Disclaimer: BioWare owns Mass Effect. 20th Century Fox owns the Alien franchise.
Widow System, February 19, 2177
1st Lieutenant Jane Shepard gathered with the rest of the humans and aliens in a ready room where several technicians were seeing to their needs. It was just past Last Light on the Citadel when everyone arrived to the Office of Special Tactics, a rather nondescript building in the Kyrsae Ward, near the Presidium. Gathering everyone and bringing them to the building hadn't been as much of a hassle as Shepard had feared it would, but it still had taken some time since many of her team and the Specter recruits had gotten off for the day before the call went out, and the time to collect them all had been time Shepard had used to prepare herself.
Her first Specter mission, leading so many, humans and aliens together… she was very nervous.
"Alright, people, listen up!" Shepard raised her voice as nineteen pairs of eyes looked to her as she stood in the front of the ready room, Special Tactics service techs scanning each of the people in the room for any possible infections or contagions while getting a baseline reading for each as well for their biometric locks for the equipment that would be issued. "As soon as the Salarians are done scanning you, I need each and every one of you save for Rebecca to line up at that door," she pointed out one of the doors in the room, "to get your armor and your Omnitools. When you're done with that? Then you go to that door," again, she pointed out the door in question which happened to be on the opposite side of the room from the first one, "which is the armory. I think most of us are going to love it in there." There were a few chuckles from that, Shepard using the joke to lighten the mood. "There, you'll be assigned the basic load pertaining to your specialties, as well as any extra equipment you feel that you are going to justifiably need." She emphasized on the 'justifiable' part.
Shepard had already looked at the armory, and had immediately drooled at the sight of the selection of weapons. For the most part, she didn't need to go through the same hassles as everyone else, as she already had her own personal armor in the Serrice Counsel Heavy Armor, as well as a set of weapons that she was more than comfortable with. Fortunately for her, if she wanted, she could go through the armory that was meant for Specters-only; the recruits and her team of Marines were combing through the Specter specialists' equipment, which was still top-notched weapons, armor, and equipment, but not to the quality of what she, Tela Vasir, and Cavis Raminion could procure. Since she had been put as the lead of the mission, Executor Kryus Contenus had removed her 'recruit' status, and now 1st Lieutenant was officially a Level 2 Access Counsel Agent for the time being. The old Turian had explained to her that, after the mission, she would still have to finish her schooling and training, but her status would remain the same; she was a full-fledge Specter. The level of access and procurement of Citadel forces meant that she could, conceivably, call the Counsel at any time, request for a fleet from the Citadel Defense Forces, look through classified materials and redacted information not labeled for Level 3 Access or higher, and call upon judgment upon any Citadel citizen that wasn't of diplomatic status of a species government not her own. There was more to it than that, of course, and she would have to justify herself at any time if asked, but as a Level 2, Shepard was now the type of Specter that everyone thought of when they thought of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance.
Shepard might have been nervous as hell, but she was secretly excited as well.
Slowly, each member of her team began to file through to the armor and equipment phase, having been biometricly scanned so that they could be fitted for armor and equipment that would not only fit them properly, but also only be accessed by them. It made Shepard think of the Aldrin Labs' Onyx Armor that the Alliance issued out, a one-size fits uncomfortably that she once thought find until she learned the difference. The Onyx Armor was crap, barely fit to stop even weak fire from a cheap gun, and that was the kind of stuff that Corporate Alliance was giving the Marines? When she had seen what her teammates were going to be fitted with, Shepard was almost blown away by the difference in quality and capabilities. She was shocked to see that her Marines were going to be armored with Hadne-Keder's Heavy Predator Armor, a very high-quality armor that was reserved for N-teams! How the Office of Special Tactics gotten a hold of a least a dozen of them, Shepard had no idea. As to why they had them in the first place… had they ordered them when she had become a Specter, knowing this day would eventually come? That had her contemplative; the Alliance would have merely whined about budgets, and told them that the request was sent. Specters, evidently, thought ahead. In addition to their armor, each Marine was given a high-end Logic Arrest Omnitool with upgraded memory capacity and Omnigel reserves, as well as a suite of VI's for running apps and linking to their armor. Shepard had to smile at that; all one had to do was simply talk to activate their Omnitool and run a hack as oppose to putting down their weapon and keying it in. The final piece was a head-mounted visor and earpiece made by Devlon Industries, lined to the armor and Omnitool. Each of her Marines now had radar capabilities, as well as several different vision capabilities.
