Chapter 5: Problem Individual
The year is 2201 and the human councilor Blare Feldmen has had a busy year since Shepard's return. When the meeting between the two of them ended, the councilor looked as if he was out for his own agenda, Shepard gained the other three councilors favor and his embarrassment at the end of the meeting made him a joke on the Citadel.
Shepard went into the Traverse and the Terminus Systems and at first the councilor when questioned about Shepard the councilor initially just shrugged these questions off as just Shepard hunting for glory, but as she became more successful the harder it became for him to just dismiss Shepard. With Shepard's capture of the Omega nebula and her raids against Batarian military locations has made life even more difficult.
"I know ambassador calm down!" Feldmen demanded
"You want me to be calm when that lunatic is out there attacking my people!" A very distraught holograph of a batarian shouted. "You've allowed her to get this far!"
"I didn't know she was going to capture Omega!" Feldmen shouted back.
"You knew what she's capable of and your assumptions have cost the Hegemony dearly!" the Batarian ambassador barked.
"She won't open up diplomatic talks with the council we can't do anything about her." The councilor sighed.
"You can't or you don't want to?" The batarian ambassador angrily questioned.
"What are you saying?" Feldmen questioned.
"If you don't put Shepard down my people will!" The batarian shouted cutting off connection.
The councilor walked to his desk and slouched into his chair. He went inside his suit pocket and grabbed a cigarette and placed it into his mouth without lighting it. "This is a mess." He whispered to himself. Throughout his carrier he liked to think that he had humanities best interest at heart, but now since Shepard's return he has began to feel that he may have made mistakes along the road.
He restored the Council, gave the quarians and batarians back their embassies and put Shepard in prison for her part in the "coup" as he liked to call it. But all of that seemed like a mistake now. The council races have drastically reduced humanities power in the galaxy; the batarians are still attacking colonies. Shepard and the quarians are in talks about establishing some form of government in the Terminus systems; she won't speak with the council and has even invited the krogen clans lead by Urdnot Wreav into diplomatic talks.
All of his accomplishments seemed pointless now. The entire galaxy has praised Shepard for her efforts and even the very races that condemned her ten years ago are now congratulating her for "taming the Terminus Systems".
"Shepard is a menace!" he grunted.
Now there is rumor of war that could spill into Citadel space because of factions that are warring with Shepard's new authority in the Omega nebula and the Batarian Hegemony could soon very well storm the Terminus Systems, giving them enough power to be a threat to the Citadel.
The councilor took his lighter out of his pocket and lit his cigarette; taking a deep puff, smoke filling his lungs. He exhales as he notices the door to his office open.
"Hello doctor T'Soni." The councilor said as he put out his cigarette. "Sorry it's an old habit."
"No offence taken." Liara said.
"I've heard that you're work on the prothean ruins on Illos have brought things ahead a bit in the last ten years."
"Yes since I joined the team on Illos we've gotten very far in our research and we are very close to discovering some of the secretes the ruin might still hold." Liara said excitedly.
"Yes but I also understand that you once were a skilled information broker." The councilor said.
"Councilor I'd rather not talk about that time in my life it's…"
"I'm sorry that's a sour subject and I shouldn't have brought it up." He interrupted.
"Thank you councilor." Liara
Councilor Feldmen's office doors opened and Ashley Williams marched through. "Sorry I'm late councilor." Ashley said giving the councilor a weak half hearted smile.
"Nice of you to join us Captain Williams." Councilor Feldmen said, not hiding the bitterness in his voice.
Ashley gave Liara a puzzled look. "What are you doing here?"
"I got an urgent message from the council that told me to report to the human councilor's office and now I'm here."
"I appreciate you two for coming to the station on such short notice." The councilor said gratefully. "I need help with an urgent matter."
"This is about Shepard isn't it?" Ashley questioned.
"She has become a problem." He replied.
"What do you mean?" Liara asked
"She has upset some very powerful people on the Citadel and I'm being pushed to act." Feldmen said sheepishly.
"Let me guess…the batarians and the diplomats that have something to lose if Shepard cleans up the Terminus?" Ashley said.
"She's become a problem individual and I'd rather not have to resort to violence to get her to cooperate."
"Have you tried to establish talks with her?" Liara asked.
"She refuses to speak with the Citadel and has only given the quarians, krogen and even the geth permission to enter the Omega nebula." The councilor sighed.
"So what do you need us for?" Ashley muttered.
"I was hoping that the two of you could get her to open a dialogue with the Citadel." He sighed.
"With all due respect councilor she'll just say no." Ashley exhaled.
"Me and Hazel are not on the best of terms right…"
"Whose fault is that?" Ashley interrupted, darting a glare at Liara.
"Do you have something to say to me Williams?" Liara asked darting an angry glare at Ashley.
"The commander was always there for you and when she needed you the most you left her out to dry!" Ashley shouted.
"You don't know a damn thing that happened between us!" Liara shouted back.
"So that makes up for ten years!" Ashley barked. "Did you even once come to see her in prison?"
"Go to hell!" Liara mumbled.
"Ladies if one of you can't talk to her a squad of spectre's will!" The councilor interrupted.
Both women looked at the councilor in shock. "Councilor you can't…"
"They're on Omega waiting for my signal…assuming that I can't get one of you to talk with her."
"Councilor I'm Captain of a ship I can't just leave whenever I want." Ashley said.
"I have important work at the dig sight I…I can't just abandon it." Liara said hesitantly. "I'm sorry."
"Honestly I am to." The councilor mumbled. "Thank you both for your time."
Ashley stormed out of the councilor's office with Liara right behind her. Feldmen slumped in his chair and took another cigarette from his pocket and lit it. "Another mess." He thought to himself. He had guessed that bringing the two closest people to Shepard together might have gotten them to talk with Shepard, but now force seemed like the only option. The councilor's door opened again. It was Liara T'Soni again, but this time she was alone.
"Do you need something doctor?" the councilor asked.
"So you just need me to convince her to cooperate…Shepard I mean?" Liara asked hesitantly.
"Yes." The councilor replied.
"Nothing else?" She questioned.
"I have other options if you aren't comfortable then you…"
"No…I'll talk to her…if she'll listen." Liara interrupted.
"That's all I ask of you doctor." The councilor said with a snide half grin on his face.
END.
Please Review.