it," Sheng said.
"That's a Council, not an Alliance, decision," Sparatus fumed.
"Agreed," Tevos said.
"We can talk about that later," Shepard put her hands up. "Admirals, Councilors - do we have the resources for the strike tomorrow?"
"Of course," Sheng said. "Admiral Hart has been drawing up a plan for the HUB and nuclear centers."
"Those bombs are both diffused?" Flight Admiral Hart finally spoke for the first time.
"Shepard's team secured them. They're already disarmed," Montgomery said.
"We're missing the nuclear bomb," Shepard said.
"We don't know it even came into the city," Montgomery said. "If they planned to use it in their attacks, it would have been with the others."
"It's still missing," Shepard said.
"And we'll find it eventually as we continue to raid Terra Firma facilities," Hart said. "It's a massive warhead. Even Terra Firma doesn't want to use it, apparently. It's more valuable as a threat than anything real."
Shepard pursed her lips and looked around the nodding heads.
"The plans so far …" Hart stood up.
Shepard wandered away from the table. The attack plans grew heated before Hart was through his first step. Sparatus talked overtop him, and Montgomery flew around the table to get in Spartaus's face.
"Spectres should direct the assaults," Tevos agreed.
"We're not having Alliance troops directed by turien Spectres." Sheng came up beside Montgomery and slammed a palm down on the table.
Shepard strolled over to Kaidan and leaned against the wall next to him. He glanced over at her.
"Hey," he said.
"You look grim."
He hung the datapad to his side. "It doesn't make sense."
"What?"
"The information on the chip," Kaidan said. "Their plans post-attack. Setting themselves up as global leaders. Where's the scorpion?"
"He planned to leave Earth."
"Anchor's email, the only one he deleted, mentioned a surprise package for the Scorpion. This chip mentioned a delivery, doesn't say to who, but I think it's the same thing. Maybe the Scorpion isn't in their plans, because the leaders, at least the Alliances ones, planned to make sure he didn't come back."
"If they're eliminating him, why's he at their meeting?"
"Right." Kaidan looked over at her. He tapped the datapad in his palm. "The way they talk about the attack onstage makes it sound like a contained detonation with a mass effect field. Then the Scorpion comes out after the explosion and gets credit over live vid."
"We both checked the floor's schematics. Nothing's going to detonate," Shepard said.
"Then why do they think it will?" Kaidan turned off the datapad. "I don't think they knew what the floor did."
"So, what?" Shepard said folding her arms. "The scorpion's being crossed and knows it. Tricks them into installing a weapon they don't understand. Dumas's sitting front row with his cohorts, and the scorpion takes them out?"
"Always seemed like a grudge to me," Kaidan said. "There are easier ways to go, but it's about a show and taking credit. Dumas and the others turn against him, the whole galaxy sees them pay. The whole galaxy sees the Council pay, the Alliance pay, all the alien leaders, everyone."
"And the missing nuclear warhead? It fits in somewhere?"
"I don't know."
"What about the package for the Scorpion? Could it be the warhead?"
Kaidan furrowed his brow. "That would destroy the entire city. They'd kill themselves."
"Why take it from the Shields then?" Shepard mused.
Kaidan shrugged and shook his head. Shepard frowned at the floor. There was too much effort the nuclear warhead from the Shield to just be saving it for a rainy day. Kaidan closed his eyes with a scrunched face and touched his temple. He looked up abruptly.
"We need to tell the Council about the floor, Shepard."
Shepard held his eye, then finally nodded.
"Okay." She put a hand on his shoulder. "You all right?"
"A headache. I'm fine."
He stood away from the wall and walked toward the councilors. Shepard followed him. The admirals and council had separated across the table again only talking to their own group. Admiral Sheng stood up from the table
"We'll go discuss these specifics in the Alliance wing. We'll let you prepare for the Summit," he said to the Councilors.
The Councilors nodded dismissively at the admirals. The admirals eyed Shepard and Kaidan as they filed to the far door
"Commander." Admiral Sheng stopped in front of her. He glanced at the Councilors before lowering his voice and leaning in closer. "Consider the alternate spot. The Alliance could use your support during the Summit."
"I'm sure they won't lack for Alliance volunteers if they need to fill an alternate spot," Shepard said.
"Another choice may not have Alliance welfare at heart. Consider it. Tell them you'll think on it, and I'll have Admiral Wilson follow up with you before the Summit," Sheng said.
Shepard gave Sheng a cool look. "I've made up my mind already, but I appreciate the recommendation, sir."
He gave a gritty sigh. but he inclined his head. "I'll have the admiral follow up with you, just in case." Shepard nearly rolled her eyes but kept a fixed smile. "And good work on this one. I think you'll be pleased with how much the Parliament appreciates you uncovering these moles. You too, Major." He gave them both a nod. "Until tomorrow."