Gods, why couldn't they have had this shit back on LV 426. So many more of her Marines and Team Dingo might have made it…
It took a better part of an hour to outfit the Marines and the Specter recruits before they hit the armory. The whole time they were doing so, Shepard, Tela Vasir, and Cavis Raminion were going over the equipment and supplies that they would need, filling in orders for the ship that they were to use, a Turian Frigate converted for Counsel Agent use. The re-classed CDF Spirit of Vengeance had been retrofitted for Specter use, often used by a wide variety of Specters and their specialists. Shepard was glad to know that the ship was fitted to accommodate potentially any species in Citadel space, including Elcor, Volus, and Quarian, the three races with the most unusual needs. Extra canisters of chorine gas, Enviro-Suit filters and repair kits, dextro supplies, a portion of the ships' Med Bay as an electrostatic clean room for Rahe'Tarram's use and any potential medical needs, beds and bunks to accommodate all of their various shapes and sizes… the Spirit of Vengeance showed forethought and innovation. Shepard was also shocked to learn that it had been fitted with a prototype device that would make it incredibly hard to detect on ladar by injecting the ships' heat into disposable heat sinks. Unfortunately, the ship only possessed about ten of the canisters, which would be good for perhaps an hour of silent running each during low-energy states, and dumping the barreled-sized heat sink would bloom right on an enemy's sensor. Still, a single hour of potential invisibility was nothing to sneeze at, even if the system had some obvious flaws. Shepard couldn't see the need for it for the mission they were going to embark on, but perhaps they would use it on approach. Couldn't hurt to see its capabilities. She was, after all, an architectural design student; perhaps she could come up with a way to improve its design.
"I've contacted a medical specialist from Hureta who will be coming on board with us." Cavis Raminion announced, working on his own datapad as Shepard was going through the inventory list of food, water, medical supplies, replacement parts for armor and weapons, and Omnigel reserves. "Salarian who has worked with just about every species, and can talk someone through an emergency procedure if needed."
"That's good. Your Medigel is crap, though. Substandard." Shepard told the Turian instructor as she ordered the stuff by the gallon. "Pretty sure Sirta didn't tell you that what they've been selling you is the stuff that didn't pass snuff through quality control. We don't even give this stuff out to the gloom-and-doom colonies."
"Typical human greed." Cavis spat out, making her hmm but saying nothing else; she really couldn't find a fault with the Specter Instructor's ire. "Does your Medigel supplies suffice?"
"We've got about… forty applications for humans." Shepard admitted, thinking of the stuff they had brought from LV 426 and whatever had been on the UD-4 Cheyenne. "I don't know enough about anyone else's physiology to know how much a Turian might need if wounded. But it's potent, probably a quarter of whatever you normally need from this cheap crap. We'll save the good stuff for serious wounds, and slap the shit on for bandaids and second skins." Shepard was going to have to look into a way to procure some more of the quality Medigel that the Alliance Military had on hand. Perhaps she could call Captain Mal Reynolds, see if he knew of any smugglers or black market dealers who might have some. She didn't like the thought of having poor-quality Medigel for any of her team members. It looked to be that the stuff that Sirta Foundation had been selling the Citadel was the first batch that they had created back in the 50's, good for stopping bleeding with some mild painkillers and local-tropic anti-inflammatories. It would work on minor woulds and non-life-threatening situations. The good stuff, what Shepard would have loved to have ordered, would stave death if applied in time, having genemods and stem-cells laced in its hemopathic volumizers and sedatives to prevent necrosis and septicemia. As long as a soldier was still breathing, the tagline that Sirta pushed out, Medigel would keep them that way. "When we get back, I'll see if I can flash this nifty little 'Humanity's First Specter' card I've seem to got and see what I can do to order some of the more modern batches. Might have to spread it thin among Special Tactics, but some is better than none."
"You would do that?" Cavis asked, obviously surprised. "That is… quite honorable of you, Jane. I can't say that I would have done the same thing a few months ago for a human. Before I met you, I never thought your species worthy of knowing the time of day. I thought that perhaps you were a sole exception, or perhaps a rare one. But I've heard some of the C-Sec Agents talk about the human members of your team, and I've heard good things. Perhaps it is as you said last night at the interview; one needs to look more at an individual than to judge them all by the species alone. And… why is your plates turning red?"
"She's blushing again." Tela Vasir answered in a sing-song voice, looking up from her own datapad, going through the same inventories that Shepard was, adding in things that Shepard didn't know they would need, or double-checking the quantities. "She does that when she's embarrassed."
"Tela!" Shepard gasped out loud, her cheeks heating even further. Cavis Reminion began to chuckle. "Gods, you are killing me!"
The CDF Spirit of Vengenace was, in 1st Lieutenant Jane Shepard's mind, a hell of a ship. A Turian Frigate-class vessel, it boasted advanced armor and kinetic shielding while possessing a Turian main battle cannon that could fire 100 gram uranium-slugs from under its belly at a rate of ten shots per minute, made to crack the armor on even a Dreadnaught. The vessel was made for speed, and though it looked funny to her, like some sort of bird of prey, Shepard had to admit that ship looked very capable. Still, she missed the sight of missile pods, auto-cannons, and the slats of iridium-reinforced armor on a human vessel.
Shepard watched as the last of the equipment was stowed away in the cargo bay of the Spirit, the men and women of her team having already loaded themselves in as she performed her last checks, fretting over last minute details with Tela Vasir. She had to admit that the Turians who were loading the ship were hard-working and very efficient, doing it faster and better than Navy Quartermasters and loaders. She noted how they did things, and wrote some notes on her datapad, hoping that she could incorporate such practices of using hoverlifts for carrying larger items as oppose to oversized YMIR loader mechs that couldn't walk through a cargo bay more than one at a time due to their size.
