Chapter 24: Motives
One and a half years ago:
Orbiting Saturn's moon Triton was a privately owned interstellar cruiser. Its swept backed wings and powerful Stalwart-5 engines gave the J type 327 corvette a sleek graceful look. It bore a customized paint-job flaring purple waves against silver that fit the personal tastes of her owner: the United North American States (comprised of Canada, the US and Mexico) Speaker of the House Lisa Ford.
Though her ship was the venue of this clandestine meeting she was not necessarily its true host. Nor was she the one to have called the meeting. That particular obligation fell upon the shoulders of another.
Her guests included Rear Admiral Mikhailovich commander of the Fifth Fleet's 63rd Scout Flotilla, the same flotilla the Normandy was originally assigned to before the Council got their —claws-paws-tentacles-whatever into her and her commander.
Ambassador Donnel Udina, Charles Saracino the newly appointed Leader of the pro-human Terra Firma Party, General Oleg Petrovsky of the Cerberus fleet and his XO Colonel Raymond Ashe. Also in attendance Cerberus field agents Miranda Lawson and a woman who had many names and many faces but today simply went by Operative Rasa. One other was present but only by holographic representation: The Illusive Man.
They were all seated in the VIP section of the ship's opulent lounge. The walls were covered in crushed dark emerald and gold velvet wallpaper with sapwood floorboards. An antique Edwardian Tiffany chandler illuminated the chamber. In fact all the furnishings within the room were of that era from a circular teak-wood claw footed table and matching chairs, to the bar, service trays and glassware they were all drinking from. It spoke of old money and old Earth traditions.
"Her decision cost the Fifth Fleet hundreds of human lives all to save an ungrateful Council. We all know the true reason she chose the lives of those tentical heads over her own kind was because of her intimate relationship with one of their kind." said Ashe, the viscosity of his disgust was clear and heated. "A traitor's daughter, no less."
"Systems Alliance Prime Minister Amul Shstri and President Huerta both believe she should be honored for our inclusion into the Council," Lawson pointed out. "It was a costly strategy, yes, but one that paid off in our favor."
The Colonel scoffed. But it was General Petrovsky who spoke next. "What makes you say that, Miss Lawson? Had the Density Ascension fallen with all the Councilors aboard we would now dominate Citadel Space and the Council. The other species would have replacements in their lines of succession yes, but we would now have the controlling element."
"That is a short view," Lawson said defensively, causing the Illusive Man to tweak a very faint smile in praise for her tactical appraisal. "We would also have their resentment."
"The dissolution of alien scum is not our concern. They should be grateful to us for saving their filthy hides. Humanity would have dominated the Council if not for that decision! And that decision was only made because that race-traitor likes her alien poon. She is no Spectre, not while that tentacled freak has her mind clouded with..." He stopped mid-tirade knowing his rant was falling upon the 'choir' or so to speak. "Why didn't Admiral Hackett not counterman the order?" This question he poised to Mikhailovich.
"He said it was the correct tactical decision given the circumstances of the battle," The Alliance officer quoted. "That being said, Shepard's loyalty has been brought before the Top Brass. The Admiralty has become concerned. The inclusion of a traitor's daughter, a krogan and a quarian with access to the Fleet's most highly classified ship - that I still say is the greatest boondoggle of the Alliance to date - is still up for conjecture. Add to that the admittance of a turian in the crew riled many who served in the First Contact war. Shepard doesn't even know what color her blood is anymore."
"But I thought the Normandy was a cooperative construct between the Alliance and the turian government," Ford observed. "Isn't it moot that this turian had access?"
Again the Illusive Man smiled, albeit faintly. That was a valid point. Garrus Vakarian could not tell his government anything about the stealth warship they did not already know.
"Maybe," Mikhailovich growled. "But that does not give license for the others to have been given access. Pressly, Shepard's XO and another NCO both made complaints about this very fact. Complaints that Shepard ultimately ignored."
"If Shstri and Huerta weren't pressing for an award ceremony to honor Shepard and her crew she would never have even been considered for promotion. None of the Admiralty agree with this proposal, save for one name—Hackett."
