Disclaimer: Statement: This particular meatbag does not own or claim to own the games Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic or Mass Effect for fear of execution.

Proud Declaration: Instead these games are copyrighted to the exceptional men and women of the Bioware Corporation, Lucas Arts and Microsoft game studios.

Definition: Politics

Tensions were high as the ship docked into the Citadel. The crew had little to no conversations with each other after the incident at the cockpit. Worse yet, the Commander had began socializing frequently with the synthetic. Least worried, Wrex had decided to sleep with his shotgun out, just in case.

The confines of the SSV Normandy were one thing, but C-Sec wasn't as understanding. They would have to sneak the droid into Ambassador Udina's office.

"Well?" Shepard asked when he got to the locker.

"It's no good." Williams grunted in frustration. "Nothing fits!"

"Suggestion: Master, if camouflage will not suffice, why not simply lure- I mean, invite the meatbag ambassador here?"

Shepard looked towards the elevator. "I'm worried about Tali. She hasn't said a word and I'm afraid she might make a scene."

"Hypothetical: Like maim the ambassador?"

"Uhh, I think he meant something like leaving."

As Shepard put on his suit and went upstairs, he waited for the elevator to open, only to reveal the Krogan and Turian.

"How is she?" The Krogan rolled his red orbs up and shoved ahead to the stairs.

The Turian sighed. "She's packing her equipment and trying to locate the next shuttle. Looks like she was serious."

Shepard sighed. "Try and talk to her, make her stay but don't force her."

"And if she tries to leave?" Shepard waited for a moment and gave his answer.

"Let her go. I have too much respect for her." He headed up the stairs, thinking the same thing as everyone else. Was he going to replace one crewmate for another?

None of the officers seemed to care or give a second glance at the black cloaked person going towards the elevator. Then again, most C-Sec officers knew better than to question the hero of the Citadel. As the crew ascended, Wrex broke the silence of the elevator music.

"So, what's your record for kills in a day?"

"Statement: 599 office workers in a 12 hour period." HK said underneath the hooded cloak.

"Huh. That's a good number." In truth, Wrex grumbled a little, seeing his personal best was 302 mercenaries. "Couldn't you have made it an even 600?"

"Request: Please do not remind me, Krogan meatbag. It is most embarrassing."

The door opened as all of Shepard's squad, save Garrus and Tali, were welcomed to the Presidium.

"Udina's office is just around the corner. HK…" Shepard looked at the droid with stern eyes.

"You're to be on your best behavior while visiting the ambassador, understood?"

"Affirmation: Yes, Master." The crew shushed the droid, forcing it to nod. Past Avina and the Asari director, they accidentally bumped into a human male on the way.

"Sorry."

"Threat: Watch it, meatbag."

"Excuse me?" the man turned around only to see the Ambassador doors close.

Tali waited several moments for the other side to pick up. The transmission was direct stream. Luckily, the Normandy had private lines for communication. She just needs him to pick…

"Hello? Who's there?"

Tali gave a sigh as she answered. "Hi, dad."

"Tali?" Her father had the same identical look as her, except more masculine. His physique was mostly identical to Commander Shepard's and his helmet covered his mouth as most Quarians. The antibacterial field must have shut down again.

"What's the meaning of this? I need to get back and make sure that none of the stabilizers shut down. And shouldn't you be back from your Pilgrimage?"

"Dad, I need your advice on something."

"Well, hurry up, I haven't got all day."

"It all started when we uncovered this derelict ship…

Shepard had rubbed his eyes to keep himself awake. It must have been an entire hour waiting for Udina to appear. Most of it consisted of HK asking to kill something 158 times (Williams kept count), Wrex challenging HK that he could shoot more fish out in the lake, and Shepard stopping Ashley from using her shotgun to blast HK's circuits..

Finally, the doors opened.

"This better be good, Shepard, I need to-

"Introduction: Greetings and Salutations, Meatbag Udina! I am Droid HK-47, at your command. May I-"

Udina began clutching his chest as he fell backwards. Shepard and Williams helped him up and calmed him down.

After several deep breaths, Udina gritted his teeth. "If this is your idea of a joke, Shepard, I have to say this is not funny."

"Correction: On the contrary, a human dying through the form of Cardiac Arrest would be most humorous."

Williams slapped her head as Shepard ordered Liara and Wrex to take him elsewhere.

"Ambassador, I have a proposition…

"And you didn't think to hack it?" Tali's father gave no remorse to her situation.

"I thought there wouldn't be a point. It's just a killing machine. Father, what should I do?" Garrus kept an eye on Tali, making unsure she was still on the ship.

"I'm surprised at you, Tali. This droid can translate Geth speak, and you aim to destroy it?"

"Father, we don't need translators, we created the Geth language, remember?"

Her father crossed his arms. "While that's true, we don't need to be shot as well. This droid is perfect for a reconnaissance mission on the Quarian homeworld. You can let the droid sneak in, listen in on the conversations, as the Council sends a fleet to decimate it. And if all else fails, the galaxy is rid of another synthetic."

"I-I never thought of it that way father; if this will help our people-"

"Tali, do this, and I will welcome you back with open arms." She stood silent for a moment as she nodded her head.

"I'll do it! I'll save our world from the Geth!" she cut off the transmission just as Garrus stopped the recording device on the Omni-tool.

"Ambassador, I know this is hard to take in," Shepard had spent the last half hour battling Udina to letting them travel beyond the Veil, "But I can promise peace between us; humans and synthetics living side by side."

Udina sighed as he closed the doors leading outside.

"Shepard, I completely sympathize with your situation."

Williams nearly choked hearing those words. "Excuse me?"

"I was like you once, yes. Years ago, I was just a congressman trying to get the President to approve a treaty between two countries at war. He thanked me for, 'giving him something more firm. His old toilet paper was too soft.' He said it didn't stand a chance. I fought day and night to have peace between the warring countries. But it never happened. Then all of a sudden, there were threats of aliens and signs that our way of life was ending. That we needed to join together or die trying."

"First Contact." Ashley said slowly.

"All of a sudden, the countries weren't separate, oil could be shared and religious differences could be forgotten because of an alien threat."

Shepard sighed as rubbed his head.

"People unite when they face a strange new threat. Just as we are now against the Reapers."

Shepard banged his fist on the table. "Are saying that's all humanity's capable of? To discriminate against something different until we find something stranger to call our enemy?"

Udina sat down at his desk. "Shepard, there is a time and place for everything. Maybe in 50 years, we could be shaking hands with the Geth. But during war, there can be only two sides."

"Sorry, Ambassador," Shepard replied with a smile, "I had forgotten how full of talk you are. Thanks for reminding me!" he stormed out of the Embassy as Udina stopped Williams.

"Don't let him do something he'll regret."

Williams shoved Udina, "Get away from me, you politician."

As they entered the room next door, they had seen HK speaking with the Elcor ambassador.

"Query: Why not simply blast the Council into your way of thinking?"

"Dismissive: I would not resort to simple bloodshed."

"Clarification: If you want more space from the Council, action is required. Not necessarily by you, of course.

"Offended: I wish for your synthetic to leave me at peace. I have nothing further to say to it." Shepard immediately let the rest of the crew get out the door.

"Dismissal: Honestly, you're no fun."