"Priority message." Shepard's Omnitool rang out, interrupting her as she checked it quickly, and saw who it was from. The message came from her AllianceNet account, and she saw who had sent it to her.
"Tela? Can you finish this? My Pop just sent me an Emergency Contact ASAP request." Shepard told the Thessian who was standing next to her, feeling her face draining at the sight of the request. David had never sent her one before, and it could only be bad news.
"Of course. We are almost done, anyhow." The Counsel Agent replied quietly, obviously figuring out that Shepard was now worried about other things. "We shall be underway in an hour. Take as much time as you need."
"Thank you." Shepard placed a hand on Tela Vasir's shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze of affection as she moved towards the Spirit, making her way through the cargo bay and up the Turian-styled ladder meant for crew members as she arrived on the main deck, where her billet and office were located. As the lead Specter of the mission, she was rated as a temporary Captain of the Turian Hierarchy, and had the equivalent quarters to match it. When she went into her assigned berth, she was amazed by the size of it; it was easily a hundred square feet of area, with an Asari-styled bed, a work station, a closet for clothing, a locker space for weapons and armor, and her own personal water closet for bathing. Shepard shook her head at the sight, as fine a military billet as she had ever seen, before ignoring them and going to her work station. After cuing in her Specter encryption protocols, she accessed her AllianceNet server, and opened up a communications line to the transmitter of the message. Shepard waited for about five minutes for the light-lag to connect, when she saw a Skype screen open up, and a face appear in its window.
Captain David Edward Anderson.
"Pop! I just got your message!" Shepard said quickly, seeing her Pop's face on the viewer… had he ever been that old? He looked so tired and defeated, not at all what he looked like just a week ago, the last time she had talked to him for their weekly catch-ups.
"Janey? I need to ask you something serious." Anderson spoke quietly, looking around whatever room he was in. "Do you have any plans on leaving the Citadel?"
"As in missions, or going back to the Alliance?" Shepard asked, a little confused. Her Pop had been the first person she had told about choosing to be a Specter after she told her team. He had been so proud of her, and she had witnessed him crying for the first time then. Now she looked at him, and it was as if someone told him someone very close to him had died. She knew that face; she wore it herself, once. "I'm almost enroute on my very first Specter mission, Pop, leading other Specters to a planet-fracker in distress. As for the Alliance, I've still got about another ten months of classes and training with Special Tactics. I'm… not too sure what will happen after that."
"Janey… don't come back." Anderson spoke, and Shepard felt her heart seize in her chest; what? "There's been… something's happened, Janey, something bad. The Corporate networks and the Ministry of Information has kept a lid on it, but…" The Black Fox sighed, his hands cradling his face, and Shepard couldn't remember a time Anderson had ever looked like this. What the hell was going on? "Just a few short hours ago, there was a coup."
The world died as Shepard felt her whole body go cold, numb. Oh Gods…
"I don't know the details," Anderson continued, "but it looks like Corporate Security came in and pulled several Committee members from the Parliament, and then initiated a lockdown with certain members still inside. I think… I think we may had a new Head of Committee, and it looks like the first thing they did was suspend the Articles of Alliance."
"Oh Gods no…" This wasn't happening. Shepard had a very hard time believing what she was hearing. If that had happened… "Tell me this isn't another Civil War, Pop!"
"It looks that way." Anderson said, defeated. "Corporate may have seized power in the government, locking out the rest of the Committee, and may be ratifying something in place. What, I don't know. Calls for mobilization have been sounded out by several factions, Janey; it's a Goddamn mess. We… we don't know who's in charge, or what's going on. I just got off the phone with Fleet Admiral Grissom, and he's ordered all military vessels to stage at Arcturus in stand down, to prevent the military from joining in or being used. I've got most of the N's with me, and we may be pushed in to secure London. It looks like Corporate is going to seize as much political power first, and then start by seizing the competition. If they've created a voting bloc that has a large percentage of assets and resources at their side… we may need to blockade Sol from the rest of the galaxy."
"Oh… fuck…" This was a nightmare; no, worse. Despite mining and agriculture having been moved to the colonies, most everything that Humanity needed was sent to Earth first. If Sol was locked down, all that food and material would be locked up with the system for whomever would come out on top. Not to mention the damage that would inevitably be done, the lives lost… "Can you confirm anything, Pop? This is going to scare a lot of people at my end of things. The Citadel expects us to patrol Alliance Space. If we're embroiled in a Civil War… they may take steps." Shepard didn't need to think on what the Counsel might do if they thought the Alliance Government a threat.
"Two things, neither of them are going to please you." Anderson sighed, and he pulled out a bottle of what appeared to be rum, and poured it into a plastic disposable cup. "First? Director Jack Harper was taken from Court, under armed escort, and Prosecutor Giamanti was shot trying to stop them." Shepard felt a sob escape her, remembering the man's last words to her; one a promise to prosecute that son-of-a-bitch, and the others from the interview, giving her his support. A good man now dead. "If I had to guess, I believe Harper may now be in Parliament, either as a part of the voting bloc… or in control of it."
