The situation reports spewing from the various computer terminals said that the situation was dire. Uncontrolled fires were burning on decks eleven, twenty three, and thirty eight.
Decks nine, forty, and thirty were venting in to open space. Weapons were off line. Targeting offline. Engines offline. Communications offline. The reports kept going on and on.
The entire ship was a sitting duck. And he furious.
Klaxon fire sirens blared away as Alliance squads rushed all around him fumbling in the zero-G environment they now found them selves in. The hallway was bathed in crimson. The various leaders of each group screaming over their radios and at each other as they all struggled to try to come to terms with the situation, but as he drew near, rushing hand over hand as he swung himself across the ceiling rails, they rushed out of his way. Normally they would have stopped and saluted, but now they wanted nothing to do with his wrath. Two Lieutenants followed quickly after him, heaving as they tried to keep up with a man over twice their age.
Quickly the filed in to an elevator which started it's swift rise to the command deck.
"What the status!' The older man growled as he firmly gripped a bar keeping his body planted on the floor. His knuckles bore white with rage.
"Admiral Hackett! Sir! We are trying to get the situation under control, but every team so far, besides communications and weapons targeting, are getting false positives! It's like all of our computers were hacked at once!" One of the junior officers said as she fumbled with her omni tool.
"If' it's a system wide virus it won't take long to clean up, but that's not the real problem." The other Lieutenant said, his voice shaking.
"What is?" Hackett gritted.
"The Normandy...Shepard...She got away sir..." The Lieutenant blurted out.
Hackett looked the man right in the eyes as if he was crazy. "You think that is the real problem?" He asked deathly. The junior officer just wilted and withered under his gaze.
"Command deck." The VI sounded, and just as the doors opened Hackett as set off again pulling him self along like a Titan.
The doors to the bridge snapped open, and he plunged in. The lighting was still red and flashing, but the sirens were silent like the dead.
"Admiral on deck!" Roared a Marine. Everyone turned to looked at him
As if on cue, Hackett felt a slight twinge of vertigo, and slammed his body standing tall but still riveting to the floor himself as his arms held on to the ceiling rails. He knew what was going to happen. The VI system was always slow in these kind of announcements. At times we had wondered if it was a cruel joke that the VI programs did just for shits and giggles. No sooner was he standing then the artificial gravity well kicked in. Anything or anyone who was not restrained slammed to the deck floor, or in to walls and terminals. Hackett felt no remorse for the beating the foolish and the stupid had received as he stormed forward.
"Gravity coming back online. Fires contained, hull breaches sealed. Engines online." The VI said in the cruelly neutral voice.
Hackett paid no heed to the VI. He wanted answers.
"Who gave the command to open fire on that civilian vessel." He barked. His voice barely masking his rage.
No one on the bridge responded.
He was loved by the common soldier. He championed their need's in front of the Parliament. Had defended so many from needless bureaucratic scrutiny. He was known as the Hero of Elysium since he led the Alliance Naval Assault that decimated the Slaver Fleet that had tried and failed to make Earth's shining jewel of a Colony fall. But his ire was equally as legendary. All who served with him knew that failure was not an option. Be it following an order, or not following an order. Success at all possible. Failure in any form was never an option. Not to him, and by extension anyone who served with him.
But someone had failed. They had all failed.
Hackett turned and looked at his XO. The Officer was as grizzled as he was, but far younger. Yet he should have still known better.
"Who gave the order." Hackett growled again. He wouldn't ask a third time.
"Please calm down Admiral. Your people were only following orders given to them by the Alliance Parliament ." A polished voice spoke softly.
It was far too polished to be a soldier.
Admiral Hackett turned and saw Advisor Donnell Udina standing near the port bridge windows. His view looking outside to the void. No doubt as to where the Normandy had been just twenty minuets before. He was dressed in a white tunic, matching pants, and pearl dress boots. Around his neck hung the blue scarf of the Council. He also was not alone as a charcoal skinned Turian stood by him. The Turian was dressed in a C-Sec blue uniform. What was out of the ordinary was that the Turian had no facial markings.
Themos Sohmon was his name. C-Sec Agent was his title.
Without warning Hackett spun around and crashed his fist against his XO's face. The officer crumpled to the floor, and didn't rise.
"Never! Never do we fire on a Civilian vessel! Not even when we are fired upon! We are not pirates! We are not Batarians!" Hackett raged at the fallen man. His voice thundering through the bridge.
"I wouldn't call the Normandy a civilian vessel. Admiral. It's commanded by the most wanted woman in the Galaxy." Sohmon spoke softly, ignoring the scene that had just taken place.
"I didn't think that the Council wasn't interested in involving itself in the matter." Hackett Growled. As he spun to his 'guests'.
"As I said before when we met Admiral. It's not." Udina said flippantly.
"Then tell me why is your friend here?" Hackett asked. He had talked about this already with Udina, but had gotten the usual run around. He was tired of playing nice.
