Ha-ha! I did it! I updated in only week and...what was that?...You mean it's actually almost been two weeks?...Dammit...
Okay, did I say weekly? I meant bi-weekly. Yeah. Bi-weekly. Once every two weeks. I can do that. That's often enough for you guys, right?
Okay, let's do this.
...
0057 Hours, February 25th, 2683
Citadel Tower
Citadel
Widow System, Serpent Nebula
...
"The attack plans will be downloaded to all of your memory cores momentarily." Saren's voice echoed throughout the council chambers. "You will be expected to follow them. Do not fail me. Do NOT fail the Reapers..."
"You wanted proof?" Udina smugly asked. "There it is."
Unfortunately for both Chief and Garrus, Saren's holographic image wasn't present at this meeting. Apparently, Saren got word that his men failed to kill the Quarian so, knowing the jig was up, he was already on the run. It was a bittersweet moment for Chief. It felt good to have an enemy of Humanity on the run, but Saren already had a good head start.
What was priceless, however, was the look on the councilors' faces. Saren was one of their most decorated agents, their favorite pet if you will. They were quick to dismiss any allegations against him, but now that unmistakable evidence was presented to them, the shock on their faces was clear to see.
"This evidence is irrefutable, Ambassador." Councilor Sparatus said, breaking the silence. "Saren WILL be stripped of his spectre status and ALL efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes!" he ranted. Sparatus was, clearly, not happy with Saren's betrayal at all. Between his and Garrus's reactions, Chief guessed that being a traitor was one of the worst things you can possibly be in Turian society.
"I recognize the other voice." Tevos interjected. "The one who also apparently spoke before the Geth. Matriarch Benezia."
"Benezia?" Sparatus asked. "Oh dear. This isn't good."
"Something we should know, councilors?" Chief asked.
"Matriarchs are powerful Asari who are revered for their wisdom and experience." Tevos explained. "They serve as guides and mentors to my people. Benezia is a particularly influential matriarch with many followers and possesses powerful biotics. She will make a formidable ally for Saren."
"I'm more interested in the Reapers." Valern said as he rubbed his chin in thought. "What do we know about them?"
"Only what was extracted from the Geth's memory core." Anderson replied. "The Reapers were an ancient race of sentient machines that wiped out the Protheans fifty thousand years ago, and then vanished. The Geth revere the Reapers as gods and believe Saren to be a prophet heralding their return. Apparently, the conduit is the key to bringing them back."
"Allegedly." Udina was quick to add. "At this time, we don't have evidence confirming or denying the Reapers' existence."
"Do we even know what this conduit is?" Valern pressed.
"No." Chief replied. "But if Saren wants it, we have to assume the worst."
"The worst? And what would THAT be? That these 'Reapers' will return? That they'll do to us what they did to the Protheans?" Sparatus grilled the spartan.
Valern thought a moment longer, then shook his head. "The Reapers are obviously a myth." The Salarian Councillor concluded. "A legend invented by Saren to bend the Geth to his will."
"Most likely, yes." Chief said with a nod. "But regardless of whether or not the Reapers are real, Saren has betrayed you to put together an army of Geth to find this conduit. Whatever the conduit really does, it can't be good."
"Say, is it just me, or are you chattier than usual?" Cortana asked.
Chief noticed this too, as did his sore throat which was currently in protest, not used to this much talking at once. He attributed this to his current circumstances; if you suddenly found yourself well over a century in the future, you'd have a lot to say too.
"Saren is now a rogue agent on the run for his life." Sparatus dismissed. "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 suddenly shouted. "You know he's hiding somewhere in the Traverse! Send your fleet in!"
"A fleet cannot track down one man." Valern said.
Udina breathed a bit, trying to calm himself. "A Citadel fleet could secure the entire region. Keep the Geth from attacking any more of our colonies."
"Or it could trigger a war with the Terminus Systems." Sparatus argued. "We won't be dragged into a galactic confrontation over a few dozen Human colonies."
Chief glared daggers at Sparatus, not appreciating his dismissal of the lives of countless Human colonists.
"You know what, Chief?" Cortana interjected. "The council has a problem. They want to bring in Saren, but they can't send in a fleet because they don't want to start a galactic war. Now let's see. If only there was someone who had spec. ops training for infiltrating enemy lines, can carry out orders, and maybe, just maybe, is so rediculously powerful that they're an army in and of themselves. I think we had a word for soldiers like that back in our time. Ooooh! But I can't put my finger on it!"
Chief grimaced. Cortana could be really annoying when she wanted to be. However, he got the gist of what she was suggesting. This was an opportunity, and he wasn't going to pass on it.
"Send me after Saren." Chief said aloud.
Tevos looked at the spartan. After thinking it over for a second, she smiled. "Perhaps we should." she said as she rubbed her chin in thought. "There is a way to apprehend Saren that doesn't require fleets or armies..."
"No!" Sparatus barked, also catching on to what Chief was suggesting, but was nowhere near as approving. "It's too soon! Humanity is not ready for the responsibilities that come with joining the spectres!"
"If I may make my case, Councilors?" Chief asked.
"You may." Tevos said with a nod. Sparatus scowled at the spartan while Valern seemed relatively neutral.
"Here are the facts; I have hundreds, if not thousands, of kills to my name in the Human-Covenant War, carrying out special operations to eliminate key targets and secure key objectives, and I was doing it consistently for the entirety of that war. I have won every medal a Human soldier can possibly earn except for the Prisoner of War Medallion. I saved the colony on Eden Prime and I proved Saren a traitor. And on top of all of that, I am currently the fastest, strongest, toughest Human alive in the entire galaxy."
He paused. "If there is one and only one Human who is capable of taking on this title and everything that comes with it...chances are it's me."
Tevos turned to Valern with a smile, who nodded his head in approval. She then turned to Sparatus with the same smile. Sparatus sighed and nodded as well, more out of defeat than anything else. Once again; priceless. Tevos looked to the Chief.
"Master Chief Petty Officer Sierra-117. Step forward." she said. Chief took a few long steps forward toward the end of the stand, and stood rigid and at attention.
Chief then took a look around. In the balconies above, spectators flocked to see what was going on. Turians, Asari, Salarians, Humans, Sangheili, virtually every species that had an embassy on the Citadel, both uncomfortably familiar old faces and uncertain new ones, gathered to see what was about to take place.
"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 said.
"Spectres are not trained, but chosen." Valern said next. "Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle; those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file."
"Spectres are an ideal. A symbol." Tevos resumed. "The embodiment of courage, determination and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council; instruments of our will."
"Spectres bear a great burden." Sparatus said. "They are protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold."
"You are the first Human Spectre, Chief." Tevos told the spartan. "This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species."
Chief nodded at Tevos. He knew that making spectre was the easy part. The hard part will be doing a good job at it. He then heard something that he hadn't heard in a long time; applause.
He looked around. Every one of the spectators was applauding the new spectre. He saw Turians and Salarians nod their approval. He saw Sangheili and Mgalekgolo salute him with respect. The Unggoy were bouncing up and down, shaking their arms around while babbling out congratulations. The Humans were, unsurprisingly, the most enthusiastic, as they clapped and cheered for one of their own for making it this far.
Chief nodded his thanks to the crowd, even the aliens. He turned to the Council...who were now his new bosses, he realized. "I'm ready for my first mission, Councilors."
"We're sending you into the Attican Traverse after Former-Spectre Saren Arterius." Valern replied in a formal tone as the applause died down. "He's a fugitive from justice, so you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend, or failing that, eliminate him."