"Fuck…" Could things get worse?
"The second thing they want is you, Janey, for treason."
Her whole body went numb, all sensation of control leaving her for more than a few seconds. If Shepard hadn't been sitting down in a chair, she would have collapsed on the ground.
"T-treason?" Shepard couldn't believe her ears. Treason? "What for?" Her mouth could barely work properly, her words tumbling through stiff lips. "I haven't told any Alliance secrets or given the Counsel anything damning. Hell, quite the opposite, and they are aware of it! What treasonous act have I accomplished?" Her anger was starting to boil over now, fighting the cold numb of defeat in her heart. "Was it the sick fucking experiments they were conducting? Or was it the fact that I wouldn't be a good little girl and let me and my men die so Weyland-Yutani could have another fucking good quarter?"
"I don't know, but Fleet Master Grissom received that message a few hours ago, prompting him to think that something was wrong." Anderson explained. "He got into contact with another Committee member who had been sick and hadn't shown up, and somehow narrowly avoided being captured by a goon squad. Some N's rescued him, and now we're protecting one of the few people we know may not be in on this. He filled us in on some details, and now we're here, waiting word." Shepard still couldn't believe her ears. Why was this happening?
She knew why.
"This is my fault, Pop." Shepard said, feeling her anger die, the ugly head of truth coming up. "I did something they didn't expect; I survived and went straight to the Counsel. Now Earth is suffering for it." Gods, what could be happening to humanity's home planet right now? She didn't even want to dwell on it.
"Stop that, right there." Anderson growled, garnering her attention through her growing depression "You did something incredible, Janey, and now we have one of Earth's finest standing at the heart of galactic civilization, showing them what a human can do. I'm proud of you, Janey, and you've done everything right. Do you know how many N's are here, talking about you? Half of them knew you as a girl before OCS, and all they do is tell stories… telling the others who never met you who you are. You've got our support, Jane Catherine Shepard, so you had best keep walking that road you're on, because you just may be the one damn thing going that is right. And that comes from the Fleet Master himself, too."
"Jon Grissom wants me to continue?" Shepard swallowed, the name of Earth's greatest hero making her shiver slightly.
"Your orders are to continue with your training, Janey, to become a full-fledge Specter." Anderson relayed, a smile finally growing on his haggard face. "Learn, train, excel; I know you can do these things. Things might get ugly here, but right now we need someone to look up to, someone to believe in. We need someone that humanity can point to and say 'that's how it's done'. For all we know, the opinions of the Counsel may very well be swayed by you, keeping something worse from happening. I'll keep you abreast the best I can, Janey, but for now? Ignore everything coming from Earth, and be prepared to dig in. I have a feeling that things will get worse before they get better."
"Should… should I tell the others? Royce? Stacy? Gods help me, should I tell the Counsel?" Shepard asked, her tone quiet. She was barely swallowing the news herself, and now there were eight other human beings who would want to know, not to mention several other authority figures in the Citadel. Anderson went quiet for a long time, looking at her.
"Tell them everything." Anderson finally replied, taking another swallow of rum. "Grissom thought this might happen, and you're cleared Top Secret. If it will protect Earth… do what you need to do. If we come out on top, you might just be the one to save us all. If we don't… it won't matter anyhow."
"I'll… I'll get them on the line." Shepard wiped away a tear that escaped her eye, feeling the anger and rage burning within her, matching the fear and terror she felt. "Pop… please take care. I want you to meet Tela, I want you to see me become a full-fledged Specter, I…" She couldn't finish the sentence, but there was no need; her Pop understood.
"I will, Janey. I love you, and know that you always have my thoughts with you… Agent Shepard." That had her snort. "I'll message when I can with updates."
With that, the line went dead, and Shepard's heart went dead with it.
The communications room aboard the CDF Spirit of Vengeance was, like the rest of the Turian Frigate, a state-of-the-art marvel that 1st Lieutenant Jane Shepard didn't have the time or the inclination to truly appreciate. Instead, she was looking at several holographic monitors filled with alien faces, all of them looking at her as she called upon an emergency session with no less than the Counsel of Three, the Executor of Special Tactics, the Executor of C-Sec, the Head of Special Tasks Groups, and the Head Speaker of the Citadel Intelligence Agency. Three Turians, three Salarians, and an Asari were all looking at her, having received her message and vidcomm'ed her back in a reasonable amount of time. Thankfully, the Specter classes she had been taking had covered something like this, so Shepard knew whom she needed to contact, and how to address the severity of the situation. When she took the class but a few weeks ago, it had never occurred to her that 'Government Collapse' just might be the only lesson she needed to learn most.
"Counsel members, Executors, Chairmen, thank you for your timely reply." Shepard spoke towards the wall covered with the holographic images, knowing that her face would be appearing before each member in the same fashion. It seemed that, due to the late hour, every one of the members were at their respective domiciles. How often had something like this occurred to them? It wasn't a pleasant thought. "I apologize for the hour, but I just received word from my adopted father of a possible coup on Earth. Details are sketchy as of right now, but it seems that Corporate Security ejected several members of Parliament, have the building on lockdown to prevent members from coming in, and there is a session running much later than usual in Parliament. We don't exactly know who is in charge right now, or what they are doing. At the very least, they are amending the Articles of Alliance as we speak without the approval of a full Committee or the Courts. To what end?" Shepard had nothing for that.