"Which is why you must be the one to push it through," The Illusive Man told the Rear Admiral much to the astonishment of the room's occupants. "And I shall tell you why. We need a Caesar."
Only Petrovsky seemed not to be stymied about this reference. As a student of Earth's grand rulers and military leaders he understood completely.
"Do not allow your sophistry to overcast an opportunity. A brief abridged history lesson, Admiral. The Roman Imperial Senate did not wish for Julius Caesar to rule much less don the robes of dictator. But his success in the felid of battle made him popular with the plebs. The masses overruled the Senate's desires for Rome. The short of it-after Caesar rose to power his fame began to flounder. His laws and governance swiftly disillusioned the masses and the Senators rose up to rid the Great Empire of this travesty of a man and end him. Like Caesar, Shepard must be allowed to rise to power so that she might fall. When she does she is ours. She is a weapon and like all weapons it will be disastrous should she fall into the wrong hands."
"She would be a powerful asset with her abilities and skill sets," Petrovsky commented dryly. "A Council Spectre within the ranks of Cerberus; that is quite the coup. A powerful message to be sure."
"She will never join and why would we want her?" Charles Saracino scornfully spat.
"Sir, I'm with the Colonel and Saracino," Rasa piped up, after a moment's pause she felt brave enough to continue. "Shepard filled her crew with broken down Alliance soldiers with enough PTSD to have them grounded or should have been. And what of the aliens that were recruited? Shepard is too much of an alien apologist, a sympathizer. She will never stay true to humanity as long as that asari lives. And even if something unfortunate were to happen to the traitor's daughter, the memory would be martyrdom for Shepard. With her personality, she would do anything in honor of that memory."
Udina looked to the dark haired, olive skinned woman and gears started to spin and churn as a plot formed behind his eyes. "Shepard's insistence of this "Reaper" threat has the Council believing she is mentally unstable," Udina said. "And I'm inclined to agree. The beacon on Eden Prime scrambled her brains. The Hero of the Skillian Blitz died that day and something else now walks in her shoes. If some tragedy occurred to her asari whore it would push her over the edge."
Ford smirked. "I find this whole conversation moot. From what I hear she is still in surgery. Four days... to put her back together. Whatever wakes up in that recovery room, if she does, will be more machine than woman. A cyborg meatbag with an alien infested brain. Not someone you'd desire to see leading humanity through another galactic conflict."
"And yet they will if she lives," Miranda commented. "Petrovsky's right. Shepard is a natural leader, born for it. There is a growing threat in the Traverse Systems. Something we may need a woman like Shepard for. We must consider that Sovereign, whether a true Reaper or one simply repurposed by the geth, is something that needs to be investigated. Should the geth learned to build more such ships then who has the greater power in Council space will be irrelevant."
Ford shifted in her seat. "Do you truly think that is possible?"
"The geth are software, Madame Speaker, the flashlight-heads are merely mobile platforms. It is entirely possible that the geth have become unified with this Reaper tech and have learned how to construct more of them," the Illusive Man explained. "However, my organization has taken a keen interest in how to control the geth. One of the projects, which I will not go into detail about, has made considerable progress in learning to communicate and control the geth.
"Once my people have achieved their ultimate goal the geth will no longer pose a problem, in fact they will simply cease to be a threat. Something the quarians have never been able to achieve in the past three hundred years." There was pride laced into The Illusive Man's voice. "The debt of an entire populace is a very lucrative commodity-an investiture that can be exploited. Something I will remind you Shepard is quite adept at using. " He spoke to the room but it was clear his words were directed more at Colonel Ashe than anyone else. "Shepard's connections will make out plans far easier to implement if we can secure unification with her one way or another."
The Speaker of the House whipped her head around to the hologram, "Wait, go back. What did you mean when you said you can control the geth?"
"The project I spoke of has had some success in that area, yes, but it is not fully actualized. I merely put it before you that when it comes to fruition we will have a means to protect our colonies, whether they remained in Council Space or broke from it such as those in the Terminus Systems. We can avoid another Eden Prime or Elysium. No slaver would dare challenge such a force. And should a hostile force make an attempt to glass the planet we have the means to defend it.