Kaidan folded his arms watching Sheng leave. Shepard hesitated to continue to the table. The way he'd looked at her from across the room when Tevos had asked – he had something to say about it. Better to just get it out and shut down. She waited. Kaidan turned and met her eyes. He didn't say anything.
"Anything to add?" she prompted after a moment.
He looked pointed past her at the Councilors. "Should we tell them about the floor?"
He didn't wait for an answer and passed by her. Shepard heard the door click behind Sheng, the last admiral to leave the room. The Councilors looked up at them as they came up to the table. They weren't going to like this. As she told them, Sparatus's frown deepened. Tevos's eyebrows raised, but Ilk's face didn't seem to move at all.
"In light of Mason's possible involvement," Tevos said. "I see why you hesitated to tell us, but something of this significance needs to be shared, Spectres."
"Spectre Alenko wanted to tell you," Shepard said. "It was my decision not to."
"And what now?" Ilk said. "The Summit. It's little only seven hours away."
"Move the Summit to another location," Kaidan said. "Use the main council chamber."
"Main council chamber?" Sparatus snorted. "We'd only fit half the people needed to run the lights and audio. No room for an audience. No room for media."
"Let in a couple of cameras, and the audience can watch from outside," Kaidan said.
"That completely undermines the significance of the Summit," Sparatus said. "It'd be disorganized, ridiculous, a barely elevated council meeting with too many people crowding the floor."
"Postpone it then," Kaidan said.
"No," Ilk said putting a hand up. "We've already discussed this. It will go on. The people are here. The plans are made. To organized it all over again? Impossible."
"These terrorists are vermin," Sparatus said. "We won't validate them as more than that."
Shepard looked around at their faces. Arguing with the Alliance for hours had made them dig in their heels. The Council wanted to be in control, they'd made their decision in front of the Alliance, and going back on it now would only show their weakness. Shepard could respect that.
"That floor is a danger." Kaidan pointed his finger into the table and leaned forward. "It could destroy the entire building. Could kill all of you. Kill everyone."
Tevos shifted and glanced over at Ilk and Sparatus. Ilk folded his arms.
"Only a danger from someone who knows," Ilk said. "You roped it off. Placed the statue there. No one comes across it serendipitously, and no one knows."
"Who else knows about it?" Tevos asked.
"Admiral Hackett," Shepard said.
"Admiral Hackett?" Sparatus rattled the back of chair. "You tell no one in the Council, but you tell one of the Alliance admirals?"
"It is what it is," Shepard said. "We can't go back and tell you. We know, and Admiral Hackett knows. That's all."
Kaidan pressed his lips and shook his head. "The Scorpion knew. More in Terra Firma could know about it. We don't know."
"The Scorpion has a hole in his head," Sparatus said.
Tevos frowned at him. "Don't be insensitive. That's Councilor Mason's son."
"We don't know he's the Scorpion," Kaidan said.
"You said—"
"We don't know." Kaidan came around the table to them. "Suspicion is not the same as knowing. Until we know, there's a chance we're wrong. If we're wrong …"
"You were willing to take the risk before," Tevos said. "What's the difference? The risk is even less now. The Scorpion is probably dead and so are the Alliance moles that would have been onstage. You and Shepard can continue with the same preventive plan you had before."
Shepard met each councilor's eye and nodded. That was reasonable. The risk was considerably less. Even if the Scorpion wasn't Mason's son, he'd be scare off. The Scorpion would notice his Alliance cohorts missing at the Summit. Whether the Scorpion was dead or not, he wouldn't reveal himself on stage.
Kaidan exhaled sharply and shook his head. "For pomp and ceremony, you risk everything."
Sparatus slapped the table with his palm. "The Summit goes ahead tomorrow. That's final. Same place, same time. You and Shepard had some plant to protect us, keep it. The Scorpion's dead. Terra Firma gets cleaned up night. Now," he stood up straight," we have a few hours left to prepare and rest. Do yourselves the favor and do the same."
They watched the Councilors file out the side door. Kaidan watched with crossed arms and a dark frown.
"Kaidan."
He eyes flickered to her, face tight. He didn't say anything.
"Hey, we can do this like we talked about," Shepard said.
"I didn't like it then," Kaidan said. "At least, then the benefit made the risk more rational. If the Scorpion's dead or scare off, we only have risk, no benefit."
He swung away and headed to the door the admirals had left out earlier. Shepard jogged up behind him as he turned into the hall. She kept pace with him, but he didn't look over.
"Do we need to talk about something?" she said. He seemed testy.
Kaidan stopped. He turned to face her. "Look, Shepard. I'm sorry. I have a headache. We'll debrief later."
"We only have seven hours."
"Exactly," Kaidan said. "We've been up all day, all night, and in seven hours, we'll be up all day again. We're both been pushed to breaking with biotic fatigue. I'm only running on adrenaline. I need rest. You need rest. But … make your own decision."
He turned before she could reply and strode away. Shepard followed him with her eyes and frowned. He disappeared around the corner.