"Where is he now?" Chief asked.
"We do not know." Tevos confessed. "In our last meeting, he contacted us from an untraceable location, but we know he is somewhere in the traverse."
"We will forward any relevant information to Ambassador Udina." Sparatus said.
"This meeting of the Council is adjourned." Tevos stated. With that, the councilors walked away as Chief, Anderson and Udina rejoined Ashley, Kaidan and Garrus who had been looking on from the sidelines. The crowd had disbanded, the exciting part being over, and went back to their business.
"Congratulations, Master Chief." Anderson said as he shook the spartan's hand. "I knew we could count on you."
"We've got a lot of work to do, Chief." Udina said. "You'll need a ship, weapons, supplies..."
"Now that you have spectre privileges, you have access to special weapons and equipment." Anderson said. "We'll send you a list of recommended shops that sell all the supplies you'll need."
"If I may make a request, sir?" Chief asked.
"You may." Anderson said.
"I'd like for Kaidan Alenko and Ashley Williams to be transferred to whatever ship I end up on." Chief said. The two marines turned to the spartan, shocked. "They're both good at what they do. Kaidan has good leadership experience and will make a good second-in-command, and Ashley is a versatile combatant. Her skills will be very useful in a fight."
Anderson smiled warmly. "They're all yours, Chief." The spartan nodded his thanks. He didn't ordinarily find himself making such requests, but Chief knew that, even though he was a spartan, the best warrior Humanity had ever created, he couldn't do this alone. He'd need a combat team. Kaidan Alenko and Ashley Williams looked to be good choices, for the reasons Chief told Anderson. Besides, now that he was a spectre, he felt he could get away with respectful requests.
"I want to come too." Garrus suddenly interjected. The spartan turned towards the Turian, his visor concealing his surprise.
"You want to join me?" he asked. He heard Garrus perfectly, but he couldn't help but confirm.
"I'm tired of being in C-sec, being bound by so much red tape." Garrus explained. "I want to see how spectres really operate, free of all those rules and regulations."
"What about your posting at C-sec?" Ashley asked.
"I wrote up and sent my resignation letter on the way here." Garrus replied. That explains what he was doing on his omni-tool on the way up here, and why he was so giddy about it. He was finally doing what all disgruntled employees dream of one day doing; quitting his crappy job.
Chief turned to Anderson. "Am I even allowed to have a non-Human with me?" he asked.
"You're a spectre now Chief. You're no longer officially part of the Alliance chain of command. You can do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission." Anderson answered. "If you feel this Turian could be useful in your manhunt for Saren, you're more than welcome to take him or any other non-human you come across."
Chief turned back to the Turian C-sec...FORMER C-sec officer, who stood proud and rigid with his head held high, as though awaiting approval by a drill instructor.
The part of his mind that still saw aliens as enemies was practically screaming to refuse Garrus's offer...but Chief was actually considering it. He saw Garrus fight back in Chora's Den and in the alley. He was disciplined and precise, indicating that he was in the military at some point in his life, so he had adequate combat expererience. Additionally, he was actually a pretty good shot. He was a bit of a loose cannon though, but after pointing out that his shot in the clinic was too close for comfort, he was quickly cowed into a babbling half-explanation, half-apology, so keeping him in line wouldn't be too difficult.
He didn't necessarily want to, but when the Arbiter and the rest of the elites offered their aid in the closing days of the Human-Covenant war, Chief wasn't stubborn or stupid enough to refuse help when it was offered, especially when it was so desperately needed. And that wasn't going to change now.
Chief held out a hand. "Welcome aboard." Chief said.
"Thanks, Chief!" Garrus joyfully declared as he shook Chief's hand. "I guarantee, I won't let you down."
Chief leaned forward a little. "I know you won't." he said.
The spartan could hear Garrus gulp in a suddenly-dry throat. Good. He already knew who was in charge.
"Come with me, Anderson." Udina said. "I'll need your help to set everything up." The ambassador then walked away. Anderson nodded to the Chief before following.
"Typical. Didn't even thank us." Ashley said.
"So what comes next?" Garrus asked.
"It'll be a while before we get transferred to a ship that'll carry us." Chief replied. "In the meantime, we'll stock up on weapons, ammunition, rations, everything we'll need to wage a war on a rogue spectre and his army of Geth."
The spartan rubbed his neck. "But first, we're going to find me a glass of water. All this talking is murder on my throat."
...
The four rode the elevator down from the citadel tower to the presidium below, listening to a news report about how a Human tourist corporation was promoting a cruise through the Forerunner Cluster called "Secrets of the Forerunners," a vacation cruise that will take its clients throughout the Forerunner Cluster to visit various planets that host ruins of the mysterious and long-dead race.
When they finally reached the presidium floor, they emerged to find, surprisingly, the Krogan bounty hunter Urdnot Wrex waiting for them. Many passers-by stared at the Krogan as they went, clearly not used to seeing his kind on the presidium ring.
"So, how'd it go?" Wrex asked the spartan.
Chief was taken aback by the merc's curiosity. "Well. Saren was branded a traitor."
"Chief was made spectre." Garrus added. "The council has tasked him with tracking Saren down and then taking him down." Chief looked to the Turian. He made a note to have a chat with him about the importance of a 'need-to-know' basis.
Wrex smiled ear-to-ear. "Good. When do we leave?"
Chief was taken even more aback. "We?" he asked.
"I plan on coming on coming with you." the merc stated.
Chief paused. "Sorry. I haven't received word on what my budget would be so I'm afraid I can't hire you at this time." he said.
"You don't have to pay me a single credit." Wrex said. "I'll join you free of charge."
Chief was taken even more aback. "What kind of merc fights for free?" he asked, suspicion clear in his tone.
"The kind who doesn't just fight for credits." Wrex answered simply. "I can tell. There's a storm coming and from the looks of things, you and Saren are going to be right in the middle of it. I wanna be where the action is."
Interesting. A mercenary who fought more for the sake of fighting than for the money. The spartan weighed the pros and cons of recruiting Wrex, a thought process that, for a SPARTAN-II, takes about three or four seconds. Spartans were naturally quick thinkers.
On the one hand, Wrex was certainly capable in a fight, no question there. In fact, his skills were comparable to those of a SPARTAN-II. He wasn't nowhere near as fast, but he was almost as strong and certainly as durable as the Chief himself was. Throw biotics into the mix, and you have a very powerful ally indeed.
On the other hand, there was the issue of his motivation. Chief was willing to believe that Wrex wasn't joining him for the money; he could see that fire in the Krogan's eye, the same fire any soldier who relishes combat has. But if he's just fighting for the sake of fighting, that presents a possible loyalty issue.
"If you just want to fight, why join me?" Chief asked. "Why not join Saren?"
"Saren's got an army of Geth at his command. From what I've seen, you only have a handful of soldiers on your side." Wrex answered. "If I joined Saren, it would be too easy."
"Well, he's nothing if not forthcoming." Cortana commented. Chief silently agreed. He could usually tell when people were lying to him, and so far, Wrex wasn't doing anything to trigger that particular alarm in the spartan's brain. Chief then decided to let Wrex on board. But not without conditions.
"Few things I need to tell you." Chief said, staring at the Krogan dead in the eye. "First off, I'm in charge. I order you to attack, you attack. I order you to hold your position, you hold your position. I order you to fall back, you fall back. Second; you're part of a team now. No loner stuff. And third; if you do anything at all to deliberately jeopardize the mission, I will kill you."