"However that will be impossible should the geth 'download' into found Reaper tech such as Sovereign." The CEO of Cerberus carefully crafted his words, molding them for his audience. He saw it in their eyes. Each of them assessing the benefits of what he was guiding them towards. He needed them to accept Shepard. "And let us hypothesize that Commander Shepard is correct-that this Sovereign is a true Reaper, a vanguard. If so then they fear her. She and the rouge Spectre Saren were the only ones to have opened a true dialog with these living machines. Saren desired synthesis, a melding of machine and organic. You can see the results.
"A travesty to be sure. If the project I spoke of earlier succeeds and the geth come under humanity's control, it will pave a way to control these 'Reapers' should they in fact be real constructs and not the fabrication of old ghosts from Prothean artifacts. Shepard of course would have them destroyed but to what end? No, but to control them, that will be the true legacy of humanity."
"Your speech is filled with maybes and supposes," The Speaker countered. "Lofty ideas, but is it not more likely that Shepard's mind has been damaged, corrupted not only by Prothean technology but the idealism and philosophy of her asari lover? And if these Reapers of hers are in fact ghosts of the past that haunt her?"
The Illusive Man frowned but not because he was losing ground. "Shepard's mental capacity will be on debate for some time. If she lives through her surgery, the Council will not know what do with her. She saved their lives and yet given her records and tenacity she will not let go of the idea of the Reapers. It will force them into an awkward position.
"We must insure that discord perpetuates further and erodes her trust in them and they in her. Admiral Mikhailovich join with Admiral Hackett and Captain Anderson for the award ceremony and the promotion." He put a hand up to stall the protest dripping from the Rear Admiral's lips. "It will not last long. The Council will never allow Shepard to serve two masters, which means if she wishes to remain a Spectre she will have to give up the rank and privilege of a flag officer of the Alliance.
"As you said she is an idealistic sympathizer for the aliens. She will not wish to give up her Spectre status and Hackett and Anderson will not like to see their prized officer go but they will see it as an opportunity to prove humanity's worth if she remains a Council Spectre. Which comes to you, Ambassador Udina. You will agree to this 'promotion'. Insist upon it."
"No! She is lucky she isn't being court-martialed for stealing Alliance property! And Anderson aided her!" he rubbed his now healed jaw where the captain had slugged him.
"Property that at the time was on loan to the Council as a Spectre's ship. Technically Shepard was allowed to do what she did," Miranda carefully pointed out. "The law was broken, yes, but it is now a debate of spirit verse word of law and which was the better course of action. Had Shepard not defied you Saren and his geth would have decimated the Citadel."
"You trained this one well," Udina muttered to The Illusive Man's hologram." If I place my name on any document that supports her claims I will feel the backlash, not her."
The Speaker followed the Ambassador's words. "Shepard has been corrupted. The Council is a sinuous beast. They seduced Shepard. Deceived her. She embraced the serpent and invited their poison into her heart. She prides herself on her free will yet she lets that degenerate organization deter her resolve.
"I harbor no illusions about their integrity, or any one else's in fact. Shepard is beset by manipulations on all sides. I merely seek the safety of all humanity, something Shepard is bent on sacrificing at every turn. Shepard was supposed to be the hope of all humanity and instead she has turned into an apostate soul, now a repugnant form of her former glory,"
"Exactly so, which comes to another topic," The Illusive Man said. "In order to progress there is another thing I need you to do, Udina. You will need to, as cliché as it is, 'take a hit for the team.' The Council has lost face as has the leadership of the Alliance. It will come down to a single order. An order you gave to lockdown the Normandy."
"The Council so much as told me they wanted it done!" the Ambassador protested.
"Don't play the martyred soul with me. Your integrity is in question; they will claim you 'misunderstood' or some other type of PR tripe they need to fabricate in order to alleviate themselves of their 'guilt' of inactivity," The Illusive Man countered as if playing chess.
"We should point to them," Udina roared.