"That is dire news." Counselor Sparatus Quinlanius spoke first, shifting in his chair. "Is there any other information?"
"Yes, and it gets worse." Shepard admitted. "It seems that Corporate Security went to the Weyland-Yutani trial and secured Director Harper, extracting him. They also shot the Lead Prosecutor right in the courtroom." That had been hard for her to say. "Fleet Master Jon Grissom is currently pulling all Alliance Military vessels to Arcturus, to secure the exit of Sol relay and effectively shutting out Earth from the rest of Alliance Space. He's doing his best to keep the military from getting involved like it did in the Alliance/Independents War. He was also ordered to arrest me for treason." That had Executor Kryus Contenus snort out loud. She didn't even know Turians could do that.
"We do not give up our Agents." The Executor of Special Tactics announced. "You would think someone would have learned over the past few months and several failed assassination attempts of that little fact."
"Which brings us up to our next question; what do we do about it?" That was the Head Speaker of the CIA, Shupa Beslian, addressed. "If the Alliance Military is blocking off the only access into Sol, our options are limited. So will be any information we can glean."
"If you have anyone in Sol, please warn them." Shepard replied, looking to the Speaker. "Let them know that they will not be able to leave, and to make themselves as invisible as possible. My species can get pretty stupid at such times, and there's a good many times in our history we use 'differences' as an excuse to justify why things are going wrong, instead of blaming incompetence. While the Military can physically blockade Sol, news and the extranet won't be. Corporate-sponsored media is still in full swing, and there's very little the military can do to cut those feeds without cutting off everything." Shepard explained. "Honestly… I think the only real solution out of this is war; the military is going have to take on the government, probably supplant it. I can't really see any other choice other than to let whoever is doing this to take charge with the rest of us huddling in fear at the repercussions." She rubbed at the back of her neck. "Humanity is a lot more fragile that we let on. We've only got two self-sustaining colonies, but the rest rely on trade from Earth. If the blockade continues… humanity out in the 'verse is going to start starving in about three months. Perhaps less. Total collapse of everything around the same time."
Her declaration was met with a profound silence.
"Jane." Executor Contenus spoke up first. "This is probably a radical idea for you, but it is something that we Turians did during the Unification Wars. When our colonies were fighting one another to lord over all, the Hierarchy simply sat and let it happen, letting the colonies beat themselves into submission until it was time to move in. But in the Second Unification Wars, there was a Turian leader who took command of the Hierarchy Forces, who got the colonies to submit without firing a shot from the sheer size of our fleets and their firepower. That leader wasn't a General or an Admiral. His name was Tarrin Vakarian, and he was a Counsel Agent."
"You mean to suggest…" Shepard couldn't believe her ears.
"Go through with your mission, Jane, and we'll begin moving Citadel Defense Forces in preparation." Kryus spoke. "When you come back, you'll have enough ships to match your Alliance Military, in which you can negotiate for cooperation. If the Alliance Military agrees, then our fleets will move in on Earth where we shall follow your lead on the hopes of restoring order and getting your government running properly. That is, of course, with the Counsel's approval."
"Agreed." The Three said almost at the same time, and Shepard felt her heart almost seize again. Oh Gods… I… is this really happening? They're… they're going to let me save Earth!
"I… I don't know what to say… but thank you." Her words tumbled out, and it was hard for her to actually see straight as she blinked away tears. "We're already underway to Feros. I'll give you reports as required." Shepard had a hard time getting a grip on herself, too much was happening at once. "I should go. There's a lot on my mind, and a mission I need to plan."
"Then may the Goddess watch over you, Agent." Counselor Tevos T'essus replied with a smile. "As I am sure your Gods will watch over you."
In the end, she told everyone the truth.
The crew deck of the CDF Spirit of Vengeance was filled with the team members under 1st Lieutenant Jane Shepard's command, both human and alien listening silently as she explained the situation on Earth. Not one word was said when she told them of the expulsion of members of the Parliamentary Committee members, the voting bloc that was taking place, or the subsequent rescue of Director Harper and the murder of Michael Giamanti. She even told them of her own personal charge of treason, and every human in front of her looked like they were going to be sick. She told them what Fleet Master Grissom had done with the military, but at least the humans understood the ramifications; a blockade would surely be the demise of humanity out in the colonies. She handed them the Gods-awful truth.
And then she told them what she planned to do about it.
The silence was stunning as Shepard explained the Counsel's plan; to send the Citadel's fleet to aid the Alliance in the attempt to take back Earth. It would be the largest gathering of warships since that Krogan Rebellion, and she would be in charge of half of it. That had Shepard's stomach tied in knots, the thought of being in command of so much. She was just a Marine Lieutenant; what did she know about fleets? She figured that, at best, she would be a figurehead, a symbolic image thrusted out for all to see, a gathering point for those concerned. She wouldn't actually be in charge, just the one expected to make the speeches and such. Which wasn't exactly that much better.