Ashley, Kaidan and Garrus all looked to Chief like he had gone out of his mind. Wrex however, simply chuckled in amusement. "Something funny?" Chief asked.
"Not many Humans have the quad to threaten a Krogan with death right to his face." Wrex said in a tone that almost sounded like he admired the spartan. "Your terms are fair enough." he said with a nod.
"Good." the spartan stated. He made a note to keep a very close eye on the Krogan. It was at that point that Chief noticed his wrist was beeping and his omni-tool activated.
"Looks like Anderson and Udina has sent us that list." Cortana said. "I'll display them on your omni-tool for you."
It was then that a list appeared on the omni-tool's screen. It showed four shops and the various items they sold that would be of use to a spectre. It also showed a budget at the bottom; Chief was given fifty-thousand credits to start.
"I was hoping for a bigger budget than this." Chief noted.
"It's probably from your Alliance." Wrex said. "I've worked with spectres before. They're expected to be self-reliant. They have to pay for their own equipment."
"...That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard." Chief stated.
"I said the exact same thing when I found that out for the first time." Wrex said with a smile.
"Well, where are spectres supposed to get funding from?" Chief asked.
"Lots of ways." Wrex said. "Some invest in one big corporation or another, but most just sell off whatever spare weapons or equipment they find while raiding pirate bases. In fact, a lot of weapon companies rely on spectres to supply products."
Chief just shook his head. Why would the council create a special branch of elite peacekeeping agents if they weren't even willing to fund their missions? Chief was a soldier; not a stock-broker or a salesman. Whatever, he thought. He'd deal with it later. For now, he was already given a sum of credits to start with, so he'd have to make due with that.
"Alright. Let's split up so we can cover more ground." Chief said.
"I've got a supplier on Kithoi Ward 17." Wrex said. "He usually has good stuff."
"I'll go to this 'Morlan' guy. See what he's got." Ashley volunteered.
"Alright." Chief said. He turned to Garrus and Kaidan. "You two go to this 'Expat.' He has some mods we can use."
"Dr. Michel's clinic is close to that location. She might be worth visiting too." Kaidan suggested. "She's probably got some medical supplies we can use."
Chief nodded his approval of the LT's idea. "I'll go to this 'Presidium Emporium.' Once we've all got some useful supplies, we'll meet up at C-Sec Academy. Sound good?" The spartan received nods all around. "Good. Now move out."
...
"So, Cortana. Think you can handle the mission's finances? You're obviously a lot better at numbers than I am." Chief said as he walked past the mass relay monument towards the emporium. His speakers were off so he could keep his conversation private.
"Hey, I'm a state-of-the-art UNSC Smart AI. Not an accountant program!" Cortana snapped, apparently insulted that Chief would suggest such a misuse of her talents.
"Okay." Chief replied nonchalantly.
"...Fine." Cortana said with a sigh. Chief smiled. He knew how to trick her into doing what he wanted.
Chief finally arrived at the shop. He took a look around to see all the various aliens who were all at stands and kiosks, looking through the shop's inventory. Chief was approached by what was, by far, the oddest-looking new alien Chief had encountered yet. It was pink and stood on six long, tentacle-like legs. Its 'head' if you could call it that, glowed whenever it spoke. And to top it all off, it looked like it was made of jelly.
"Hello. This one welcomes you. How may it be of service?" the odd, jellyfish-like alien asked.
"Just...looking around." the spartan replied.
"Of course." the alien replied in a polite tone. "However, if there is anything this one can do to help you, you need only ask." With that, the alien delicately and slowly walked away on the tip-toes of its tentacles.
The Presidium Emporium was a software store for the most part. It sold a vast variety of programs; one for doing business with other species, another for predicting rises and falls in the galactic stock market, and another for calculating spreadsheets. It was hardly a store a spartan would want to shop in, which made Chief wonder why this store made the list.
"Chief, look to your left." Cortana suddenly said out of the blue. Chief paused, unsure of what was going on. "Just do it." she demanded. Chief turned in the desired direction, half-expecting to see more of Saren's thugs. Instead, he saw nothing.
"I don't see anything." Chief said.
"For the love of..." Cortana said. She interacted with the spartan's HUD and highlighted an ad that holographically floated over a kiosk.
New! The Galactic Codex 7.7-49! The newest, most up-to-date version of what critics call the most complete encyclopedia in Galactic History!
"I want that." Cortana said. "All that information will really give us the insight into this century that we so desperately need."
Chief sighed. Information. New data. It was like candy to a UNSC smart AI. "Look, that codex doesn't have anything we can't get from the extranet for free."
"Chief...you're talking about the extranet." Cortana pointed. "Do you have ANY idea how much raw stupidity I had to filter through in order find any relevant information on what I was looking for?"
Chief still wasn't sure. "Pleeeeeeeeeaaaase?" Cortana asked. The spartan couldn't help but imagine the AI with sad puppy eyes.
With a sigh of defeat, Chief grabbed the codex data-disc and had the jellyfish alien ring it up. Cortana knew how to trick Chief into doing what she wanted.
Now that the spartan thought about it, perhaps the codex was why this store made the list. Anderson and Udina knew Chief still knew little about the galaxy, so recommending a store that sold electronic encyclopedias would further help bring the spartan up to speed.
Chief sighed. Great. Homework.
He deposited the disc-case in his belt while he looked around for a rapid transit terminal. It was then that Cortana chimed in.
"Getting a message from Captain Anderson. Sounds urgent." Cortana said. "Patching it through."
"Chief. It's Anderson. Do you read?" Anderson's voice came over the COM channel.
"I read you, Captain. What's the problem?" Chief asked.
"It's the Quarian." Anderson said. "She was still in the embassy when we left, but when Alliance marines came to pick her up, they said she was gone."
"Do you think she's a security risk?" Chief asked.
"Possibly. And it's also possible that Saren still wants her dead. We've got Alliance personnel combing the presidium for her and C-Sec has already issued a warrant for her retrieval. Keep an eye out while you're gathering supplies."
"Yes sir." Chief said.
"Anderson out." Anderson said before clicking off. Chief paused. Where could the Quarian have gone? Did Saren's goons get her already? Chief continued to look around for a rapid transit terminal, thinking she would be easier to spot by air. He hadn't seen any other Quarians on the presidium for some reason, so hopefully she'll stick out.
"Pardon me! Excuse me!" cried a voice as it shoved its way through the crowd.
"Accursed Quarians..." Chief heard somebody mutter in the distance. He turned and saw, to his surprise, the Quarian he had rescued earlier rush up to him. She stopped in front of him and panted.
"There you are." she said. "I thought you'd still be by the tower. You move quick."
"You're supposed to be at the Human embassy, waiting for marines to pick you up." Chief said, not happy with this alien possibly posing a security risk. "What are you doing here?"
"I wasn't going to let anyone take me away." she said resolutely. "I caught the Turian and that other Human before they left for the wards. They told me to talk to you."
"About what?" Chief asked.
The Quarian then stood as rigidly as she could. "Master Chief...that...that is your name right?" The spartan nodded. "I heard you made spectre and you're being tasked with Saren's arrest. I wish to join you."
Chief raised his eyebrow at this. "Weren't you busy with your..." Chief trailed off, not remembering the word the Quarian used.
"Pilgrimage." she finished for him.
"Yeah that. I thought you were busy with that." Chief said.