"And they will point right back to you, Ambassador," Petrovsky stated. "It will become a laughable 'they said, he said' fiasco. Still, why should the Ambassador take the fall?" he thought for a moment. "Unless you mean to fully disgrace Shepard which will make all her accusations inadmissible and brought into question. Udina being discharged will be brought into question."
"And this is where I step in, I take it," Lisa Ford chimed in. "Stating that poor, delusional Shepard was feeling paranoid and I make the push for Udina to be reinstated and whoever replaces him as Council Ambassador removed." She drew in a breath then nodded. "I can see this working to our benefit."
The Illusive Man smiled once more. "Now you are beginning to understand and why it was to our benefit that so many of our men and women died to save aliens. We will be given a seat upon the Council for their sacrifice. Don't you see? Shepard's idealistic sympathies played directly into our hands. The race that saved Council Space will now have an applauded seat upon the ruling government rather than a resented one. If she lives, the Council will no doubt go to her and ask her appraisal of who should be considered for the seat. Predictably she will choose her mentor and ally: Captain Anderson.
"Madam Speaker you were very correct but you did not go far enough. Truth is a matter of perception. Once Shepard is fully disgraced and taken out of the picture, Udina will be reinstated not simply as Earth's Ambassador but as her Councilor."
"Why not Udina for the post now?" Ashe asked. He was still harboring resentment for the failure that was Shepard.
"Haven't you been paying attention?" Admiral Mikhailovich snorted. Alliances were shifted quickly with such discussions if only to gain favor with the one who had the most power. Ashe may have supported him before but now he was a hindrance to the Admiral's ascension. "Udina will become the scapegoat the Council and Alliance need and when they lose face yet again because of Shepard, Udina is brought back from the shadows. The position of Councilor will be given to him without hesitation or question as a form of apology. Which in turn gives him the room to maneuver and push forward our agenda."
"Precisely," The Illusive Man nodded.
"I'll go with this scheme for now. But I want it on record that I am loath to the idea of being so discredited," Udina muttered. "Reputations are very difficult things to repair once damaged." It didn't occur to him to see the irony of his statement. They were speaking of breaking Shepard's own credibility only to rebuild her to a fashion better suited to Cerberus-to humanity ideals.
"Would any of us want that?" asked Rasa. "But this is all contingent on the fact that Shepard pulls through her four-day surgery."
"She will," Miranda said without thinking. "She will not give up the fight that easily."
The Illusive Man did not speak of it but there was a contingency put into place should Shepard 'die' on the table: Project Lazarus. Upon Shepard's death the name of the Lazarus Project was more physically apt then the philosophical one that Project Caesar untimely lead to. Shepard's rise from death in the glow of Cerberus benevolence.
The clone was nearing completion but it was only a facsimile of the real thing. Even if it had been given all the tactical and military training and education that Shepard possessed through tank imprints the clone would not think like Shepard did. Not that that was its true function of course. It had other purposes—mostly an organ factory to rebuild the true Specter if it came to that. If Miranda ultimately failed in fruition of Project Caesar and Shepard was not brought to heel and turned, then other alternatives would need to be acted upon. The recreation of the Normandy was a start. Something Shepard's romantic side could not pass up nor deny. She would want the ship but the price came with servitude. It was a price Miranda had willingly paid to insure her little sister was safe. It would be the price that Shepard would pay not only to have a ship, but the resources and, more importantly, the solidarity in knowing that someone believed in her when all others had forsaken her.
"No, she won't," The Illusive Man agreed.
"And what of the President? Let's us suppose Huerta gains his token hero? Grants Shepard yet another Star of Terra, if she falls he will take a brutal backlash for supporting her and for pursuing the issue of her symbolic promotion. And let us further suppose that he and the Prime Minister agree to this hypothesized venture that Anderson will be put on the Council to represent Earth. What makes you think that after such machinations the next name he proposes will have any weight, in fact quite the contrary?"
"A vote of no confidence," Udina quickly offered his voice smooth. "Our best choice would be to push for the election of a stronger President-one who could take control of the bureaucrats and give us the pathway we need to ensure humanity's dominance."