"Damn, Janey." Captain Royce Mason breathed out finally, shaking his head. "Wish in one hand, shit in the other. Those fuckers thought they'd get away wit' it all 'till you and your merry band went and found out the truth."
"And then they went and took over the Goddamn government." Master Chief Stacy Valentino shook her head, swearing. "What, they think we wouldn't have a say in it?"
"Yeah, because they've been trying to kill us since day one, man." Corporal-Technician Bill Hudson pointed out. "Obviously this was in the works, they've been trying to get us dead because they know people would listen to us."
"Too late now, pendejos." Corporal Jeanette Vasquez growled, flexing her fists. "When I make it back to Earth? I'm gonna stomp some Corporate slime and carve our names into 'em. Bitch? Let me borrow your sword." That had Sergeant Rite Vrataski chuckle, her signature sword strapped on her back.
"What I don't understand," Counsel Agent Tela Vasir spoke up, "is why? It's a bold move, but wouldn't it excite elements to try and overthrow them? Rebellion, economic collapse, strikes and the such? It seems like they could have accomplished the same thing with bribes and accidental deaths."
"That's an interesting point." Royce mused. "Why now? What made it so bloody important to do somethin' so high-profile? Coups are what you hear about in tiny little Nationalist Earth countries that the Alliance don't give a shit about. They might as well thrown a barbie out back and shot out some star flowers in the sky."
"That, we'll have to figure out later, but it is something worthy to note." Shepard looked to Tela, giving her a small smile. "Until we come back, we focus on the Ishimura. I contemplated waiting to tell you when we got back, but I'd rather give you bad news up-front than for you to hear snippets and rumors and think the worse." That had everyone human nodding their heads in understanding. "For now, bunk down, chow down, and relax. Captain says that it'll take us a little under a day and a half just to reach the Attican Beta Cluster, and another two hour FTL burn to reach the Thessus System, where Feros is located. I want everyone to get the chance to get acquainted with their equipment, putting it where it fits, and go through some simple drills with it. When we reach Feros and collect Dr. T'soni, we'll allocate a few hours to squad tactics, make sure we're all operating on the same frequencies and callsigns before we head back out to the Hades Nexus Cluster. Any questions?"
"Yes. Who's been eating the Turian chocolate?" Specter Garrus Vakarian asked, looking around. "I can smell it."
"Um, sorry?" Rahe'Tarram nar Sofis waived, sipping through what appeared to be a straw connected to a sealed plastic bag through her vocalizer. "I've never had chocolate before!" Several members on the crew deck began to snicker as the Turian sniper sighed.
"I guess I'm sharing."
Sleep. The Asari-styled bed was truly a comfortable thing, 1st Lieutenant Jane Shepard thought as she slowly woke up for the ship's First Light, stretching out on the bed that was in her assigned berth. The mattress was filled with something that resembled memory foam, but was much softer. If she ever owned a place, Shepard would buy an Asari mattress; Thessians would make a lot of money if they advertised on Earth.
"Sleep well?"
Shepard looked over to see Tela Vasir laying next to her, sharing the bed in a manner that was a little more than friendly, yet a little less than intimate. She herself was still wearing her Alliance-issued sports bra and boxer briefs, while the Counsel Agent wore something that she assumed was the Asari version of a nightgown, though it resembled more a one-piece bathing suit. Shepard remembered how embarrassed she was when she had worn so little in front of the Specter, the Asari able to see the scars that now decorated her skin from the fight she had with the three Asari back on LV 426. The scar on her face was always present, yet that one didn't bother her as much as the one that went down her right flank, going from ribs to hip, like a zipper in her flesh. The rest of her scars were smaller and harder to find, but the thought of them still embarrassed her.
"Yes." Shepard's reply was shy, as she wasn't sure what she should do next. Sleeping alongside the Asari hadn't bothered her, her Biological Terror Syndrome having not flared up with being in the presence of an alien in close proximity for the entirety of the night. They hadn't done anything the previous night, as she was bone tired after everything that had occurred. She thought of the news about Earth, and she felt saddened that she would be enjoying herself while back in London, someone in Corporate was trying to seize the government and try her for a traitor. Tela fixed the dark thoughts running through Shepard's mind by placing a gentle hand on her cheek and bringing soft lips to her own, kissing her softly, yet sweetly. "Hmm, now that is a way to start a day." Shepard smiled, the tingle that the kiss left still an impression on her own lips, pleasant and soothing.
"I'm glad you approve." The Thessian smiled as she slid onto Shepard, her body pressing into hers as the Specter lowered herself onto the human. "I would like for you to close your eyes, Jane. I would like to try this time."
"O-okay." The nervousness immediately flared up inside of her as Shepard felt herself losing control to her BTS. She looked up to Tela, and saw that the Asari's eyes had already turned ebony black, the Thessian giving her a nod, indicating to trust her. Despite the panic flooding her veins, Shepard did close her eyes, fighting her body's reaction by controlling her breathing, fighting the adrenaline that threatened to surge through her body. She was able to lessen it slightly through determination, and Shepard nodded her head, indicating that she was ready for whatever the Specter had in mind.