"The pilgrimage is a rite of passage for my people that proves we are willing to give of ourselves for the greater good." she said. "Judging from that vision you had, Saren is a threat to the entire galaxy. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this?"
"How do you know my vision's for real?" Chief asked. "How do you know I'm not crazy?"
"I don't." she replied. "Just call it a feeling."
Chief observed the suited alien from head to toe. There was no doubt about her motivations. Once again, Chief didn't think he was being lied to. This Quarian genuinely wanted to help. But what Chief did doubt were her skills.
"What kind of combat training do you have?" Chief asked.
"Before I left the Flotilla, I was taught some basic self-defense techniques." she replied.
"But no real military training?" he asked.
"Er...no." she hesitantly answered.
Chief scowled. He was willing to bring along Garrus and Wrex because, from what he had seen in Chora's Den, they were both very much capable in a fight. The spartan could find use in their skill-sets. This Quarian on the other hand, was a civvie. Granted, she managed to throw a grenade to disorient her would-be assassins and managed to take cover before drawing her weapon. She handled the situation better than most civvies would. In fact, she actually had potential to be a competent soldier...but that was it. Potential. As in it was untapped and it would take time for her to live up to it; time Chief didn't feel like spending.
"Pass." Chief said.
The Quarian seemed taken aback. "Pardon?" she asked.
"I'm not interested in having you join." Chief said.
"But you let the Turian and the Krogan join!" the Quarian exclaimed.
"They're professionally-trained fighters. You're just a civvie." Chief pointed out.
The Quarian balled her fists at the spartan. Then, she thrust her hand forward. "Give me your pistol." she demanded.
"Why?" Chief asked. He didn't think the Quarian was a threat, but he didn't like the idea of handing over his gun.
"I might not be good with guns, but I'm good with tech and my own two hands." she explained. "I guarantee, I can disassemble and reassemble that gun faster than any Human."
Chief looked at her. "Alright. You're on." he said before handing his pistol over. He activated his omni-tool, Cortana activating a stopwatch program for him. "Go."
The Quarian worked feverishly, taking out every screw, every bolt with lightning speed. She pulled out tools from pockets the spartan never even knew she had. Within seconds, the pistol's pieces was in each of her pockets then, remembering which pocket held which part, she reassembled the pistol. And then, it was done. She handed it to the Chief. He aimed it at a tree.
*BANG!*
The pistol fired flawlessly. In fact, it was a little better than before. He looked at the clock. 40.8 seconds. Not even Chief could disassemble and reassemble this pistol that fast. And he had two more fingers on each hand than the Quarian did. Chief looked at down at his pistol, then back up to the suited alien. "How did you do that?" he asked, honestly amazed.
"I'm Quarian." she said, smugness clear in her voice. "Give me a circuit board, a chunk of metal, and some element zero, and I'll have it doing mass relay jumps."
It was then that her skill set became apparent. She was hardly a soldier, but she was a very good mechanic.
"What did you say your name was?" Chief asked.
The Quarian held up her head and puffed out her chest. "Tali'Zorah nar Rayya." she proudly proclaimed.
"...Got a nickname?" Chief asked. He wasn't even going to try to pronounce that whole thing right.
"You can just call me Tali. Most of my friends do." she replied.
Tali. Four letters, two syllables. Easy enough to remember. "Alright Tali. You're on board."
"Thanks. I promise you won't regret this." Tali said with a nod.
"Let's go." Chief said as he made his way down the presidium.
"To where?" Tali asked.
"C-Sec Academy. We'll rendezvous with the rest of the squad there." the spartan answered.
The spartan and the Quarian came upon a rapid transit terminal and used it to summon a public aircar. As it took them to their destination, Chief contacted Anderson to inform him that Tali was safe with him, and that she'd be joining him. While in service to a spartan is hardly the safest position to be in, he'd be able to keep an eye on her so the risk to security she posed was significantly reduced.
Chief continued on the route to C-Sec Academy with yet another new alien companion joining him. He began to think that perhaps the universe was trying just a little too hard to jam the 'aliens are our friends' message down his throat.
...
"Ah, welcome to Morlan's Famous Shop! You find many good things, yes?" The Salarian asked the marine.
"I read you've got some weapon mods?" Ashley asked.
"Oh yes. The best in these wards!" Morlan enthusiastically replied. "You will be pleased, I think. Many good weapon mods I have!"
"Just show them to me." Ashley said. She didn't like this guy. He came off as a classic snake-oil salesman; the kind of guy who'd sell his own mother if it was legal.
He did end up having some pretty good stuff though. Incendiary rounds, chemical rounds and cryo rounds. Ashley bought the cryo rounds, as they would definitely have some stopping power; a Geth wouldn't march far if its joints were frozen. She passed on the chemical and incendiary rounds, though. She doubted that fire and chemicals would be much help against them.
"Thank you! Come again!" Morlan said. "Oh, before you go, can I interest you in some Asari pheremones? It'll make the males of your species wild about you! Or the females. I don't judge."
"...Thanks, but no thanks." Ashley said as she walked away. "Freak..." she muttered.
...
Garrus and Kaidan's aircar landed on Kithoi Ward level 21, where the markets resided. Kaidan turned to Garrus. "You take the med clinic. Dr. Michel might give you a discount out of gratitude for saving her life. I'll go check out this 'Expat' guy."
"If you're feeling lucky, maybe we should hit the casino in Flux." Garrus said.
"Flux?" Kaidan asked.
"New nightclub that opened up. Not far from here." The Turian answered.
The marine shook his head. "Probably better if we didn't. The Alliance gave us this budget in good faith." he smiled. "Plus Master Chief would take your head off if he found out you were gambling with funds."
Garrus chuckled a bit. "Yeah, you're probably right." He paused. "Chief...doesn't really trust me, does he?"
"I don't think so." Kaidan said. "But keep in mind, he comes from a time where every alien he met was actively trying to wipe out Humanity. Easy to understand why he doesn't trust non-Humans." He smiled reassuringly. "Just give him some time. He'll start to trust you eventually."
"I hope so." Garrus replied. "From what I hear, he's essentially a Human version of Reckis."
Kaidan raised an eyebrow. "What's a Reckis?"
"Old Turian war hero from the Krogan Rebellions. When the Krogan attempted a counter-attack on a Turian colony, Reckis managed to hold all of them back practically single-handed until reinforcements could arrive. He won a whole bunch of medals that day." he explained.
Kaidan nodded. "Sounds like Chief and Reckis would get along if Reckis was still alive."
"More likely they'd try to kill each other." Garrus said with a chuckle. "Makes me glad that Reckis eventually died in his sleep rather than be frozen. If he was ever awoken and had a duel with the Chief, they'd probably end up killing everyone in the entire galaxy."
Kaidan chuckled at that. "Okay. Enough chatter. You go get those medical supplies, and I'll see what kind of armor mods Expat has."
"Will do." Garrus said with a nod. The two then parted, Garrus heading for the clinic while Kaidan went to see Expat. The biotic had to navigate through the crowds and other shopkeepers hollering for his attention. He didn't really like it. Too much noise, too many people, neither were good for a head prone to migraines. Kaidan was now looking forward to getting back on a ship, where it'll hopefully be a little bit quieter.
He eventually found Expat, who turned out to be a Volus. "Ah, hello Earth-Clan." he greeted warmly. "Needing supplies before heading back to the colonies?"