"I'm only here to observe Admiral. Nothing more." Sohmon replied.
"That's fucking bullshit and you know it." Hackett fired back.
"Now Admiral. Such language is not needed." Udina chided as he turned to face the seething Officer. "Shepard's actions over the past year have caused the Council great concern. Even more so that she has worked openly with the terrorist Organization Cerberus. Now with the Bahak system destroyed; they want to make sure that the Alliance is making sure that the situation... is taken care of. I am merely here as a representative of both parties, and Agent Shomon here is only here to observe. " He said in a quiet tone.
"Well why don't you contact her and ask her your self, and not use MY ship." Hackett responded heatedly.
"It's not that easy." Sohmon interjected. "The Batarian Hegemony is willing to go to war with the Systems Alliance over this, as if the Alliance's foolish operations in the Bahak system weren't enough. I will not have the Council or the other Council races be dragged in to a conflict that concerns only the Batarians and Humanity." He said acidly and he started to pace back and forth.
"Admiral. You said you could apprehend Shepard without incident. Without a scene. Yet when it was reported to me that Shepard had not come with you; I had to make sure that the Parliament's commands were fulfilled." Udina said simply.
"The Parliament's commands? I'm sure Anderson would love to hear you interpretation of the Parliament's commands!" Hackett lashed out.
Udina's face didn't shake at the rebuke. "And I am sure that Parliament would love to hear of your continued sabotage of law and protection of Shepard. She may be you 'pet project', but this isn't Torfan, Admiral. Nor it is the lull after some great and 'heroic' battle. She's a traitor to the Council and to the Alliance. She has killed over three hundred thousand people and obliterated a Star system."
Hackett's face shriveled in disgust "You don't have a clue about Shepard."
"Is she still going on about 'Reapers'?" Sohmon simply laughed. "She is truly mad. Don't say you believe her." He said menacingly.
Hackett nearly lost it as he stalked up to the Turian and looked him right in the eye. He wasn't scared of the larger Alien. He had fought against them and with them. He knew how to make them bleed. He wanted to make this lowly agent remember his place. But his better part of self caught him as he stood toe to toe with Sohmon locked in a contest of wills.
"Admiral. It really doesn't matter what you think now. We have another option in order to apprehend Shepard. Possibly one that is even better." Udina said sourly.
"What would that be?" Hackett asked.
"Just know that it does not concern you. I believe the time has come for Agent Sohmon and myself to depart. Good day, Admiral." Udina said as he turned on his heel and walked towards the bridge door. Sohmon walking along side him.
Once they were gone the bridge turned in to a bee hive of activity again.
"Sir. Communications are back online." A Communications officer rang, but then he drew silent.
"What is it?" Hackett asked.
"I have a message from Parliament and the Staff of Admirals and Generals." The officer said breathlessly. "We are to report to Acturus station and provide home defense till Shepard is apprehended and her trial is finished..." A wraith of silence ensconced the bridge.
Hackett looked down on the unconscious form of his XO still on the floor. He looked over at the two Bridge guards. "Take XO Huckle to the infirmary, and keep him under guard. Captain Xian. You are here by promoted to Executive Officer of the SSV Everest." Hacket turned and walked towards the door. "Take us home. You have the deck Mr. Xian. I will be in my cabin and do not wish to be disturbed." Hackett said somberly. For that one moment he sounded like an old man.
Hackett shut his eyes as he walked out of the Everest's bridge. Part of him still wanted to scream and throw a chair across the hall. Do something! But he had done all he could for her. He knew he couldn't stop what was happening now. This was the best he could do for her. Letting her go was the best he could do.
I just hope to God She keeps running... He thought.
He walked back down the hallway to his cabin that was near the Bridge. His legs felt like lead weights. His shoulder's were like iron that bowed his back. Crew and security stopped and snapped salutes at the icon they all knew. He replied in turn, but it was slow with sorrow and weak with guilt. The door hissed shut behind him and he engaged the lock. Slowly he drew close to his desk and sat in the old worn oak chair. The desk responded to his presence and his terminal snapped to life. On it was a message he had received weeks ago.
He had read it over and over so many times he couldn't remember. His tired eyes roved over the words again, and they gave him even a deeper chill then when he had first laid eyes on them.
Steven,
My sight is finally clear! After a life time of toil and pain I finally have a reason! The artifact we found is beautiful! I have learned from it now that my first aim with The Project was entirely wrong! I cannot destroy Humanity's last chance at redemption. At being uplifted. I am meant to greet our saviors! If you were here you would understand. Do not fear; the Arrival will happen soon, and then we will be free. We will all be free!
Amanda
I should have probably written this note for the last chapter. But any way, this is how I see Arrival really ending. I just didn't like how Hackett said that the evidence was shoddy at best for Shepard. To me, I think it would only be damning. The Normandy may be able to slip past sensors, but completely evade spy satellites which could be recording anything and everything? I'm not to sure. That, and Asteroids just don't go flying in to Mass Relays ever day.