Shepard gave off a small gasp as she felt a thought caressing her own.
Her body tried to stiffen and jerk back from the act, but her mind had other ideas; the thought that touched was one that felt calming, serene. It brushed with her again, just a touch, and Shepard felt herself comforted by it, the panic slowly seeping away, as if her body realized it wasn't in danger. The thought came once more, but this time instead of backing away, it stayed with her, a soft feeling of warmth and compassion that stayed inside of her, a thought that wasn't her own, but one that was pleasant, enjoyable, even. It had been like that the night before, just little wisps of thoughts that had Shepard's panic slip away, replacing it with compassion and harmony.
"You can open your eyes now, Jane."
Shepard did, looking at the face of Tela Vasir, her darkened eyes looking right into her own, her face one that had Shepard wishing she could take it in her hands, to bring it closer. Her hands slid up on the Thessian's body as she did just that, kissing Tela softly as the thought that had touched her mind grew warmer, stronger.
"Tela…" Shepard felt herself panting as the thought continued to caress her emotions, like the hands of a lover guiding inside of her. "Oh Gods, was this what you meant when you said it got better?"
"This is very little, dhan'rana." Tela replied with a knowing smile, calling her 'one I care for'. "A true meld? You would find it impossible to tell your emotions from my own, as if we shared the same mind and body."
"A-and you can feel mine?" Shepard asked, pleasantly mystified. The thought was still there, and Shepard found the soothing spot in her mind and gave it one of her own, a little push of caring. That had the Thessian smile.
"See? Was that so bad?" Tela smiled as she kissed her, as if to congratulate her. "You will be better with practice, of course, but I see you are trying for the basics. Now I want you to relax as I give you a little more of an opening. It might be a little overwhelming." Shepard nodded, and then started to gasp out loud as she felt several different thoughts slide into her own, each one different as she laid there shivering. She clutched at the Thessian as she felt the dozen or so spots that seemed to flutter about in her mind, feelings of joy and compassion, friendship and trust, passion and unity, all floated within her, warming her as Shepard let off a moan of surprised pleasure from it. As soon as she had a grip on herself, Shepard felt even more flooding in, thoughts multiplying as she began to shake and shiver with the invasion. She clutched Tela, holding onto her as if she were an anchor as Shepard had a hard time paying attention to what was happening around her, her mind seemingly wanting to pay attention to what was happening within her. Slowly the thoughts began to pour in, like water from a faucet as Shepard gasped and moaned, her body gyrating as she gripped at the Asari, crying out as more and more emotions filled within her, suffusing her. Asari and human mind began to merge, bridging the chasm between them as two minds drew closer together, thoughts and emotions moving back and forth as fast as light until the difference between was no more.
They had melded.
Oh Gods… Shepard couldn't even talk, her body a forgotten shell as she found herself embracing essence, molding with the spirit of the Thessian as it meld with her own. The physical closeness of the two of them was a painful distance gratefully forgotten as Shepard experienced something far greater and more passionate than a physical embrace. This is beyond incredible!
I am glad that you enjoy it. Tela spoke without words, her thoughts ringing alongside Shepard's own, a voice that came from within her. This is a meld, dhan'rana, this is what it means to my people to be together.
It's marvelous. Shepard thought, her essence warmed along Tela's. If she could have still felt her body, she would have felt the tears that streamed down her face, or how her body clutched at the Asari above her, panting and moaning, begging for it to never end. Yet Shepard was in oblivion with only one other spirit, their essences slowly entwining, twisting around one another like ribbons wrapped around a pole. I… I never knew… words can't describe how this feels!
Now you see why my race seems so promiscuous to the others; they lack the understand of what it means to be together, to be free of body and restriction. Tela's spirit entwined itself even more around Shepard's, slowly becoming a cocoon of warmth and love around her. In this, it is only we who matter, and even time bends to our will. We could be here for hours while only seconds pass. I would like to show you all that means to me and more, Jane. I wish to bond with you.
What does that mean? I mean… there was no fear in her, as if it had been washed away. Shepard would have worried about that before, but now? It was mere curiosity. To bond? What does that mean to you? Perhaps hearing it will help me understand it?
Of course. The thought of a smile came to Shepard, as well as affection as the Thessian's spirit continued to encircle her, the differences between them growing weaker. To bond is to join; a part of me shall be a part of you, and likewise. No matter the distance between us, we will always be connected. Your fears, your hopes, your pains, your pleasures, I shall share with you, as you will share with me. For an Asari, to meld is pleasure, but to bond is to love. I wish to bond with you, Jane Shepard, to share myself with you. I wish to show you every part of me, no matter how dark or ugly. I wish to be a part of you, to ease your doubts and your fears, to give you support and encouragement. Simply put, I want to belong to you, and you to me.