"Actually, I'm with a spectre." Kaidan said with a small hint of pride. "He chose me to serve on a mission and has assigned me the duty of gathering supplies."
"Ah. My mistake." Expat said before taking a breath. "These markets are very popular amongst colonists. *breath* So what can I do for you?"
"Show me your armor mods." Kaidan said.
Expat had some pretty good stuff. He bought a couple of kinetic buffer systems to not only monitor the wearer's vital systems, but also release genetically engineered stimulants to maximize combat prowess and athletic ability. He bought a set for Ashley, Garrus, and himself. They'd need it if they wanted to keep up with the Master Chief in a fight. He also bought some packets of ablative coating and shock absorbers; when Geth hit, they hit hard. Kaidan knew that the team would have to able to take punishment as well as it can dish it out. He was tempted by the shield battery, which would give them more potent kinetic barriers, but decided against it. For now at least, their budget was only so big. The marine gave the Volus his thanks before leaving. He found Garrus waiting for him by a public aircar, holding a case of some sort.
"You found anything good?" Kaidan asked.
"Upgrades for our first aid interface." Garrus replied. "You?"
"I managed to find some pretty good armor mods. Between these and the medical supplies you picked up, we should be able to last a lot longer in a fight." Kaidan nodded.
"Alright then. Let's get to C-Sec Academy." Garrus said. "Last thing I want to do is give Chief a reason to kick me off before we even leave the station."
Kaidan nodded and climbed into the aircar with Garrus. The vehicle levitated and took off towards C-Sec Academy.
...
The Kig-Yar was polishing his favorite sniper rifle, a naginata MK-V as he sat behind the desk of his shop. It was a good rifle that served him well on many past missions. Long and light, just the way he liked 'em. He outfitted it with a camera in the scope that fed battlefield info directly to the headpiece he wore. He didn't even need to look down the scope; all he had to do to zoom in on a target was press a button. He had his doubts about the kind of weapons Ariake Technologies could produce; prior to the first contact war, they were merely an electronics concern. But low and behold, they delivered a rather pleasant surprise unto ol' Lek.
It was then that the avian heard a familiar thumping noise. He put the rifle away, knowing that footfall anywhere. "Wrex, my friend." he said as he turned to the Krogan. "So good to see you. Gearing up for another mission, huh?"
"You know it, Lek." Wrex said as he entered the shop and walked up to the jackal. Wrex and Lek were both free-lance mercenaries. About eight years ago, they were both hired to take out a Jiralhenae pirate base that had been causing trouble for an Elcor trading company. Wrex enjoyed fighting brutes. They were just as savage as his own kind were, if not more so, and always made for a good fight. Wrex ended up saving Lek's life during that battle, so when Lek opened up a gun shop on the Citadel to rake in extra credits in between missions, he gave Wrex a lifetime discount. He's been a reliable supplier for Wrex's missions ever since.
"Signed on with a spectre, so I'm heading out on a mission of 'galactic importance.'" the Krogan replied, using finger quotations for the last two words of his sentence.
"I trust he's paying you well?" Lek asked.
"Nope. I'm doing this for free." Wrex said.
Lek chortled a little at that. "Ohoho. It's one of THOSE missions eh?" Lek asked. He knew how Krogan were, and Wrex was no exception. Wrex loved making credits as much as the next merc, but at the end of the day, it was all about the thrill of battle for him.
"We're hunting down that one other spectre, Saren Arterius. He's gone rogue and has an army of Geth at his command. Turns out he was the one who led that attack on Eden Prime." Wrex explained.
"Then you're going to need the big guns." Lek said as he took out several kinds of assault rifles and shotguns. "I recommend armor-piercing, hammerhead and cryo rounds. Heard the Quarians found those to be most effective during the Geth wars." he went on as he took out the ammo-mods in question. He then took out a box of grenades.
"Tech grenades. They don't deliver as much punch as the regular kind, but I'd imagine it would really scramble a Geth's circuits. At the very least, they'll take out their shields and weapons, making for easier prey."
"Got anything new off the black market?" Wrex asked.
"Not much, I'm afraid." Lek confessed. "C-Sec's been riding my ass so I've been trying to clean up my record a little. However, I have managed to smuggle in a few things from Omega, and I think you'll like them."
Lek activated his omni-tool and pressed a few buttons. A minute later, a large mech came from out back, carrying a duffel bag of sorts. The mech placed the bag on the table, then turned around, back towards the store's back room. Wrex unzipped the bag and smiled at what he saw. Type-2 antipersonnel fragmentation grenades. Otherwise known as brute spike grenades.
"One more thing I've been working on." Lek said as he walked over to a shelf to fetch a case. "As you're aware, getting heavy weapons past customs is next to impossible, but I think I might've found a solution to that little problem." Lek opened up the case and showed its contents to Wrex. The Krogan perked an eyebrow.
"I'm not big on sniper rifles." Wrex said as he looked down on the harpoon MK-VII before him. It's true, he didn't like them very much. He preferred to get up close and personal with his targets.
"It only LOOKS like a sniper rifle." Lek said. "In reality, it's been fitted with a very powerful high explosive ammo mod. It's essentially a very accurate bazooka."
"How big a boom we talkin'?" Wrex asked.
"400cm blast radius." Lek said. "You don't have to be a headshot honcho to get a kill with this thing."
Wrex smiled. He closed the case. "How much do I owe ya?"
"Seven thousand." Lek said. "But considering you're doing this mission for free, I'll cut it down to five thousand. You still need to eat."
Wrex chuckled as he wired Lek the money with his omni-tool. Wrex didn't use his omni-tool much, mostly just for cash transfer. The Krogan nodded his thanks to the Kig-Yar and left the store.
As Wrex stomped over to an aircar terminal, various passers-by noted that he was a Krogan with a duffel bag and a gun case of some kind. Correctly guessing what he was up to, they gave him a wide berth.
...
Chief descended down the elevator and arrived once again in the C-Sec lobby, this time with a new Quarian companion in tow. Chief walked up to a Kig-Yar in C-Sec uniform asking where C-Sec Requisitions was. The jackal gave Tali a scrutinizing look before pointing the way to Chief. Chief and Tali headed down a ramp that lead to an office of some kind, at which a lone Turian seemed to be busy on his computer.
"One second. Looking you up." The Turian asked after looking up from his computer to the Chief. "Master Chief Petty Officer Sierra-117, here with the Alliance military. First time on the Citadel. That about right?"
"How did you know all that?" Chief asked, a little suspicious the Turian knew so much.
"I need to make sure our buyers are authorized." the Turian replied. "So, will you be purchasing anything today, Master Chief?"
"Yes." Chief said. This Turian seemed legit...for now. "I need supplies."
"Alright. Just give me a minute to..." The requisitions officer trailed off. "That's odd. System says to show you our select stocks...spectre." The Turian chuckled a bit as he got up from his seat. "So, the Council finally decided to start adding Humans to the spectre ranks. Congratulations."
"Thanks." Chief replied politely. Though he couldn't shake the feeling that the alien before him was being slightly condescending. The Turian walked over to a wall and placed his talon-like hand on a scanner-lock, which activated a hidden door. Lights came on inside.
"The rare stocks, Master Chief." the Turian said, gesturing inside. "Enjoy."
Chief stepped inside with Tali close behind. Tali was speechless as she beheld the sight before her.
It was a whole armory. Assault rifles, sniper rifles, shotguns, pistols, submachine guns, grenades, and even a few heavy weapons. In addition, there were several different kinds of ammo mods, armor mods, and every other kind of mod in between. Tali turned to Chief. "What do we take?" she asked.