The Illusive Man nodded. It was best when those he was maneuvering came to his conclusions on their own, believing the machinations to be their ideas, their goals, their agenda. In this they were more likely to defend their positions than if set upon them by outspoken outside pressure or influence. Better such was done from the safety of the shadows.
"A vote of no confidence will not be easy proving, even if everything goes according to plan," Ashe ventured. "And courts take time. And even if this is manageable who make the assertions to issue such a vote? Ford cannot, not if she is to ascend though the line of succession without tarnishing her own reputation as to be seen grabbing for power."
"Very astute observation, I didn't think you were capable of it," Lawson both praised and demeaned the Colonel. She was baiting him, goading him and he knew better then to lash out at her here. Their eyes locked, it was The Illusive Man that broke their stalemate.
"Such details are best left unknown at present." The Illusive Man's tone was heavy. Denying the assembled foreknowledge gave each member of this clandestine party plausible deniability. "Suffice it to say it is known that the President's health is poor, is it not? It is not unknown that many men of his age and condition suffer debilitating if not fatal traumas. It would be unfortunate but unsurprising that President Christopher Huerta might suffer such a travesty." The taint of quiet mockery and dark promises flickered with each spoken syllable. "Soon he will become irrelevant, a minor inconvenience. Leave the details to me."
Many things had been set in motion this day. All carefully layered, all carefully planned moves and counter movers: layers upon layers upon layers. The asari were not the only beings in the galaxy to plan years in advance and be content to let the seeds grow. The Illusive Man had long ago understood and appreciated the virtue of patience. But the harvest was soon at hand.
The Illusive Man knew what Shepard did. The agony of the galaxy's death would come by the Reapers if they are not stopped. Each of you, Cerberus and all humanity will perish. No life will be sustained. The Reapers are an abomination, a plague which leeches this galaxy of its spiritual, moral life=giving strength. They obstruct the lives of all organics. Their soulless stagnate in their rancid mechanical shells. While death maybe inexorable and undeniable, it should never come by genocide!
The apostate existence of the Reapers must by purged, pushed back. The CEO of Cerberus vowed to remain steadfast and end the Reapers' parasitic curse on the galaxy. While Shepard desired the end of all Reapers, The Illusive Man sought to control them. Dominate them as with the geth.
MEMEMEMEMEME
Tonight On GBN from Khalisah al-Jilani:
Earth Nations in Suspense as Systems Alliance Hears Ford v. Huerta
'The nations of Earth are in suspense tonight as the Systems Alliance hears Ford v. Huerta, the first case of a human leader using reconstructive data storage to prolong his brain functions and stay physically capable to perform his duties. Speaker of the House Lisa Ford has led the charge against Huerta, saying that the last year of his term was illegitimate. A stroke left the President legally dead and in cryocool for an hour and a half before his brain functions were fully transferred to a computer. The amount of memory degradation was never fully revealed. According to the United North American States' line of succession, if Huerta was considered dead, then power would transfer to the Vice President and Speaker Ford would have held the position of Vice President for the last year.'
Also tonight:
Criminal Negligence
'The controversial tell-all e-book "Criminal Negligence: The Citadel Council and the True Story of the Geth Threat" went on sale at midnight last night and was lapped up by lovers of conspiracy theories and politics everywhere. Written by a C-SEC officer personally responsible for asari Councilor Tevos' safety, "Negligence" alleges that the Citadel Council knew the geth were traveling outside the Perseus Veil long before their attack on Eden Prime. Other revelations, such as the geth spreading to not one but five planets before their attack on the Citadel, are now being revealed to crank up the hype on the author's tour of the Council's homeworlds.'
Tonight on Battle Space.
Human Colony Cyrene Disappears Without Explanation
"The human colony Cyrene has disappeared without a trace – the latest in a series of colonies which have been lost under mysterious circumstances. It is estimated that five thousand people are missing. The moon colony circling the gas giant Idmon was a transit station between the Titan Nebula and the remainder of the Terminus Systems "It matches the modus operandi," says investigator Simon Haute. "No signs of force, no witnesses, a genuine Roanoke." Cyrene is the seventh human colony which has disappeared in the Terminus Systems since 2183. Only in one case could traces of looting be found which were attributed to a gang of marauders who had arrived first on the scene after the disappearance."