Like… marriage, but more. Shepard thought, and the thought of a wedding came to her, and was immediately shared with Tela. Is this wise, doing this so fast? We humans have some unspoken rules about jumping into an empty pool without looking… Shepard admitted that she was a little embarrassed at the thought, but she didn't understand what it was that Tela was asking for; the Thessians' words and Shepard's understanding were at two separate levels. Don't think I'm not interested, it's just… I don't know what this all means yet. You ask me questions about human culture and meanings of words all the time, but this… it seems so much more. I don't want to agree with something I don't fully understand and causing the both of us pain.
I understand, Jane. Tela thought back to her, her essence calming, soothing. Sometimes it is hard to remember just how new a race you are to the greater galaxy. Most understand what an Asari bond entails, if only the basics. To bond, it is simple; pick a memory, something of significance, something that makes you think of me. When you have selected it, you give it to me like a selfless gift. That thought shall be the beginning of our bond, what everything else will be built on. Since it is your thought or memory in my mind, it is a link of you I possess, as I do the same with you. When that is complete, the bond is formed from those two thoughts, and the sharing of such a memory will stick with you. Inside of your mind, you shall always feel me, able to feel what I feel, regardless of distance, just as I am able to do with you.
So… it's like a phone call in which is in our minds, one that's always on? Shepard wondered, thinking it over. Do we only feel emotions? What about thoughts?
That comes later. Tela explained. For now, it is simply your emotions and your surface thoughts. Later, as the bond grows and matures, you can share the most intimate of your thoughts with me, the deepest of secrets, the worst of your fears, and in the sharing of them, you can experience them with me, not having to face your fears or your turmoils alone. It is why my race seems so serene and tranquil; we connect with those we've bonded to, and with it, we slowly grow to master ourselves in ways unimaginable. If you want this, if you are comfortable with this, I would like to share with you a part of me I have never shared with anyone else.
Shepard, her essence still entwined with the Thessians', made her choice. In her mind came a memory, one that she held dear to her. It was concerning nothing more exciting than a day when She and Tela had watched a vid together; Star Wars, Episode XII, in fact. It had been a day where they had relaxed together, just sharing the simpler things together, but somehow, Shepard realized on that day that she did have feelings for the Asari Specter, that she couldn't stop looking at her or thinking about her. It was this that she shyly sent away, pushing it towards the essence of Tela Vasir. The Asari's spirit glowed with happiness as it took the gift, sharing a memory that was once her own, how Shepard saw the Thessian. She then felt a different kind of thought come to her, one that wasn't a warm spot, but more substantial, more real, like a weight in zero-g. Shepard brushed the new thought, and found herself experiencing something Tela had given her, recognizing it for what it was; the day they had went to get coffee and found themselves facing down ten assassins. Shepard was shocked to discover that she was watching the event from Tela's point of view, the thoughts she had, and the wild risk she took in kissing Shepard. She could believe that Tela had already had some feelings indicating that she might like Shepard that way, and had kissed her just to see if it felt right. The memory ended with the kiss and the rushing feeling that Tela felt when her lips met Shepards'.
Is… is that what it felt like to you? Shepard wondered, surprised. I get a tingle. And here I thought you did that because I called you my hot-ass girlfriend!
I am your hot-ass girlfriend, dhan'rana. Tela thought back, her essence still glowing. Shepard was marveling how the thought she had sent seemed to have a string attached to it, a string that led back to her essence, while the one Tela gave her had a string that trailed back to the Thessian's. The cords of essence and spirit slowly entwined themselves once, Shepard noted, and it occurred to her that this was the true act of bonding; the entwining of spirits. The emotional response from the Asari was growing in intensity, passion and love glowing from her essence, wrapping around Shepard's spirit like a blanket made of the most special material ever made. I… I was worried you would be too afraid to try, that you would turn me down. Tela thought, their meld growing more intimate. What made you want to?
When I am with you, I feel… stronger, more confident. Shepard admitted. Yet at times like these, I don't feel afraid to share myself with you, the doubts I feel, the fears inside me. I trust you in a way I don't think I've ever trust anyone. You could have easily been one of those Asari you despised to what most consider some barbarian, but instead you gave me a chance to prove myself not only to you, but to me, too. You were… you were the first non-human I had ever interacted with, and yet I found that it wasn't so bad, that you weren't out to rape my brain or any of that nonsense. You showed me that you were a person, and that you were worth being a friend to, as well as one I could confide in. I… I want that in my life, Tela; that trust, that feeling of completeness I feel whenever I'm with you. It hasn't been easy for me, being together, but it has been worth every terrifying step. You haven't disappointed me or let me down. I… I want you. In my life, and… and I want to reach the point where I don't care if others know or not. I'm not ashamed, but I am afraid of the consequences from some of the more asshole versions of my species.
I understand. We Asari have our own bigots. The Thessian admitted, a rueful tone to her thoughts. But for now, I am quite content. Just wait until we reach je'tal. That would be the 'sex' part.
Gods, there's more?
A/N: The first prototype stealth system, as well as a ship thermal clip. And I did name the ship after Ghost Rider.
Poor Earth.
I made an attempt to actually describe what a mindmeld was; a sort of metaphysical linking of the minds through an Asari's evolved nervous system, where thoughts and emotions can be shared. And yes, I haven't even reached the 'sex' part yet.