"As much as we can carry." Chief answered.
Chief inspected each model, and took the ones he liked best. In addition, he took several different varieties of armor-piercing ammo mods, believing they would be the most effective against Geth. Tali did a little inspecting herself, marveling at the sheer variety of guns there were. She took a look at one shotgun in particular. "This one looks good." she noted.
"Let me take a look." Chief said. The Quarian handed the shotgun to the spartan. He held the gun aloft, aiming it at the wall with one hand. Tali couldn't help but note how he looked just like an action hero from the vids. "Viper MK-III. Hahne-Kedar Shadow Works. Prototype. They probably rely on spectres to test it." He then nodded in approval and handed it back to Tali. "Case it." he said.
"Er, yes sir." Tali replied.
After a few minutes, Chief and Tali came out with several weapon cases. The Turian, a bit put out by how many guns Chief was interested in, told him the bill. Cortana wired the money to the Turian's kiosk and without even waiting on a receipt, Chief left, Tali struggling behind.
Keelah, she thought to herself as she struggled to carry her load, noting that Chief showed little trouble carrying his. How does he carry all of that?
They arrived back on the C-Sec landing platform where the other four were waiting. The Quarian's presence didn't get by them.
"What's she doing here?" Kaidan asked. "I thought she was in protective custody of the Alliance."
"Her name's Tali and she volunteered for the mission." Chief explained. "She's a pretty good mechanic and engineer so she could be useful."
"Fair enough." Wrex said with a shrug.
"Incoming transmission." Cortana said to Chief.
"Chief, it's Anderson." the captain's voice came. "We've got a ship for you. Meet us at dock 422."
"Alright. Let's grab an aircar and get to the docks. Our ship is ready." Chief announced aloud.
"We're going to need an airbus to carry all this stuff." Ashley said as she followed the spartan. "Sir." she quickly added.
Incidentally, an airbus was available, or rather an airvan. It was bigger than the one that was following Chief earlier that day, so it was big enough to house a SPARTAN-II, a Krogan, four other regular-sized sentients, and all the supplies they had procured.
It still struggled to keep aloft though.
...
After about twenty minutes, the group arrived at the designated dock. Chief couldn't help but notice they were back in the exact docking bay in which the Normandy was docked. Chief thought dock 422 sounded familiar. He suspected that they would remain with the Normandy, which made Chief question why it took as long as it did to set everything up if he was staying with the same ship. The spartan decided not to think about it for now as the van came around for a landing.
"Captain Anderson, this is Spartan-117." Chief said into his COM channel. "Be advised, we've got supplies that need loading up."
"Roger that Chief. I'll have the Normandy's servicemen load everything aboard." Anderson replied, confirming the spartan's assumptions. When the van landed, several of the ship's servicemen saluted the Chief before grabbing the various weapons and other materials. Wrex insisted on holding on to his supplies, for some odd reason. Chief suspected that he got his stuff from less-than-legitimate sources. The spartan walked up to the captain, who was standing with the ambassador, and saluted.
"At ease." Anderson said with a nod.
"I take it I'll be staying on the Normandy, sir?" Chief asked.
Anderson nodded. "She's quick and quiet, and you know the crew. Perfect ship for a spectre."
Chief nodded his approval. "I take it we'll be leaving soon?"
Anderson looked to Udina, as though unsure about something. He turned back to the spartan. "There's...no 'we' this time, I'm afraid."
"Captain Anderson is stepping down as commanding officer of the Normandy." Udina elaborated.
Chief was taken aback by this. Did Anderson do something wrong? Was he taking the fall for what happened on Eden Prime so that Chief could become a spectre?
"Why?" Chief asked.
"It's just time for me step down." Anderson said. Chief knew that wasn't the whole story, but decided to let it go for now. At the moment, there was an even bigger question hanging over the spartan's head.
"If Captain Anderson won't be the commanding officer of the Normandy, then who will?" he asked.
The next answer threw him for a loop.
"You will, Chief." Udina said.
Chief was honestly shocked. He turned around to find his five companions regarding him. Apparently, they just overheard that little detail.
"Uh...congratulations Chief. Er, Captain." Ashley stammered.
"Chief." the spartan corrected. "Is everything loaded up?"
"They just took the last weapons case." Kaidan said.
"Good. Everyone, on the ship. Now." he said, nodding to the ship. With that, the biotic, the marine, the former c-sec officer, the mercenary and the engineer all made their way down the ship's loading bay and into the airlock. Chief turned back to Udina.
"Ambassador, I can't accept this position." Chief said as he shook his head.
"You're a capable leader, Chief. You've lead several successful missions against the Covenant back in your time, did you not?" Udina asked with a perked up eyebrow.
"With all due respect Ambassador, leading a team of SPARTAN-II's and commanding a ship are two very different things." Chief pointed out.
"You're a spectre now, Chief. An independent agent of the council" Anderson said. "Spectres need to command their own ships, command their own missions, and command authority in general. You don't have to answer to me anymore, or anyone else in the Alliance chain of command for that matter. You only have to answer to the Council and to yourself. Besides, you received basic education on ship tactics during basic training. Apply that knowledge and you'll do fine."
Chief sighed and nodded. "Any leads on Saren's current location?" he asked, ready to move on to his mission.
"Saren's gone. Don't even try to find him. But we know what he's after." Anderson said.
"The Conduit." Chief said. At best, it was an ancient Prothean super-weapon that Saren plans on using against Humanity. At worst, it was the key to bringing back an ancient race of sentient machines to wipe out every sentient being in the galaxy. Either way, it had to be kept out of Saren's hands.
"Right." Anderson said with a nod. "Saren's gone below the radar for the time being. No further reports of Geth activity as of yet. He probably knows the jig is up by now, so he'll be more careful from here on out. No doubt though that he's got his Geth scouring the traverse for the Conduit as we speak, keeping his movements hidden. For now, we'll have to focus on finding the Conduit before he does."
"Which brings us to our first...and so far, only lead." Udina took over. "Matriarch Benezia, that other voice on the recording? She has a daughter, a scientist and archaeologist who specializes in the Protheans. We don't know if she's involved, but it might be a good idea to try and find her. See what she knows."
"She could have insight into Saren's plans. Or maybe she might know what the Conduit is, what it does, and where we can find it. Hopefully, all of the above." Anderson added.
"Her name is Dr. Liara T'soni." Udina resumed. "She was last seen leading an archaeological expedition on Therum in the Artemis Tau Cluster, under commission from the Sangheili Empire."
"Sangheili...you mean elites." Chief said, suddenly uncomfortable with the idea of going to an elite-held planet.
"Correct. So don't do anything that would give the Sangheili ambassador a reason to send me angry letters while you're on Therum. Now that you're a spectre, your actions reflect on Humanity as a whole. You make a mess, and I get stuck cleaning it up." Udina warned.
"I'm aware that the elites are now officially allies of Humanity. I'll be on my best behavior during my stay on Therum." Chief assured.
"Good." Udina said with a nod. "And remember; you were a Human long before you became a spectre." he checked the watch on his omni-tool. "I have a meeting to get to. Captain Anderson can answer any more questions you might have." And with that, the ambassador walked away towards the elevator.
"Is there anything else you need to know, Chief?" Anderson asked.
Chief shook his head in reply. He then snapped a salute. "Sir."