24th Fighter Group Honored for Role in Battle of the Citadel
"The 24th Fighter Group of the Citadel Fleet received the Galactic Unit Citation today for their role in the Battle of the Citadel over two years ago. It is the highest honor awarded to a military unit and recognizes gallantry above and beyond those of the Palladium Star, awarded to all Citadel and Fifth Fleet units who fought in the battle. The 24th were the first unit to engage the geth flagship Sovereign. Unable to pierce Sovereign's kinetic barriers the unit nevertheless gave their lives distracting the warship and the geth fleet during the Destiny Ascension docking attempts to evacuate the Citadel Council. Only one-sixth of the fighter group survived the battle and the offices of the Council decided the most fitting honor would be one awarded to the entire unit."
Tonight on ANN News brought to you by Emily Wong
Citadel Council Finishes Six-Day War Game Simulation
"Terminus Systems denizens are enraged tonight as the Citadel Council finished a six-day series of war games simulating an invasion of their space. Officially, the exercises were defensive in nature, but six turian and three asari dreadnoughts rehearsed positioning and bombardment. "This is more than saber-rattling", said Dick Ackerman, prime minister of the colony world Arvuna. "This was an attack rehearsal. It was timed to coincide with the invasion of Garvug. Terminus citizens are now on notice, and they are being called on to declare their allegiance or be counted as cowards". Council press secretary Irana Tinos reassured the Systems that these exercises are the duty of any military, and that this event was planned months before the incident on Garvug."
Cerberus Witch Hunt Results in Mass Journalist Firings
"It's been called the biggest blow to reporting in decades: the Cerberus witch hunt. More than 300 human journalists, editors, technicians, and other media personnel have been fired over the past month on suspicion of working for the human-survivalist group. "The discovery of one cell using steganography was a disaster," says former GBC news anchor Kyung-Soon Paek, "We thought if a terrorist cell wanted to send an encoded message across the galaxy, they'd want it in military signals or a galactic news broadcast to guarantee priority messaging in the comm buoy system. But all the media got for its investigations was paranoia and a lot of good people smeared." Counter-terror expert Luis van Graal agrees. "Cerberus is well-financed. They're probably using quantum entanglement communicators and laughing at the rest of us." Emily Wong, who survived a 25-person firing at the Future Content Corporation, had a different take: "With all the sudden vacancies, if there weren't Cerberus operatives in the media before, there certainly could be now.""
MEMEMEMEMEME
Present Day
Everything was proceeding as planned. The former Speaker of the House was now President of the United North America States. And though Udina had not yet been reinstated to office it was only a matter of time. Service in office behind a desk was not Councilor David Anderson's strong suit. Give him a ship and battleground and the man was brilliant. It was his home. But the tricky minefields of politics were not his forte. Though it could be argued that becoming a flag officer within the military was as much politics as it was military know-how. The only difference was there, everyone else was military too.
And though admired as a war hero and natural leader, humanity was quietly clamoring for someone more capable on the chessboard of the political arena. Some were even muttering behind closed doors.
'Udina was an ass but he was a capable ass. Anderson should go back to the Navy,'
'We need someone like Udina in office. Anderson is a great soldier, yeah, but that's just it; he's a soldier. What was Shepard thinking of suggesting him?'
'Shepard might have been wrong about Udina. It was personal between: them A grudge match that went public and shouldn't have.'
'It's not like Anderson is failing us or anything. He's doing the best he can and all. But what does the guy know about all those plots, backstabbing underhanded political shemes anyway? He's an honest soldier, a great one. But the other Councilors and bureaucrats are eating him alive.'
The murmuring was not simply contained to Earth or the pro-human radicals. It gave these whispers even more validity. And like a pandemic virus it spread from colony to colony reaching even onto the Citadel.
Anderson was well aware of the whispers and he could find no fault in them. Hell, he agreed with them. The political arena was not his battleground. More often then not he sent his assistant to the functions he was supposed to go to. But Shepard needed an ally, needed his support. And there were times he wondered how much he was sacrificing for one woman. But if Shepard lost her rank and her position then much more would be lost.