Anderson crisply returned the salute. "Dismissed, Spartan." he said. "And good luck."
...
"I heard what happened to Captain Anderson." Joker said as he heard Master Chief approach the helm. With footfall like his, you always heard the Chief coming. Joker looked up and, sure enough, there was the spartan looking down on him. "Man survives a hundred battles, and then gets taken down by backroom politics. Just watch your back, Chief. Things go bad on this mission; you're next on their chopping block."
Chief digested his situation for a second. Backroom politics. Seemed likely enough. Chief couldn't shake the feeling that Anderson stepping down as captain wasn't entirely his choice. It was a mistake in his opinion. Anderson was a good captain; disciplined, no-nonsense, a little overzealous in political matters, but overall a good leader. He reminded Chief of Jacob Keyes, may he rest in peace.
"Captain Anderson stepped down so I could step up. I'm not going to let him down." Chief stated, stoic as ever. He'd be lying if he said he was entirely confident in his abilities as a ship captain. He lacked the experience for it; plain and simple. He did get a few brief lessons in ship tactics during basic training, but that was it.
"Everyone on the ship's behind you, Chief. One hundred percent." Joker proudly stated. "Intercom's open. If you've got anything you want to say to the crew, now's the time."
Chief looked down to the holographic panel Joker gestured to. His first impulse was to pass on it. His throat was sore enough already. He doubted a heroic speech was going to help. He was never any good at speeches anyway.
But then he remembered the war. How ONI eventually made the existence of SPARTAN-II's public in order boost morale. Spartans gave UNSC marines a symbol, something to rally around, a reason to hope for the best. It was then that he realized the true meaning behind Anderson's words. He was made the new captain of this ship because that's exactly what the Normandy's crew needed; a symbol. And not just someone who will fight alongside them to reassure them that victory is possible, but someone who will actually lead them.
Chief was no stranger to the burdens of leadership. But before, he was in charge only of a small squad of elite commandos, numbering no more than five at any given time. Now, he was in command of an entire ship. It was a strange and unfamiliar feeling...so he decided to do what all spartans do in strange and unfamiliar circumstances; adapt, develop, win.
If a symbol, a hero, and a leader is what these men and women needed, Chief was going to have to give it to them.
He pressed a button on the intercom and his deep, gravelly voice echoed throughout the ship.
"Normandy crew. This is Master Chief Petty Officer Sierra-117 speaking. I'm not good at inspirational speeches, but since I'm your new captain, I should probably give it a shot.
"I'm not going to bother with any metaphors or cite historic events so I'm just going to give you all the facts. Saren's location is unknown, but we know he is after something called the Conduit. We don't know what it is, but since Saren was willing to attack Eden Prime to get his hands on it, we have to assume the worst. Our current mission objective is to find and secure the Conduit before he does.
"It won't be easy. By now, the Attican Traverse is likely crawling with Geth, looking for the Conduit. And they're not going to let us have it without a fight. But I've been on this ship long enough to know that this one of the finest in the Alliance fleet. You're all here because Captain Anderson and Admiral Hackett knew what you did, and how good you were at doing it. It's time to prove them right.
"We're going to stop Saren. We're going to find and secure the Conduit. That is all."
When Chief clicked off, he heard, for the second time that day, a thunderous applause. Apparently, he was much better at speeches then he gave himself credit for.
But God almighty, was his throat on fire.
"Well said, Chief." Joker said. "Captain would be proud."
"Planet Therum. Artemis Tau Cluster." Chief stated. "Take us there."
"Aye aye, Chief." Joker said as he typed in the coordinates. "It'll take us about...three days to get there."
Chief nodded in reply and made his way down the bridge with the intention to go to the galley and get a cup of water.
...
It didn't take long for the Normandy to pull out of dock. Once all personnel and supplies were on board and clearance was given by Alliance Tower, the magnetic clamps that held the ship in place detached and within moments, the Normandy was on her way outside of the Citadel fleet's protective perimeter and towards the mass relay that would take her out of the Serpent Nebula. The relay flashed, and flung the ship across time and space to another part of the galaxy, the first of several legs in the journey ahead. It was going to be a long three days.
After giving his throat some reprieve by way of a couple of cups of cold water, followed by some nutrition paste and a trip to the bathroom, Chief made his way to Anderson's quarters...which were now his quarters. He locked the door behind him out of habit and took a look around. Some would call it a small room, but it was far bigger than what Chief was accustomed to. He did all of his sleeping in cryo-pods back in the war.
He walked over to his new desk, where he noticed the chair. It seemed unusually big, as though it were meant for Chief. Still, Chief decided against sitting in it, at least while his armor was on. He took out Cortana's AI chip and held it up to his new desktop. Her holographic three-dimensional imaged sprung forth in place of the keypad. She took a look around the room.
"Nice digs." she noted.
"It's bigger than what I'm used to." Chief said. He then realized something. He looked down to Cortana.
"Can you access the ship from that computer?" Chief asked.
"Only inner-ship communications." Cortana replied. "Everything else is manually operated."
Chief nodded, fully understanding. Still, it would be a heck of a lot easier if this ship had its own AI. He supposed that Cortana on his PC and on the field will have to do. "I suppose you'll want me to squeeze Garrus and Wrex spots on the marine rotation and Tali somewhere in engineering?" Cortana asked.
"If you don't mind." Chief said.
"Fine." Cortana said. "I'll do it all with your signature. But for the record, I'm an AI. Not a secretary."
"Thanks." Chief said with a nod. "I suppose I should reward you..." he then reached into his belt and fished out the disc case containing the codex, the galactic encyclopedia that Cortana all but drooled over. Cortana's eyes widened, then she smiled at the spartan.
"I do know how to pick 'em." she said with a smile.
Chief nodded again before taking out the data disc and sliding it into the comp. "Oh, I'm going to love this." Cortana said, eyeing all that new data as though she were a newlywed eyeing her new spouse. It was then that Chief decided to take a real look around the room and noticed all the details. A window to look at all the stars outside, a coffee table to...enjoy coffee Chief guessed. He'll probably never use it himself. A bed...
...A bed.
To anyone else, a bed was just a bed. A soft matress with a pillow for head support and a blanket for warmth. But to a SPARTAN-II, a bed was the ultimate forbidden pleasure. They had beds in boot camp, when they were going through basic training from age six to age fourteen. It was hell at the time, but it wasn't until they were introduced to cryo-pods did the spartans realize just how much of a luxury beds were. Basic training was the last time Chief had ever slept in a real, honest-to-God bed.
And now, he was in his new quarters. With a bed that was his. All his.
John-117 had never, in his entire life, been so eager to get out of his armor.
Chief was no fool, however. He double-checked the lock on the door before going about the task of removing his armor. A process that took about five minutes.
"Turning in?" Cortana asked.
"You know it." Chief said after he removed his helmet. "I plan on taking off all my armor and I am going to sleep like a log in that bed, right there." Chief said as he pointed to the bed in question.
"What? You didn't get enough sleep after that beacon knocked you out on Eden Prime?" Cortana asked.
"That was a vision-induced coma. That doesn't count." Chief said as he finally took off the last piece of armor. Now in his jumpsuit, he turned off the lamp and made his way to the bed. "By my count, it's about 0230 hours, so I'm due for some shut-eye. Goodnight."
"Night." Cortana replied. Her form disappeared, casting the room in darkness. As she went about absorbing all the new information on the codex, she noted that earlier, she was right.
Chief WAS getting lazy.
...
About twenty hours had passed since the attack on Eden Prime, and while the attack itself went well enough, the aftermath had given Saren a considerable headache. He sat in his quarters, covering his face with a palm, trying to nurse that headache.
When it was learned that Nihlus was killed, he was sent a copy of the official mission reports by the council. Only three Humans interacted with the beacon; an Ashley Williams, a Kaidan Alenko, and that 'Master Chief' he'd been hearing so much about. According to the reports, the latter most of the three was somehow affected by the beacon, and was sent into a coma. Apparently, his mind wasn't quite as sophisticated as Saren's, and once the message was delivered, the beacon was destroyed. Saren hoped the Human likely died from a stroke or something; that his mind was overwhelmed by all that information and was destroyed.
Saren wasn't that lucky it seemed, as several hours later he received word that he had been summoned to trial; the Alliance was accusing him of treason; of murdering Nihlus and leading the attack on Eden Prime. It was an unexpected development. Saren thought he got away cleanly, but apparently, he left behind more loose ends than he thought. He holographically attended the meeting, keeping his cool, not wanting to do anything to indicate that the Alliance's charges were actually wholly correct.
Thankfully, the foundations of their accusations were shaky at best. All they really had to go on was the testimony of a babbling Unggoy dock worker. Unggoy are like the Volus; a pathetic species that is rarely taken seriously, and rightfully so. The council, unsurprisingly, dismissed Udina's claims. Saren felt relieved, but he knew that there was one more thing that could still mess it all up.
The Quarian.
He didn't know how, but a Quarian witnessed how he rallied his Geth troops on Klensal for the invasion of Eden Prime a few days before. Worst still, he had reason to believe that she might have hacked into one of the Geth's memory cores and obtained attack plan details. He sent his Geth after her but she got away. He hired information contacts to track her, who informed him of her flight path. Apparently, she was on her way to the Citadel. Perfect. There were plenty of hired guns there who would gladly eliminate her.
Saren turned out to be right. One of his agents told him that she was seeking out the Shadow Broker, apparently wanting to trade the information she got on Saren's schemes for a safe place to hide. Not only did the Quarian know about Saren and his plans, she knew Saren was after her.
Saren had done business with the Broker before. He knew how the game worked. He could purchase that evidence himself once the Broker had it, but he had no other information to buy it with, at least none that he was willing to share. The Broker accepted promises of information or favors in the future, but he could call in that favor at any given time. Saren wasn't going to waste time on odd jobs, not with so much on the line. And if Saren didn't agree to those odd jobs, the Broker will try to 'convince' the spectre to change his mind by sending a hit squad his way. Not to mention that, even if he could simply buy the information from the Broker, the Broker would still know and thus potentially use it as blackmail material later. No one would doubt information that came from the Shadow Broker, evidence or no. There were simply too many ways it could go wrong, too many risks. He found out Fist was handling her and offered him triple what the Broker was offering. Fist took it up, and he and Saren arranged the meeting.
However, there was still John. Saren refused to address him as 'Master Chief.' It made him sound too much like some kind of elite hero. He would not give a Human such an honorific. He had seen the vision and lived to testify about it. Or rather, Anderson testified for him. John just stood and glared at Saren. Apparently his file was correct. Calling him by his first, given name WAS the quickest way to get under his skin. He didn't know Humans put such high value on names.
Anyway, John had seen what Saren had seen. It was useless without the other pieces of the puzzle, but Saren wasn't willing to take that chance. The moment he found out it was the spartan who used the beacon and was heading for the Citadel, he contacted every thug he could find and hired them to take him out.
Oddly enough, they never reported back. The only one he'd heard back from was one Krogan assassin John handed in to C-Sec, having apparently killed the rest of the hit squad. Saren probably should have foreseen this. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew Humans weren't SO dumb that they would have an incompetent soldier try out for the spectres.
However, the real trouble came when the hit squad he hired to kill the Quarian failed to report back after the 'meeting.' He got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Sure enough, about an hour later, he was sent a warrant for his arrest, a final chance to peacefully turn himself in before the council sends someone after him. Apparently, the Quarian decided the Shadow Broker wasn't very trustworthy after what he allegedly tried to pull and decided to hand the evidence over to the council instead.
And so, Saren was instantly stripped of his spectre status. All the resources and privileges that came with it: gone. It would not stop him though. His disbarment from the spectres was a heavy blow, but not a critical one. Most of his major operations were taking place in the Attican Traverse anyway, which was far too close to the Terminus Systems than the council would like. Unsurprisingly though, they are sending another spectre rather than a whole fleet into the Traverse after him. But what angered him most was who they were sending.
They decided to send John.
"Fools." Saren spat. For years he had tried to warn the council about the threat the Humans posed. They nearly overran the Turians at Shanxi and, if left unchecked, would do the same to the entire galaxy. The council races would end up like the former-Covenant races; servants. Slaves disguised as allies. Those races fought at Shanxi as well, but Saren wasn't blind. Humans were the ones calling all the shots in that campaign because they were the ones in charge of the Forerunner Cluster, while the other races conceded to their wishes, not wanting to incur their wrath. And if nothing was done, the rest of the Citadel races would soon find themselves in similar roles. It's why the Batarians seceded. They saw that fate coming and wanted to avoid it.
But no. Saren's warnings fell on deaf ears. There was now a Human in the spectres which meant it wouldn't be long before they got a council seat too. It sickened him. And it actually made him look forward to the return of the Reapers a little. At the very least, the council would likely die in the first wave, and the gene pools of their respective species would no longer be at risk to their idiocy.
As Saren reflected on all these past events, Matriarch Benezia stood by his side, ever the faithful second-in-command. "The council knows you're working against them." Benezia said. "What will you do?"
"The only thing I can do. Press on." Saren said. "Our holdings on Noveria and Virmire are still safe, for the most part. Warlord Gark tells me the invasion of Feros is due to begin soon."
"And Therum?" Benezia asked.
"The attack will begin in three days. Hopefully your daughter can provide some insight on the Conduit's location." Saren replied. "How goes the search on Eletania?" he asked.
"Nothing as of yet." Benezia promptly replied.
"Tell them to keep searching." Saren ordered. "Call in three more Geth divisions and add them to the Feros invasion force. Once we set out for Feros, we'll drop off those divisions on Eletania to help. They'll have to keep searching on their own in the meantime."
"By your will, Saren." Benezia said as she walked away. She paused at the door and then turned around. "The spectre...John...what if he attempts to stop us?"
Saren looked over his shoulder and stared at Benezia as though she were an idiot. "Then eliminate him." he hissed
"That may be easier said than done." Benezia said. "There's the issue of his various physical augmentations." She read John's profile too. "Enhanced speed and strength, unbreakable bones, superior reflexes..."
"Don't tell me you actually BELIEVE that." Saren spat. "The Humans can barely create a decent omni-tool, let alone a super-soldier. And even if they could, I highly doubt this man was woken up from cryo-stasis after winning a war that has long since ended. He's an unusually tall Human in a fancy suit. Nothing more."
Benezia bowed and begged his pardon before leaving. Saren went back to thinking. His plan had certainly suffered some setbacks. Some were minor. Others, not so much. But his plan was still far from ruined. He would have to be more careful from now on, though. He would have to try harder to keep his activities hidden. If the Council ever found out the truth, they might just risk a war with the Terminus to stop what Saren was doing.
Not that it would stop him. Nothing would stop him...because nothing could