Anderson knew in his heart that the Reapers feared Shepard. And that fear was a powerful weapon. Humanity may be losing political footholds but better that than extinction, which was the only result if the Reapers completed their new cycle of harvesting all organic lives.
There was no question in the former Captain's mind that Udina would have made a better choice as Councilor. As slimy as that confounded man was, Udina knew 'The Game.' When Shepard offered up Anderson's name for the position as Earth's first Councilor he was not surprised. What did surprise the old naval officer was that President Huerta and Earth Systems Alliance Prime Minister Shstri concurred with the Spectre's proposal unanimously. And thus the position became his. Now given the public opinion within the polls, Anderson was down in popularity by thirteen percent. Public opinion stated he simply wasn't dirty or crooked enough to be a good politician. Anderson didn't disagree with that assessment either. He chaffed under his new title.
"Keep thinking like that and you'll burn a hole in the ozone," Kahlee's voice teased into Anderson's thoughts.
He looked up and saw his on again- off again long term girlfriend of twenty years descend down the stairs of their apartment. It was a large-ish domicile of three bedrooms with the master bedroom complete with its own ensuite and hot tub. There were two bar areas the smaller one had a poker table as well as a lounge/office space for Anderson to work at home. The spacious living room was large enough to comfortably contain a grand piano for Kahlee, a double faced fireplace and a balcony overhead. The upper floor had two of three bedrooms, two baths and another lounge / sitting room area lined with bookshelves, two sofas and a coffee table. The apartment also had a large kitchen and a quaint dining area.
It was decorated with art from many species of Citadel Space. For some odd reason Kahlee liked turian sculpture so the apartment had a lot of it. Anderson couldn't find it in his heart to say no to the woman he loved. After all, she tolerated his taste in art from 20th century Earth impressionists.
The place had cost a pretty penny, much more than his small, modest apartment he had when he first came here twenty years ago. Then again the apartment complex was located in prime real-estate on the Silver Strip. He had bought it for his retirement. When he and Kahlee would finally settled down, finally marry, but that day always seemed to be put off.
Kahlee Sanders had her work and obligations to her students at Grissom Academy (so named for her father). It was a place for exceptionally gifted students of mathematics and art. And it was also home to Earth's only real program for biotics to learn how to hone and control their gifts. It was a circle of learning, one Kahlee was so very proud of. A woman in her very early fifties she had many more years ahead of her as head mistress before she decided to retire.
Anderson would have it no other way. Kahlee simply wouldn't be his Kahlee otherwise.
"We're on a space station, love. There is no ozone," he countered with an upward curl to his lips.
"Don't be fresh. You know what I mean. What has you in such a twist?"
For a moment Anderson toyed with the idea of being a little passive-aggressive and telling her that nothing was the matter. He was worried for his protégée, he hadn't heard from Shepard in a while. Though it wasn't hard to track her movements. The prison ship Purgatory was now defunct, happening not long after she docked. Wherever she went into theater there was sure to be some sort of impressive explosion. The woman didn't do things by halves.
The truth was Anderson felt himself losing his edge piloting a desk. He even blamed the desk job for getting a little rounder in the belly though Kahlee offered no protests-so far. But he did notice a higher intake of veggies and fiber whenever she cooked or they ordered out. And when he cooked he noticed the fridge and cupboards were packed with low fat, low cholesterol food stuffs. It was healthy dieting by stealth. Even his assistant was in on the guerilla operation.
His BLTs with Philly cream cheese sandwiches were now LTBs with low-fat, low sodium mayo. When he brought it up his assistant told him: 'I have no idea what you are talking about, sir. Miss Sanders gave me a list of your preferred deli and insisted this particular sandwich was your favorite. I believe Miss Sanders was very enthusiastic when she commented how it was to be made for you. Do you wish for me to send it back?'
He ate the sandwich as it was.
And there it was, caught by the woman he loved trying to insure he lived a good long while. It was the reason he was now debating telling her the truth. He hated his job. He was no politician. He was a novice at The Game.
Truth be told he'd rather be out there in the Black possibly drawing fire from hostile forces and he highly suspected Kahlee knew it. He felt wasted in the Embassy. It wasn't that he didn't believe in what the Embassies were doing; he understood they were a vital component of the Citadel. But Anderson had developed a unique set of specialized skills as an N7, almost none of which were applicable to his current position.
At least fifteen times a day a piece of small but unusual information that begged further attention would pass across his desk, passed up to him from the analytics offices: potential leads to what might possibly be a mission critical to the safety of Council Space. Instead of being able to act on these leads he had to confer with the reports and recommendations from the analytics agents on how to proceed. At the very least this was familiar territory for the retired Captain now Councilor. Should he assign an N7 team to strike or commission a Spectre? And that was on a good day.
Anderson offered a lazy smile. One that translated more in the offering then words ever could.
"You're concerned about Shepard," Kahlee said as she ran her hand through his short curly hair. "If I didn't know better I'd swear she was your daughter the way you fret over her. She's not just another solider under your command is she?" Kahlee slid next to him on the sofa
"No she isn't. The woman is something else. She's been forced to fight a lot of battles alone, Kahlee. Right now she's in a rough patch. Hell, it's been a series of rough patches one after other since the destruction of the Normandy. She's always done whatever I've asked of her, ordered her to do. Not once did I get 'No sir, I can't do that.' She never hesitated. Never got a complaint. Not even when they forced her to choose between being a Spectre and an N7. And other choices they forced her to make out of some political game. The attacks on her wife, the murder of her child, now as an open double agent with Cerberus. And the final piece clicks into place.
"Hell yes I worry for her. Not a lot of people understand what's going on and I'm not just talking about civilians. The Top Brass never wanted to grant her the promotion after the battle of the Citadel. They felt she was too compromised by the aliens on her ship, especially Dr. T'soni. They felt she weaken her resolve to humanity by saving the Destiny Ascension by sacrificing so many human lives."
"But they promoted her anyway. The President and Prime Minister saw an opportunity didn't they?" Kahlee asked and answered her own question.
"Punishing Shepard would have been sending the wrong message. Everyone knew the promotion was symbolic." Anderson complemented Kahlee's response with a stronger reply. "For the politicians it was a message that they supported her decision that Earth stood with the Council."
"They believed it strengthened their tires for when Earth's Councilor came to power. The heads of government separated themselves from the military with that forced promotion, yet another message to the Council. Alliance military decisions could be overruled, like promotions to officers who would never have been considered for such because they are heroes."
"Sounds like they don't give much thought to Shepard as a person, but only to what she represents."
"And that's why I worry for her," Anderson said. "And I'm in a better position than her mother or her…father to help her."
Kahlee caught the influx on the word father. At her look Anderson sighed. Kahlee knew so much of his life; a great deal of it was rendered confidential. There were two women in his life that he trusted it to. One was his lover, the other was Shepard—the daughter he never had. "Her relationship with her biological father is strained and complex. Her stepfather, if you want to call him that, wasn't much better; he wasn't much of a father at all, he merely tolerated her existence.
"Sounds familiar." Kahlee put her fingers to his lips. Strained relationships with fathers were one thing Kahlee knew well. Her own relationship with her father, Admiral John Grissom, before he died was never good. They had been estranged for years. She had once promised her mother never to speak to her father again, but that was before the troubles with Saren twenty years ago—when she first met David. Her father gave her sanctuary when she was being hunted after the incident at Sidan and she had been labeled a traitor.
Anderson didn't believe it of Kahlee then and he would never believe it of Shepard now. His gut proved him right once, it would again. There were nights he lost sleep over Shepard getting back home. Soldiers like the Commander were rare. Women like Shepard…even more rare. So he stayed in a job he loathed to continue to protect her as best he could.
MEMEMEMEMEMEME
AN: references to the novel- Mass Effect: Revelation, Citadel DLC- the personal apartment Anderson gives Shepard. (Ever notice the bedroom next to the master would be perfect for a nursery?)